Roger’s ‘grand’ Master class

Malta’s former fortified city of Valetta, named after the Grand Master of the Knights of St John, Jean Parisot de Valette, is built on Mount Sciberras. On the mount is the Grand Master’s palace.It is said that the land was given to the masters by the noble Sciberras family.

It seems fitting then that Roger Sciberras, who is based in Sydney and divides his time between that city and LA, has a noble or princely bearing and with a background in fitness training he probably has the strength and endurance to climb that steep peninsula where sits the palace of the grand masters making him a worthy descendent of his noble ancestors.

Roger is an up and coming actor and an award winning film maker and he has Tasmanian connections!

One of Roger Sciberras most memorable trips relate to him climbing a mountain, but not the one in Malta, instead it was Mount Anne in Tasmania which he climbed with his brother a local resident. An analogy could be made with this young man climbing the echelons of Australian and US acting ladder with the same tenacity he climbed Mount Anne. Eight hours up and 6 to get back. To extend the metaphor Roger is in the acting business for the long run, asked what he would do if it didn’t work out he said he would try harder, as there really is no other option for him acting has consumed his soul.

Roger had enrolled in University to study psychology, philosophy, english, scriptwriting and film. Ironically film was his least favourite subject as it dwelled too much, from Rogers perspective on dissecting films of the past. Psychology was his favourite subject and it may be that interest in people psyches, together with a his first job, a stint in a mail room, that made Roger realise he was interested in people, their idiosyncrasies and motivation. Clearly getting behind people’s motives and telling their story was what Roger wanted to do.

There were additional reasons of course and as so many kids do, Roger found he wanted to be many things, one week it would be a policeman, then a fireman, then a top gun pilot, many of these influenced by films or TV shows he watched. He found himself getting frustrated about not being able to focus on just one career choice and he came to the inevitable conclusion that the only place you can sample all of these careers and more is in he world of film.

Roger, like so many young Australian actors, makes the regular trips to LA and Manhattan, NY, where he has studied drama in an intensive 6 week course, again utilising those skills of endurance he used in climbing Mount Anne in 8 hour days and rehearing at night at the eminent Atlantic Theatre founded by David Mamet and populated by such actors as William Macy, his wife Felicity Huffman, Jessica Alba, Peter Facinelli (of the popular Twilight saga) and Australia’s Rose Byrne.

And success has already touched Roger’s career. Roger recently made a return trip to the US to accept an award for the short film ‘Sacrament’ he co wrote and starred in with his writing partner David Kelly.

The film started out as a project to create a piece for Roger’s ‘show reel’, in acting terms that is a ‘visual resume’. Roger and David thought about re-enacting a scene from a pre-existing movie but decided it would be better to write something original so ‘Sacrament’ was born, a short film about American soldiers in World War II. Complete with authentic clothing and props and great cinematography. The story revolves around two American soldiers on the eve of what might be a defining battle. The imagery of the last supper is re-enacted, as the night goes on they break bread and a break open a bottle of wine taken from the local church making the reference to sacrament all the more telling. The film has a twist in the ending that is film-making at it’s best. The award was more impressive considering neither David and Roger are in or have been in the forces and of course neither are American but the film has convincingly touched a nerve with that sector of the community.

Roger has presently just finished a stint in Home and Away, a high pressured filming series where takes are few, as half a hour of television must be produced daily. Home and Away is a program that sees its alumni being picked up for US, and movies, in great numbers to the chagrin of local US actors. So with Home and Away on his resume and a first film that cemented his belief in the fact acting was for him….making ‘Fools Gold’ in beautiful Port Douglas with the likes of Donald Sutherland and Matthew McConaughey. Roger says delivering lines with Donald Sutherland, an actor he has great respect for was a privilege. He repeated this to Mr Sutherland and the two had a chat about acting. Roger considers this a treasured moment in his career so far. He also cites sites Leonardo Di Caprio, Matt Damon and Gary Oldman, who he says has a great range and his flawless, as his acting heroes and people he would like to work with.

With his first lead role in a movie about four young men just out of university, a film in which he was required ad lib some of the dialogue, fresh on DVD release and still basking in the accolades received by Sacrament Roger is at a career highpoint.

He aims to continue writing and acting, telling entertaining stories. Roger envisages keeping his base in Sydney with his regular travel to LA (and maybe to Tasmania!) where after living for a time he has residence. One could say that the title of Rogers favourite film as a child and one he is reluctant to revisit in case it no longer holds the same movie magic for him looking at it as an adult, could be a fine title for Roger’s burgeoning career and one hopes it is going to be a ‘Never Ending Story’ of success upon success for this noble grand master in his quest to master acting and screenplay writing.

Fools Gold and Dealing with Destiny are available on DVD now.
Paula Xiberras