Catchin' Up with Cameron!

There is never a dull moment in the Bridge Project and we learn all types of different skills, not just acting. The Arts is a diverse and varied industry with literally hundreds of different types of jobs one can pursue. So its always really fascinating to see where some Bridgees career paths take them.

Cameron Hooper is an OG of The Bridge Project - a member of the very first Bridge year in 2012. He joined the Bridge not entirely convinced on what he wanted to do in terms of the theatre. When asked if he originally wanted to be an actor, Cameron said, “I knew I liked playing the piano, musical theatre, acting and enjoyed the community and friendships it gave me. I was always friends with the music and drama kids at school so it seemed like the natural progression at the time.” Before joining the bridge Cameron only had performance experience in school musicals and eisteddfods and music lessons but that was it!

Cameron pictured at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

After the Bridge, Cameron successfully applied to study Arts Management at WAAPA where he joked he had some “pretty boring subjects to be honest!”. Cameron's subjects included finance, law, business and economics. "It’s all geared towards the arts industry obviously and the course then became flexible to make your study more precise in a particular area in the arts.” But the main thing Cameron learnt was “how valuable all areas of the arts are and how important it is. Music and art wasn’t just a fun thing I did anymore. It made it all more purposeful.” Cameron continued his learning through post grad study in Employment Law at Melbourne University which he says has been “specifically useful knowledge representing actors and their rights at work and in a contract.” Cameron went into Arts Management because he liked the idea of stability and routine but it was still related to the arts – win win! “Someone once said to me that a 9-5 job in the arts doesn’t exist and I thought to myself that they were wrong. Turns out 9-5 jobs in the arts do exist except that its more like 9am – 5pm + evenings + weekends!”

Cameron Hooper with good friend, fellow Bridgee and WAAPA Graduate, Brittany Santariga.

After graduating from WAAPA, Cameron worked in casting on film/tv projects including Wentworth, Offspring and The inBESTigators.  Cameron is now currently an agent and shareholder of CP Artist Management – one of Australia’s leading theatrical agencies and has clients working in Australia and internationally on stage and screen. His job day-to-day consists of reading lots of scripts, watching a lot of television/film and regularly attending the theatre. But what Cameron said he enjoys most about his job is being able to offer opportunities to his clients that they never expected and that will challenge themselves as actors.  So when an actor gets booked for a role, Cameron is one of the guys behind the scenes that helped them get there!!

Cameron Hooper