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SEPTEMBER 2026 THE REVIEW | 11 FEATURE the director is stressed out because they wrote the script too long,” he says. “Then all of a sudden, you’re on to the second script, some of which you may not have read the night before because you were out doing activities. “It’s not dissimilar to what happens in real life. It’s fast moving. They don’t wait for you to have a Zen mindset and get into the mind of your character. You’ve got to do all of that yourself behind the scenes.” Creating longer films was a different experience again. “Instead of one film getting half a day, it was one film getting a whole day. So that’s more about stamina and thinking ‘I’m going to be on set for 8 hours, what do I need to do [to prepare myself]?’.” The programme also highlighted the difference between stage and screen acting. “You don’t have to project your voice because you’ve got a boom mic right above you. You don’t have to be dramatic in your facial expressions because the camera is right there.” Koen says his course highlight was filming in a sound studio in Brooklyn. “We were making a horror film. I don’t even like watching horrors. But they are the most fun roles to play because everything is so much more exaggerated.” Koen made the most of the few opportunities he had to be a tourist in New York. He watched Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway and visited destinations and landmarks like China Town, Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and 9/11 memorial. While attending the programme may have started out as “only a dream” to go to New York, once he had his sights set on going and was accepted into the programme, Koen did everything in his power to raise the money to get there. After receiving the initial grant from Momenta, Koen received an Individual Grant from the Cerebral Palsy Society – which he is “very grateful for”, and a grant from local Tauranga business Genera. He did gardening for a 90-year-old man who had a broken back, fundraised at a fair, sold baking, ran raffles Opposite page: Koen made the most of being a tourist in NewYork. Above: Koen’s trip to NewYork provided himwith time in front of the camera. and had some input from his family. One of the greatest things Koen gained from the trip is an appreciation for home. “It’s just incredible how different [America] is. You come back and you think ‘I’m so lucky’. Life is so different here and it’s given me a sense of appreciation and gratefulness.” Koen is realistic about what his future as an actor holds. “In New York, I learnt that the market is saturated with actors. I’m definitely going to have some sort of backup.” At this stage, he hopes to go to the University of Canterbury to study engineering or chemistry and take advantage of Christchurch’s strong arts culture. “I’m going to get involved in The Court Theatre. I’m going to keep auditioning because I got taught how to do that better. I don’t think I’ll ever stop trying with acting.” One of the greatest things Koen gained from the trip is an appreciation for home.