About

Described as having an “evocative, masterful & iconic” style, Elise is an award winning writer, director, producer and actor of film, television and theatre.

Starting out her impressive 20 year career (to date) as a teenager playing Batgirl at Warner Bros. Movie World and a graduate of the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, Elise has evolved into a rare and unique hybrid artist with a talent for telling visually engaging and emotionally nuanced stories.

Elise’s recent short film THE WILTED ROSE, a social impact drama made in partnership with The Centre for Women & Co. premiered in competition at the 2023 Brisbane International Film Festival where it won Best Brisbane Short Film and was a contender for the AACTA Award for Best Short Film (the Australian equivalent of an Oscar). The film has been acquired by SBS Australia and will stream on SBS On Demand from November, 2024 to coincide with International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the United Nations 16 Days of Activism Campaign.

As a filmmaker, Elise won Best Director at the Paris International Film Awards for her short film METHOD IN MADNESS which stars Cristo Fernández (TED LASSO) and was also nominated for Best Film Inspired by Shakespeare at Shakespeare Shorts judged by Sir Kenneth Branagh. Her short film SKIN & BLISTER was nominated for Best Queensland Film at the Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Australia V-Fest and her short film OP SHOP for which she was also cinematographer was nominated for Best Short Film at the Bendigo Queer Film Festival.

As a writer, Elise has been Long-listed twice for the Australian Writers’ Guild Monte Miller Award with her screenplay for the screen adaptation of her stage play THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL (which was also a Semi-finalist at Austin Film Festival, Runner-up at Raindance and Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Female Voices Rock) and for her Television Pilot ROCKING OUT (also Long-listed for the Stan Australia + Screen Queensland Premium Drama Development Fund and a Quarter-finalist in the Outstanding Screenplays Competition).

Her debut full-length play THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL premiered at Theatre N16 after development at The Old Vic Theatre Labs and National Theatre Writers’ Group. She also wrote and performed the role of Australian Suffragette Muriel Matters in DEEDS, NOT WORDS at the Pleasance Theatre in London and the Brisbane Powerhouse as part of the Short + Sweet Theatre Festival. As a member of the Young Vic Directors Program, Elise participated in Research & Development for Maria Aberg’s THE WINTER’S TALE and Jeff James’ THE MASTER BUILDER.

As an actor and dancer, Elise has performed with the Queensland Theatre Company, The Australian Ballet, Universal Studios Japan and featured in Season 2 of Netflix’s THE CROWN. She gave a “radiant, charming, witty and emotional” portrayal of Zelda Fitzgerald in the Australian premiere of THE LAST FLAPPER and recently played Lee in MARVIN’S ROOM at Ad Astra Theatre Company where she was praised by reviewers who described her performance as "a standout" and "a perfect casting choice".

As a storyteller, Elise has a passion for genre blending female-led social impact stories and believes in the power film & theatre has to encourage social movements that can shift perspective and change culture. Her practice is built around social topics and partnering with third sector organisations to make meaningful narrative drama that positively impacts and informs community and global audiences. Elise is currently developing a slate of projects including her debut feature film, TV series and her sophomore full-length stage play ALL THE LIGHT IS GONE.

Alongside her own creative endeavours, Elise also freelances as an Assistant Director for Studio Films and TV Series including Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar and BAFTA nominated ELVIS.

From her plays being produced Off West End in London to her films being screened internationally to critical acclaim, Elise is emerging as one of her generation’s most gifted Auteurs.

Elise is an Australian Citizen of Scottish descent based in London and holds the UK Global Talent Visa. She is a member of the Australian Directors Guild (ADG) and the Australian Writers Guild (AWG).

ACCOLADES

Best Brisbane Short Film (Winner) Brisbane International Film Festival (2023) for THE WILTED ROSE

Monte Miller Award (Long-listed) Australian Writers’ Guild (2023) for ROCKING OUT

Brisbane Women’s Club Charitable Giving Grant (2022) for services to the community and raising awareness for Domestic Violence.

Raindance Screenwriting Fellowship (2022)

Monte Miller Award (Long-listed) Australian Writers’ Guild (2022) for THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL

Grand Jury Prize (Winner) Female Voices Rock (2021) for THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL

Best Short Screenplay (Winner) Female Voices Rock (2021) for THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL

Best Unproduced Short Screenplay (Runner-Up) Raindance (2021) for THE AUSTRALIAN GIRL

Best Director (Winner) Paris International Film Awards (2021) for METHOD IN MADNESS

Best QLD Film (Nominated) Women in Film & Television (WIFT) Australia V-Fest (2021) for SKIN & BLISTER

Best Film Inspired by Shakespeare (Nominated) Shakespeare Shorts (2020) for METHOD IN MADNESS

Best Short Film (Nominated) Bendigo Queer Film Festival (2020) for OP SHOP

Ian Potter Cultural Trust (2016)