The Team
Who We Are
Sophie Ann Rooney
Founder & CEO
​Sophie Ann Rooney is an award-winning director, whose multidisciplinary work spans theatre, film, television, video games, and music.
In film, Sophie’s Fallen Fighter earned a Kodak Award and selection by the Chicago School Board as a study piece following its run at CICFF. Her films have screened at over 20 international festivals, including Bollywood Beckons, Sleep Stop and several music videos. In television and games, her directing includes Netflix’s Daniel Spellbound, Ubisoft's Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (BAFTA-nominated for Performance, Game of the Year), The First Blade, and Fate of Atlantis. She continues to consult on cinematics teams like on Starlink, and on several undisclosed game titles set for 2026 release.
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As an educator, Sophie is the founder of RAW Actor Studio, where she has mentored and helped launch the careers of countless artists. Was accredited as a mentor through the Ontario Arts Council mentoring filmmaker Bradley Paul from Bear Island, and through the New Brunswick Arts Board mentoring filmmaker/actor Clem McIntosh from New Brunswich.
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Sophie trained internationally at EICAR International Film School of Paris, Oxford School of Speech & Drama, and The Royal Central. She is a graduate and longtime protégé of Amy Werba (BAW–Paris / Strasberg lineage), heavily featured in Werba's Book "Be your own Coach" at The Drama Book Shop.
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She is represented as a director/producer by Ryan Goldhar (The Characters Talent Agency) and as an actor by Murray Gibson (RED Management), and is a proud ACTRA and TAPA member.
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Sophie is the Executive Artistic Director and Founder of The King Black Box in Toronto, where she leads the company’s artistic vision, producing bold, socially urgent new works. Sophie has directed, designed and/or produced over 40 theatrical productions including The Glory of Living, Girls Unwanted (Canadian World Premiere), and The Irish Pub Play. A founder of both Sterling Studio Theatre and The Theatre Machine, Sophie helped shape Toronto’s independent theatre scene through fearless, design-led storytelling.
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Her distinct voice as an artist is echoed in reviews:
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“Rooney’s exquisitely detailed production designs... make us feel as if we are inside this rooming house.” (The Toronto Star)
“Fearless magicians... they do it with style.” (Lynn Slotkin)
“Authentic... inspired... I can’t wait to see what this promising company does next.” (Glenn Sumi),
'Rooney's choice to underscore a tense confrontation with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (as The Wizard of Oz plays in the background) is uncanny and truly inspired.' (Istvan Dugalin).
Formerly served as Performance Director for the Moulin Rouge working with it's premiere dancers, and Assistant Professor at The American University of Paris (Werba Apprentice). Her early career included collaborations as a session singer with Barclay-Music, and producer Ross Robinson (Korn) and Team Nowhere's rap-metal group Enhancer "Electrochoc" Album for their Limp Bizkit tour.
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Sophie completed her Junior and Senior school G.C.S.E.s, A-S Level in English Literature, and A-Levels in Music, French, and Spanish at The British School of Paris, where she also undertook associated board exams in piano, flute, music theory, and singing as achieving The Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold with a distinction to the arts personally handed by His Late Royal Highness. During her time there, she both acted in and directed school productions and founded the student-run drama club named at the time Inseine Cru, which continues to operate at the school today.
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@shotbylofa
Grisha Pasternak
EDUCATOR / HEAD OF OPERATIONS
like to laugh at his own jokes
Grisha Pasternak is a filmmaker, mentor and artist as well as the Head of Operations at RAW. Grisha teaches the technical side of the acting profession to give actors the proper tools to help with effective and efficient preparation.
Grisha studied film at TMU and went on to do multiple shorts, music videos, spec commercials with feature films on the horizon. He is also a 14 year member of the industry as an actor and uses his experiences in front and behind the camera to help actors understand their responsibilities and empower them to rise to the occasion in the professional world. Grisha believes that learning how to read and understand Story and your role in it is critical for any hope of longevity and consistency in this industry. Grisha's aim as a mentor is to guide and build the actors' toolkit in a way that allows for autonomy in their work and constant refinement of skills.
Everyone is capable of transforming from beginner to professional, insecure to empowered, scared to confident. Grisha gives the tools for that transformation. As an actor, due to the natural intensity of his looks, Grisha has made a career of playing bad guys and boy has he enjoyed it! In his spare time he is working on his golf swing and disappearing into a plethora of his eclectic interests.
"It doesn't matter if they are new to acting or just looking for a fresh perspective. The team at RAW will challenge, encourage and motivate anyone to better themselves. Grisha is an incredible teacher. He has given me the tools to continue to develop my process and hone my craft because his approach to the work is so detailed."
-Alumni Student
@rawactorstudioto
