PASSION. CREATIVITY. EXCELLENCE.
THIS IS AEA
Our Founder
Shanna Logan
Director, PrincipalPrincipal, Shanna Logan was born in Aberdeen and from an early age, Shanna studied Speech and Drama, completing all levels of the examinations by the age of 14.
Shanna moved to London after gaining a DADA award to study musical theatre at the prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts – Britain’s and the world’s oldest theatre school. Throughout the 3 year course, she gained invaluable experience in all aspects of musical theatre, acting, voice production, stage combat and fitness.
After graduating, Shanna signed with a London agency and in 2018, completed her BA Honours degree in Acting through Middlesex University.
Shanna has many years of experience in performing & teaching all ages from babies up to adults. She is Disclosure Scotland & DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) checked and has qualifications in paediatric first aid and child protection. Shanna holds a Level 2 Estill Voice Training (EVT) qualification, a programme for developing vocal skills based on analysing the process of vocal production into control of specific structures in the vocal mechanism.
Shanna continues to work professionally as an actor and voiceover artist and is also the lead agent for AEA Management, children’s talent agency, which she runs alongside AEA.
When COVID Lockdown hit, Shanna decided to return to Uni and in July 2022 she graduated from University of Aberdeen with a Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Education – Drama (PGDE). This qualification takes what AEA can offer students to another level.
Our Patrons
James Rose
Our Staff
Mia
Sports Fitness & Conditioning
George
Music
Matt
Facilities ManagerGuest Lecturers
AmyBeth
Guest Lecturer
Stephen
Guest Lecturer
Chris
Guest Lecturer
George
George Rae, a multi-talented performer and acclaimed vocal coach, trained at top institutions such as The Ian Tomlin School of Music, The Royal Academy of Music, and The University of Greenwich.
As an actor, he has appeared in numerous West End and touring productions, including Disney’s The Lion King and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and has won awards for his performances at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre. He is also in high demand as a vocal coach at prestigious schools such as the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Bird College, and the Urdang Academy.
James
James Rose is an award-winning filmmaker, actor, and educator with over 15 years of experience in theatre, narrative film, and documentary production. With an MFA from Raindance Film School and training at The Oxford School of Drama, James has directed and produced acclaimed films like A Song for Gran and Youth Voices on the United Nations Goals, recognized for their emotional authenticity and social impact. His work tackles themes of mental health, human relationships, and social justice, offering audiences deep, character-driven narratives that resonate with societal issues.
James has also performed on prominent stages, including The Old Vic, Southwark Playhouse, Pleasance Theatre, and Soho Theatre. His diverse acting portfolio spans television, film, and global advertising campaigns for brands such as T-Mobile, TUI, and Allianz.
Beyond filmmaking, James holds an MS in Psychology and a BA in Business, bringing a unique interdisciplinary approach to his work. His decade-long experience in organizational psychology has seen him collaborate with FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies on leadership development and employee well-being. This expertise directly informs his approach to character development, blending psychological insights with filmmaking to create more authentic, compelling narratives.
As a mentor and educator, James helps emerging filmmakers, actors, and writers deepen their emotional connection with their craft. By integrating psychological principles into the creative process, he guides students in understanding character psychology and the emotional complexities of storytelling. His teaching empowers students to create more nuanced, impactful work that not only resonates with audiences but also sparks social change. James believes in the transformative power of film to inspire empathy and foster lasting societal impact.
Our staff
Ben
Ben is a multi instrumentalist and musical director, primarily working in woodwind performance and tuition in Aberdeenshire. Having graduated in 2015 with a BMus (Hons) in Music and Communities, Ben is a keen advocate for children and young adults’ musical theatre – currently providing musical direction for AEA Musical Theatre classes & AEA Productions.
He has performed as a pit musician for numerous shows, including Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Producers, Sweet Charity, Dogfight, Into The Woods and Fame.
Ben has also conducted many shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, and across Scotland – in Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. These include AEA Productions Grease (School Edition), Legally Blonde, American Idiot, Avenue Q, Spring Awakening, Les Miserables (School Edition), amongst others.
Emma
Louise
Mia
George
Guest Lecturers
Barry
Barry is a filmmaker and director of photography. He is best known for his work on: “Redwood Massacre”; “Remember Me”; “Everything’s Better in Slo Mo” and “7 Minutes In Hell”. Barry recently produced and directed the music video for “Within Hindsight”.
James
James Rose is an award-winning filmmaker, actor, and educator with over 15 years of experience in theatre, narrative film, and documentary production. With an MFA from Raindance Film School and training at The Oxford School of Drama, James has directed and produced acclaimed films like A Song for Gran and Youth Voices on the United Nations Goals, recognized for their emotional authenticity and social impact. His work tackles themes of mental health, human relationships, and social justice, offering audiences deep, character-driven narratives that resonate with societal issues.
James has also performed on prominent stages, including The Old Vic, Southwark Playhouse, Pleasance Theatre, and Soho Theatre. His diverse acting portfolio spans television, film, and global advertising campaigns for brands such as T-Mobile, TUI, and Allianz.
Beyond filmmaking, James holds an MS in Psychology and a BA in Business, bringing a unique interdisciplinary approach to his work. His decade-long experience in organizational psychology has seen him collaborate with FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies on leadership development and employee well-being. This expertise directly informs his approach to character development, blending psychological insights with filmmaking to create more authentic, compelling narratives.
As a mentor and educator, James helps emerging filmmakers, actors, and writers deepen their emotional connection with their craft. By integrating psychological principles into the creative process, he guides students in understanding character psychology and the emotional complexities of storytelling. His teaching empowers students to create more nuanced, impactful work that not only resonates with audiences but also sparks social change. James believes in the transformative power of film to inspire empathy and foster lasting societal impact.
AmyBeth
AmyBeth, originally hailing from Aberdeen, is an award-winning singing teacher, vocal coach, and former West End soprano. With an illustrious solo career spanning Europe and 11 years in London, she has trained professional West End performers of all ages. Her collaborations include working alongside musical directors from iconic productions like Hamilton and 9 to 5, as well as coaching backing singers for global stars such as Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Chaka Khan, and Harry Styles. Now, AmyBeth is thrilled to return to her roots, bringing her West End expertise and vocal sparkle back to where her journey began!
Ewan
Ewan is an actor originally from Aberdeen. He trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and was recipient of the Dundee Rep Graduate Scheme and the Glasgow Citizens Theatre Actor Internship.
He has worked across the country for companies such as the National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh International Festival, Stafford Gatehouse, Vanishing Point and Sleeping Warrior Theatre Company and was awarded a commendation by the Ian Charleson Awards for his performance in Dundee Rep’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing”.
On screen, he has appeared in Granite Harbour, The Princess Switch 2: Switched Again and Outlander.
Stephen
Stephen has extensive experience dancing on cruise ships, and lecturing at a number of Scottish institutions. Stephen’s credits include: MTV EMAs, Thompson Cruise Lines and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Stephen now also runs his own performing arts school.