Rising Aussie star Xavier Samuel has been learning to fight like a vampire on the set of Eclipse.

The third movie in the Twilight Saga, which is due out in the middle of the year, is set to make Samuel a big name.

But the 26-year-old actor hasn’t forgotten his roots, signing on as a judge for the Optus 180 Project – a competition that gives aspiring TV makers a chance to bring their show idea to the small screen.

Two years ago Samuel starred in a pilot called Dream Life, which won the competition and was produced as a drama for MTV Australia.“We got the opportunity to make something that was really fun and kind of different, and that took a few more risks than perhaps a lot of stuff in the mainstream,” Samuel told AAP.

“It meant we got to reach more of an audience – it’s always good when you get to tell the story to more people than just your mum and dad and your friends.

“This year I was asked to come and be a judge, which was really cool. This is my debut as a judge.”

Samuel won’t have to worry about reaching a large audience with his most recent film, Eclipse.

The Twilight Saga is one of the most popular and successful film series of all time.

Samuel plays Riley, a newborn vampire on a mission to kill Bella (Kristen Stewart).

“It’s a really action-packed film and I had a really great time running around on wires and learning how to fight like a vampire – however that is,” he laughed.

“Whenever we weren’t shooting we were in stunt training or in the gym running around. It was pretty intensive actually.”

Samuel said the third film would have a darker look, thanks to new director David Slade.

“It seems like David has approached it very differently to the previous directors – I think he’s really embracing the darker side of it, which is really cool,” he said.

“He’s uber intelligent, very technically astute director.”

Since shooting Eclipse, Samuel said he’s been receiving more new scripts than ever but hasn’t signed on to anything else yet.

For now he is content to spend a bit of down time in Sydney and fulfil his judging duties for the Optus 180 Project.

And he had a bit of advice for 2010 entrants.

“I’ve only got the whole Dream Life experience to go by, but they made some really interesting choices and kind of looked at things from a different perspective, and worked really hard, and surrounded themselves with great people,” he said.

“I think if you do some of those things that’s a pretty good recipe for something interesting.”

Filmmakers have until February 12 to enter the competition at www.one80project.com.au.

Source: Nine MSN

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