Vancouver Actor's Guide Newsletter - April 24 2016
Published: Mon, 04/25/16
INDUSTRY NEWS
WE WANT YOU BACK: BC FILM INDUSTRY ON DEADPOOL SEQUEL
Note to the filmmakers behind the Deadpool sequel: Expect support and a big welcome if you decide to come back to Vancouver. That’s the message from those who promote and support Hollywood North.
PROFILE: KEVIN EASTWOOD, FOUNDER, OPTIC NERVE
FILMS
If there’s such a thing as the Midas touch in the volatile B.C. film industry, Kevin Eastwood might have it. The Vancouver-born producer-director has enjoyed a string of successful projects.
VANCOUVER CAREER FAIR FOR VFX, ANIMATION & VIDEO GAMES
2016
Vancouver continues to stamp out its name as a leader in technology, animation, video games and film & television. So it’s no surprise these digital jobs are in hot demand, but as a job seeker where do you begin?
Despite the celebratory nature of National Canadian Film Day, local filmmakers are using this opportunity to reflect on the state of Canadian cinema in a country that boasts the largest film and television production centres outside of New York and California.
7 REASONS TO LISTEN TO JJ ABRAMS, QUIT YOUR BORING JOB & MAKE YOUR PASSION PROJECT
Abrams just helmed Star Wars: The Force Awakens and produced 10 Cloverfield Lane; Chris Rock most recently directed Top Five; and the two of them just collaborated on parody videos for the Oscars. Both men excel at off-the-cuff humor; both know passion is key.
CONSTANCE WU AND
MING-NA WEN URGE ASIAN-AMERICANS TO FIGHT AGAINST HOLLYWOOD’S RACISM
“A lot of people’s visions of who they think looks like their hero is rooted in systemic racism,” Fresh Off the Boat star Wu said of the recent whitewashing controversy surrounding Ghost in the Shell.
WHY BROADWAY IS SO WHITE, PART 2 - A CHANGE IS
GONNA COME (MAYBE)
One can’t acknowledge that 95% of Tony nominees are white and also believe that Broadway is a bastion of inclusivity. The industry has a responsibility – to itself and to this country – to diversify its stories and audience. If not for the money, then for the simple fact that if it doesn’t, it will become fundamentally dishonest.
A DANGEROUS METHOD: JARED LETO AND HOW METHOD ACTING CAN GO HORRIBLY WRONG
The report that Jared Leto sent his Suicide Squad castmates used condoms was both gross—a case could
be made that it constitutes sexual assault—and the nadir of misunderstanding about what Method acting is and how it should be undertaken.
HOW TO GET ACTING WORK WHEN YOU LACK FORMAL TRAINING
Increasingly these days, actors are getting work through online calls and video submissions. Taking control of your online presence as an actor can be
intimidating. But as Napoleon put it, “Victory belongs to the most persevering.”
THE DEATH OF CASTING WORKSHOPS (LONG LIVE CASTING WORKSHOPS?)
These are the
8 things I can think of for now but it’s enough to get any actor busy. So in the case that workshops are truly dead, all is not lost. An actor has more power than he/she thinks. So embrace that power and get to work.
FIGHT DIRECTOR'S CANADA CERTIFICATION COURSE at Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay May 1-20, 2016 | 1 - 5pm This course teaches actors and stunt performers
the skills to realistically wield weapons with efficiency and style, while also gaining the much-needed physical safety protocols for stage and screen. Fight Directors Canada (FDC) is an internationally recognized qualification, and the only stage combat training officially recognized by the Canadian Actors Equity Association (CAEA). We the only facility that offers this course in British Columbia! (two times per year -- next in Sept 2016) To register: https://www.academieduello.com/school/forms/event/event-registration/?ee=883 For more info visit www.LearnSwordplay.com
KIDS+TEENS FILM+TV ACTING CLASSES AT BIZ STUDIO
Biz Studio
students have about twice the one-on-one time with faculty as students at other schools, with a max of 6 students per class. We have a legacy of training young actors who go on to work in the industry, *outstanding* instructors, and a beautiful downtown campus inside a working film & TV casting studio.
Spring semester starts the first week of April, info and registration online or call (604)
801-7050.
ARTS
UMBRELLA LAUNCHES THEATRE CONSERVATORY Fall 2016 A new eight-month intensive, full-time program for recent high-school grads who are passionate about acting as a career. Students will develop the skills, confidence, and experience they'll need to excel at university-level theatre programs or professional opportunities. Contact Andy Toth for more information: atoth@artsumbrella.com
ACTORIUM’S 16 WEEK SCENE STUDY SERIES One role, one scene and 16 weeks of in-depth, thorough training. Actorium is a Meisner based school. Student must have completed Actorium's four week Intro, or equivalent to enroll. 2910 Commercial Drive, Vancouver. More info:
604-445-7751 | info@actorium.ca | actorium.ca
DIALECT COACHING | TONY ALCANTAR Hollywood producers trust Tony Alcantar with their stars: Oscar-winners Halle Berry, Billy-Bob Thornton plus A-list stars Stellan Skarsgard, Sam Rockwell, Joel Edgerton, Bob Odenkirk, Martin Freeman, Elizabeth Banks, etc. You can trust him too! Tony is Vancouver's #1 dialect coach, recommended by agents
and casting directors. Learn with confidence the most requested dialects and accents required for the Vancouver market. Book that role! Contact: 604-418-1192, tonyalcantar@icloud.com
DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE AT ROGUES WEST ACTORS STUDIO Be challenged in our Film classes with new material every week and in our Scene classes with weekly goals that keep your scene dynamic ... Our multidimensional training encompasses everything from core
fundamentals to a professional skill-set … Material is selected to support/challenge your ever evolving craft. Fair and competitive rates, and payment plan options. We are currently scheduling no obligation, one-on-one mentorship meetings for our session starting Apr 25. Email us today to meet with Christiane and discuss your training! http://www.rogueswest.ca | rogueswest@gmail.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFmIBekc8BmXp6BPevsdhAA
UPCOMING EVENTS
DOXA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
May
5-15
The 15th Annual DOXA Festival features 85 films and 78 screenings, including one World Premiere and 21 Canadian Premieres. Some featured screenings include Aim for the Roses (featuring some local actors) and Pistol Shrimps (featuring Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation). An expanded Industry program rounds out the festival with a focus on distributors, politics in film, and documentary editing. http://www.doxafestival.ca
MAKING A SCENE CONFERENCE
May 5
Now in its 17th year, MAKING A SCENE is essential to building and maintaining a community that fosters support, understanding and a common goal of
strengthening the local theatre industry. The theme of the day will be “Great Expectations.” Working together, theatre company members and individual theatre artists will assess the current state of the theatre in metro Vancouver and make plans for a stronger future.
A culture
cannot evolve with out powerful, honest storytelling. Stories illustrate our universally shared experiences. The Cold Reading Series (CRS) is committed to supporting and developing the talents of Vancouver’s story tellers – writers, actors, and musicians alike – by providing a forum where they can present their craft to a live audience and get instant feedback. Come stretch your artistic muscles and flex your humanity…join the Evolution!
