Vancouver Actor's Guide Newsletter - August 10 2020
Published: Mon, 08/10/20
INDUSTRY NEWS
BEHIND THE COVID TESTING STANDOFF THAT IDLED ‘THE GOOD DOCTOR’ & THREATENS PRODUCTION RESTART IN VANCOUVER
The Good Doctor, as well as most other series filmed in Vancouver, feature mostly American casts. Most crews working in Vancouver are local, represented by BC Council of Film Unions. That creates a conflict between SAG-AFTRA’s rules, which require crew members to be tested weekly for the safety of its actor members, and the BC Council, which does not want its crew members going through invasive testing every week. https://deadline.com/2020/08/covid-testing-standoff-the-good-doctor-crew-layoffs-production-restart-vancouver-1203005705/
ANIMATION IS ONE PLACE WHERE RACE SHOULDN'T MATTER
I always believed that one of the jobs of SAG/AFTRA was to protect my interests, that when a role called for a Black, Brown, Asian or disabled person, casting had to make a real effort to hire accordingly. Imagine my surprise when I learned that so many Black roles I never even got the chance to audition for went to white actresses. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/animation-is-one-place-race-shouldnt-matter-guest-column-1305588
TV AND FILM PRODUCTION IS RAMPING UP AGAIN IN L.A.
FilmLA, the official film office for Los Angeles, announced that it has received 577 film permit applications for 422 unique productions since it reopened remotely on June 15. The agency says permit applications have risen from 14 per day in late June, when limited shooting was allowed to resume in L.A. County and the City of Los Angeles, to 18 per day in early August. https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/film-production/
“JUST GET RID OF IT”: HOLLYWOOD’S ACCENT PROBLEM
The situation is that now, actors are expected to sound Standard American, which is an accent that has no geographic affinity, excludes large swathes of the population, and was created almost a century ago! While that seems perplexing by itself, it also has very real implications for Hollywood and actors with accents. https://www.laineygossip.com/discussing-hollywoods-accent-discrimination-problem/66797
HOW + WHEN TO REACH OUT TO A CASTING DIRECTOR OR AGENT DURING THE QUARANTINE
DOS AND DON'TS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SELF-TAPED AUDITION
You need to make major decisions and there’s so little time. So what do you do? Don’t sweat it! Follow these simple do’s and don’ts, and you'll nail the self-tape every time.
RAILTOWN ACTORS STUDIO
For everyone's health, we are waiting until September to hold in-person classes with safety protocols in place.
Fall Semester Classes are open for registration with start dates in September, October and November:
* "Film Acting Immersion" and "Sunday Scene Study to Film" with John Cassini.
* Scene Study Classes with Ed Foy and Frank Cassini.
* NEW Scene Study Classes with Jennifer Copping.
All Class Details: www.railtownactors.com/classes
Coaching and tapings available: www.railtownactors.com/coaching
ROGUES WEST ACTORS STUDIO
With studios in Vancouver and Calgary, the Rogues name is synonymous with the highest calibre of training and we have been training and mentoring actors for over 25 years. The online platform has proven to be a powerful and dynamic medium for developing relationship, character and creating complex human performances. Our next session of studio and online classes starts September 14th – email us for more info and book your intro meeting with Christiane Hirt! rogueswest@gmail.com | www.rogueswest.ca
BIZ STUDIO: ONLINE PROFESSIONAL FILM+TV ACTING CLASSES FOR KIDS+TEENS
Biz Studio has a seventeen-year track record of training young actors who work regularly in film and television.
Classes are like small-group personal training, and take a maximum of six students so that instructors can work with each actor to give them what they need. This is the place for young actors ready to take their work to the next level! http://www.bizstudio.ca/classes
DIALECT COACHING AND MORE! - TONY ALCANTAR & ASSOCIATES
Over 30 years of teaching experience...and we're BACK!
* YOUNG ACTORS (ages 8-15) join our END OF SUMMER acting camp. Dialects, Voice-Over, Comedy, Auditioning, On-camera, more!
M-F, August 24-28, 10-1pm | The Beaumont Studios, 326 W. 5th Ave, Vancouver. 2400 sq/ft of social distancing for your young actor!
* September: Standard American for Young Actors, Standard American for Adults.
Script Analysis with Francesca Bianchi
Saturdays 10-1pm, 1-4pm info@tonyalcantardialect.com | 604-418-1192 | www.tonyalcantar.com
CASTING DIRECTOR WORKSHOP WITH BIM NARINE
WHEN: SATURDAY September 12th: 9am – 5pm and SUNDAY September 13th: 10am – 3pm
WHERE: Online & offered via ZOOM
FOR: 19+
Casting for 12 years, Bim Narine has brought his skills to hundreds of commercials, dozens of feature films, television series, music videos, reality series, and short films. By working on a variety of projects throughout the years, and as well, through his technical knowledge, he has been able to effectively determine the best solutions to cast the right people, and make the casting process more efficient and streamlined for all involved.
MONSOON FESTIVAL OF PERFORMING ARTS DIGITAL EDITION
August 1 – 29
#WeatheringTheStorm. Join us for an entire month of Canadian and international dance, music, theatre, comedy, talks, visual art, and a myriad of development workshops and classes. https://www.monsoonartsfest.ca
VINES ART FESTIVAL
August 5 – 15
The festival is a free public event that creates platforms for local artists and performers to create with and on the land, steering their creative impulses toward work that focuses on the environment – whether a deep love of nature, sustainability, or climate justice. https://vinesartfestival.com
COLD READING SERIES
August 10
We’ve missed you & excited to host our next event via Zoom, from the Havana Theatre. 2 Short scripts with small casts will be featured. To maximize social distancing, we do not anticipate any in-person audience. http://www.coldreadingseries.com
VANCOUVER QUEER FILM FESTIVAL
August 13 – 23
VQFF will feature films and interdisciplinary programming from queer filmmakers and artists whose work shows the many ways we fight for the fullness of our lives, for what and who we love, and for our shared futures. https://queerfilmfestival.ca
VANCOUVER LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
August 27 – September 6
This 11-day annual festival encourages dialogue among cultures, and explores and celebrates the art of contemporary Latin American and Latin-Canadian filmmaking. https://vlaff.org
THE RELAY
ongoing until September 5
This summer, The Relay is bringing together 13 unique artists to collaborate and create an unfolding story over three months. Every second Thursday, be part of the community and watch each episode live to join the conversation across multiple online platforms and engage in real-time chat with the artists. https://thecultch.com/events/the-relay/
