Vancouver Actor's Guide Newsletter - April 26 2021
Published: Mon, 04/26/21
INDUSTRY NEWS
OSCARS 2021: FULL LIST OF WINNERS AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS
Nomadland won the Oscar for best picture on Sunday, while the film's director Chloé Zhao made history as the first woman of colour to win the Academy Award for best director.
VANCOUVER STAR LUDI LIN SAYS 'MORTAL KOMBAT' IS AN 'APT METAPHOR' FOR WORLD DIVISIONS
"It's very important to let people know that 'Asian' isn't just one big-box category — for them to become familiar with different aspects of Asian culture and how meaningful that is, and how interesting, and what that can bring to a culture as diverse as Canada where there's literally Asians from probably hundreds of countries around the world.” https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/the-mix/vancouver-star-ludi-lin-says-mortal-kombat-is-an-apt-metaphor-for-world-divisions-3653500
HOLLYWOOD NORTH SHOWS NO SIGN OF STOPPING AS PANDEMIC DRAGS ON
In B.C., after a dip in March 2020 following the first shutdown, productions came back with a roar in September 2020. There were between 40 and 50 productions that were either in pre-production or are about to go into production in the province.
B.C. FILM FESTIVAL ORGANIZER SURPRISED BY TAX BILL AFTER MOVING PROGRAMMING ONLINE DURING PANDEMIC
When the pandemic began and in-person entertainment screeched to a halt in British Columbia, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival jumped on the virtual bandwagon and started streaming content online. But the move resulted in an unexpected tax bill and a cautionary tale for other organizations.
CANADA TO START COLLECTING DIGITAL TAX FROM U.S. TECH GIANTS
The Canadian feds already unveiled legislation to force foreign web giants to collect from their subscribers or customers the GST and HST. As a next step, Ottawa said it will impose the new digital services tax on foreign companies with at least 750 million euros (US$902 million) in annual revenue. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/canada-to-start-collecting-digital-tax-from-u-s-tech-giants
SAG-AFTRA PANELISTS SHARE STRUGGLES OF ACTORS OF MIDDLE EASTERN & NORTH AFRICAN DESCENT
Actor Assaf Cohen, a former SAG-AFTRA national board member who played a key role in achieving that recognition in those negotiations, told the story of his Egyptian friend during a panel discussion last week: “You may have been surprised if you are of Middle Eastern North African descent to have found out you were not considered diverse or ethnic. https://deadline.com/2021/04/sag-aftra-panelists-share-struggles-of-actors-of-middle-eastern-north-african-descent-1234740266/
RAILTOWN ACTORS STUDIO
With strict COVID protocols in place, smaller class sizes, and under the advisement of a Health and Safety consultant, our 2021 classes have been a great success. Spring 2021 classes for April, May and June are now open for registration and filling quickly.
New to us? Click here: https://railtownactors.com/interview
* Friday and Sunday "Acting on Film" with John Cassini.
* "Foundations" Scene Study with Frank Cassini
* "Making Connection: Scene Study" with Jennifer Copping.
* "The Actor's Instrument" and "Acting: Process & Practice" with Edward Foy
Details for all Classes: www.railtownactors.com/classes
Coaching and Tapings: www.railtownactors.com/coaching
We look forward to hearing from you!
DIALECT COACHING - TONY ALCANTAR
Hollywood producers trust Tony with their stars: Oscar winners Mel Gibson, Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton, Emmy winner Martin Freeman plus A-listers Sam Rockwell, Vince Vaughn, Joel Edgerton, Bob Odenkirk, Nathan Fillion, Stellan Skarsgard and MANY MORE. You can trust him too.
* Tony is Vancouver's #1 dialect coach recommended by agents and casting directors. Learn with confidence the most requested accents and dialects for the Vancouver market.
Book that role!
Contact: 604-418-1192, info@tonyalcantardialect.com, www.tonyalcantar.com
CASTING DIRECTOR WORKSHOP WITH KRIS WOZ
May 22 and 23
Online | Only 16 Seats available | 19+
Great opportunity to work with Kris and get on his radar! He is presently casting Two Sentence Horror Stories season 3 with lots of other projects ready to go!
Kris is part of a casting duo team along with Kara Eide based in Vancouver, BC. Together, they have worked on many projects including Stephen Chbosky’s “Wonder”, Kevan Funk’s “Hello Destroyer”, Giancarlo Esposito’s “This is Your Death”, Shana Feste’s “Boundaries”, and Wayne Roberts’ “Richard Says Goodbye”. https://actorvanstudios.com/product/the-casting-director-workshop-with-kris-from-kk-casting-may-2021/
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
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 in-studio and online classes for Young Adults, Film, Meisner and Scene Work starts soon – email us for more info and book your intro meeting with Christiane
Hirt! rogueswest@gmail.com | www.rogueswest.ca
UPCOMING EVENTS
WILLIAM F. WHITE COFFEE CHAT
April 27
With Carmel Tanaka, the Elimin8Hate organizer for the Vancouver Asian Film Festival (VAFF), and Barbara Lee, founder of VAFF. Chat Moderator: Katrina Mugume. https://www.womeninfilm.ca/cgi/page.cgi/_evtcal.html?evt=531
DOXA DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
May 6 - 16
DOXA is back to celebrate its platinum anniversary with 49 features, dozens of shorts, and a handful of live Q&As and Industry events, all accessible via DOXA’s website. https://www.doxafestival.ca
REVOLVER FESTIVAL 2021
May 19 - June 6
rEvolver: brings audiences the full range of contemporary theatrical practice, from script-based theatre to devised and site-specific works, staged readings of work-in-progress, and in-depth discussions with artists. The Changing Stage. https://www.upintheairtheatre.com/festival-about
