Delta School District

Film Acting Academy Newsletter Fall 2011

In our first two months the students in the second year of the Delta School District’s Film Acting Academy have already accomplished a great deal! In all areas of study: voice, movement and acting for the camera they are off and running. All four of our instructors: Tracy Neff, Carole Davis, Desiree Kleemann and Richard Cox are pleased with how the first year students have settled into the work and are encouraged by their growing sense of professionalism. The focus in term one for the first year students is to become ever more comfortable in their own skin so that this ease is translated to their on camera work. The second year students are a tight knit group who in all areas are advancing beyond where they were last year, growing daily in confidence, maturity and skill. We are excited to report that a handful of our students who gained agents last year are getting out there to audition and some are even booking gigs!

We kicked the year off by having the wonderfully talented Jasika Nicole of Fox’s hit sci-fi show Fringe come in as a guest speaker. Jasika had a lot to offer in the area of, the life of a working professional Actor, as well as what it has taken to achieve that level of success. Most notably encouraging to our group were her comments regarding how yoga and movement training has been instrumental in her craft!

Another exciting guest speaker this fall has been the Film Acting Academies friend- Actor Alex Zahara who took time again this year to come out and share with the students his journey and theories on acting. Rather than speaking the whole time Alex opted to participate in our special group-bonding day. It was an inspiring day where the students had an opportunity to reflect on and articulate their goals, dreams and aspirations. It was also a good day in terms of the first and second year students coming together as a group.

First and second year students take separate movement, voice and acting-for-the-camera classes – they do, however, come together for one acting-for-the-camera day and one project day. At present students are working on developing a webseries in their project class.

Headshots were taken in late September and wow!!! Wendy D. of Wendy D. photography has started to send back the touched up shots and they truly are phenomenal. A headshot is an actor’s calling card and will be used when they go to get an agent and when they audition for independent shoots. Once all of the first year students get their headshots back we will be going through an exercise where they learn the proper way to create an acting resume. Please, please, please choose your picture and let me know the number of the headshot that you like the best so that we can get Wendy to put the finishing touches on it! Please e-mail me at phansen@deltasd.bc.ca or send me a note on our Film Acting Academy Facebook page! (If you haven’t yet “liked” us on FB- please do so! It’s a great place to keep current!)

Our Academy class photo will be taken in early November so we are excited that all of our yoga wear has come in! I think the kids look extra classy this year in their Lulu Lemon gear and matching Sigg bottle! We ask that all students remember to wear their outfits for the shot this coming Thursday, Nov. 3rd. Other upcoming events include going to see a movie (TBA), Agent, Melanie Turner coming in and a guest speaker on journalism. November/December is going to be another exciting couple of months!

Last but not least at the start of each year I like to make available to you a list of very helpful websites to help you navigate the industry.

Paige Hansen, Film Acting Academy Coordinator

Helpful Websites www.labour.gov.bc.ca/talent This website outlines the government regulations regarding agencies and the fees that they can charge performers. www.ubcp.com This is the official website of the Union of British Columbia Performers (UBCP). It offers helpful information to performers and has useful inks. www.vancouveractorsguide.com Actor’s information and online forums. www.tarlingtontraining.com Tarlington Trainin, our partner. www.womeninfilm.ca Women in Film & Video Vancouver www.bizparents.org American website that contains information also relevant to Canadian performers. Headshot Photographers: www.wendyd.ca Wendy D. Photography www.kevinclarkphotography.com Kevin Clark Photography Background: www.jamesforsythcasting.com Extras casting agency. Lots of information for people wanting to know more about being a background performer.

Please view the first video of the year above!