Vancouver Film School Acting Program: Exclusive Review 6 Months Post-Grad

My acting career is not something I’ve talked much about on this blog before. My focus has been on self-care in an attempt to niche down in order to please the SEO Gods to get page views. But that hasn’t happened anyway so might as well write about what I want, right? Well, the other day I was reflecting on the fact that it has been 6 months since I graduated from Vancouver Film School for their Acting for Film and Television program.

I thought about making a YouTube video update on my acting journey since I vlogged while I attended school there. So, I figured why not make a blog post as well? (That YouTube video has yet to be made but I didn’t want to wait any longer before publishing the blog post!)

When I was first looking into Vancouver Film School I searched all over the internet for information. There were tons of general reviews but I wanted something deeper. I wish there had been a more personal account from someone who went there, specifically in the acting program. That’s one reason I started logging my experience there. When I was researching I only saw vlogs from people studying in different programs. And if I was looking for it, that means someone else out there probably was too.

And I was right! I actually connected with people who were thinking about attended the school, and even met someone who watched my videos in person when she joined the school herself!

Acting is a big part of my life. I think it is be a shame not to share it on here because I worry about something silly like ranking. One of my hopes is for this blog to be more than that.

I was someone who for the longest time didn’t believe in higher education for an actor because I thought that experience was the real teacher. Which is true in a way. Nothing can top hands on experience. However, I have since changed my tune.

Before going to Vancouver Film School,I had been acting for 13 years. Yet there was so many things I was introduced to that I never even heard of before. I was so ignorant to so many things that were considered common knowledge to most actors. There were so many gaps in my knowledge.

I have now come to the conclusion that you to be a great actor you must continue your education. It doesn’t have to be at a fancy school but you need to be taking classes and learning as much as you can about so many different teachings. In fact, some agencies require you to be in ongoing classes if you want them to represent you.

I could study acting all my life and I don’t think I would run out of things to discover. I was extremely shallow in my previous thinking that all I needed to be a better acting was to just keep acting. There’s so much more knowledge behind it. I wanted to start this article off by highlighting that. Because even if you don’t choose to go to Vancouver Film School, I hope that this motivates you to look deeper into your craft and realize how much more there is to it.

Now on to what you’re here for…

The PROS of Attending Vancouver Film School

Vancouver is a Beautiful and Diverse City.

In Vancouver you get a little bit of everything. You have beaches, you have mountains, you have the city. Whatever you’re in the mood for, it’s there. Plus the diversity leads to tons of restaurants and cool shops to try and explore.

Vancouver is a Huge Film Hub.

Aesthetic aside Vancouver is a staple in the Film Industry. Vancouver has amazing tax incentives. Bigger productions in Los Angelas love to choose this city to save money and take advantage of the beautiful scenery. Vancouver is know as a service industry because they are “in service” to California. LA productions will usually cast their main actors out of LA and then supporting roles and day players out of Vancouver. It not only saves them money, but it’s less people to transport.

That being said, Vancouver is the PERFECT place to start your acting career. While I was there I walked by so many film sets, including The Flash!!! It’s so inspiring as an actor to live in a town that’s always making movies!

Vancouver Film School is International.

In reflection with the city, Vancouver Film School is very diverse and international. In my class of 24 students we had people from all over. Obviously Canada and the US but also Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Germany, London, Iran…As someone with a big love for travel this was an amazing opportunity to get to know (and love) people who have lived life completely different to me. I think this is EXTREMELY important as an actor. You need to be well rounded and have references to many experience that are unlike your own. It opened my eyes to many different cultures. I met so many people I never would have gotten the chance to otherwise.

In fact I met my best friend in the entire world Joana who is from Brazil. We somehow ended up choosing the SAME place to live and ended up being roommates! I get asked about my living situation while in Vancouver a lot so I’ll probably make an article on that as well if people are interested. (Just let me know!).

Very Accepting and Safe Environment to Work and Learn it.

They aren’t into the old fashioned way of teaching acting where you break someone down to build yourself back up for the sake of art. They encourage you to access emotions in a safe way. When I did have issues with one teacher, I felt safe to reach out for help and was given accommodations that worked for me and my personal journey. They are very accepting of all backgrounds no matter your race, sexual or gender identity and they are accommodating to those with disabilities. They also offer counseling on campus! (& Puppy therapy!!!)

They Offer Tons of Free Extras!

Along with the puppy therapy I mentioned above they also offer tons of other freebies to encourage community and well-being. You get offers to go to shows at free or discounted prices. There is also a Stunt Studio that often partners with VFS to offer free classes such as archery and sword fighting. I had a friend who took advantage of these classes and I wish I had too! It’s a super fun way to meet people, get active, and also add a new skill to your resume!

They Teach things Other Film Schools Don’t Offer.

Some of the class options are unique to Vancouver Film School such as their focus on Motion/Performance Capture. This is something that I’ve never had the opportunity to explore so it offered me insight into a part of the film/gaming industry that is BOOMING. Having this experience definitely helps set me a apart from the rest. It’s also comforting to know I have reference on how to handle myself in those environments so that if I get casted in something like that I’ll know how to hold myself up as a professional and not be as lost.

It’s One Big Family.

The teachers see you and treat you as fellow actors while still maintaining student teacher boundaries. After graduating you still have access to that whole community. They even started an alumni program where you can have access to additional workshops and are able to book the self-tape room. 

Many different methods to pick from.

The instructors are extremely good at teaching subjects in multiple ways giving you many options on how to approach your work. Everyone acts differently. Tricks for one performer will not work for another. This helps you create your own process and hone down on what works for you.

They offer pathway programs – advance your studies and have a chance to expand your world view even further.

This is something super exciting! When you attend Vancouver Film School you have the option to choose an accelerated pathway at other institutions. This includes school from the area in Vancouver but also places like London and France! Use this option to expand your horizons even further or even to help you if you’re looking to obtain permanent residency in Canada. I personally have been looking at the BCIT Business Program.

The CONS of Attending Vancouver Film School

Some teachings are very specific to being a working actor in Vancouver.

For instance when I made my cover letter to send out to agencies it was longer with a lot of information and was told it was perfect. However, when I came to Texas it didn’t help me at all and was one of the reasons I didn’t have many agents reach back out to me. In the Texas industry short and sweet is better. Let your resume speak for itself.

If you’re planning on stay in the area however, this is amazing. You also get the added plus of having a community of people and resources which is extremely important in building your acting career.Staying in Vancouver is something I highly considered. But ultimately, I chose to move back to Texas, so these became downsides for me.

Since it is a 1-year program we went over a lot of stuff in a short period of time.

There are a lot of things that get brushed over due to time constraints. They introduce you to many of the things you should know, but ultimately, it’s up to you to dig deeper.

Staying in Canada as a foreign student is difficult. Being an immigrant is difficult.

Dealing with things like medical insurance, exchange rates, and student visas is difficult! I came into Canada as an American citizen which meant the process was way more easier for me than other yet I still got so much anxiety dealing with it all. The Canadian Immigration website is not easy to navigate at all. One of the reasons I didn’t stay in Vancouver besides not being able to afford it is that I couldn’t understand how to do it!

Vancouver is Expensive.

Speaking of not being able to afford it, Vancouver is SO expensive. I paid $1500 CAD for a small bedroom in a shared apartment with 3 other girls sharing one bathroom! It’s very hard to find housing in Vancouver. They are in the middle of a housing crisis which means there isn’t enough housing for how many people want to live there. This makes the ones that are available extremely expensive due to the demand. I also usually spent $100/Week at least on groceries for just one person!

High Homeless Population.

On the topic of the housing crisis, this highly contributes to the unhoused population in Vancouver. I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s bad! I walked by dozens of homeless people on my way to school every single day. Vancouver Film School is located on West Hastings which is RIGHT next to East Hastings. This is one of the worst areas in Downtown Vancouver. I wouldn’t even risk walking too Far East because of how bad it gets. The side walks are completely engulfed in tents and tons of people strung out of drugs. It’s heartbreaking as well as scary.

I would like to say that I’ve never had any really bad experiences happen to me in relation to the homelessness. I had one girl cuss at me for not giving her money. Unfortunately you have to get used to panhandling and get used to saying no. I actually ended up giving some guy $30 because he happened to walk up when my friend was paying me back and I felt so bad and he honestly took advantage of that. I also had a guy spit in my direction once! Which was rude!

The Program Not as Exclusive as I Thought.

There are two acting programs offered at VFS. Acting Essentials which is 4 months, and Acting for Film and Television which is one year. Some people are required to do acting essentials before doing the one-year based on experience. Even though I had be acting for over a decade I was so nervous it wouldn’t be enough to secure a spot in the one year and was so excited when I did!

However when I reached the school it felt like they would accept anyone. There were some students that I personally felt weren’t on the level that I hoped the one year program would strive for. I take my acting very seriously so I hoped to be surrounded by people who were just as serious but that wasn’t always the case. I find it more difficult to thrive and grow when I’m working with someone who is drastically not on the same level or mindset as I am.

Me and some of my friends noted that it sometimes felt like were were cattle because every 6-8 weeks a new term starts and they shovel more and more people through the fast paced 1 year program. By including people who didn’t reach a certain level makes it seem like they don’t care about the craft, they care about the money.

In these instances it was also discouraging because you could see notes that you would give other actors that were never said. It made me wonder if there were things I needed to work on that also weren’t being said. Even though it’s on my pro list how safe the environment was, I actually wish the teachers would have been harsher at times and hadn’t tried to spare feelings as much.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

• Learn how to navigate your online drive early on and download as the year progresses. This is where your instructors will upload things that you have worked on. I waited until the end, and it was a nightmare!
• Work on as many VFS projects as you can handle. I chose to focus on my schoolwork and didn’t do many outside projects and this is something I regret! I wish I would have done more. These help you with more experience which helps you learn, network, and fill up your resume.
• It’s all about what you put into it. If you just go through the motions, it’s not going to be worth it. However, if you really show up and focus on the work you will get so much out of it.
• Take notes!!! Always have a notebook or tablet with you.
• Take the projects seriously! Studio shoots, your final film and even in class film work can be used for your demo reel. My whole demo reel is stuff that I did at VFS if you want to check that out. A demo reel is so so SO important in the industry. There are some auditions you can’t even submit for if you don’t have one. This also goes for when you’re recording your voice demo and taking headshots. Those things are SO expensive so take full advantage of getting those opportunities you paid for it with your tuition so get your money’s worth!!! 
• Make sure if you get Guard.Me Health insurance you go through someone as Vancouver Film School to get the discount. I tried to handle it myself and got overcharged and then it was a big ordeal getting it all fixed.
• They teach you tons of warm ups – keep track of the ones you like and get in a routine of using them. I was feeling so good in my body because I was doing all these amazing stretches and exercises when prompted. I wish I would have stuck with them because now I’m feeling rusty. Use school as an opportunity to figure out what your grove is and get in a routine so you can stick with it.
• When you get to Term 6 at the end of the program you get the chance to shoot your headshots! They offer professional makeup for an additional price. This is pushed on you because they emphasize how it’s industry standard. However me and my bestie both were disappointed with our makeup. It wasn’t that it was bad but it made us not look like us. We felt like the headshots didn’t represent what we were going to look like when we show up to auditions. So my recommendation is to do your own makeup. Even if you don’t usually do your own makeup! Because you aren’t going to have a professional makeup artist before every audition and booking.

6 MONTHS AFTER GRADUATING – WHERE AM I NOW?

• I’m not signed. Unfortunately as I stated above, I think my cover letter was much too long and it lowered my chances of someone reaching out. The actors union was also in the middle of a strike when I was submitted which probably affected my chances as well.
• I’ve booked every other month by using Backstage- use my referral code- I’ve made the money back that I’ve invested in it while expanding my resume and meeting people.
• I’m in a class to help me network and get an agent.
• I’ve been struggling with my binge eating and depression. Not being in a set schedule, not being around the group of friends I was with almost every day for a year, seeing those people together and thriving in the city I miss, all these things mixed together has greatly affected my mental health and it’s something I’m trying to get ahold on, but I’m hopeful for the future.

Overall I Would HIGHLY Recommend Vancouver Film School

As you can see my pros greatly out weighed my cons. The hardest part about going to Vancouver Film School is how much I miss Vancouver now that I’m gone because I loved it so much! If you get the chance to attend this school and you are on the fence (maybe that’s why you’re reading this article) I say: GO FOR IT. It was hands down the best year of my life, and I wouldn’t replace it for the world.

If you would like to hear more about my experience at Vancouver Film School or my acting career let me know! I actually really enjoyed writing this article and would love to dig into it deeper on my blog.

Also check out my YouTube! There you can find vlogs from my time attending VFS along with updates on my acting career and clips of my acting work. If you enjoy my content it would help me bunches if you liked, subscribed, shared…all that stuff! Thanks for taking the time to read and make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get updates when I make new posts.(: