Acting Essentials Program

How to Apply

Develop your instrument, and work with an ensemble, in four months of exploring truth in performance to discover if acting is the ideal creative path for you.

Creative Economy

VFS’s signature programs and facilities are at the heart of a creative economy worth $3.4 billion in B.C. alone. From film production and 3D animation to game, digital, and VR/AR design, VFS is shaping the entertainment and media industries’ transformation. In 2019, VFS alumni were credited on 17 of the 20 highest grossing films and on 6 of the 10 best-selling video games worldwide, in a global industry set to generate US$2.3 trillion in revenues in 2020.

Alumni Success

Vancouver Film School grads are some of the most successful and sought-after professionals in the entire Acting industry. You will find our alumni working all over the globe, pushing boundaries, discovering new frontiers, winning all kinds of awards and honours, and leading today’s creative economy.

Poster highlighting credits by Vancouver Film School students.
Image featuring industry projects worked on by VFS program graduates. Image highlighting film & TV credits from VFS program alumni. Image showcasing film, TV, & game projects worked on by VFS program graduates. Image showcasing credits by Vancouver Film School students.

Testimonials

I’m so happy I decided to follow my dreams and go to VFS. The instructors push you to your best potential and treat you like professionals. My cohort became my family and I learned to be confident, make bold decisions, trust my scene partner, and most importantly to not be afraid of failure! I was working on set right after graduation; it was so easy because I knew exactly what to do. If I could do the year all over again, I would! Thank you VFS!

Aliyah Marc

Acting for Film & Television Graduate

“The AI and the Burglar,” Therapeutic Fibbing, and Big People Tingz

VFS gave me a taste of all the different things you might find yourself exploring in an acting career. You get to dabble in so many areas of our art. Classes are practical and allow you to meet a plethora of passionate teachers and mentors. The program helps build a network of artists around you through collaboration with students from other programs. My year at VFS was full one, but gave me the confidence to say acting is what I want to do with my life.

Charles Brien

Acting for Film & Television Graduate

“P’tit Tremblay,”Menteur , and “Reverie”

VFS helped me grow and develop more than just my craft but my confidence, social skills, and empathy. I learned how to connect with my emotions and live every moment. I’m so grateful for my mentors and peers I can now call my friends and family. The school always pushed me out of my comfort zone, but maintained a safe space. One paragraph isn’t enough to describe how wonderful my time was. I’m proud to be among the artists who’ve trained at VFS.

Joaquin Salinas

Acting for Film & Television Graduate

 

I loved everything about Vancouver Film School. Every single teacher brought their authentic self, and their truthfulness, care, and support helped me grow as a person and also as an actor. Their curriculum is very up to date; they cover all aspects of acting and being creative. I am very grateful for everyone at school and the experience they gave me.

Sana Abbasnezhadmakoei

Acting for Film & Television Graduate

 

If you’re an aspiring actor and are wanting to attend a school that gives you day-after-day hands-on experience with real industry professionals, then VFS is the place for you! As an alumni of the Acting for Film & TV program I can’t recommend this school enough, with staff and instructors who genuinely prioritize your needs as a student and want to help you grow into the artist you want to be. I wouldn’t trade my time at VFS for anything in the world.

Trevor Hamer

Acting for Film & Television Graduate

 

An Acting Essentials VFS Education

In four months you will graduate with:

  • A certificate in Acting Essentials
  • The opportunity to apply to the VFS one-year Acting for Film & Television program
  • Access to the VFS Alumni Directory and Job Board

Acting Essentials
Program Overview

 

Term 01

The Actor’s craft. Explore an intro to camera, improvisation, and audition, along with the essential actor’s building blocks of voice, movement, text analysis, and acting techniques. Commit to the craft through serious play.

Term 02

The Actor’s toolbox. Integrate the actor’s various disciplines to work more deeply with scripts to create vibrant characters. Build your actor’s toolbox, connect more fully with your voice, body, imagination, and in front of the camera.

See Full Course Description View Faculty

Admissions Info

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Tuition

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Requirements

You will be asked to submit one of the following along with your application. Your advisor can help with selecting the best option.

All you need is a passion for acting and the arts, a strong desire to express yourself and tell stories through performance, and a willingness to collaborate with peers and instructors. Acting Essentials is ideal for those who feel a need to expand their foundation as an actor and for those without a portfolio sufficient to gain entrance into VFS's one-year Acting for Film & Television program.

For more about language requirements and other information for international students, visit the International Students page.

Student Work

While training at VFS, students are immersed in the Acting industry, and spend a lot of hands-on time creating professional-quality work. And, nothing is a greater testament to the incomparable industry resources and career preparation that define VFS’s education model, than the top quality work our students produce.

Acting Essentials

 
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Acting Essentials

 
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Acting Essentials

 
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Industry Partners

VFS doesn’t just teach you about the industry, it IS the industry. With veteran instructors, mentors and an education Advisory Board recruited straight from the professional world, we are able to constantly update our award-winning curriculum to keep up with an ever-evolving industry. Plus, students also have lots of opportunities to connect and network with industry leaders during special workshop sessions, training presentations, and industry social events hosted by VFS.

Campus Life

Your four months in Acting Essentials puts you in close contact with students in a host of other VFS programs, from writers and filmmakers to makeup artists and sound designers. This downtown training facility features near round-the-clock access to rehearsal space, computers, and everything you need to perform at your best. You'll also be surrounded by the city's best cafes, restaurants, and cultural attractions – not to mention some of the leading film and television production studios. 

Acting Essentials Program FAQs

We're here to help you submit an application that best reflects your abilities, and gives you the best chance of being accepted. We've helped thousands of people complete a single year at VFS by answering questions like these:

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