Empower Your Career And Connect With The Creative Industry.
In partnership with CasAzul and Casting Workbook, Vancouver Film School presents a two-day online event for new and experienced actors to learn from industry experts and enhance their careers. This conference is open to actors of all experience levels, whether you’re just beginning your journey or already have professional credits under your belt.
The virtual event will include guest lectures, industry discussions on a variety of topics from ‘filming during a pandemic’ to ‘virtual casting’ and numerous opportunities to network with the creative industry. Stay tuned for additional session and guest speaker information, which have yet to be announced! Final schedule will be released closer to May 14.
Note: This event will be hosted by both English and Spanish-speaking guest speakers. Sessions may not be available in both languages.
Translations made possible by the Canadian Embassy Mexico.
Date:
May 14-15, 2021
*Daily session times are subject to change.
Location:
Online (via Hopin)
How It Works:
- Save your spot for the Actor's Expo by filling out the registration form below.
- We will send you detailed instructions on how to log into the Actor's Expo hosting platform prior to the event.
Get Free Tickets:
Day One:
*General Exhibition Booths are open from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. PDT / 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. CDT*
I Want to Act: A Performing Arts Education
Presented By:
With special guests Damián Alcázar, Karina Gidi, Barbara Martinez & Jennifer Clement
Spoken in English, simultaneous translation to Spanish
1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. PDT / 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. CDT
The acting craft is always evolving. From the fundamental basics to new trends that have arisen during the pandemic, hone your craft for a career as an actor by building a set of skills that every successful performer carries with them in their toolbelt.
The New Normal: Self Tape & Virtual Casting
Presented By:
With a special guest Christopher Bennett
Spoken in English Language
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. PDT / 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. CDT
While the days of in-person casting auditions may currently be on pause – the show must go on! Learn to master the art of the virtual self-tape, preparing you for your big close-up wherever you are.
Kissing Your Co-Star
Presented By:
With special guests Arturo Sedano, Jerry Roriguez Burckle & Monica Vizzi
Spoken in Spanish Language
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. PDT / 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. CDT
Guest speakers share how to work around the restrictions of a pandemic with the help of VFX, along with the challenges they have faced and lessons they have learned.
Actor-preneurs (Canada)
Presented By:
With special guests Vincent Tong, Mayumi Yoshida & Bill Marchant
Spoken in English Language
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. PDT / 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. CDT
Like running any business, managing your career as an actor requires focus, determination and a clear understanding of the evolving industry. Actors can be empowered to create their own work and often wear many hats -- writer, director, producer, voice artist. Find out how you can expand your opportunities by building your skills and kickstarting your entrepreneurial spirits.
Actor-preneurs (Mexico)
Presented By:
With special guests Lucía Uribe, Anton Araiza & Karina Gidi
Spoken in Spanish Language
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. PDT / 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. CDT
CasAzul alumni from different classes speak about their own careers and start-ups – as producers and casting directors – and reflect on how performing artists can develop different skillsets as entrepreneurs.
From CasAzul to VFS to Hollywood
Presented By:
With special guests Eréndira Ibarra, Jack Duarte & Andrés Tena
Spoken in Spanish, simultaneous translation to English
4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. PDT / 6:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. CDT
Professional actors were once students too! Join a panel of former students as they share their individual journeys of self discovery, including the transition from education to Hollywood, and the most important lessons they learned in school.
Damián Alcázar
Actor | Narcos, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Damián Alcázar is an award-winning Mexican actor, best known for portraying Colombian drug lord Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela in the Netflix series Narcos.
Karina Gidi
Actor | Abel, An Unknown Enemy
Karina is a theater, film, and television actor with 30 years of experience and currently serves as the Director of CasAzul’s School of Acting.
Barbara Martinez
Director for Latin America | Vancouver Film School
An International Admissions Advisor, Barbara is the Latin America Director for VFS, assisting prospective students in pursuing their post-secondary education.
Jennifer Clement
Actor & Head of Acting for Film & Television | Vancouver Film School
Jen has acted in over 100 projects in the course of her career and has been teaching for ten years at VFS.
Arturo Sedano
Managing Director | Cinematic Media
With 20 years of industry experience, Arturo has been involved in post-production for thousands of hours of film and television for various studios.
Monica Vizzi
Actor | Lord of the Skies
Monica is a film and television actor best known for her roles in Lord of the Skies and Aurora boreal.
Lucía Uribe
Director & Actor | Desenfrenadas, Solteras
Lucía is a film and television actor best known for her roles in Desenfrenads and Un munbdo secreto.
Anton Araiza
Actor | Te acuerdas de mí, El Secreto de Selena
Anton is a film and television actor best known for his roles in The Amazing Catfish and Te acuerdas de mí.
Eréndira Ibarra
Actor | Sense 8
Eréndira is an actor and screenwriter. She made her acting debut in 2005 (Alivio) and appeared as Daniella in Netflix’s original series Sense8.
Christopher Bennett
President/CMO | Casting Workbook
Christopher Ian Bennett is the President & Chief Marketing Officer for Casting Workbook.
Bill Marchant
Actor | Stargate-SG1, Davinci's Inquest
Bill Marchant is a writer, actor, producer, and director, best known for his recurring roles on Stargate-SG1 and Davinci's Inquest.
Jack Duarte
Actor | Orisha, Igobernable, Welcome to Acapulco
Jack Duarte is a trilingual actor known for Orisha and Ingobernable. He is also an internationally recognized musician.
Jerry Rodríguez Burckle
Creative Director | Argos Media Group
Jerry Burckle is a creative director, producer, and showrunner with more than 20 years of industry experience.
Vincent Tong
Actor | Ninjago, Nexo Knights
Vincent Tong is a Canadian voice actor and voice director, known for his roles in Iron Man: Armored Adventures and Sushi Pack.
Andrés Tena
Theatre Actor/Director
Andrés Tena has appeared in numerous plays such as “Café des-k-feinado” & “La Ilusión” and is currently part of the theater company “La Máquina de Teatro”.
Day Two:
*General Exhibition Booths are open from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. PDT / 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. CDT*
Platforms & Pandemic
Presented By:
With special guests Francisco Ramos, Epigmenio Ibarra & Verónica Velasco
Spoken in Spanish, simultaneous translation to English
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PDT / 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. CDT
Gain insight into the trends, opportunities, and challenges currently facing Latin-American audiovisual performers, writers, directors, and creators.
The Future Now: Evolving with Technology
Presented By:
With special guests Karin Konoval, Graham Qually, Charles Douglas & Jennifer Clement
Spoken in English Language
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. PDT / 1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. CDT
Successful actors understand the importance of collaboration. From casting to execution, learn how a performance is truly co-created by actors, VFX artists, and performance capture technicians alike.
Teatrix
Presented By:
With special guests Mirta Romay, Alejandra Maldonado & Marina de Tavira
Spoken in Spanish, simultaneous translation to English
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. PDT/ 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. CDT
Teatrix is an at home subscription platform for high-quality theatrical plays filmed for the Spanish-speaking market. Learn more about this platform, launched by Mirta Romay in 2015, and how it has grown and expanded during the pandemic.
Embracing Diversity in Acting
Presented By:
With special guests Kiomi Pyke, Mayumi Yoshida, Andrés Soto & Omari Newton
Spoken in English Language
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. PDT / 2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. CDT
Diversity is what truly makes acting one of the most unique industries in the world. Learn about the importance of accurate and informed representation in the future of the industry, as well as the vital work and lasting solidarity among Black, Indigenous and People of Color.
Where Are We Going? The Disruption & the Hopeful Future
Presented By:
With special guests Simon Barry, Christopher Bennett & Jacquie Gould
Spoken in English Language
1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. PDT / 3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. CDT
This closing seminar will bring the experience of a Director and Showrunner who have been creating, developing new content and shooting through the pandemic. They will speak to the changes they have witnessed and help us all to see "where we are going" in this industry. Industry trends have changed in this new landscape and we will all need to learn to connect in this virtual world before we step on a set. Through it all, this time has made us all aware that storytelling is alive and well, emerging on new platforms around the world. Let's all be ready.
Francisco Ramos
VP of Spanish-language Originals | Netflix
As the VP of Content Latinamerica at Netflix, Francisco works to bring unique, local and authentic content to audiences.
Epigmenio Ibarra
Founder & Owner | Argos Comunicación
Since 1992, Epigmenio has been the General Director of Argos Comunicación, a production company in Mexico.
Mirta Romay
Founder | Teatrix
Mirta is the Founder of Teatrix, a Latin American streaming service that brings the big screen to your small screen.
Marina de Tavira
Actor | Roma
Marina is theatre, film and television actress, best known for her Oscar-nominated role in Roma.
Andrés Soto
Actor | Riverdale, The Man in the High Castle
A graduate of the VFS acting program, Andrés is known for his roles in The Man in the High Castle and Riverdale.
Omari Newton
Actor | The Dragon Prince, Marvel Super Hero Adventures
Omari Newton is an award-winning actor, writer, director/producer, and a senior instructor at VFS.
Graham Qually
Owner | Beyond Capture Studios
Graham’s studio provides world-class Motion Capture and Performance Capture services for VFX, Video Games, and Animation.
Charles Douglas
Actor & Movement and Fight Director
Charles is a Canadian actor, movement & fight director, and educator who has trained and worked internationally.
Kiomi Pyke
Actor | Siren, DC's Legends of Tomorrow
Kiomi Pyke is an actor and writer, known for Past Never Dies, Siren and Legends of Tomorrow.
Simon Barry
Director, Producer, Writer | Warrior Nun, Van Helsing
Simon Barry is a Canadian screenwriter, director, and film and television producer.
Jacquie Gould
Writer, Director | Van Helsing, Strange Empire
Jacquie Gould is a Canadian writer and director based in Vancouver. She is a member of the Directors Guild of Canada.
Karin Konoval
Actor | Planet of the Apes franchise, Snowpiercer, The Good Doctor
Karin has appeared in guest starring roles in numerous TV series and supporting lead roles in many feature films.
Mayumi Yoshida
Director, Writer, & Actor | Man in the High Castle, Tokyo Lovers
Mayumi is known for her role in The Man in The High Castle which earned her a Best Emerging Actor nomination at the UBCP Awards.
Alejandra Maldonado
Multidisciplinary Performer
Alejandra Maldonado is a Mexican actor with multidisciplinary training in acting, dance, saxophone, and history.
The Exhibition
The Exhibition will be open on Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15 throughout the entire event. All event partners will have an individual booth featuring general information as well as exclusive offers. We look forward to speaking with you!
Additional exhibitors to be announced. Stay tuned!
Casting Workbook
Casting Workbook's philosophy has always been about innovation and over-the-top service. Being a leader of the pack since 1994, Casting Workbook has fought for what it believes in and provides the entertainment industry with a software solution that is focused on adding value. Today, amidst the changing industry, Casting Workbook has evolved into one of the most esteemed online breakdown services in the world; not because it was the first, but because it fully integrates with the casting process. With a high level of integrity and imagination, Casting Workbook remains a global leader in the development and design of online casting software.
CasAzul
CasAzul is a performing arts and audiovisual school based in Mexico City. They offer Acting, Directing, Dramaturgy and Screenwriting careers aimed at actors of all ages and levels. Stop by and find out how CasAzul can help you in your journey as an actor.
Vancouver Film School
In 1987, Vancouver Film School introduced the world’s first true immersion film program. Today, VFS is Canada’s premier entertainment-arts centre, offering an immersive curriculum in film, animation, video game production, VR/AR development, motion and interactive design, programming, art/production foundation, and other related programs. VFS is known for providing high-quality education in accelerated timeframes. VFS alumni are consistently credited on the most successful products in the entertainment economies.