During my second year in UBC, I decided to take the plunge and pursue a career in acting. It wasn’t an easy step for me because I knew so little about the industry. At UBC, I was majoring in Cell Biology and Genetics. The change of direction stemmed from working odd jobs in stagecraft and doing background work for movies and films. I started to research which schools to attend and VADA felt right for me. Many of the people I knew in film recommended the school, and it seemed liked the right place to start my acting career.
Overview
The program I attended was a full-time course, with classes spanning from 10am-3pm weekdays. The tuition was a bit costly, but it was well within the price range of an acting school located in Vancouver. Their curriculum consisted of scene study, scene analysis, and improv on a weekly basis. This was all meshed in with acting techniques, warm-up and movement exercises, and presentations with casting directors and agents to teach us the business side of things.
Without these qualities, even the most talented actors will not find work.
The Right Vibe
Although the personalities of the instructors are easy going and positive, the school policies (such as attendance, behavior, and completing homework) are strictly enforced. I believe this is to ensure that students, who attend the program, become familiar with the work ethic required to succeed in the industry. The acting industry is based upon tardiness, attitude, and the self-discipline to hone your craft. Without these qualities, even the most talented actors will not find work. There are other strange policies that may seem weird (no swearing on Tuesdays, no chewing gum), but they also reflect the mannerisms of the industry.
VADA is one of the few schools that do not require acting experience before attending. This is both a good and bad thing in that sense. Although it is not necessary to have acting experience, students are still interviewed to see whether they have the passion and commitment to work in the industry. In the end, it proved to be a worthwhile investment. VADA also has a year end showcase where they invite agents and casting directors to see graduates perform on stage.
Teachers also care very much about their students, and in some occasions even spend time after hours to help students better hone their craft.
Improvements
The half-year course was a positive experience overall, but there were some improvements that could have been made to make the program spectacular. I felt the classes did not cover the audition process in-depth enough. More time could have also been spent talking about the business side of things, as it’s just as important as the acting itself.
Students should have also been taught to use the acting method which they preferred or to practice only a certain method with different instructors. When each instructor would teach their own method of acting, it would often leave students confused. The school should really let their students know that all the methods they teach are correct in their own way, and it is up to them to choose which method will suit them best.
I would recommend VADA to anyone who is exploring acting, and is considering pursuing acting as a career.
Verdict
I would recommend VADA to anyone who is exploring acting, and is considering pursuing acting as a career. In the end, I believe it was the right decision for me to attend VADA. It has played an important role in my acting education. I now look at acting in a very different light, and it has pushed me to always advance my craft.
For the more experienced actors though, I would suggest they attend the VADA workshops instead. I’ve recently heard that they have a post DAP program for the more advanced students.
Before I graduated, I got an agent and soon after landed my first commercial. Since then, I’ve worked on a few student films. My first bump in the road has just occurred as my agent dropped me, which has left me questioning my craft. Nonetheless, I’ve realized that acting is a life long journey, and as long as I keep striving to better myself, I know success will eventually come.
(11 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)
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VADA is an awesome school. I loved my time there. It was the best school. I am in class with other working actors. I went to VIFF and saw a bunch of my classmates in the films. Such an amazing place. Totally recommend it!!!