ACTING FOR FILM & TELEVISION

 

VFS Faculty consists of the most highly trained professionals in the creative industries. While our full-time instructors provide more one-on-one time with students than any other school, our part-time instructors are pulled right from the heart of the industry, equipped with the most current, relevant industry experience and credits.

We call this THE VFS ADVANTAGE.

 
 

Omari
Newton

Head of Department

Omari is an award-winning professional actor, writer, director, producer, and TedX speaker. Omari’s most-recent credits include a recurring role as Black Panther in various Marvel animated projects and as Corvus in Netflix’s The Dragon Prince.

 

 

Bart
Anderson

Senior Instructor

Bart is a Ryerson Theater School graduate who has worked extensively in film, television, and theater since graduating in 1985. One of Vancouver's most respected acting coaches, Bart is celebrating his 20th year at Vancouver Film School.

 

 

Kurt
Evans

Instructor

Kurt has over 100 film and TV credits including recurring roles on iZombie, The Man In The High Castle, Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica, and Level Up. He has been an acting coach and teacher for more than 15 years and is the founder of Artist2Artist.

 

 

Matt
Fentiman

Instructor

With more than 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Matt is a proud member of Vancouver's film and theatre community and has appeared in dozens of locally produced feature films, short films, TV episodes, and plays.

 

 

Adam
Henderson

Instructor

Adam trained at The Bristol Old Vic and has acted in theatres, films, and sound booths around the world. He is a dialect coach, most-notably on Tomorrowland, Nancy Drew, Turner & Hooch, Harry and Meghan, Altered Carbon, Arrow, and The Magicians.

 

 

Alison
James

Senior Instructor

Alison is a New Zealand and Canadian actor/director/writer, who has worked in Canada, Germany, NZ, and the UK. She is best known for her roles as Nurse Tiffany in the soap opera Shortland Street and Death of a Cheerleader.

 

 

Sam
Jeffery

Instructor

Sam Jeffery is an intimacy director and coordinator (certified with IDC), actor, educator, and award-nominated fight director. She was born and raised in ᐊᒥᐢᑲᐧᒋᐋᐧᐢᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory.

 

 

Emily
King

Instructor

Emily is a voice coach, actor, musician, and writer. A Studio 58 graduate, Emily works as a voice instructor with Viva Voce Speech Arts Studio and apprentices with Bard on the Beach. She is thrilled to be bringing her passion to the VFS team.

 

 

Bill
Marchant

Creative Specialist

Bill's feature film Everyone won Best Canadian Film at the Montreal World Film Festival and was nominated for four Leo Awards. Along with numerous roles in Canadian television, Bill has written and directed short films and plays.

 

 

Donya
Metzger

Instructor

Donya is an award-winning songwriter, voice teacher, singer, a cappella arranger, and somatic experiencing practitioner, venturing into directing as an Artist-in-Residence at Concordia University in Montreal.

 

 

Chloe
Payne

Instructor

Chloe is an actor, director, theatre creator, and educator based in Vancouver. She specializes in movement and physical comedy. She has performed and created work for theatre companies across Canada and is a graduate of École Philippe Gaulier.

 

 

Veenu
Sandhu

Instructor

Veenu is a VFS Acting alumna. Working on stage and screen since 2007, her recent credits include a recurring role on Netflix's Lost in Space and a fantastic death scene on Supernatural.

 

 

Nancy
Sivak

Senior Instructor

Nancy has been a professional actor in Vancouver for over 25 years. She currently works on the stage, as well as in television and film. Her involvement in the world of independent film has taken her to film festivals around the world.

 

 

Andrés
Soto

Project Manager/Instructor

An actor from Costa Rica, Andrés began his career as an Engineer and TV Producer. He studied Communications at The University of Costa Rica and is a Vancouver Film School graduate. He is known for The Flash, Far Cry 6, and Yellowjackets.

 

 

Nevada
Banks

Instructor

 

 

Kim
Tough

Program Manager

Kim has worn many hats in her career, including actor and director. She is a graduate of the VFS Writing for Film & Television program and continues her writing journey as a freelance writer for games, as well as pursuing her solo fiction projects.

 

 

Cesar
Erba

Production Coordinator

Cesar Erba is a Chilean-Canadian performer and filmmaker with over 10 years of experience in the arts. Cesar is always looking to use his creative voice to exemplify his Latino roots and proudly represent his LGBTQIA2S+ community as a proud queer artist.

 

 

Amy
King

Department Coordinator

Amy’s main focus as a performing artist is versatility. She is an actor in theatre and film, but also a voice actor, singer/songwriter, musician, director, photo/videographer and visual artist. She is currently training to become a Certified Intimacy Director.

 

 

William
Vaughan

Mentor

William is an actor, voice artist, teacher, and improviser originally from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Will graduated from VFS in 2007 and has appeared in CBC’s Men With Brooms, Netflix’s The Package, and The CW’s Supernatural, among others.

 

 

Denise
Jones

Instructor

 

Justin Anthony

Instructor

Justin has trained extensively in film and theatre, particularly studying the Warner Loughlin technique. He acts, writes, produces, and sometimes directs. In 2021, he sold dark-comedy Death of the Party, which he wrote, co-produced and starred in, for syndication.

 

Tahina Awan

Instructor

Tahina has trained extensively in physical theatre, clown, and mask before teaching at VFS, and has since delved into voice acting and writing. She was last seen onstage in a comedy show which she wrote and is currently working on an ensemble screenplay.

 

Frank Cassini

Instructor

Frank is an award-winning actor and a lifetime member of the Actor’s Studio in New York and Los Angeles. A produced screenwriter, his acting career spans over 40 years. With over 25 years of teaching experience, he is pleased to share his passion with VFS students.

 

Jennifer Clement

Instructor

Jen has acted in over 100 theatre, film, and TV projects in the course of her professional career. She has been teaching for seventeen years, sharing her years of experience and passion for acting with her students.

 

Missy Cross

Instructor

Missy is an actor, director, and theatre producer. She sings in a touring blues rock band called Wooden Horsemen and spearheads her own company Mindful Actor Workshops. A VFS alumna, she has taught camera, voice, singing, and has also directed student work.

 

Kathleen Duborg

Instructor

Kathleen is a director, actor, producer, and educator. She is also a Co-Artistic Director of Dirt Road Theatre. Artistic collaboration between film and theatre communities have enhanced her study into the embodiment of actors to character, image, text, and audiences.

 

Ryan Gladstone

Instructor

Ryan is an award-winning director, playwright, actor, producer, and improvisor. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Monster Theatre.

 

Roger Harris

instructor

Roger is one of Canada’s premiere voice directors. He has discovered many exceptional voice actors and has directed numerous celebrities. Roger is also a Partner and Creative Director at Murmur Music and Sound. His work has been recognized in various award shows.

 

Marÿke Hendrikse

Instructor

Marÿke has acted professionally for over 30 years, beginning her career in film, television, and theatre. She has lent her voice to thousands of animated episodes, and considers voiceover work her specialty. Her credits include Johnny Test and Black Lagoon.

 

Alison Kelly

Instructor

A graduate of Studio 58, Alison is an award-winning playwright and actor. She is part of the creative team that wrote the internationally acclaimed hit Mom's The Word series of plays. Alison has taught ages 3 to 86 and currently teaches at VFS and Studio 58.

 

Emma Love

Instructor

Emma is an actor, singer, and voice teacher with over 20 years training and experience. After many years in NYC, she is pleased to be settled on the West Coast and bringing industry context to practical voice work for students beginning their journeys.

 

Pippa Mackie

Instructor

Pippa is an award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer with close to 20 years of experience working in both theatre and film/tv. Her work has been featured and performed on stages across Canada. Pippa is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada Acting Program.

 

Lauren McGibbon

Instructor

Lauren McGibbon is an actor, writer and improviser from Vancouver. Lauren received acting training at UBC and Railtown Actors Studio. Her film and TV credits include Trial and Error (NBC), A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix), and Scaredy Cats (Netflix).

 

Karyn Mott

Instructor

Karyn (they/them) is a Queer, non-binary, intimacy director and coordinator, award-winning actor, and artistic mental health practitioner. Karyn’s worked in theatre, film, and TV for over 15 years. Recent credits include Shogun, Resident Alien, and Grease.

 

Moya O'connell

Instructor

Moya is an award-winning actor, a director, and a passionate educator. Having spent 19 years playing leading roles in Canadian theatres, Moya is currently a completing her MFA in Directing at UBC. Moya is also a Teaching Artist with Bard on the Beach.

 

Sergio Osuna Lopez

Mentor

Sergio is an actor and writer originally from Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico with a career spanning 15 years. In Canada he has landed recurring roles such as: Rush, The Magicians, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, and most recently Netflix’s Slumberland.

 

Savonna Spracklin

Instructor

Savonna (Heeḵ’al) is an award-winning actor, an editor, and a director. She is a member of the Nisg̱a’a Nation. Her credits include Wildhood, Hold the Dark, and Tribal. She recently joined the cast of Departure Season 3, premiering in 2022.

 

Nikolai Witschl

Instructor

Nikolai Witschl has a BFA in Acting from the University of Alberta, and has performed with Rapid Fire Theatre, Sin Peaks, and Instant Theatre. He has been in many film and TV projects, including Deadpool 2, Riverdale, Yellowjackets, and The X-Files, among others.

 

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