Acting for Film & Television
Online Certificate Courses
Grow your skills. Gain experience in acting.
In this foundational course, you will connect with yourself and other actors around the world who want to take the first steps in discovering and developing their craft.
We welcome enthusiasts, high school students, mature students, and anyone looking to make a career change. When you finish an online certificate course at Vancouver Film School, you will receive a digital certificate of completion confirming your experience.
Explore the certificate courses:
**Students must confirm they are at least 18 years old at the beginning of the course in order to register.
**Please note that courses may be cancelled at any time due to low enrolment. Upon cancellation, registrants will receive a full refund.
To meet your industry instructor(s), click here.
If you have any questions, please contact: industryworkshops@vfs.com
Introduction to Acting: Connecting to Craft (online)
In this seven-week introductory course, you will explore how to approach acting play and a short text such as a monologue. Each class will begin with important core actor voice and body work. You will be introduced to basic acting and camera technique, and be guided through how to apply them from your home.
In a combination of online and offline exercises in text, story, and authenticity, you will complete your first take of a self-tape audition. In core actor sessions, focused on vital voice and body techniques, you will experiment in how to create your own pre-performance warm-up.
By the end of this course, you will gain insight and confidence in yourself as an actor, understand text analysis essentials, perform a short monologue self-tape audition to use when submitting to agents/casting directors/showreels, as well as gain an awareness of how actors work in front of a camera.
- Gain confidence in yourself as an actor.
- Understand text analysis essentials.
- Identify and engage your body/voice as instruments.
- Learn and perform a short monologue.
- Identify basic camera techniques.
- Develop an awareness for working in front of the camera.
- Apply your knowledge to an on-camera self-tape audition.
- Computer with microphone and camera
- Any video capturing device with sound (cell phone or other)
- 5x8 ft. space (approx.) for some limited movement work
- Stable Internet connection
- English Level: all participants are required to speak and write English at an acceptable level. In order to succeed in any VFS program, you will need to understand technical terms and be conversant enough in English to participate in presentations and in-depth discussion. For this program we recommend an IELTS Band 6.0 – Academic level or equivalent.
Students are not required to have any previous training or experience.
March 4 to April 15, 2023 – **Sorry, the registration is now closed.
Don't miss out when the next workshop becomes available. Save your spot by joining the wait list today!
Acting: From Script to Screen (online)
How does one enrich their craft and strengthen their connection to their art and fellow actors? How does one dissect a script and make dynamic choices that shine on screen?
This online course scaffolds upon the foundation laid by our previous certificate course “Introduction to Acting: Connecting to Craft”; although it is preferred that you complete this course prior to enrolling, students with some prior acting experience are welcome.
With expert guidance from instructors, you will begin the journey of becoming a collaborative and empowered actor in the online rehearsal space, getting comfortable on camera and better understanding what it means to listen and give & receive with a scene partner.
The core work of this new 7-week program will support your preparation techniques as you learn to activate your imagination and begin to fully embody your unique take on the text and character of a script. “From Script to Screen” culminates in a more polished and professional self-tape submission involving a reader, allowing you to build confidence and ease in an online audition environment.
“Acting: From Script to Screen” is a training course that is intended to empower actors in their continued professional journey.
- Execute and expand text script analysis principles taught in Connecting to Craft.
- Deepen analysis skills by working on a complete film script.
- Discover how to do a thorough character analysis.
- Expand your rehearsal techniques within online learning and communication platforms.
- Develop best practices for safe & creative collaboration, actor self care, setting boundaries and clear communication with other artists.
- Learn to partner and rehearse with another actor/reader.
- Execute with confidence the technical aspects of auditioning for online platforms.
- Memorize, rehearse, record, and submit a self-tape audition scene.
- Get important feedback for your second take.
- Finish with a recording of your audition scene.
- Computer with microphone and camera
- Any video capturing device with sound (cell phone or other)
- 5x8 ft. space (approx.) for some limited movement work
- Stable Internet connection
- English Level: all participants are required to speak and write English at an acceptable level. In order to succeed in any VFS program, you will need to understand technical terms and be conversant enough in English to participate in presentations and in-depth discussion. For this program we recommend an IELTS Band 6.0 – Academic level or equivalent.
Students are not required to have any previous training or experience.
Course Details:
Dates: May 6 to June 17, 2023
Duration: 7-week course, one online class per week
Time: Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. PST
Cost: $950
*Students must confirm they are 18 years or older at the beginning of the workshop in order to register.
Singing for Actors (online)
Explore your voice through story and song in this online certificate course. Whether you're looking for an introduction into singing or to take meaningful steps towards developing your voice for further post-secondary study, this course is for you! In 7 weeks, you will learn how to take command of your voice through a variety of breathing & body techniques, develop tools for working through nerves, and learn how to interpret a song as just another scene to act through.
Note: Students are not required to have any previous musical training or experience.
- Develop your voice as an expressive instrument
- Demonstrate how to integrate breathing, sound, & movement and connect this to the physical & vocal endurance necessary in developing your singing voice
- Learn how to work with a pianist
- Know the do’s and don’ts of audition etiquette
- Sing in front of peers in a mock audition setting
- Computer with microphone and camera
- Any video capturing device with sound (cell phone or other)
- A device capable of running the latest version of Zoom
- Stable Internet connection
Students are not required to have any previous training or experience.
Course Details:
Dates: September 13 to October 25, 2022
Duration: 7-week course, one online class per week
Time: Tuesdays, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. PST
Cost: $950 $475 (special limited time offer!)
*Acting Unions receive an additional $75 discount. Please submit your UBCP/ACTRA/Equity membership number during registration.
*Students must confirm they are 18 years or older at the beginning of the workshop in order to register.
Sorry, the registration is now closed.
Andrés Soto
Actor, Producer & Mindset Coach

Andrés Soto (known on-screen as Alexander Soto) is an actor, producer, and mindset coach. He is an instructor in the acting department at Vancouver Film School and founder of The Acting Blueprint. He also runs the Frente a Camara workshops, which seek to teach on-camera skills to actors in Latin America. Andrés has worked behind the camera for multiple casting directors in Vancouver, including Kris and Kara, Murdine Hirsch, and Kathleen Widdows.
Andrés studied Communication at the University of Costa Rica with an emphasis on production. He also has a degree in Motivation and Leadership from the Costa Rican Institute of Technology and studied acting at Vancouver Film School. As a producer, he created (along with Jatniel Azofeifa) the largest kids TV show in Central America: Ondivedu. As an actor, he is known for 50 States of Fright, Riverdale, Dragged Across Concrete, Deadly Class, and Arrow. He has also appeared in multiple television commercials, including Coca-Cola, Bose, Crayola, Captain Morgan, London Drugs, Babies 'R Us, and Coors Light.
Sam Bregoliss
Artist, Educator & Creator

Sam has worked as a dancer, actor, and choreographer for the past 10 years. He has had the privilege of performing, choreographing, and adjudicating all across North America and Europe. Sam has appeared in award-winning short film Eleftheromania, starring Olympia Dukakis, and in national marketing campaigns for Save-on-Foods. In the spring of 2020, he partnered with the Kamloops Music Collective and began producing/directing online musical theatre content for young audiences. He is thrilled to bring you his first-hand knowledge and industry experience, along with his passion and dedication for arts education.
Omari Newton
Actor, Writer & Producer

Omari Newton is an award-winning professional actor, writer, director, producer, and a senior instructor at the Vancouver Film School. Notable film & TV credits include: Lucas Ingram on Showcase’s Continuum, Larry Summers on Blue Mountain State and lending his voice to the Black Panther in multiple animated projects (Marvel). Most recently, Omari has a recurring role as Nate on Corner Gas (the animated series) and a recurring role as Corvus of Netflix’s hit new animated series The Dragon Prince.
As a writer, his original Hip Hop theatre piece 'Sal Capone' has received critical acclaim and multiple productions, including a recent presentation at Canada’s National Arts Centre. Additionally, Newton’s work in Speakeasy Theatre's production of Young Jean Lee's The Shipment earned him a 2017-2018 Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor, as well as a nomination for Best Direction.
Alison James
Actor, Director & Senior Instructor at VFS

Alison has been acting, directing, and teaching for over 11 years. She played the coveted role of “Nurse Tiffany” in New Zealand's primetime clinical drama Shortland Street, which is still shown in over 70 countries.
Missy Cross
Instructor (Singing for Actors)

Missy Cross is an award-nominated actor, director, and theatre producer who has appeared in Legends of Tomorrow, White Raven, and She Who Must Burn. For the past 8 years, she has toured in the neo swamp rock band Wooden Horsemen and has performed across Canada in countless music festivals, including the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. She is the founder of the Mindful Actor Workshops which combines Chakra philosophy and acting processes.
A VFS alumnus, Missy has since taught camera, voice, acting, singing and directed over 10 grad films for the acting department. Behind the camera, she has also worked as a Script Supervisor and 1st AD. She has produced 6 theatre productions in Vancouver and created the Performance Boutique - a gathering of female identifying creatives sharing original works based on a theme.
Sean Bayntun
Instructor (Singing for Actors)

A descendent of Ukrainian, Austrian, and British immigrants, Sean Bayntun grew up, and currently resides, on the ancestral and unceded lands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples (Burnaby).
Having grown up steeped in classical music, Sean made his orchestral debut as a solo pianist at 16 with the White Rock Symphony, and at 18 performed as a soloist with the VSO. He graduated from UBC with a BMus before attending Rice University (Houston) on full scholarship studying with Dr. Jon Kimura Parker. With Dr. Parker’s encouragement to explore genres and performance beyond classical piano, Sean played Otto in Design for Living and music directed Bat Boy: The Musical.
Returning to Vancouver in 2006, Sean joined a pop/rock band as a keyboardist/writer and began freelancing as a session and performance musician and has performed and/or written countless songs.