The 2013 Leo Award nominations are out, and The Jabberwock, produced by a team of Entertainment Business Management students as part of the Alice in Wasteland edition of the Compendium project, has gotten its claws on a nod for Best Student Production!
The Jabberwock nomination includes EBM producers Skye Radies, Maria Lozano, Shawn Hache, and Zach Hill, alongside director (and Film Production alum) Darren Borrowman.
The Leos, which shine a spotlight on BC’s best film and TV, will be handed out June 7-8, 2013, in Vancouver. This year’s nominees include alumni from many VFS programs, from Acting for Film & Television to 3D Animation & Visual Effects. Check out the full list right here. Good luck, everyone!
Romuald Hivert graduated from the VFS Acting for Film & Television program in 2011. In between acting gigs, including an upcoming stint on the Vancouver-shot science fiction series Continuum, Romuald is a Teaching Assistant in the Entertainment Business Management program. You may also recognize him from his role in Captive, the first ever VFS feature-length film. We recently spoke with Romuald about what led him to acting, the VFS community, and life since graduation. Have you always wanted to be an actor? How did you come about choosing it as a career? Romuald: No. I always knew I loved performing but didn’t know I wanted to be an actor. I was working at a bank and very unhappy. I decided that I would do something that I had always wanted to do. I immediately enrolled in a two-year theatre program in Ontario. After the first year, I wasn’t sure if it was for me, but the Director of the Adult Acting program wouldn’t let me go. He said I was a gem. That second year, it finally clicked that I wanted to pursue this as a career. After the program ended, I decided to move to Vancouver and go to Vancouver Film School. I wanted to take my acting to the next level and VFS is one of the best schools in Canada for that. As Naseem in Captive. What was your experience like in the VFS Acting program? Romuald: Learning how to act is a lifelong thing. I received a great skill base at VFS but I also got access to the VFS community as a bonus. The network I was able to build at VFS is not something you can put a price on. I wouldn’t have known anyone otherwise. I do have to cultivate it but it truly is one of the most valuable things I took away from the school. The community that I became a part of, including teachers, alumni, classmates, students from other programs, producers, directors, photographers – it’s a pool of resources. It’s better than the yellow pages. What was life like after graduation? What were the first steps? Romuald: I went back to the real world. I took a flexible job that I could do while I went on auditions. I found an agent right away and booked my first gig out of school, The Arrangement, a film that comes out next year. After a year, I changed agents. This was when I started getting a lot more auditions, sometimes three a day! I realized how important it is to find the right agent, one that fits you, someone you can work with and create a partnership. My advice is to find the person who can help you maximize your talent and your uniqueness – almost like a soul mate. With my new agent, I was able to take a bit of control and make an action plan together, as opposed to leaving it all to chance. I shared with her my three strongest characters – thug, professional man/love interest, and high school student. That’s what I excel at. Obviously I still audition for other types of characters but I think it’s fair to say those three are my current base and where I am strongest. Romuald (second from left) in an ad for Vancouver Actor's Guide. Tell us about your experience on Continuum. Romuald: I filmed an episode of Continuum in February which airs Sunday, May 12. I thought it would be intimidating and I was really worried about having to show them I could act but it was very comfortable and the atmosphere was great. I was so used to being on camera at VFS that I felt like I was at home. At the same time, it was also scary because I thought I should be freaking out. I got really good feedback on set, especially for one of my lines in particular. It felt great and I was happy. I was even more convinced that acting is what I really want to do for a living. Simon Barry, the creator of Continuum, recently visited VFS as a guest speaker and spoke about the road he took that led him to his success. I sat up front, ready to hand him a thank you card for having me on the show since I didn’t get a chance to meet him on the day. When the talk was over, I nervously walked over in his direction. Before I could say anything he said, “I know you! You did an awesome job on Continuum!” He also told me that it was great that my character didn’t die – so you never know what could happen, fingers crossed! Meeting Simon Barry. What are you working on now? Romuald: I am currently a TA in the Entertainment Business Management program. I am also auditing some of the classes, learning more about how to use social media to market myself, how to create a personal brand, and more. I also took part in Evermore, a short film and personal project. It was produced by Ian Berg, a Foundation Visual Art & Design and Digital Design grad. He is a now a post-production specialist and wanted to use his visual effects skills in the short. It was written by Bobby Henwood, a Writing for Film & Television grad. In fact, about 99% of the people involved in the film are VFS grads. It’s a great example of how the VFS network can come together. It was a great experience and I am very excited for the final product. Ian is hoping to release it this fall. On the set of Evermore. What are you goals for the future? Where do you see yourself in five years? Romuald: Five years from now I want to be working as an actor, mainly in Vancouver but also throughout Canada and the United States. I want to be a lead character on a hit TV show. I would like to be in at least one action film – doing stunts, fighting, using guns, etc. I want to be in at least one blockbuster movie as well – and stay alive throughout the movie! My characters always die! (Laughs) Now that I’ve said all these things, I really have to do it! It is important to continue taking classes. I know that I will always need to keep training to get to the next level. I received some great advice about who I am as an actor – I need to understand my stereotypical hit. I love the fact that I look dangerous and have a strong presence. The man within – the actor – is a humble kid, full of wonder and play. I like to be bold, fierce, daring, and loving. I just want to share with the world stories that they will never forget. For that, I am willing to share generously the essence of what makes me, me. I hope people can relate to my characters and that will make them want to learn more about them and their circumstances. Thanks for sharing this with us, Romuald! For more information on what Romuald is up to, check out his Facebook Page. You can also catch him on this Sunday’s episode of Continuum, airing on Showcase.
Here’s something surprising about the VFS Summer Intensives. Every year – every year – people come from all around the world for one (or more!) of the 5-day programs. This is what we mean. Behold: It’s kind of astonishing, when you think about it. We all know that VFS is something of a global village, but how exciting is it condense that experience into a single week? We’ve heard from past Summer Intensive students that they’ve made lasting friends and professional contacts in those five lightning-fast days. Now imagine that network extending around the globe. Live far away and thinking of making the trip? Based nearby but want to work alongside talented new friends during a week-long creative boot camp? Seats in our ten programs are limited and going fast, so register today!
Producers Skye Radies, Zach Hill, and Sheryl Vedamani, with Child's Play's Jamie Dillon A compilation album of game-inspired music, produced by VFS Entertainment Business Management students, has done what it set out to do, raising $15,000 for Child’s Play. The release of Power Up: Music to Game By, featuring artists like Freezepop and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, culminated in an online Twitch.TV gaming marathon in December. That took the fundraising to the next level, marked the album’s decommissioning, and led to the presentation of a cheque to Child’s Play. We caught up with the masterminds behind the campaign, grads Skye Radies (EBM, Foundation) and Sheryl Vedamani (EBM, Foundation, and Classical Animation), to hear about these most recent developments – and what’s next. How did it feel to present the cheque as a culmination of the project? Skye: A release. Finally, after over a year and a half, this project came to a definitive conclusion. We didn’t have any other divisions of it to worry about beyond that one moment – no more charity events, no more broadcasters to contact and liaise with, no more coordination or scheduling… Everything had finished. It is one thing to deliver a cheque to a charitable organization but to have the opportunity that we had to physically go to Seattle, Washington, and hand-deliver our cheque… was amazing. There was definitely a feeling of elation, satisfaction, and pride. A chapter of our lives had concluded. Sheryl: Handing over the giant cheque to Jamie Dillion, the project manager of the charity, created a sense of ambivalence. On one hand, it was a celebration of success for our team and everyone involved in raising funds for Child’s Play –I was happy to see so much money go to such a worthy cause. Yet I was sad watching the project I had put my heart and soul into for the last year and a half finally come to a close. From the very beginning of this project, I pitched that approaching the online gaming community would be the right choice for our marketing campaign – however, I never expected it leading to Power Up gaining a community of its own. The enthusiasm, generosity, and support they provided throughout this entire project was inspiring and probably the reasons we continued working on Power Up: Music to Game By so long after our graduation. What’s next for each of you? What have you got in the hopper? Skye: Lots in the works lately! I’m branding and marketing my two companies, submitting a short film to various festivals, as well as working on a children’s book, another short film and a web series. First and foremost, I’m producing a science fiction web series entitled GAIA_TheSeries. We are currently in post-production for episode two, pre-production for episode three, and developing a complex funding and marketing strategy for the release of the second episode at the end of May. This plan incorporates some of the tactics used to raise $15,000 for Child’s Play, by using Twitch.TV to fundraise money for a charitable organization. There is also a large screening event happening at a non-traditional location… There may even be a mob of sorts involved – more to be revealed shortly! Sheryl: After much discussion, Skye and I have decided to continue working with that growing community and raise funds for various charitable organizations with a new campaign called PowerUp4Charity. In addition to this project, I’ll be continuing my work as a freelance animator and storyboard artist. I’m currently working on two classically animated shorts, three commercials, a children’s book, and the art for a Sherlock Holmes themed video game. In my spare moments, though rare, I’ve taken to working on the branding and marketing for two gaming communities and have recently become inspired to begin creating a point and click adventure game of my own. It’s been a busy year and I don’t see it slowing down any time soon but as my three years at Vancouver Film School have taught me –the only way to get where you want with your career is to work as hard as or harder than those around you and learn as much as you can along the way. You heard ‘em, readers. Here’s where you can go for more: Sheryl Vedamani on the web
We’re excited to announce Vancouver Film School’s Summer Intensives are back this July and August! These five days could be the experience you need to prove you’re ready to start your path towards a demanding and rewarding career in the entertainment industry. And if you apply to a full-time VFS program, the cost of your Summer Intensive will go towards your tuition. For anyone seriously considering VFS, this summer is going to be your best. You can also save 10% on your fees by taking two or more intensives. Find out more about VFS Summer Intensives 2013 and register today! Want to learn more about what it’s like inside VFS? Download our new viewbook, inspired by the passionate and dedicated students behind all the jaw-dropping portfolios and reels we see every day.
Since graduating from the Entertainment Business Management program last summer, Gloria Bernal has created her own event planning company and launched Lab Art Show. An exhibition of everything from film to music to sculpture to dance, Lab Art Show was created for artists to showcase their talents and network with audience members. We spoke with Gloria about how VFS helped her find her true calling. Tell us about your experience at VFS. Gloria: The Entertainment Business Management program at VFS helped me figure out what I really wanted to do and experience in my career. I studied Marketing in Guadalajara, Mexico, and worked in various media-related industries, but I always wanted to develop entertainment. During the program, we had to develop several projects in a very short period of time. As I was working with students from many different countries, it was very interesting and creative. These projects taught me how to negotiate, produce concepts quickly, and work with designers, producers, companies, and musicians. Most importantly, it helped me create connections within the city of Vancouver as well as learn how to create business in North America. VFS opened up a new perspective for the creation of projects, whether for a film or developing specific events. I liked the teamwork aspect because together we could achieve and develop extraordinary things. VFS showed me how to plan and organize a better event and it has been a great support to me now that I’m developing Lab Art Show. What are the Lab Art Shows? What is your role within the event? Gloria: I developed the Lab Art Show as my final project in Entertainment Business Management. During my year at VFS, I realized that I wanted to become an event planner so I created my own company, Glitz Entertainment. Glitz produces quality events, creative solutions, and innovative ideas for a corporation or an individual in need of an event planner. At the Lab Art Shows, we exhibit different styles of art – short film, music, audiovisual presentations, painting, sculpture, acting, contemporary dance, animation, fashion shows, and more. It’s a place where the audience can network with different types of artists and the artists can showcase their talent. I do the planning, coordination, and production of the show as well as the advertising and marketing. Check out the video below for a look at what Lab Art Show is all about. What has been the involvement of VFS students in these events? Gloria: Last year, we showed various animations, short films, and illustrations created by VFS students. After the show, we contacted all the participants to get feedback on how we could improve the event and see how many pieces each artist sold. We found out that most of the artists sold several of their pieces and other participants got jobs as a result of the show. This is why we invite students to participate – so that they can connect with other people. In a city like Vancouver, you can meet people from all around the world. When is the next Lab Art Show? How can people get involved? Gloria: Glitz Entertainment presents Lab Art Show 2, a celebration of expression that explores the ever changing and evolving world of art as a platform for artist growth. The event will be held at Heritage Hall in Vancouver on Thursday, April 11 and Friday, April 12 from 6:00pm to Midnight. An Open Gallery will be held April 12 from 10:00am to 3:00pm. VFS students are invited to be a part of the show in various ways. They can submit their own projects to exhibit at the event or they can be a part of the production. We are currently looking for a music technician, lighting technician, an emcee, performers, and event volunteers. Those interested in participating can email me at gloria@glitz-entertainment.com. Thanks, Gloria. Best of luck with Lab Art Show 2! For further details about the event and to purchase tickets, visit their website.
If you’re reading this, well, you probably know a thing or two about VFS. But we have another side, too. It’s our new viewbook - a different look and a fresh angle on the people, places, and history that make up our DNA. It’s a chance for us to wear our true colours, to show you what we believe, and to share students’ stories – because they’re the ones who make VFS go. Got a few minutes? Explore, download our student manifesto, say hello, and meet us again for the first time at vfs.edu/MyYear. Ready to take that first step right now? What are you waiting for? Speak with an Advisor!
This March, VFS will be at South By Southwest (SXSW), the annual music, film, and interactive conference and festival in Austin, Texas. If you’re interested in VFS Game Design, you’ll want to join us at the SXSW Gaming Expo to learn more about our world-renowned one-year program. A VFS Unity Instructor will be on hand to offer demos, and we welcome participants to stop by our booth and help us build a Unity game. At the end of the event, we will be able to show off a Unity game, created by the attendees of SXSW! Event: SXSW 2013 Gaming Expo You can also visit us at the SXSW Trade Show to meet with a VFS representative, as well as Michael Baser, head of the Writing for Film & Television program. For those looking to kick-start their writing career, Michael be sharing his insights during one on one and group consultations throughout the event. To book a session in advance, please contact eventinfo@vfs.com. Participants are also welcome to book their time while at the event. Event: SXSW 2013 Trade Show We’ll also be sharing a number exciting scholarship opportunities that will be available to potential students enrolling in any of our 13 programs. We hope to see you there!
Join us on Friday, March 15 as Blackrock Films presents VFS’s first feature-length film, Captive! 13 students came together and made something extraordinary. Now, these successful alumni are empowering the next generation of filmmakers. The creators of Captive will be awarding full and partial Film Production and Entertainment Business Management scholarships, and offering an inside look into how they made VFS history. Don’t miss this opportunity to: - Be among the first to see Captive Check out the trailer below: Join us at the VFS Main Theatre on Friday, March 15 at 6:00pm. Click here for more information and to RSVP.
For the Vancouver Film School community – both our students here in Vancouver and our alumni around the world – it doesn’t get much better than 2012. It was truly their year. They blazed trails. Broke ground. Shattered the status quo. They made jaw-dropping feature films and innovative games. In the world of entertainment and design, they made a difference. For 52 straight weeks in 2012, something big happened in film, TV, or games with the help of the VFS graduates behind the scenes. Watch this and see what we mean. Now, isn’t that something? Join us in looking back, month by amazing month, and celebrating their accomplishments!
Romuald Hivert on the VFS Community and Life as a Working Actor
How You Can Connect with the World at VFS Summer Intensives
Grads Raise $15,000 for Child’s Play
Skye Radies on the web
PowerUp4Charity on Twitter
How Can One Week Change Everything? Join VFS at the 2013 Summer Intensives
VFS Summer Intensives 2013
Art, Film & Design – July 8-12 *Offered at a $400 discount when paired with a second intensive!VFS Grad Unites the Vancouver Arts Community
There’s A New Way to Get to Know VFS: Check Out Our Viewbook
Meet VFS at SXSW 2013
Date: Friday, March 8 – Sunday, March 10, 2013
Time: March 8: 3:00pm – 9:00pm • March 9 & 10: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
Place: Palmer Events Center, Booth #131
Address: 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin, Texas
Date: Sunday, March 10 – Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Time: March 10 – 12: 11:00am – 6:00pm • March 13: 11am – 4:00pm
Place: Austin Convention Center, Exhibit Halls 3 & 4, Booth #14
Address: 500 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TexasYou’re Invited to an Exclusive Screening at VFS
- Meet the creators this groundbreaking film
- Unlock $250,000 worth of scholarship opportunities
- Get a preview of the VFS Film Production Studios2012: This Is What Exceptional Looks Like
