Acting for Screen and Stage Fanshawe College

Overview

The two-year diploma program focused in Acting for Screen and Stage offered at Fanshawe College centres on collaborative media-based projects with other Fanshawe programs that simulate real-world working environments.

Key Facts

In the first year, you will primarily study at our London Downtown Campus, where you will learn the foundations of acting, with a focus on stage performance. General Education courses, however, are taken at the main campus. In the second year, your studies will be split between the London Campus and the London Downtown Campus, where you will perform in films, motion capture, green-screen work, and experience virtual set performance. You will also learn to do voice work for animation, film and games and combat for stage and screen. The program culminates in a showcase evening presented by students, a mix of live and projected work. 

Study in dedicated lab and theatre spaces at our London and London Downtown Campuses, including the largest green screen TV and film studios outside of Toronto. You will also enjoy guest speakers and field trips that provide insight into the professional world of entertainment. Graduate with a professional portfolio of work you can bring to future employers, including an on-camera demo reel, voice demo and recorded monologues that can be used to find acting jobs and representation by agents. 

Graduates of the program are eligible to join ACTRA as apprentice members (open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents only), and during level 4 students have the opportunity to meet with a mentor from ACTRA before entering the industry.

Career opportunities

Graduates of Fanshawe’s Acting for Screen and Stage program will have the opportunity to pursue creative careers working in theatre, film, television, animation, game, and other fields where performance is required. Growth in the screen industries, driven by demand for content by streaming services, has created a talent shortage and there is strong demand for trained performers to act and do voice work to meet this need. Performers will find work as stage and screen actors, motion-capture character performers, voice performers for game and animation characters, TV hosts and narrators.

• Stage Actor

Develop and play characters according to the Director’s vision in traditional and contemporary stage plays across all genres. Perform in conventional and alternative venues in front of a live audience.

• Screen Actor

Develop and play characters according to the Director’s vision in film and television productions from original and adapted scripts across all genres. Work with film crews to carry the story effectively in both sequential and non-sequential scene shooting. Perform as needed on location, in studio, with green screen and virtual production environments, and ADR.

• Voice Actor

Use a range of vocal techniques to develop and play characters in animated films and games in accordance with the Director’s vision. 

• Motion-Capture Character Performer

Use a range of body and facial movement and performance techniques to play characters for a wide range of screen applications, including film, animation and games. Work in a motion capture facility according to the Director’s vision to create the actions of animated characters that will be mapped onto the recorded action.