Acting for Screen and Stage
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Program Overview
Do you have a passion for performing? Fanshawe’s Acting for Screen and Stage program inspires students to develop their talents and lays the foundation for a successful career in the screen, stage and voice industries. Through work with industry professionals and in collaboration with other Fanshawe media programs, students will gain creative and technical understandings of the actor's process in various media.
international only
No
Program Details
Program Code
ATS1
Credential:
Ontario College Diploma
Duration
60 weeks
Canadian Students
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 September
London
Open
2024 September
London
Closed
International Students
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 September
London
Open
2024 September
London
Closed
Your Learning Experience
This two-year diploma program centres on collaborative media-based projects with other Fanshawe programs that simulate real-world working environments.
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 Information
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.
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Acting for Screen and Stage program:
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.
Train in a Realistic Emergency
Every year, Fanshawe holds a two-day emergency response exercise at its London Campus that simulates realistic emergencies to help test and train students and campus emergency first responders. The College is one of the only post-secondary institutions to provide an experiential learning opportunity on this scale. Students in this program get the chance to participate in this exciting event as the victims and bystanders, making the simulated incidents that much more realistic.
Academic School
Program Coordinator:
Romy Goulem
Admission Requirements
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent,
or a
mature applicant with the following course:
- Grade 12 English (C or U)
- In addition to meeting the academic requirements, applicants
must submit a supplemental form and receive a minimum score of 60
to be eligible. Applicants will be sent an email with instructions
for completion.
Students who do not meet the admission requirements are
recommended for academic
upgrading. A conditional offer may be possible with proof of
enrolment.
International Admission Equivalencies
Admission equivalencies for Fanshawe depends on your country of study. Please enter your location to see the requirements for your country below.
English Language Requirements
English Language Requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English by one of the following methods:
- A Grade 12 College Stream or University Stream English credit from an Ontario Secondary School, or equivalent, depending on the program's Admission Requirements
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test with a minimum score of 79 for the Internet-based test (iBT), with test results within the last two years
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test with an overall score of 6.0 with no score less than 5.5 in any of the four bands, with test results within the last two years. SDS Program Requirements.
- Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) test with an overall score of 60 with no score less than 50 in any of the four bands, with test results within the last two years
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) with a minimum score of 53, with test results within the last two years
- A Cambridge English Test (FCE/CAE/CPE) with an overall score on the Cambridge English Scale of 169 with no language skill less than 162, with test results within the last two years
- Fanshawe College ESL4/GAP5 students: Minimum grade of 80% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 8, 75% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 9, or 70% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 10
Recommended Academic Preparation
Recommended Academic Preparation
- A Pre-Media Ontario College Certificate.Recommended Personal Preparation
Recommended Personal Preparation
- Involvement in community theatre, dance, and music
- Participation in community television as a performer, host or interviewer
- General experience in presentation as an emcee or speaker
Applicant Selection Criteria
Applicant Selection Criteria
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be:- Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario
- Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date, Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is full)
- Achievement in the Admission Requirements
Courses
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| WRIT-1037 | Reason & Writing 1-Contemporary Media | 3 | ||
| This course will introduce contemporary media students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking. | ||||
| ARTS-1095 | Acting Fundamentals | 3 | ||
| Students are introduced to the personal and group dynamics of actors' work, as well as, to professional industry standards. This course teaches the emerging actor foundational concepts and techniques: neutral mask work, zones of silence, the application of the essential questions based on Stanislavski's, Uta Hagen's and Meisner's methodologies. The emerging actor is also introduced to Viewpoints, a physical approach to acting. These techniques create the toolbox for the training process and a professional acting career. | ||||
| ARTS-1096 | Movement 1 | 2 | ||
| A heightened awareness is necessary to develop the actor's body. This course introduces the concept that the actor is the instrument and the container for stories. Through dance techniques, Elements of Dance and Authentic Movement, the aspiring actor develops a physical awareness without whole-body inhibitions that impede the imaginative process. The student begins to incorporate and practice warm-ups and full body work as part of the acting process. The understanding of the body as an instrument and in relation to space will be developed and explored. | ||||
| ARTS-1097 | Intro to Performance | 2 | ||
| This course introduces students to performance, exploring scenes and monologues from a variety of plays ranging from classical to contemporary works. Students will learn, then apply to their work, principles of relaxation, concentration, specificity, objectives, actions, and moment-to-moment spontaneity. History, significance, text analysis, performance practice, along with intensive background research will also be addressed. | ||||
| ARTS-1098 | Speech 1 | 2 | ||
| This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of a clear and healthy speech process. Students will learn to recognize and overcome unwanted habits and patterns of speech through exercises revealing and releasing physical tension, freeing the breath, and practicing natural articulation. Through an understanding of process, students will work to neutralize unwanted regionalisms or speech habits, opening up opportunities for the actor across various forms of media. | ||||
| DEVL-1063 | Development for Screen & Stage 1 | 1.5 | ||
| In this course, students will experience a variety of events related to and complementing the foundational basis of this term. With a focus on stage performance and careers, events will include guest speakers, workshops, and field trips. Students will also begin to develop their electronic portfolio. | ||||
| FILM-1001 | Film Criticism 1 | 3 | ||
| This course is designed to develop a critical approach to the medium of film; to examine individual creative expression in the films of important directors from various countries, with emphasis on cinematic history and theory; to develop the ability to identify technical aspects of film and to discern mediocre and excellent use of filmmaking technique. | ||||
Tuition Summary
London
*Total program costs are approximate, subject to change and do not include the health and dental plan fee, bus pass fee or program general expenses.