Expert: Peter Messaline - 7/25/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

Hope everything is doing well. I'm 20 years old and I leave in Montreal. I always wanted to be an actress but I waited for my training to be old enough to understand what it means. Now that I'm ready I started researching all the pertinent information to become one. I'd like to know if you have any advices (best city to in Canada, training in Montreal and elsewhere...) And am I to old to begin? I'll be waiting for your answer.

Thanks a lot and take care

Mireille Urumuri


ANSWER: First, you're not too old. More schools are looking for students with some living experience to draw on when they act.

Making a guess, but are you francophone and black? Two special situations.
You know how few non-white actors get cast, in stage, film, TV and commercials. The situation is a little better than it was, but still white is the default standard character who could be any race. Black characters are rarely crucial to the story, rarely have depth of characterisation, and rarely get the love interest.
And exactly the same is true for women. Actors don't work often or make much, and black and women actors make less and work less.

If you're not too depressed:

Montreal has A Lot of small scale theatre and film in French, and some anglophone too. The National Theatre School is your local place! It's very hard to get in, though.

Toronto's film industry is in a very poor shape these last years. Vancouver is in better shape. Toronto has four good acting schools and Vancouver has Langara and the Vancouver Film School. There is a very fine school at the University of Alberta, and another in Edmonton at Grant MacEwan College. Dalhousie has a good reputation.

I suggest you look at Canadian Actor Online (canadianactor.com). It's a site full of answers to basic questions, as well as very active discussion boards.

In Montreal, look for colleges with evening classes, filmmakers' societies, Fringe Festivals. You need to build your network of other people in the business for two reasons:
Most schools have huge numbers of applications for few places; having some acting activities under your belt makes you look like a serious possibility, rather than someone who's just trying it out.
You may well find that being a professional actor is not what you had thought of. It's terribly hard work in all sorts of ways, and it's a fulltime job, looking for part-time work ;)

All strength to you.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi,

I don't know how you did it but.... Yes I'm a black francophone women. I know it is going to be REALLY REALLY HARD.... but I think I'm ready to DO IT. I'll do whatever it takes. Thanks a lot for your advices. I wish you all the best.

Truly yours,

Mimi

P.S Keep in touch

Answer
Go for it, girl!
You have that Montreal confidence and presentation that will serve you well in the years ahead.

If you Google "Peter Messaline", you will find contacts for me.
And do look at canadianactor.com, which has fourteen yards of basic answers, and a francophone discussion board -- that's not very busy yet, but it's a few people who might share their experience.
I shall keep an eye out for you.