Acting for Cinema & Television

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where are you located?
All A.C.T. classes are currently held at the Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa.

2. Where in the building is your office?
A.C.T. does not have an office in the Arts Court (we are on a waiting list), but if you are seriously interested and wish to set up an appointment for a quick tour and discussion, please call 613.565.2107.

3. Where can I find parking and how much does it cost?
Parking is available in the Novotel, indoor parking lot (across the street from the Arts Court). The cost is usually around $4.00. There is also, metered parking beside the Arts Court on Nicholas St.

4. Can I park in the parking lot beside the building?
The parking lot beside the building is reserved for tenants of the Arts Court. If you do park there, you may get ticketed or towed.

5. How can I register for a course?
To register for a course online, you can click Pre-Register Here, which appears at the bottom of any course description. Fill out the form online and click submit. We will receive the registration electronically. You then have 7 days to mail in your deposit and/or payment. If, after 7 days your deposit and/or payment is not received, your spot in the class will no longer be reserved. You can also contact A.C.T. to have a registration form mailed to you. Fill out the form and mail it with your deposit/payment to A.C.T. 2 Daly Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6E2 or you can drop off your registration in person.

6. Where can I drop off my registration?
Registrations can be dropped off at the front desk of the Arts Court, 2 Daly Ave.
Make sure the envelope is sealed and clearly marked: A.C.T. (Acting for Cinema & Television). The kind person working at the front desk will put the envelope in the A.C.T. mailbox.

7. Can I register for a course at the front desk of the Arts Court?
No. The people working at the front desk do not deal with A.C.T. classes or registration.

8. Do you accept VISA or Mastercard?
At this time, we do not accept any credit cards. The methods of payment that we do accept are: Cheque(s), Money Order(s) or Cash.

9. How much do the courses cost?
The cost of a course depends on which course that you wish to take. For details, you can go the course list on the A.C.T. website or you can call A.C.T. to send you a brochure in the mail.

10. Do you offer Scholarships?
Every so often, we do hand out bursaries or scholarships

11. How can I apply for a Scholarship?
Sometimes, we give out partial or full Scholarships to people in financial need. Send a letter of intent to A.C.T.

12. If I take these classes, will I become a star?
No reputable acting school will ever tell someone that they will become a star. A.C.T. trains people to become working actors. There are no guarantees. If you attend a computer program at a University, it does not mean that you will instantly get a job when finished. Acting takes a lot of hard work and perseverance and the ability to take rejection. If you love acting, you will work hard at it. If you love money, it’s probably best to do something else.

13. When I start acting, how much money will I make?
Some Canadian actors make over $200,000.00/year, other Canadian actors make $0.00/year. The average Canadian actor makes about $10,000.00/year.
If you’re in it for the money, you’re in the wrong business.

14. How can I get an agent?
That is something we cover in great detail in our introductory acting classes (Little Professionals, Young & Teen Professionals & Adult Professionals).

15. I signed up for a class, but it was full. What can I do?
You can ask to be put on a waiting list (sometimes people cancel) or you can reserve a spot for the next session.

16. How can I reserve a spot in a class?
To officially reserve a spot, you must send in a deposit of $100.00 (non-refundable unless you are not accepted into the class) that will go towards the full amount of the course.

17. Do you offer family discounts?
Yes! If two or more immediate family members attend a session we will give a family discount. Please call 613.565.2107 for details. You do not have to attend the same class in order to get a discount, just the same session.

18. Do you give refunds?
Once you have registered for a course and paid for it, we can only give refunds up to two weeks prior to the start of a course. (The $100.00 deposit is not refundable) Once your spot is paid for, we cannot give it to someone else that may have wanted it.

19. I don’t want to be an actor - can I still take your courses?
Absolutely! We have had a number of students that simply wanted to gain more confidence, meet new people, work on their presentation skills or get away from the office to try something new. One thing that we do guarantee is that you will have FUN!

20. I’m really shy, is there a course for me?
Of course there is. A lot of our new students are nervous and shy at first. We don’t put any pressure on you if you’re not ready. Everything is done in baby steps. First, we try to get everyone comfortable with group exercises and then we advance at the pace of each individual. Check out Little Professionals, Young & Teen Professionals or Adult Professionals.

21. I have a lot of experience and training already, what course can I take to sharpen my skills?
ACTercise is an eight-week course in which you can keep your talent honed by working on a variety of scenes. ACTercise gives actors an opportunity to explore their craft, to better prepare for auditions and actual work on the set. Participating actors are encouraged to bring sides for upcoming auditions to class. We also offer specialty weekend workshops that are taught by Montreal Casting Directors and/or local Directors. Click on Phase II Courses to find out about upcoming specialty workshops.

22. Do I have to audition to get in to a class?
We usually don’t ask our students to audition because no previous experience is required for the introductory classes and the intermediate/advanced classes have very specific prerequisites. If you really want to take one of our advanced classes but we are unsure that it is the right class for you, then we will ask you to audition.

23. What is the difference between ‘Adult Professionals A’ and ‘Adult Professionals B’?
The only difference is that ‘Adult Professionals A’ is held on Wednesday nights and ‘Adult Professionals B’ is held on Thursday nights. The curriculum is exactly the same in both classes. The classes are held on two different nights because it is our most popular class and sells out very quickly.

24. What are the necessary prerequisites to get into the classes?
You can find the prerequisites listed at the bottom of each course description.

25. Do you offer theatre training?
Our school is geared towards screen training, but some of the basics of acting and the business that we teach, apply to both the screen and the stage. Classes that can be most closely linked to theatre are Intensive Scene Study w/ Mich�le Lonsdale Smith and Using your Voice.

26. Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. You are not required to pay the full amount at time of registration. Each course offers a payment plan that allows you to pay in installments.