Vancouver Film School

I managed to learn more in a years worth of education what I couldn't in 4. Being able to do so many hands on experiences has allowed me to rack up my skills as a filmmaker, and made me comfortable stepping out into the industry.

Vancouver Film School does not protect creators and even defends unethical behavior.
I wrote, directed, and acted in a short film, but another student kept all the footage and uses it as if it were theirs.
When I asked the Head of Department for help, they dismissed it as an outside matter and suggested I give up my image rights to get my work back.
I cannot trust this school and hope no other student has to face this.

As someone who took the acting course, School is way overpriced for what you learn. Most of the things you can learn online. They talked a lot about experience, but from what I can remember no one in the class still thought the price was justified and one year isn't enough time. School is pretty libreal in how It runs which looking back I wasn't a big fan of the politics getting into education.

As a Film production alumni to anyone who wants to go to film production program. DON'T!
Don't waste money.
You can easily do some youtube search and get couple of PA positions to get to the industry and learn.
There are no pathways or faster way to get or industry if you go to this program as they marker it.
Don't get fooled.

The Acting for Film and Television program exceeded my expectations on many levels. Every teacher aims to guide you through your journey not matter what level of acting skill you have and they do it with lots of love. Everybody, including the students are very passionate about the craft and want nothing more than the best for you. If you are looking for a place to hone your skills and network, VFS is the place for you. (Omari Newton is the goat)

VFS 1 Year Acting Program is the pinnacle of what an amazing school should be. On top of the school CONSTANTLY staying up to date on whats happening in the industry and adapting the program to it such as MoCap and Intimacy Coordination classes to working on self tapes and a business class that covers aspects not usually touched on they also have world class teachers who all have real world experience in the industry. The teachers that I had the pleasure to work with and be taught by were nothing but loving, encouraging and caring while also pushing you to explore your skills and grow in new ways and there insights and advice that they passed onto me is something I truly value. I have made lifelong friends and colleagues here and am proud to be a graduate of this great program!

A small disclaimer before I begin... There are probably many former students that have provided testimonials and thoughts on the program, and have focused on the knowlege they gained from the course materials in the Digital Design program at VFS. My testimonial differs slightly. I'm going to tell you about the life lessons I learned at VFS.

Make no doubt about it, the Digital Design program at VFS is very challenging.

The curriculum comes fast and hard, and requires a keen mind and disciplined approach to catch it all. In my opinion, the true challenge is that, as a student, VFS really forces you to look at what you want to do with your life and design career after graduation.

Here's why; when I attended VFS, there were two specializations: Interaction Design and Motion Design. Both were very appealing and taught by engaging and extremely knowledgeable instructors. So from the outset, you are confronted with that classic fork-in-the-road decision.

I had great difficulty choosing which stream to commit to. On the one hand, I was naturally inclined to do well in Motion, but on the other, learning about Interaction Design was exciting and challenging as it was completely new to me.

I knew that the choice would dictate what I would learn over the next 12 months, but I also had to remember that these would be the first few steps towards a life and career that I wanted to be rewarding and fulfilling. It was a choice that I couldn't take lightly as it not only affected me but also my young family.

I took a long hard look at myself. I asked, what did I truly enjoy in life? What things really irked me about the current state of the world? What personal strengths do I have that will make me a more objective designer? What professional strengths can I leverage to help me get a job once I graduate? And of course... what topics did we discuss that will get me up in the morning and keep me up at night?

So what did I choose? For me, it was Interaction Design, and I couldn't be happier. Why? Because I took the time to really question what I wanted out of that year, and what I wanted in the years to follow. I took the time to do the heavy lifting in the beginning, to make the rest less difficult. I made the right decision for me, based on the tough questions I asked myself.

If you are a prospective VFS student, your story might be different. You might know exactly what you want to do, and that's great! However, I'm hoping that my insights help shine a light on the less talked about aspects of student life like: personal growth, life assessment and self reflection. You'll need to do that for your entire career after VFS, so thinking that way in advance is a good habit to get into.

My opinions on VFS?

Yes, you will learn from some of the industry's best. Yes, you will learn to become an amazing designer, and look at the world with a new set of eyes. Yes, you will make life long friends and make memories that will last a lifetime... and Yes I do highly recommend this school if you are thinking of becoming a Digital Designer.

Just know that the knowledge you will gain here does not begin and end with your scheduled classes. It happens at all moments... in the interactions you have with your classmates, the life lessons you gain from your instructors, and even the random moments on your way to school or on the way home.

Always have an eye and ear open, be a good person, and try to leave things a little better than when you got there.

You do that, and I'm sure you'll do great at VFS... and everywhere else.

Stay inspired.