Let's Get Virtual - Casting: Masterclass with Stephanie Gorin and Warren P. Sonoda

9:00 am - 10:30am

Here’s your chance to 'zoom in' and work live with award-winning Casting Director Stephanie Gorin (Reacher, Painkiller, IT, Wildhood) and Director Warren P. Sonoda (Trailer Park Boys, Murdoch Mysteries, Utopia Falls). Stephanie and Warren will work directly with actors to provide valuable, practical tips on how to wow the virtual panel. Casting is always evolving, so whether you are a newer performer, or seasoned veteran, this powerful duo’s knowledge and expertise will educate ACTRA members on what casting is looking for today!

Moderator: Mikaela Lily Davies.

This is a masterclass. Participants chosen from submissions will be provided sides 48hrs in advance and asked to prepare to audition live on Zoom during the session.

NOTE: Masterclass participants have been selected and applications are closed. Members wishing to virtually attend and observe can register as an Attendee with the button at the bottom of this tab.

MIKAELA LILY DAVIES (Moderator) is an actor, coach, creator and director. She is a graduate of the CFC Actors Conservatory, has performed in eight shows with Soulpepper Theatre and spent four seasons at The Stratford Festival. Mikaela is the inaugural recipient of the Jon Kaplan Canadian Stage Performer Award, she holds a Sterling nomination for Outstanding Comedic Performance, a META nomination for Outstanding Supporting Performance and is a two-time finalist for the Cayle Chernin Media Award. Mikaela has been coaching actors successfully for the past decade, helping them book projects for major networks and runs Level Up with Kimberly-Sue Murray. 

Pronoun(s): she/her
Social Media: @mikaelalilydavies @actingcoach.mld 

STEPHANIE GORIN is an award winning casting director. Her film work includes 40 Acres, The King Tide, Wind River, Thanksgiving, Sneakerella, 13 The Musical, IT and IT Chapter 2, Aladdin (lead casting), Shazam, Wedding Season, Home Alone, Work It, Tammy’s Always Dying. 

For television, she is known for Untitled Arctic Project, Fargo (4 seasons), Reacher 1 - 3, Fubar, Painkiller, Rabbit Hole, Clarice, In The Dark, Chapelwaite, Two Sentence Horror Story, Ruby & the Well and Anne with an "E", to name just a few. 

 Her theatre casting includes SIX, IN DREAMS, & JULIET (Canada and Broadway, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, Kinky Boots, Les Miserables, War Horse, Bombay Dreams and The Lion King.

Stephanie Gorin Casting is an Emmy and Artios winner for Best Casting of a Mini-Series: Fargo, has 5 Emmy nominations (Fargo & The Tudors), and has 8 Artios Award Nominations.  

In 2017, Stephanie received Ontario’s Premier Award for excellence in Creative Arts. 

WARREN P. SONODA

BAFTA and CSA-winning, double Emmy-nominated filmmaker Warren P. Sonoda has directed over 110 episodes of TV including Trailer Park Boys, Resident Alien, Odd Squad, Murdoch Mysteries, Utopia Falls, Hudson & Rex, and the upcoming Crave comedy The Trades along with 11 feature films including Things I Do For Money, Swearnet and Coopers Camera, over 160 music videos, received a medal from the Queen, knocked Martin Scorsese out of the Guinness Book of World Records and in 2020, Japanese Canadian Sonoda was the first person of colour to be elected National President of the Directors Guild of Canada. He also failed Ryerson film school, twice. 

@shootgoodfilms 

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Members Makin' Movies : Producing 101

10:45 am - 12:15 pm

From script to screen: funding, financing and festivals! Follow up the online screenings with a panel of ACTRA members and allies who are also directors, writers, and/or producers and have created their own work. Join creators of the five highlighted shorts as they share their tips, tricks and takeaways. From writing a script to submitting to film festivals – take your career into your own hands and start creating!

Moderator: Lisa Michelle Cornelius.

LISA MICHELLE CORNELIUS  (Moderator) is an Actor, ACTRA Toronto Executive VP, Producer and CEO of Sunday Baby Films Inc.  

Some of her acting credits include Murdoch Mysteries (CBC), Chucky (SyFy), Star Trek: Short Treks (CBS/Crave), Black Mirror (Netflix), Hudson & Rex (CTV) and more.  In 2021, she was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for her lead performance in the comedic series Band Ladies (Highball TV) and is currently appearing as Tressie in Director X’s Robyn Hood on Global TV. 

She produced the short film Rainbow Baby (recently acquired by CBC) and Executive Produced the feature film Pattern, now on Highball TV. 

Pronoun(s): she/her 
Social Media: IG: @yeslisamichelle

PAULA BRANCATI  is a multi-hyphenate Canadian Screen Award-nominated, two-time Gemini nominated and two-time Dora nominated veteran actor of the film, television, and theatre industry and is also an award-winning producer and filmmaker. Her first turn as director, the award-winning short film Junior’s Giant, has celebrated an incredibly successful film festival run. It is ACTRA Award Winning and WGC nominated, garnering Best Director nominations for Paula, Best Film and Audience Choice Awards, Best Performance (Eric Peterson) and Best Screenplay (Deb McGrath) Awards. Next up, Paula will direct and star in the feature film Headliner, marking her second collaboration with writer Deb McGrath. 

Pronoun(s): she/her
Social Media: Instagram: @pbrancs / twitter: @paulabrancati 

ALAN BACCHUS, a graduate of Queen’s University and the Vancouver Film School, is the Director of Business Affairs at Aircraft Pictures Limited. Alan has contributed to the success of TV series Circuit Breakers (Apple TV+) and Popularity Papers (YTV). Before Aircraft, Alan served as Programs Manager of The Harold Greenberg Fund. Before the Fund Alan worked at the Canadian Film Centre, Capri Films, and Norflicks Productions in several development and production capacities. As an independent filmmaker, Alan recently produced the short film Redlights, directed by Eva Thomas, a selection of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Alan is also a Board Member of imagineNATIVE and has written for several film publication

Pronouns: he/him
IG: @alanbacchus

IZAD ETEMADI is an Iranian-Canadian actor and writer based out of Toronto. He was a resident of the 2021/2022 CBC Actor’s Conservatory at the Canadian Film Centre and the recipient of the 2017 Emerging Queer Artist award from Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. On-screen credits include Orphan Black: Echoes (AMC), Ghosts (CBS), Overlord and the Underwoods (CBC/Nickelodeon), and Revenge of the Black Best Friend (CBC Gem). In 2022, he originated the role of Samuel in the new Canadian musical Grow (from the producers of Come From Away) at The Grand Theatre and returned later that season to play Buddy the Elf in Elf the Musical. As a screenwriter, he is working on projects in development and production with Cameron Pictures, Shaftesbury Kids, and Border2Border Entertainment. His short film Plant Daddy won the 2023 Queer Your Stories short film competition, garnering a screening at the prestigious Inside Out Festival. Izad’s work uses comedy to explore issues of queer identity, immigration, body image, and the terrors of being a millennial. Outside of acting and writing, he has over five years of experience working in casting for film and television.

Pronoun(s): he/him
Social Media: @izadetemadi

IVAN D OSSA   is an award-winning director, writer and actor based in Toronto, Ontario. Adapting his father's love for motion pictures, it wasn't long before Ivan decided to learn about filmmaking. Post academics, Ivan became the protégé of prolific music video director Julien Christian Lutz PKA Director X. He most recently worked as a showrunner assistant on Director X's new TV drama Robyn Hood.

Ivan's written, directed, and executive-produced short films that have received recognition from various domestic and international film festivals. His newest film Express was Nominated for IMDB Short Cuts ‘Best Canadian Film’ Award at TIFF 20

Pronoun(s): he/him
Social Media: Instagram & Twitter: @Princeiive

SHYAM VALERA is producer who focuses on telling authentic and rich stories that resonate and empower underrepresented audiences. He is the co-founder of Dunya Media, a production company focused on empowering artists of colour to tell stories with purpose.

Shyam is a board member at CMPA-BC and co-chairs the Motion Picture Production Industry Association of BC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Shyam’s recent projects include producing the MVP Prism prize-winning “Meet You at the Light” (2022) which won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at SXSW 2022 and the award winning short film Desi Standard Time Travel which is currently on the festival circuit

Pronoun(s): he/him)
Social Media: @shyamvalera

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Artificial Intelligence and Safeguarding Human Artistry

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

AI Myth Busting that also asks “so now what?”. The rise of generative AI is disrupting the film and television industry unlike anything previously seen. Can the industry move the world of AI to a more responsible path? This panel will discuss the potential pros of AI, the real time cons of AI, and the personal effects already being felt in the industry and beyond.

IAN CHAI (Moderator) is the Regional Director and Artificial Intelligence lead at the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA). Having spent his formative years as a corporate lawyer in Toronto and Dublin, he eventually transitioned into the music industry in New York whilst navigating the tumult of the post-Napster and streaming eras, ultimately forging entrepreneurial relationships with Sony and UMG. A strident advocate of the arts, his adjunct work with the International Federation of Actors (FIA) and the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDCE) is focused on marshalling a unified voice for creative industries in the AI space.

JOHN CLELAND has been carving out a living in Canadian theatre, voice and film and television for almost 3 decades. After co-founding The Chestnut Tree Theatre Company in Halifax, having completed an English Honours degree at King’s College Dalhousie, he returned to Toronto in 1995.

With no theatre degree, John had to convince creators in Toronto to take a chance on him. Fortunately, some did and John has worked at theatres across Canada including three years at the Shaw Festival. But as every theatre worker knows, one cannot survive on theatre alone.

His film and Television credits include Running with Violet, The Addition, Down the Road Again, Murdoch Mysteries, Rogue, Degrassi, etc. But it was voice work that became a passion; rivalling his love for theatre. His voice career has included 6 seasons as Lte. Petrovsky on CBC’s Afghanada, numerous other radio dramas (remember those?) for CBC and BBC, audiobooks (the most recent of which was Gil Adamson’s Bestseller, Ridgerunner), cartoons (Alien TV, Remy and Boo and Red Ketchup to name a few) and commercial campaigns including being the voice of Ford Canada for 10 years.

John is most proud of his two children, Lucia and Pascal, who continue to deepen his understanding of life, art and philosophy and who constantly teach him how to be in the world.

For more about John please check out his website at johnnycleland.com.

ELLEN DUBIN is an award winning, multi-nominated stage, film, TV and voice actress who has enjoyed a unique and diverse career from starting in the world of ballet and theatre to becoming a cult figure in the sci-fi world as the iconic “Giggerota” in the international hit “Lexx”, to playing the series lead in the highly acclaimed supernatural drama “The Collector” (Gemini Nom), to delighting audiences in the biggest comedy of all time- “Napoleon Dynamite”.

Her powerful voice lead her to work in AAA/indie video games- “Fallout 4" (BTVA Winner), “Skyrim”, “Elder Scrolls”, “World Of Warcraft”, “Wasteland 2+3”, “Star Wars Uprising”, “Guild Wars 2”, ”Final Fantasy VII” and “Legends of Runeterra”. Her role as “Herida” in “Skyforge” landed her a SOVAS Nomination for Outstanding Video Game Voice Over, with another SOVAS nod for “Ms. Dazzle” in “Adam Ruins Everything” for Best Animation Voice in a TV series. She was also SOVAS Nominated for Best Performance in Storytelling in the popular podcast "Solve" and Best Audio Book Narration and an ACTRA AWARD NOMINATION - “Dance Me to the End: Ten Months and Ten Days with ALS”. She is the WINNER of a VEGA AWARD for Best Voice Over in the Cinematic Trailer of “Wyrdsong”.

Currently, she is thrilled to be heard in “M3GAN” as the Home AI, in the sci fi movie “65” as the Ship’s Voice ,The Girl in the horror film “Cobweb”, the Oscar Winner sci fi movie “Dune” as “Bene Gesserit Ancestors”, in Pixar's Oscar Nominated "Turning Red" as “Captain Phasma” in the Emmy Nominated “Star Wars Resistance”, Netflix’s “Daniel Spellbound” and the Emmy Nominated “Elinor Wonders Why” for PBS Kids.

Ellen is the current voice of Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary Theme Park and “World Of Color”, as well as the voice model for Disney Paris, Tokyo and Shanghai. Ellen was honored to be a judge at the Annie Animation Awards in LA, Ms. Wheelchair USA and Heroes of Cosplay on the Syfy Channel. She is a proud member of ACTRA, Women In Animation, APA, ASIFA, NAVA, SOVAS and is a frequent guest at San Diego Comic Con.

Pronoun(s): she/her
Social Media: "Insta: @EllenDubinActor Instagram FB: EllenDubinActor"
Web: ellendubin.com

TIM FRIEDLANDER

is an award winning, Los Angeles based voice actor, studio owner, advocate, and educator.   

He is best known for his work on Hunter x Hunter, One Punch Man, and as Long Caster in Ace Combat 7.

Most recently you can hear Tim as the voice of the PBR (Pro Bull Riders Association) on CBS and the English voice of Ares in the Netflix show Record of Ragnarok 

In 2016, Tim got his professional start voicing the History Channel series Evil Genius, an 8 episode series about the most ingenious crimes of the last 100 years.

In 2015 Tim was the winner of the That's VoiceOver/CBS2 Audition Spotlight. 

Since 2016 Tim has been nominated for 12 SOVAS voice arts awards, including in the Best Political Voice Over, Best Promo, Best Narration, and Demo Production Categories.   

Located in the Hollywood area, Tim works out of soundBOX:LA, his custom-built voice over studio and is owner of the soundBOX:Group, a voice over specific company that includes 3 studio location for recording, mixing and mastering as well as signatory and paymaster services.

In 2022, Tim co-founded NAVA, The National Association of Voice Actors and is co-owner and co-editor of The Voice Over Resource Guide. 

In 2023, he helped found United Voice Artists and serves as one of six co-presidents and as the representative of the English coalition of voice over associations.

Tim is represented by:
Atlas Talent in Los Angeles and New York. 
ACM Talent Management in LA and New York 

DAVID HARRIS SMITH is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies and Multimedia at McMaster University. His humanist perspective on technology, the arts, and culture frames his research. His primary area of research is media and information arts, which is the intersection of arts, technology and science. This includes avatar virtual worlds, augmented and mixed reality environments, assistive media technologies for persons with disabilities, education and knowledge translation using virtual worlds, new media interaction and interface design, biometric and brain-computer interfaces, and cognitive science of media, social robotics, and artificial intelligence. His cultural robotics project hitchBOT, the hitchhiking robot, received extensive international media coverage. He teaches courses in coding, design, and new media arts.

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