ADVANCED From the Director's Chair (March) - $550

You’ve done the basics and you’re looking to become a full time VA professional. The only things left to give you an edge over your competition are things only directors would know. So… why not learn to be a director?

In PART I this course covers everything about casting calls, auditions, and casting all from the perspective of a director. You’ll get first hand experience casting and directing a small production in a way that should both give you new skills, and build on the VA skills you’ve already honed.

In PART II you’ll learn about the legal side of the industry: everything from the difference between copyright and trademark, to acting unions, to what the deal is with agents/agencies.

Included in this two-part course:

• Access to the What A Director Wants lectures (all bonus content included)
• Access to the Demo Reel Workshop (all bonus content included, including the professional demo reel)
• Directorial + casting experience to add to your resume (pre-written and organized)
• Professional quality recordings of scenes directed for your portfolio
• Audio editing by FN as per need/request
• Copies of all slides + notes for both PART I and PART II.

PART I: Over 8 classes with Director Amelia Kinch, you and your classmates will script three short scenes, cast them with the talents of your peers, direct them live, and receive guidance putting them together in post-production.

You should walk away with a deep understanding of the answers to all of the following:

• What makes for a good director?
• What does a director look for?
• What does it mean to be easy to work with?
• What makes a quality production?
• How long does the production process take?
• What can you do as either a director or actor to make your material as friendly as possible to editing?
• Why does a director cast X Person instead of Y Person?
• What does a good audition sound like? (And does that change from production to production?)

PART II: Over 3 classes with guest lecturer Marquerite Kenner (known for her podcast network Escape Artists, her career as an attorney, and her parts in various Rusty Quill productions), you will learn the following:

Union VA work

1. What the union is, how to join it, what it does for you.
2. What are the perks
3. What are the drawbacks
4. Legal implications

Agents & Agencies

1. Pros and cons of being represented vs. being freelance
2. What an agent owes you
3. What an agency owes you
4. What you owe your agent
5. What you owe your agency
6. What are reasonable rates?

Creative Copyright 101

1. Copyright, trademark, patent
2. Royalties
3. How this applies internationally
4. Why should you care?
5. What to look for in a contract
6. How to negotiate a contract that you don’t like
7. What the hell is arbitration and why is there always a clause for it?