Georgie Daburas, a graduate from the William Davis Centre for Actors' Study at VanArts, is featured in the lead role (with additional credit as a co-producer) of a new local web series called Hitman 101, which consists of 12 episodes currently continuing their release online. VanArts acting graduate Jacob Wolpert is also featured with a role in the series.

Since graduation, Georgie Daburas has been actively involved in several local productions for film, television and theater.  He also continues to lend support to current students at VanArts, in the areas of acting, voices & reference for animation, and visual effects. One of our visual effects graduates, Pranjal Verma, was recruited to contribute some effects work to Hitman 101, through his connection of previously working with Georgie.

(Visit Georgie Daburas online at www.gdaburas.com.)

Hitman 101 is created & directed by Scott Staven, who had this to say about our graduates working on the show: "Georgie was not known to us before auditioning, and was cast based on his acting talents and look. It was only after casting him did the production realize how awesome a human being he was and how above and beyond nailing the role on screen he aided in the production of the film. He earned the co-producer credit and was very integral to the project's completion. I think it's a testament to the work ethic VanArts teaches and the Hitman 101 team is grateful VanArts is producing professional actors who are driven.  Also Pranjal Verma, who is doing all our visual fx on his own, is another great VanArts product who time and again is saving our butts in post production fixing all our mistakes and adding in elements that raise the production value. Not only driven and talented, Pranjal is also a pleasure to work with. Thank you!"

To view episodes and learn more about Hitman101, visit www.badguyfilms.com/hitman101.

Here is the teaser trailer: 

VanArts is proud to share our most recent survey of graduate and placement statistics, with very promising results for our grads finding work relevant to their field of study.  Surveys were conducted six months after our last two graduating classes, and the average job placement rate was 88%! 

According to school president Alan Phillips, "This high placement data speaks volumes about what a great job VanArts is doing at offering first class, industry-relevant education." 

In September 2010, VanArts welcomed Eleonor Lindvall and Johan Nilsson from Sweden into our full-time Visual Effects Diploma Program.  Prior to coming here to study in Canada, Johan was a high school teacher at Ljud och Bildskolan in Varberg, and Eleonor was a student there.

Upon graduating a year later from VanArts, Eleonor returned to Europe and landed a job at Double Negative Studios in London, UK, one of the largest VFX companies in the world.  She reports to us, "It feels fantastic to be working for such a good and established company, well organized and it's been absolutely awesome!"

Johan received his post-graduate work permit and got hired here in Vancovuer at their branch of MPC (Motion Picture Company).  Of his experience at VanArts, he tells us, "I checked out a bunch of different schools, and VanArts had the best reputation.  I came here because Vancouver is Hollywood North and this is the place to be right now."

It's great to see both of these talented grads land their dream jobs and begin contributing to the worldwide field of visual effects, which is growing in leaps and bounds.

Johan and Eleonor are both featured in this promotional video for our VFX program, along with several of their classmates.

Read other related stories here:

Nik Brownlee - VFX Grad at Double Negative

VanArts Grad Success Stories

At VanArts, our mission, newly displayed in our front lobby, is "to contribute to the development of the individual student's artistic and career potential by bringing together world-class instructors to teach, inspire, motivate and pass their knowledge on to students and support the development of their talents and realization of their dreams in the visual, media and performing arts."

As fulfillment of this mission, we have recently received some encouraging comments from students and graduates in our full-time programs.

Britton Nosbisch, currently studying in our Visual Effects program, says, “While living in Nashville, I spent 18 months doing research on schools for Visual Effects. As part of this research, I flew out to Los Angeles twice and applied to another school in Vancouver.  The schools I investigated in downtown Hollywood (not a very glamorous place) were in the area of $80,000 in tuition and the facilities were comical at that price compared to the Vancouver schools I looked at.

After deciding upon Vancouver and being accepted to a major school there, I discovered some testimonies by many of their graduates who had been very frustrated with the large numbers of students & intakes being held every few months.  It began sounding more like a big-name factory pushing people through to collect their tuition. After staying up all night reading these comments, I took another look at VanArts, which had only two intakes a year and more reasonable class sizes.  I sent them an e-mail and got a call from their Director of Admissions within 10 minutes. She thoroughly listened to my dilemma, explained what they have to offer, and asked if I'd like to speak with the Head of the Visual Effects Department.  It was great being able to do this so quickly, and I was impressed by his knowledge of the industry, of Maya software across both gaming and film platforms, and the fact that all of the instructors are working professionals from the major studios. 

Overall, I was simply encouraged by VanArts to make the best decision for myself and what I was looking for in my search for a school, and after 8 months of the program here, I can assure you I've become more confident in my investment every day. The one-on-one time I get with professionals that are excited to help me succeed is simply unmatched!”

As for our graduates, the stories speak for themselves.  A graduate from our 2D Character Animation program wrote us saying, "As a current intern with a high profile studio in Hollywood, I realized how much I learned about Story in just one year at VanArts.  I am better prepared than most of the others who attended four-year programs at other schools.  Go VanArts!" 

Click here to read the latest stories about our graduates who have gone forth to realize their dream careers!

...and contact us today to get started on your own!