Armstrong Acting Studios
9 Davies Ave, Studios 408, 409, 410 + 500
Toronto, Ontario M4M 2A6
Tel. 416.483.0056
Email Address: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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Studio Office Hours
Monday through Thursday: 10:00am - 7:00pm
Friday: 10:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday + Sunday: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Driving Directions
From 401:
Exit DVP South to Richmond exit
Make first right and hook up on to Queen St.
Head eastbound (turn right) at Queen and take to Davies Ave.
From QEW/Gardner:
Exit Jarvis St. north to Queen Street.
Head eastbound (right) to Daives
Subway Directions:
Take the subway to Queen St. station.
Transfer on to an East Bound Queen Street Car.
Get off the street car at Caroll St.
Walk half a block West to Davies Ave.
AAS is a training facility for working professionals and a testing ground for new talent to see if they’ve got what it takes. With five studios, over 30 resident instructors and close to 8000 sqf and 10,000 actors, we offer classes, coaching and self-tape services pretty much every day, all year round. The studios’ been around for about 14 years and we’ve helped launch some pretty cool careers including Miley Cyrus, Nina Dobrev and Devon Bostick (just to name a few). What’s even cooler is that most of the stars that we’ve worked with had virtually no formal training before they started with us.
The studios’ got a pretty cool community + network for everyone in the industry. When it comes to services, there’s really very little that we don’t do – classes, coaching, self-tapes, seminars, oh, and did I mention we’re also a casting facility?
We’ve got a lot of different classes and levels for pretty much everyone - whether pre-teen, teen or adult, our actors get to work with instructors who work all the time in film + TV. We believe that our actors should work with ‘working’ actors. It would be kind of crazy to take direction from someone on how to play the guitar if they themselves had never played the guitar – just sayin’.
All classes + one on ones’ at AAS are very specific and everything you do is documented on DVD or memory card for you to take home and review – if you are taking film + TV classes, best that you be working on-camera. I mean, it’s like taking driving training classes without ever getting into a car. At AAS, we believe in training for the purposes of work, not education. Yeah, sure, you learn stuff along the way, but we want to see our actors doing it and getting paid to do it.
Everyone at AAS holds the belief that not one method works for all actors, so by working with different instructors, you can piece together your own method of things that work for you.
AAS actor coaching and self-tape services are available everyday of the week, including weekends when most other studios are closed. AAS Resident Coaches are specialists with all age groups and genres and ensure the most effective + competitive representation of the assigned sides. Auditioning actors requiring Self-Tape services may choose to combine their session with a Resident Coach for a stronger edge and impact. ALL auditions are documented on either DVD or memory card and may be ‘ePitched’ via Casting Workbook, server of their choice or that of casting. A word of advice - if you want to book the job, book a coach.
Coaching
| 1 hour coaching with resident coaches | $85.00 plus HST |
| 1 hour coaching with artistic director Salvatore Antonio | $105.00 plus HST |
| 1 hour coaching with Dean Armstrong | $125.00 plus HST |
Coaching + ePitch
| 1 hour coaching with ePitch | $100.00 plus HST |
| 1 hour coaching with artistic director Salvatore Antonio and ePitch | $130.00 plus HST |
| 1 hour coaching with Dean Armstrong and ePitch | $140.00 plus HST |
Self-tape sessions are booked by the ½ hour + coaching sessions by the hour, only. AAS acknowledges the frequency of last minute, even same day auditions by offering 'last-minute' studio + coaching bookings. To make it even more convenient, sessions may even be scheduled outside of regular studio hours.
Self-Tape
| ½ hour self-tape (includes technician + DVD) | $35.00 plus HST |
| 1 hour self-tape (includes technician + DVD) | $65.00 plus HST |
| ½ hour self-tape + ePitch (includes technician) | $50.00 plus HST |
| 1 hour self-tape + ePitch (includes technician) | $80.00 plus HST |
| Each 15 minutes over ½ or full hour booking | $20.00 plus HST |
AAS technicians are trained to shoot your audition so that you look + sound like a super star. If you want a great 'reader' too, we suggest that you bring your own.
Industry Consultations
AAS Industry Consultations are pretty straightforward and fall under two categories: BASIC CONSULTATION, for actors and/or parents wanting information or direction on a variety of different industry related topics that may include training, agents, casting, union vs. non union, headshots (which may include a review of photos), resume design, and the like. The other is our WORKING CONSULTATION, for actors + agents looking to basically troubleshoot why auditions are not turning in to bookings. Working Consultations will help to diagnose and explain why some actors always get a call back, but never book the job, or why a former series regular is no longer working. You get the idea. For these sessions, actors are asked to bring in material of something that they recently auditioned for and DIDN’T book. If the actor doesn’t have any material, well, that’s a whole other means for discussion. In those cases, AAS will select appropriate sides and email out 24hrs prior to the scheduled (mock) audition. This is not a coaching session, but rather an assessment of what you are doing (or better yet, what you are not doing) when you are in front of the camera. DVD review will determine essentially what works and what doesn’t.
Truthfully, these sessions have helped to completely reinvent the actor, their work and their results.
Now, don’t feel that you have to fall under one of the aforementioned categories. These sessions may also be used to simply assess your work in context of industry standard and level of competiveness. AAS will either provide you with material or you can bring in your own.
| 1 hour basic consultation | $90.00 plus HST |
| 1 hour working consultation | $125.00 plus HST |
Industry Consultations are scheduled and conducted by AAS School Director or Artistic Director, only.
Additional Services
| Casting Workbook ePitch only of previously recorded material | $20.00 plus HST |
| Casting Workbook ePackage | TBD |
| Cost will be determined by city, speed of delivery required and video length. ePackages can only be sent to Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles. ePitch is free with ePackage. | |
Casting Facility
Standard + High-Def casting facilities in the heart of the studio district.
| Studio Rental Fee | $65.00 plus HST |
| Includes Studio Technician. Please call the studio for multiple day rates. | |
About Our Studios
Cameras:
Sony HXR-N70U NXCAM
Panasonic AGDVX100B Mini DV Camcorder
Panasonic AG-DV30 Digital Camcorder
Canon GL2 NTSC 3CCD Digital Video Camcorder
5 Disc DVD Duplicator
Multiple Tota + fill lights Overhead and directional mics
Wireless internet access
Multiple viewing monitors + flat screens
Conference room
Greeting staff available 7 days a weeks
Separate sign in and waiting area
Full functioning kitchen and green room
Washroom facilities
Additional Services
| Camera technician/operator and/or reader | $15/hour |
| Casting DVD | $10 |
| Select DVD editing | $40 |
| E-pitch (includes editing/uploading) | $60 |
| Photocopies | $0.10 each |
| Catering | charged to production |
AAS actors are encouraged to view their training as they would going to the gym. Our classes are not degree oriented or about completion - they are about maintenance and regularity. And folks, the most successful actors are the busiest when they are not working.
AAS TERM CLASSES FALL SUMMER WINTER (13 + 6 WEEK)
Our 13 week Term classes are offered once a week in the evenings during the weekdays while classes on the weekends take place during the day. 2 Instructors, mid-term and final reports help you monitor your progress and what you need to focus on to improve your work. At the end of the Term, you get an opportunity to showcase your work for School Director, Dean Armstrong. His evaluation serves to determine placement for continued training at the school and to give you a better idea of where your work falls within an industry standard.
While our 6 week classes follow the same mandate, they take place during daytime hours and happen twice a week. The compressed structure means that you work with one instructor for the full 36 hours and receive one final evaluation.
As you advance in your training, you get a chance to work with guest casting directors and directors too – I mean, your training cannot get any more relevant than that.
AAS INTENSIVES SUMMER (4 DAY + 2 WEEK)
Our 4 day and 2 week Audition Intensive classes are offered only during the summer months. These classes are ideal for actors wanting to meet the challenge of multiple auditions in the same week and sometimes even in the same day.
AAS 5 MONTH CONSERVATORY PROGRAM
Offered once annually, this highly advanced comprehensive program is designed to effectively integrate training + practical work. From theory, methodology and exercise to the on-set experience, the precise focus of this course is to launch tomorrow’s screen stars. The fundamentals of on camera performance are explored in extensive detail while balancing an organic approach with the precise measure and specificity of the medium. All classes are shot in HD and are documented on memory card for outside review, learning + growth. In addition, AAS Conservatory actors will walk away with an edited audition demo + 20 minute short, professionally and exclusively written and directed for the program. Additional industry leaders as guests, including agents, casting directors + directors, ensure current and relevant direction for effective and immediate integration.
