Guest Speakers

We are always honoured to have our industry friends come in and share personal insights on the industry

KJ Apa | Actor

KJ shared incredible insights on the importance of gratitude, working smart and hard, and the importance of maintaining your artistic integrity and a sense of kindness in all you do at every stage of the process. We had an incredible opportunity to discuss how sometimes an actor can in for only a day and have an enormous impact on the cast and crew just by being prepared, kind, and by understanding they belong without trying to fit in.

Josh Dallas | Actor

Josh Dallas is widely regarded as one of the kindest and hardest working actors in the business. His accessible approach, authenticity, and generosity with the students created a magical experience for everyone. He continues to work on some of the biggest shows in the world and his humble and unselfish essence was an absolute pleasure.

Courtney Paige | Actor, Writer, Director

Courtney shared numerous stages of her film The Color Rose with us and even presented a private screening for the students, creating an opportunity to see the finished results of everything that went into this brilliant project. Courtney is a former student of the school’s founder and epitomizes the inclusivity, dedication, and pursuit of excellent we all believe in here at Story Institute.

Courtney wrote and directed the award-winning, The Color Rose, (acquired by Arc Light Films and Untitled Entertainment.) Courtney is the founder and CEO of Globetrotter Pictures and Neon Cinema Films. She has been featured in the Cannes market, Hollywood Life, Galore Magazine, Screen Daily and the Vancouver Sun. Paige was listed as one of 2018’s most influential young entrepreneurs in The New York Journal and is on the panel of jurors for Diversity in Cannes, Holly Short’s, LAFA and other festivals.

Emilio Salituro | Agent, Manager

Emilio is a trained actor himself, building an impressive resume on-camera before moving into his new role as one of the city’s top agents. His commitment to supporting local actors and theatre is legendary, and his authenticity and mindfulness is appreciated and respected industry-wide. His roster is an impressive collection of talents, both experienced and developing and his words of wisdom are always appreciated by students and instructors alike.

Monika Dalman | Casting Director

Monika has an amazing eye for talent and her commitment to see things differently and not feel bound by systems used from years past, has given her a unique perspective on the casting process and the ability to discover and create unique opportunities for newer actors that don’t always have the same chances with other productions. Her love of story and commitment to always find and evolve the casting process make her one of the city’s most appreciated casting professionals.

Steve Zahn | Actor

Steve is one of the best in the business and he came in before set one day to share insights and inspirations with the students on how they can not only achieve their goals but set higher goals as they discover new passions and interests as their career grows.

Lee Arenberg | Actor

Lee is one of the most versatile actors in the industry with a lengthy career as a strong character actor. Lee is often brought in to offer his strong comedic instincts but these traits traits come from an incredible send of self awareness and vulnerability that have allowed him to also deliver incredible dramatic performances too.

Sarah Tolle | Branding Specialist, Musician, Actor

Sarah is an accomplished writer/actor/musician and also well-versed in the ever-evolving world of social media and how it affects our day to day lives and our overall career. Her intuitive approach and finger always on the pulse of what’s not only happening now, but projecting to happen next, make her an incredible asset to the school and the students.

Kim Hudson | Writer, Speaker

It is not too often we meet someone who is a literal game changer and we had the honour of hosting the writer of ‘The Virgin’s Promise’ here at Story Institute. Kim’s new take on structure can be seen as both a compliment or an alternative to the classic “Hero’s Journey’ by Joseph Campbell. This feminine approach to storytelling isn’t gender specific in terms of who can be the main character, but rather a different paradigm for storytellers who wish to share stories from a unique perspective. This approach can be seen in many top films of the last several years, including the hit Disney feature, Frozen.

Treva Etienne | Actor, Filmmaker

Etienne guest starred in the BBC daram Death in Paradise , the CBS spinoff Criminal Minds Beyond Borders , and the CW fantasy/horror Supernatural. He has a leading role in the indie horror movie Itsy Bitsy and was a recurring guest star for two seasons in Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi drama Falling Skies. His movie roles includeTerminator: Salvation, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Bad Boys II, Black Hawk Down, and Eyes Wide Shut. His U.S. TV roles include Undercovers, The Philanthropist, 24, Criminal Minds, Medium, Charmed, Angel, and Threat Matrix.

Alan Marriott | International Instructor and Author

Alan Marriott has been dazzling audiences and coaching talent internationally for over 25 years. A LAMDA graduate, Alan’s versatility shines through his work in voice acting (Bob The Builder, LEGO Ninjago, Star Wars, My Little Pony), improvisation, and creativity coaching. He’s a seasoned professional with a rich career in radio, film, and television.

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