Anyone who knows our Head of Acting for Film & Television Chilton Crane will know why she earned the nickname “Mama C,” for she quickly becomes like a second mom to the many budding actors she mentors everyday. Always there for a listening ear, a hug or a word of encouragement, she opens up whole new worlds to her students while demanding the absolute best from them. The program she runs is intense, but all of that hard work and creative energy pays off big time!
Chilton has been acting professionally for over 25+ years with many lead, recurring and guest star credits on shows ranging from THE X-FILES, 4400, SUPERNATURAL, FINAL DESTINATION 2, V, POLTERGEIST: THE LEGACY, THE L WORD, and dozens, dozens more! (Just check out her IMDB profile and keep scrollin’!) She looks back fondly on many of her lighter roles in children’s films like BIG & HAIRY as well as the darker, more serious ones. Most recently, she starred in the thriller CUT BANK on screen with Billy Bob Thornton, John Malkovich, Liam Hemsworth, Teresa Palmer, Oliver Platt, and Bruce Dern. Other big names she has worked alongside include Richard Thomas, Diane Keaton, director Kim Manners, and the list goes on and on. She also starred in a local stage production of Christy Webb’s THE OTHER PLACE last year, alongside Daryl Shuttleworth and her own daughter Avery Crane. Every one of these experiences has been a new learning experience for Chilton, which is part of what drew her to acting in the first place. One of her turning points in life was seeing Richard Kylie perform in THE MAN OF LA MANCHA in Toronto, and since then she has kept re-igniting that same passion and love for storytelling and the human condition.
As a teacher, Chilton’s part-time courses in Acting for Film & Television are the longest-running of their kind in the city of Vancouver, so there are hundreds of actors who have worked directly with her to perfect their craft. Just recently in December 2014, Chilton participated in a special Uta Hagen training course at HB Studio in New York City. This workshop brought in top acting instructors from all over the world to learn from each other for 6 full days, and Chilton says it “re-affirmed that what we are doing in our actors’ training at VanArts is definitely on track.”
With someone as awesome as our “Mama C” at the head of the table, once you come through these doors to our Acting Department, you are forever family! Come see for yourself by auditing a class and seeing what goes on behind the scenes.
CONTACT US TODAY to audit an acting class with Chilton Crane.