MAKE YOUR BIG-SCREEN DREAMS A REALITY
Summer A 2026 (May 11 - June 19)
If you're ready to level up your filmmaking and acting skills, join MDC's 22-day immersive workshop on Canada’s cinematic West Coast!
Picture this: You, in Vancouver, teaming up with fellow creators on original film projects and getting insider tips from industry pros at Vancouver Film School (VFS). And the grand finale? Your talent shining on the big screen, filmed with professional equipment in one of VFS’s nine studios. Whether you're just starting out or already chasing your dream, this experience will ignite your creativity and help launch your career!
Cost: $3,200
✅ Included in the cost are round-trip airfare, housing, the full program at VFS, airport transfers to and from Vancouver airport, a local transportation pass for the entire duration, and VFS swag. (Payments are made in installments, with the total due by mid-January.)
❌ Meals are not included in the cost.
Testimonials from Our 2023 Film Study Abroad in Prague
COURSE SCHEDULE (lots to learn)
- Week 1, Prep and Launch in Miami: Everything You Need to Know Before You Touch Down in Vancouver
- Week 2, On Set in Vancouver: Learn the Art of Screenwriting, Shooting, and Sound from the Pros
- Week 3, In Vancouver's Spotlight: Master Acting, Pre-Production, and Directing
- Week 4, Final Vancouver Sessions: Time to Make Movies
- Week 5, Back in Miami: Cut and Polish Your Film for the Big Screen
- Week 6, North Campus Sessions: Finalize and Showcase Your Film
LIFELONG MEMORIES (lots to see & do)
Soak in Vancouver’s magic—where mountains meet the Pacific and city life buzzes with creativity. From coastal trails to sizzling dumpling spots and lively neighborhoods, each corner promises a new adventure. Around every turn: culture, coffee, and cinematic inspiration.
Can't-Miss Adventures
- Vancouver film and TV tour. Explore one of the world’s top film and TV production hubs! Visit iconic filming locations from Deadpool, The X-Files, The Flash, and more while gaining insider insights into Vancouver’s thriving screen industry.
- Tour of the CBC Newsroom. Tour the state-of-the-art integrated newsroom, home to CBC News in BC, The National, and CBC Radio One in Vancouver. Explore TV control rooms, news sets, and radio booths—crossing paths with a host or two along the way!
- Concerts galore! Just one more reason Vancouver hits all the right notes. Catch Benson Boone, The Weeknd, and $uicideboy$ lighting up the stage at Rogers Arena.
- Visit the Richmond Night Market. This unique experience offers a taste of the bustling night markets commonly found in Asia. Students will explore various foods, crafts, and local customs, gaining insight into global cultural exchanges and connecting with the city’s rich heritage.
What Are You Waiting For?
Nicknamed Hollywood North, Vancouver boasts a thriving, multi-billion-dollar film and TV industry that attracts top productions from around the world. From Avatar and Dune to The Last of Us, Yellowjackets, and FX’s Shōgun, Vancouver is a creative hub, with 90% of what’s filmed there supported by major U.S. studios. When you're in Vancouver, you're not just studying film—you’re immersed in it.
So, you’ve come to the right place to level up your filmmaking and acting skills. Your professor, Adrian M. Garcia, along with VFS’s industry professionals, will support you every step of the way. Whether you're a director behind the camera or an actor in the spotlight, VFS provides hands-on, immersive training that builds your resume and your confidence. No matter your major at MDC, this is your shot. Your time to shine starts now.
The city-block-sized Film Campus opened in 2014 in the heart of Gastown, surrounded by coffee shops, restaurants, historic brick buildings, and many of Vancouver’s film studios and production companies. The new campus features a massive 280-degree green screen studio, nine fully independent shooting studios, multiple editing suites, and a 72-seat surround-sound screening room.
Films made by Vancouver Film School students:
Vancouver Film School's 2025 Showreel:
More About Acting for Film & Television:
More About Vancouver
Have Questions?
For questions about payments, eligibility, deadlines, application steps, passport and visa fees, vaccines, or course credits, contact Gabriela Esteves at gesteve1@mdc.edu.
For more information about the course, feel free to contact me at adrian.garcia@mdc.edu.
Ready to Apply?
MORE ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR
Adrian M. Garcia
I am an Associate Professor at Miami Dade College and hold the Daniel K. Gill Endowed Teaching Chair. Specializing in film production and screenwriting, I’ve taught generations of students a new way of seeing.
My Actor’s Spotlight and Women Above the Line interview series received a Golden Communicator Award and a Suncoast Emmy nomination. These events have connected my students with industry icons, including Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage, Golden Globe winner Tom Hiddleston, Golden Globe nominee Jason Isaacs, and Peabody Award recipient José Díaz-Balart. I have taught innovative production classes to incarcerated students and launched the first-of-their-kind Telemundo Academy, Prague Study Abroad, and Vancouver Study Abroad programs.
When I’m not teaching or serving on the Miami Film Festival Screening Committee, I enjoy traveling around the world. I’ve visited 49 countries — recent trips include Japan, Lebanon, and Jordan. I'm also a tennis enthusiast and a foodie with a soft spot for both Brazilian and Indian cuisines.
MORE ABOUT WHERE YOU'LL LIVE
Live where you learn. VFS student housing, just a 10–15 minute walk from campus, puts you at the center of everything. The building’s proximity to the SkyTrain network and the historic charm of Gastown make it an ideal choice for urban living.
Amenities Include:
- Fully furnished
- Utilities covered
- Fast Wi-Fi
- In-suite washer & dryer
- Air conditioning in every room
- Cleaning service twice a month
Surrounded by supportive classmates from around the world, you'll make lifelong friends, share meals and stories, and turn every night into game night with cards, darts, or axe throwing.
Credits:
Created with images by clarke - "Downtown Vancouver, B.C." • Fellipe - "Vancouver - Yaletown - Park" • Mediaphotos - "Close-up of young cameraman shooting with professional camera while making content in studio" • David Hutchison/Wirestock - "Bigg's orca whale jumping out of the sea in Vancouver Island, Canada" • alpegor - "Downtown Vancouver and English Bay at Dusk. British Columbia, Canada."