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On-Camera Acting Classes: Now Enrolling at Balance school of performing arts
1 day per week · 1.5-hour classes · Limited spots · Ages 10–13 • 14–17 • 18+
Basecamp: On-Camera foundations
Building actors from the ground up.
what you'll learn:
Dip your toe into the world of on-screen acting. Start with the basics: simple tools, simple camera technique, and the first steps into your on-screen craft, with a first look at how auditions and self-tapes really work. Taught by a working casting director and on-set acting coach, you’ll work scenes from current projects and leave with clarity on what it takes to succeed and a taste of the work ahead.
This is your foundation. This is Basecamp.
Beginning January 2026
The Receipts
Student & Studio Credits
Why Basecamp
Hi, I'm Destee, the creator of this space.
I’ve spent almost twenty years in the film industry, acting, casting, coaching, and learning this craft from every angle I could get my hands on. I started right out of high school at the Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts, trained at the Actor’s Foundry, and later worked privately with David Alan Pearson. Since then, I’ve moved through studio features, indie films, commercials, and television. I’m now the Lead Casting Director for Minds Eye Entertainment, casting lead roles for feature films while still working directly with actors every single day.
Everything I teach comes down to truth.
Truth in behavior.
Truth in story.
Truth in the moment.
I pull from Meisner, Uta Hagen, and years of watching actors find (and lose, and find again) that moment where everything clicks. My favourite thing to say in the room is “no bad acting”, and it's not because we don’t step out, but because truth is inevitable when you’re actually living inside the scene.
I created Basecamp because I love actors.
Truly.
What you do is insane in the best way: vulnerable, technical, emotional, disciplined, and often misunderstood. It’s a wild business, and the only way through it is with honesty, persistence, and story at the centre of everything.
Here, we build actors from the ground up, scene by scene, moment by moment, truth by truth. And when you understand what you’re doing and why, your work becomes something that gets you in the mix.
This is the space I’ve always wanted for actors.
And now it’s yours too.
Nice Things People Have Said
A Trusted Resource for Industry Parents
I had the privilege of writing the foreword to Child Actor Jumpstart, a guide created by experienced industry professionals in the U.S. for parents navigating the world of film and television with their children. The book answers many of the early questions families face; from understanding the process to avoiding common missteps, and offers a clear, grounded starting point.
If you’re looking for a practical, experience-based resource to help orient you, Child Actor Jumpstart is a thoughtful place to begin.