Johannesburg - When Zinzi Zungu and Miranda Ntshangase started Star Quality Performing Arts College, their aim was to make sure actors and actresses were skilled holistically for the entertainment industry.
Both women have an acting background and wanted to give back in the field they loved so much that they started an agency in 2012.
“There weren’t really any black and female-owned agencies. We wanted to adapt the market which then led us to starting the agency,” said Zungu.
After running the agency for several years, they decided to start acting workshops.
“There were a lot of talented people but they weren’t able to afford to study full time so we started offering acting workshops to give them the kind of training that they need to better their skills. The more we did that, the more we saw that we need to offer more and create an actual performing arts college which would benefit people throughout the year.”
Since last year, the college has been offering a one-year certificate course in addition to workshops where actors learn how to act and focus on the business side of acting as well.
“You come out of acting school knowing how to act and yet you don’t know anything else. From tax to contracts to getting an agent and knowing what else is possible within the industry. Even getting funding to start your own business, people just don’t know where to go or how to start.”
Zungu said it was important to develop actors who could think holistically about growing themselves, should they not be able to get work immediately on TV.
“During lockdown most of us were watching TV, which means our industry is a contributor to the GDP (gross domestic product) and general economy. Productions did have to shut down for a while but they continued to shoot throughout the lockdown. There is a huge space for us, a gap for the entertainment industry, it’s not just TV any more, there is space online now.”
Zungu said actors were now living in a time where they did not have to wait for that one big break on TV to make their mark. “Create that channel and create your own shows. You never know who is watching.”
Along with the methodical training found in either of the five programmes the college offers: a one-year higher certificate programme; a 12-week interactive acting programme; 12-week online acting programme; kids holiday classes and effective online presentation. The college also equips their students with a survival tool kit in the business of acting. The hands-on training consists of advice on auditioning, film, and theatre acting as well as voice and physicality, combining traditional techniques with the current digital age.
Their certification course started last year with eight students but they are hoping to receive at most 20 students this year. Their programme caters for individual attention in smaller class settings.
“We try to make our classes interactive, taking our students to theatres, meeting with casting directors, etc. We are looking for people with passion, determination and talent. It is important to expose them to as much of the industry as possible so that when they leave the college, they have a foundation of where to start,” said Zungu.
Registrations close this week but the college will be open for late applications in March.
The Star