Netflix actor impressed by local talent at masterclass
A Bermudian actor who has made multiple appearances on the big screen told of how excited and impressed she was by the repertoire of acting skill on the island.
Lana Young, who has appeared in numerous US films, said she planned to pass on as much of her skills and experience as possible to ensure the talent she sees in Bermuda gets nurtured.
Ms Young spoke during an inaugural acting masterclass, Frames for the Future, which was held in Hamilton on Saturday.
Participants got hands-on training in screenwriting and acting by Ms Young and Sia Spence, who is a creative executive to a producer in the US film industry.
Ms Spence, who is also Bermudian, said her goal was not only to bring masterclasses and smaller workshops to the island, but to bring in other industry professionals to share their knowledge and skills.
She said: “We started out with screenwriting and acting, which is the beginning.
“Being able to hone those skills is a way to start creating and making film, but we also want to bring in individuals who are cinematographers, producers, directors, marketers and those in set design.”
Ms Spence said the ultimate goal was to cultivate an industry in Bermuda.
She added: “There is nothing that we cannot do — we have very talented people here, but it is just about learning how to do it the correct way.
“I feel that once we train those people up, there can be so many different productions coming out of Bermuda for TV and film.”
Owen Darrell, the culture minister, told Frames for the Future attendees that his ministry was proud to support the masterclass.
Mr Darrell said at the opening of the seminar: “To all the young creatives, students and emerging talents here — today is about you. It’s about unlocking your potential, sharpening your craft and stepping confidently into the future you’re building for yourselves.
“We’re incredibly proud to support this masterclass. Led by two of Bermuda’s most accomplished creative professionals, Sia Spence and Lana Young, this session offers a rare and invaluable opportunity to learn directly from those who have walked the path and excelled.”
He added: “Their achievements on the global stage are not only impressive, but also a powerful reminder of what is possible for Bermudians with a passion for storytelling.”
Ms Spence said registration for the workshop had sold out, with 27 people attending.
She said: “I feel like who was supposed to be here, was here.
“The workshop was everything that I dreamt of; it had great attendance.”
Ms Young, who praised the efforts of Ms Spence in delivering the event, said that although she has been living in the United States since 1998, she always looked for ways “to give back to the island that raised me”.
“I just love giving back to Bermuda, so every chance I get I’ll be here. That’s very important to me.
“I love to teach and I love to teach acting, and I know that we have so much talent on the island.”
She added: “I am here to help Bermudians continue on the path to their creative greatness.”
During the workshop, the participants were taught about the subtle art of character preparation.
Ms Young explained: “A lot of people think that acting is just about memorising lines but actually, as an actor, that is the least of my worries.
“It’s all about the character prep, which means understanding who you are in the role, what your character's objectives are and what their roles are.”
She described telling the class “the recreation of just being human”, noting that people have daily goals and obstacles that shape who they are.
She added: “It’s really about recreating what we do from day to day.
“When people get a script in their hand, they forget what it is like to be human — so it is about connecting those dots.”
She said: “I think there is an opportunity for these actors to spread their acting wings on the big screen, for sure.”
Ms Young said that although she works in an industry where “everything is last-minute”, she tries to return to Bermuda at least three times annually.
Asked about major film projects on the horizon, Ms Young said she recently worked on the set of the CBS/Paramount+ series The Equalizer alongside Lorraine Toussaint.
She will also appear in a Lifetime film due for release in June, where she plays the role of a detective going after a serial killer.
Workshop participant Crystal Holdipp said that as a writer she learnt several new skills.
“I also regained my passion, so it was a great experience,” she told The Royal Gazette.
Aaron Lugo, a young actor who attends The Berkeley Institute, said he picked up new tips and tricks from Ms Young on how to perform while in front of the camera.
“It was a very nice experience altogether, and this will definitely be used in my future.”
Sharise Clarke, who took acting classes and attended acting school, said although the experience came as a refresher for her, she acquired several new skills.
She said many people on the island had a hunger to get started in acting but that it required more stakeholder effort to nurture local talent.
She said: “We need more Bermudian actors to go forth, spread their wings and bring forth the new generation.”
Anil Chatergoon, a playwright, said he was particularly interested in the screenwriting aspect of the class.
He said: “Everything that you want somebody to see has to be written, and there were interesting parts of it that helped me.
“We are very lucky to have somebody of Lana’s calibre here — she is so humble and down to earth.”
The masterclass was sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Culture and Sport, and New Edge Diagnostics.
• To read the minister’s statement in full, see Related Media
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