A group of students got an inside look at the acting industry through the lens of actress and producer Rishma Malik.
On October 16, more than 30 second-year students from the Acting for Film and Television program connected with Malik, who is known for her work on October Faction (2020), Paper Year (2018), and Taken (2017). Malik was invited as a special guest for the program’s Up Close and Personal series, which gives students a chance to hear from industry professionals directly. In advance of the class events, they research an actor’s work and prepare questions to pose to them during the event.
Faculty member Barbara Mantini noted that the event went extremely well.
“Rishma had a lot of good advice about keeping yourself grounded as an actor, as the rejection in this industry is fierce. You need to find balance and have another passion apart from the acting,” said Mantini.
“She said acting skills can be applied to life, like the skills of listening, being present, connecting and telling stories. When you are in for the long haul, you must be patient and not be hard on yourself if things don’t happen as quickly as you want.”
Malik’s tips on how to cope with stress struck a chord with student Alexa Clarke.
“This is valuable to me because, as an actress, I am going to be beaten down by the industry and I need to make sure I ‘have my own yoga.’ What I have learned is to not leave this world full of regrets, be educated, stay sharp and motivated,” said Clarke.
Clarke also noted that she felt an instant connection with Malilk. “As a woman of colour, hearing the struggles that Rishma had to go through because of the colour of her skin gave me a wakeup call .. I know that I am not the only one that is going to go through this,” she said.
Student Tyler Simpson noted that he enjoys listening to actors and artists speaking about their craft, and has learned a great deal.
“Being in my final year here at Niagara, I think it’s crucial as emerging artists to learn from current industry professionals,” said Simpson. “What’s interesting is that there is no recipe on how to succeed in the business. Every actor’s journey is unique to them, which is why I love hearing all the different voices and experiences in our Up Close and Personal class.”
Mantini invited Malik to participate in the roundtable after meeting her earlier this year while both were working on an audiobook version of Amah and the Silk-Winged Pigeons by Jocelyn Cullity for ECW Press – Mantini as the voice director, and Malik as the narrator.
While the Up Close and Personal series is typically held in person for Acting students, due to COVID-19, the event was held virtually through Blackboard Collaborate Ultra.
