Former alumnus shining a new light on Langara’s film arts program and its students

By EHXEA ANTOINE

As enrolment declines across Langara College, the film arts production program is experiencing a surge in applications due to alumni Hudson Williams’ meteoric rise to stardom, according to the department head.

Students say with more eyes on the film arts program is already boosting their audition prospects.

Program coordinator Jonas Quastel attributes the sharp increase to Williams’ popularity after starring in the hit Crave series “Heated Rivalry,” about two hockey players who fall in love. Williams, who graduated in 2020, co-stars with Conner Storri in “Heated Rivalry,” which is adapted from the Rachel Reid 2019 novel of the same name.

Ascending Applications 

Quastel said the rise in applications started in February when Williams “blew up.” He expects the number of applications to double by the next application deadline in August. The spike in enrolment is in stark contrast to what many other programs have experienced since the federal government implemented a cap on international students in 2024.

“We should have some really great actors next year,” he said.

 The eight-month film arts program is split into three streams; writing, directing and acting and Quastel said the acting stream is triple the number of the others.

Taste of the limelight

Acting students say they are getting new opportunities since Williams put a spotlight on the program. 

Evan Hsu, an actor in the program, said he has gotten more auditions since January, after the show was released. 

“I was like booming with auditions,” Hsu said.

Liam Nguyen, another acting student, said Williams has done a lot for the visibility of this program.

“I feel like it will probably be to our advantage in this right now,” he said.

Quastel, who taught Hudson in the film arts program, said he always expected him to succeed but was surprised at the extent of his fame.

“I heard he got the role and I congratulated him and I thought it was a little Canadian show,” Quastel said. “Little did I know what would happen.

 “This just doesn’t happen.”

All eyes on the program

 With the rise in popularity of the program, students are excited at the prospect of having a wider pool of students joining the program to collaborate with.

 Jordan Nelson, a film student in the acting stream, said students want to ensure they are producing the highest-quality work with more attention on the program.

 “I have a feeling that we are going to have more eyes than we’ve ever had before,” Nelson said.

 But Christian Asimakos, also in the acting program, said he hopes students are applying for the right reasons.

 “I hope they are applying because they actually want to,” he said. “Not just because this guy got successful.”

While Williams might be the most notable alumni from Langara, the college was the jumping pad for many Canadian artists; including comedian Colin Morchrie, playwright Carmen Aguirre and voice actor Brian Drummond.