The Tricks & the Trade: Animal Acting & Modeling 
A workshop with Sassie Joiris

• September 6 - 7, 2008 in Olympia, WA

Have you ever wondered about the world of animal modeling and acting? Do you think your dog has the “right stuff?” What skills are needed for acting in TV commercials and movies? What are advertisers looking for in this year’s dog model?

Sassie will answer these questions and more as she guides you through canine acting ins and outs with a balance of working sessions, lecture, creative problem solving, demonstrations, and Q & A time. 

Get the inside scoop on:

• The Dog: What type of dogs work and why? How color, body-type, training and attitude all come into play 

• Agents: Who, what and why you want one. How to package and present your pooch’s talents to an agent.

• The Shoot: What it will be like and how to be prepared

• Professionalism: What is expected, the do’s and don’ts

• Training: When to improvise and when to train. Are you creative in a pinch?
  
  You and your dog will be paired with another dog/handler team during working sessions. Auditors will help with props, be distractions and pose as “actors”. Learn how to train the basic skills: walking on leash with a stranger, stays with high level distractions, getting your dog to look in the right direction without breaking the stay, going to a foot target. Then move onto more advanced skills: hold, carry, speak, directing your dog from a distance, interacting and working for an “actor” and skills specific to your particular dog’s look and type-casting.
  
  As your dog masters the essentials of a canine actor, you will learn how to chain simple behaviors into interesting performances. On Sunday, you will put it all together and show off your dog’s talent with a mock up still or simple action shot, depending on your dog’s skills.
  

WAYS TO PARTICIPATE:

Dog Training for Working Participants (limited - 30) 

Working Participants must sign-up for both days.

You and your dog will be paired with another handler/dog team during training exercises. You and your training partner will take turns alternating working the dogs. We suggest only bringing one dog as the training sessions build on each other. There will be multiple training sessions each day.

Requirement for working participants - Dogs should have basic obedience/pet manners skills and be under control of the owner. Your dog’s ability to progress through the different training exercises will depend on his/her foundation training.

Dogs must be able to stay quietly in a crate or ex-pen out of owners sight and must be tolerant of people and dogs working in close proximity. No reactive dogs.

Auditors (unlimited spaces)

If your dog does not meet the requirements, or you prefer to observe, come and watch the dogs and handlers work through the progressions. Auditors will help with props, distractions and pose as "actors". 

Auditors, please leave your dogs at home or in the car if appropriate.

CEUs for CPDTs expected

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Save up to $40.00 by registering early. Registration ends 5 days prior to the event - September 1, 2008

Click on the location links at the top of this page or below to get specific information, including tuition, for the location of your choice.

You may pay for tuition by:

• Personal or Bank Check

• Paypal - using your account or opening a new account

• Visa, MasterCard or Discover - through our secure payment information page or by contacting the office by phone or fax and providing your credit card information

Complete payment information will come up on the screen after you complete registration. General Payment Information

If the seminar does not meet the minimum (35 participants) and must be cancelled, currently registered participants will be refunded the full amount without penalty. Please familiarize yourself with the Registration/ Refund Policy and the Waiver before signing up.

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Sassie Joiris is a theatrical animal trainer/handler and talent scout who works for Dawn Animal Agency in New York City. Dawn Animal Agency is one of the largest providers of animal talent on the East Coast with over 800 animals available for acting and modeling jobs. Sassie has been an animal actor trainer and handler for about 30 years training her own pets as well as a wide variety of species including: rodents, reptiles, ungulates (hoofed mammals), parrots, farm fowl, felines and dogs. Sassie’s animals have worked on feature films with movie stars including: Robin Williams, Michael J. Fox, Peter Falk, Uma Thurman, Queen Latifa, Judd Hirsh and Woody Allen. Television credits include hit shows like “Sex and the City,” “Law and Order,” “30 Rock,” and “As the World Turns.” Her animals have also posed for magazines, catalogs and print advertisements and acted in commercials.

At sixteen, Sassie started teaching pet and competitive obedience classes, and continued to do so for 24 years. For the last five years she has been teaching agility classes and seminars on motivating the 'hard to motivate' dogs. She has successfully coached numerous private students helping them overcome motivational issues on both ends of the leash. She understands and utilizes the best tools possible for each dog and handler team including bridge and target techniques.

Sassie enjoys competing with her own dogs. She has trained and titled in lure coursing, hunt tests, earth dog and agility. Her current competition dog six-year-old Norfolk Terrier CH MACH Stamp JE has been #1 or #2 Norfolk Terrier in agility his entire career and received numerous awards from the breed parent club. He has over 50 jobs (print, commercial, film and television) to his credit.

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No audio or videotaping, please.

Please see requirements for dogs attending the workshop explained above.

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