West Ashley actor Sarah Dionna opened Actors Resource Center (also known as Arc) in 2019 as a place where aspiring actors could find help filming auditions. The process can be overwhelming for beginners — getting the lighting right, creating strong sound and having the right camera. Arc aimed to rid novices of that anxiety with the help of more experienced people on hand.
But like many other companies, it was shuttered because of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. The halt of the film industry during the early part of the pandemic meant there were no auditions to film, and therefore no local actors to take advantage of Arc’s services.
Dionna is again looking to open the doors of Arc to the local film industry two years after closing, albeit with a few changes.
During the pandemic, Dionna focused her energy on her burgeoning pole dancing career. She started doing gigs and teaching classes, and subsequently met dancers, musicians and other performing artists in need of places to hone their skills.
“I started realizing that we all needed this space that we could go to so that we could learn,” Dionna said. “And so that we could network and get better at our crafts. And get more work. So I started working on a design for an Arc Take 2.”
The new Artists Resource Center in West Ashley is called Arc Take 2 after the film industry term for a second attempt at a shot. The new goal is to serve not just actors, but voiceover artists, dancers, producers, directors, writers, musicians, aerialists and drag artists. The company will feature actor services like audition filming, coaching and headshots, and will expand offerings to dance classes and other artist services in the future.
Dionna has recently settled on a space for Arc Take 2 in the Citadel Mall, a 3,100-square-foot storefront, and is about to begin renovations this summer. The new space will be outfitted with two audition rooms and a voiceover recording studio for acting services. A new floor will be laid in for dance training, and the studio will be outfitted with poles, silks, trapeze and other dance equipment.
The front lobby of Arc Take 2 will feature a lounge, complete with tables and couches. This open space is intended for artists looking to network, write and prepare for auditions. Televisions outfitted in the space will allow actors to watch TV shows and movies to get into the groove of styles. Arc Take 2 will also feature a collection of industry books that are available to be read onsite or borrowed.
Dionna and her team, which consists of actors Langley Cornwell and Scott Gaver, intend for Arc Take 2 to be a Lowcountry meeting point of the best minds in the entertainment industry. Dionna already has actors like Rachel Paulson and The Righteous Gemstones’ James DuMont scheduled to give classes in the coming months, and more actors are being lined up for lectures in the near future.
Arc Take 2’s website doesn’t currently list prices for services, but those will go online as the company opens its doors in late August. As a disabled Marine Corps veteran herself, Dionna wants to provide opportunities for other veterans to transition to civilian life through creative arts. As such, Arc Take 2 will offer its classes and services 100% free to veterans.
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