Owen Munro / The Voice
Netflix has picked up Some Assembly Required, a show that includes two Langara College film artsgraduates, for international release starting this summer.
Langara College connection toys around
Actor Travis Turner and writer Nadiya Chettiargraduated from the program in 2012, in time to join the show for its first season. Now in its second, Some Assembly Required is YTV’s number one show on the network. The show follows a group of teenagers who run a toy company called Knickknack Toys, and is shot in front of a live audience in Burnaby.
Turner plays Aster Vanderberg, a creative, confident kid who creates fashions for various things such as humans and dolls. Turner called working for the show a dream come true because of the way the show is set up and the ability to perform in front of a live audience.
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“Aster is a fun character. I’m always trying to find ways to relate to him and even find a part of me that really likes fashion,” Turner said. “All of the characters are really individual, the writers are great and the jokes are funny.”
Chettiar said the ability to write comedy and for a live audience is something she really enjoys. She said that it was a huge transition getting into a writing room with other people since she never written collaboratively before this job.
“Before, I was writing by myself, writing samples,” Chettiar said. “You’re hoping you get good enough that the right person hands it to the right person and you might get a job.”
Langara grads have what it takes
Both Chettiar and Turner credit the film arts program at Langara as a major factor in finding jobs relatively quickly after graduation. The eight-month program is highly intensive and comprehensive, said Langara film arts instructor Garwin Sanford and it’s aimed at giving students experience with industry practices and principles.
Sanford said he remembers Turner and Chettiar as individuals with a lot of skills and even more focus.
“They’re ideal students. They were always on time, always showing up to class. It’s all positive,” Sanford said. “Travis just kept improving, and that’s always a sign. Nadiya was the same thing. It’s one of the things we look for right away.”
“It’s a really good program for a lot of reasons I think,” Turner said. “They’re good at preparing you in the really short amount of time.”