ACTRA stands for:…read more Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists ACTRA is, in short, the Canadian Union for Actors who are in Television, on the movie screen, on radio, Internet and other media formats. Basically everything but Theater. If you are from the United States, then Actra is the Canadian equivalent to SAG or the Screen Actors Guild. Actra is here to protect Actors rights on set and during contract time. They ensure that there are basic needs being met and that both the Actor and production are protected if something goes wrong. I have been an Actra Member since the late 90's and I have seen its ups and downs. But all-in-all, this Union gets stronger every year. Currently the Maritimes branch only has two full-time representatives. They used to have three. I make note of this simply because two does not seem to be enough for the amount of work that goes on in Halifax. The two that work there almost make it look easy but if you ask, they will gladly tell you of times when there were three staff and things were simply easier. But aside from that, I always feel welcomed when I walk into Actra. If I have a question and I don't want to ask my Agent for whatever reason, Actra is always there for me. They have coached me through commercial agreements when I needed some education and were always ready to give me industry related advice. I feel very fortunate to have Actra in my life as an Actor and I have always felt my rights protected when I was on set doing a commercial or television show. So for consistently being great, protecting performer's rights, and having an open door policy, Actra gets well deserved five stars!

Had a chance to talk to Duncan and Cindy Moss at Moss Media Solutions and the Media Lab about…read morefuture services with their company. i'm a film buff looking to convert an old college movie on 8 mm to a modern format. I was told about these folks from others. they were friendly and helpful and the price was certainly right. I heard they do excellent work in not only duplication but also videos, writing and post production. I also like the fact that this is a local family run operation. highly recommended!

The Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia, commonly referred to as HRANS, is a…read moremembership-based association for Human Resource professionals. Each Spring & Fall HRANS hosts a large Human Resource Conference at the World Trade and Convention Center. The Conference lasts 3 days, and anyone who's anyone in HR will be there. Conferences are open to HRANS members and non-members. Registration for non-members is ~$750 dollars and for HRANS members ~$650. The conference is made up of a combination of workshops and presentations by various leaders and professionals and are usually very well attended with ample networking opportunity. After the third day, the HRANS Conference comes to a close with the HR Awards Gala dinner where HR professionals are commended for their outstanding work in the field.

Prop Unique is the new kid on the block. This is a great concept here. You can rent this space for…read morea small to medium size photo shoot. You do have to call and book in and can rent by the hour or day. They say they also carry a large inventory of props to rent. I looked at the prices and they seem reasonable. If you are looking for this kind of opportunity, this might be your answer.

What a waste of time ! We phoned for a quote, we emailed the info, and we phoned and phoned. We…read moreasked strait out, no beating around the bush, if they were interested in doing this job for us or should we try another company and we were always told that yes they wanted to do it. After one month I've given up on you. You couldn't even provide us with a simple quote. Thanks for leading us on Tom. You were asked if you wanted to do this job for us, why did you lie? What a waste of time!

We've collaborated on several small projects with Rod's and could not be happier. Tom, Mel and the…read moreteam work nights and weekends to get the job done. Even though our projects have been small, they've been treated with professionalism. On time, on budget. And they offer creative solutions to problems, too. Looking forward to more collaborations.

After asking my business friends for recommendations of affordable and efficient printing services…read morewhich still offer excellent quality, I decided to check out Cansel Wade. After being treated miserably, inconsistently ,and totally unprofessionally by a certain supposed "print shop," I was surprised and overjoyed to find that CW offered just that. Although I'm a not a big-time client, the staff still treats me like I drop thousands of dollars there each time. Basically, customer is King/Queen here and I really appreciate that. Sometimes they're too busy to answer their phone, sometimes they mess up orders (they are, afterall, human) but it always works out and they always apologize profusely and make it right. I've dealt with several employees here to get different types of jobs done, and everyone has been remarkable. A print shop that offers personalized service on short notice with really competitive prices is a dream come true for a slightly disorganized small business owner. And they know me by name (even over the phone). I couldn't recommend these guys higher for all your printing needs!

David Aplin is a recruitment agency with offices throughout Canada, including one in downtown…read moreHalifax specializing in both short-term and long-term job placement. As a client of David Aplin's, I first went there just over a year ago to complete application forms and various skills tests. The way it works is, you give the agency an idea of the type of work you're interested in and your wage expectations. Then based on your skills tests, they notify you of positions as they become available to them, and you have the option of deciding whether or not you want David Aplin to put forth your name. Typically, many of the jobs pay less than if you were to find them on your own, but on the plus side, it's an easier way to get your foot in the door with what may potentially turn into a long-term great paying job. What I don't enjoy about the company is that they need to consider both the employee client and the employer client, and whereby the employer is the one paying the agency, David Aplin is most likely to put the needs and satisfaction of the employer, ahead of those of the employee.

Dear David Aplin, I…read morewould probably be homeless without you. Warmest Regards, Adam Basically, Aplin is a temp agency. You head down to their offices, fill out some skills profiles and they try to find work for you. It really is that simple. I can't say enough great thing about this placement agency. They always seem to come through when needed. For those of you in transition periods, wondering what your next move might be, Aplin is a great place to visit. They can keep you in the black while you figure out your next move. The jobs they tend to offer aren't the greatest paying, but they are enough to get you by and if you're lucky you'll meet some great people along the way. The assignments can range from a few days to a few months and even into permanent positions. It can be tough hunting down a job or finding a path to follow. David Aplin recruiting can definitely be a great resource for job seekers. Give them a call today!

Great trade show booth rentals for my shows in Canada and the US. Prompt communication and a good…read moreon site team

I recently ordered a large 20', 4 panel display for my company and am disgusted with their poor…read morecustomer service. I had designed the panels so part of the image bleeds from one panel to the next so I asked for the design templates with trim lines so I could ensure the image lined up. They told me they didn't have that and reassured me their production would make sure my design lined up properly. They insisted I send them the original design files rather than a print file. Sure enough, the design on the panels did not line up and part of the design itself was altered. Their "proof" was a small jpg image inserted into the body of an email which made it very difficult to note any changes to the design. They refuse to reprint at least one of the panels to fix the problem. I would not recommend using this company if you are picky about how your design is displayed. If you don't care how they mess it up, then go for it. Otherwise, steer clear of this company.