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A reviewe came to watch The Paintbox Players show and gave us an honest review of what she thought of every single one of us.
I have learnt from this that I can handle being under presser and that I can now play a comical character which I have beer done before.

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Reviews Drama Groups - AmDram - Amateur Theatre, Amateur Dramatics Theatre, Amateur Dramatic Theatre Reviews - Show and Theatre Reviews

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Amdram Drama Groups - Amateur Theatre, Amateur Dramatics Theatre, Amateur Dramatic Theatre Read and post Theatre reviews on this web page - Drama Groups Reviews - Post your own review

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Reflection of my Professional Development

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Reflection of my Professional Development

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I recently went to watch one of my favorite films in theatre this was Dirty Dancing. I very much enjoyed this show as I feel like with all elements that make a show came together very nicely and did the film justice. This has to be the only musical I’ve watched to so far and every single person on stage looked like they was having the time of their lives when dancing. I have taken away from watching this that it does pay off to learn all three disciplines (Acting,Singing and Dancing) but to also make sure you have fun while putting on a show as I think most of us forget that we are doing this because we enjoy putting on shows on we often put to much pressure on ourselves so the next time I do a show I am going to make sure that I enjoy the process of it.

Nutcracker
I went to see this show with my little sister in the Hippodrome, I brought her the tickets as part of her christmas present. We sat in the 7th row to the front towards the left side of the center so had a very good view. This was my first time watching live ballea and I very much enjoyed it.  The Nutcracker is about a young little girl named Clara who is taken to a winter wonderland with fantasy characters. Under her lovely christmas tree is a toy soldier who later on saves her. In this show there around 60 ballet dancers. The choreographer of the show was Peter Wright, Lev Ivanov, Vincent Redmon which should be very proud of themselves as the dance was done perfectly. The designs and lighting was done by John F. Macfarlane and David A. Finn and they should be very proud of themselves because every single detail was just wonderful and looked truly amazing. After watching this Ballet show for 2 hours and 15 minutes and reading about how some of the musicians playing have not long been playing that certain musical instrument  I took away with me something new. That is it’s never too late to try something new which got me thinking that I should learn a musical instrument to better my tallent and it will give me something different to put on my acting CV then most people will have. When I got home I decided to learn how to play the Ukulele which I have been doing now for two weeks and I am very much enjoying it and I am so happy that I have pushed myself to learn something new.

Paintbox player show
I am really glad that I made the decision to join The Paint Box Players. This is because since being there I feel like have progressed in being a better actress. Before joining this group back in February 2018 I had never performed in anything involving a gender of comical not alone be the main actress delivering all the comical lines. At first I found this really challenging as having no previous experience I wasn't sure how lines should be said for example, I didn’t know when I should adding a pause to over emphasize what I was saying to make the line funny or even know what pitch the line should be said at as changing your pitch can change a lot about how a line is taken by someone. After 8 rehearsals I had experimented enough when performing to group members week after week what techniques worked when saying what line as if they laughed then that ment they found it funny so then I would keep that way and then move on to working on different things like facial expressions and characterisation.

Alice In wonderdance

Towards the end of 2017 I was in a dance show called Alice In Wonderdance and I got to play the role of big Alice which I was very excited about. I personally found the rehearsal process very stressful as some of the rounitines was very complicated and in the end I had to remember not only 8 different styles of dance but different routines within them styles as well as remember my queues and also acting as Alice while dancing. During this rehearsal progress I want to give up as I felt like I wasn't enough for this role as there are much better dancers than me in my dance school. However after sticking to it the show turned out to be amazing and my favorite part was when I got to do a duet with my little sister it really meant a lot to me.From this experience I have taken away confiendents as I feel like I started the rehearsals with thinking very little of me being a good dancer but after the show I had a few people come up to me and nice comments about how well I did which really made me believe in myself a lot more than I did before I started the show.

Television Workshop Company

In total I had three different workshops with The Television Workshop Company in Nottingham. Thes happened to my favorite workshop out of all the ones I’ve done. The first workshop with this company has to be my favorite one by far. This was because we played variety of different acting games which allowed me to think of different ways to make my classmates believe in the character that I was playing each time. Throughout the three workshops I learnt a lot of different things like knowing when to build up tension in an argument and when the right time is to get angry with the person you're arguing with, telling a lie like it’s the truth we did this by playing different truth games and we had make sure that the lie each of us had was the truth for our character. From these 3 workshops done by The Television Workshop Company I will be doing more research into my character before playing them. This is because I have realized how much easier it is to play a character knowing more personal stuff about them and I will also be practicing when it is the right moment to build up the tension for an argument as the last thing you as an actor is for your argument to look really staged and unbelievable as you would just feel disappointed in yourself.

The PaintBox Players

When The PaintBox Players came to give us a workshop as I found that only enjoyed the first half. The first half was out building characterisation and looking into how we can stone, fire and water to create different characters. My favorite was when we had to be stone as the first character I thought of was an old lady because most elderly people find it hard to move and when being stone we to move very stiffly. In the second half we had look at a piece of script and talk about who we thought the characters wear and then perform a little bit of it. I didn't like the second half because I found the script hard to understand as what each character said didn’t make sense and the type of play it was wasn't very clear. From this I have learnt to look at different ways in building your characterisation and to make your character interesting.

HNC Workshop

The fifth workshop I had I enjoyed the least out of all the others this was because I felt like it wasn’t so much an acting workshop as we was sat for the whole lesson watching youtube videos. However I did learn quite a new things as when watching these videos as it showed drama in a different way. My favourite clip he showed us was where there was a microphone shaped in a head which some instruments around it. The audience was sat down with headphones in with there eyes close listening to the sounds that are bing made in the head shaped microphone which sound like the jungle. I liked this video because made me realise that sound does play a massive part in theatre it’s just finding the right way to us it. In the second half we did do a little exercise where we had to right down a sentence and say it in to different characters but only showing this by having very subtle key movement for each character but different enough from each other that is clear enough to see the change in character. I really liked this exercise as I’ve never thought about if I had to change character during a monologue then how would I do it. Overall in a way I was quite pleased with this workshop as I felt like I learnt a lot sadly the fact that we was sat for the whole lesson mainly watching videos off YouTube let it down a little for me as I fell like it could of been a whole lot better so much more to explore in what he was saying.

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How to get funded

To get your work funded there are three main sectors, public sector, private sector and third sector. To get a public sector funding you apply to the arts industry government such as the Arts Council. If you work within the industry they will fund you between £1000 to £30000 pound. Read terms and conditions to see if you are liable for funding. To get a private sector funding you ask companies and businesses to fund you, a few places that find are: McDonald's, new look, wolfson foundation. Third sector funding is the easiest way to get funding as it applies charity work, these include; event holding, car boots , bag packing etc…

How to find the right job for you

The right job all depends on the type of performer you want to be and peruse. Once you know this set it as a target and then access your personal skills and compare them to the job you want to see if it's the right job for your personal criteria.

Pros and cons of joining a union

Some pros include: the providing of a better working environment, better chance of being employed full time, more supportive and reassuring to members , prepares you for work within the industry by learning you new skills and knowledge. Some cons include: the pay of the subscription fee ( price depending on amount of tax you pay) , also there are some limitations such as your not allowed the same stage name as someone else.

How to market yourself as an actor

Firstly having a good CV, showing good impressions and full of experience such as a background and extra work in the profession you want to go in. Also having an agent to get many auditions and bookings ( if interested in commercial work). In addition be well trained in all three disciplines if theatre is what your interested in. Finally have a good personality to build audience and show individuality.

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-BECTU. (2018). BECTU Sector Rulebook. Available: https://www.bectu.org.uk/about/rules. Last accessed 15th Feb 2018.

-Equity. (2018). About Us. Available: https://www.equity.org.uk/about-us/. Last accessed 15th Feb 2018.

-Reed.co.uk. (2018). How to become an actor. Available: https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/how-to-become-an-actor/. Last accessed 20th Jan 2018

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Name of the agent ot Contacts | Where are they based and how to contact them | Do you have to pay a fee? | Would I be interested in joining

-The Artists Partnership
| LondonPhone: (020) 7439 1456Email: email@theartistspartnership.co.uk | No | No as they are based in London

-Mandy Actors | London, Manchester, Birmingham
| This information is not given out to non members. | Yes they look promising

-Alan Sharman Agency | Birmingham Phone:0121 212 0090E-MAIL  INFO@ALANSHARMANAGENCY.COM | There is no joining fee  | This agency doesn't seem to be for me as I think they get more model work then acting.

-Star Now
| Mainly Online but based in the UK, Island, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada Email:contact@starnow.com  | There is no joining fee but doesn’t say how much it is to use there stuff. | No because I feel like they would mainly be interested in finding jobs in the bigger countries

-BackStage | Online | It’s free for the first 6 months | Yes very much so

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For my 20 hour placement I went to each at Team Caterlyst International also known as TCI for short. This group is mainly known for its competitors dancers as the school have performed across Europe. Recently the founder of TCI wants to move this dance school forward and develop it as a performing arts based club. When I approached Cat Deblock about my 20 hour work experience in teaching acting based stuff she thought that this would be a great trial for her to see how her students would excel with being thought how to act so when taking part in dance competitions would help the dancers get higher places on the podium as they will be showing the judging panel that they can not only act but dance at the same time. This school teaches a variety of ages from 3- 20 year olds. However I will be teaching kids from the ages of 6-16 and the claas I will be leading will be full of the kids that do competitions.

The Data Protection Act is when a place keeps all of your personal information and it is against the law for them to share it with anyone else without your permission. At my placement they hold important information like card detail, emergency contacts details and home addresses. It is important that they keep these details safe as if they did get into the wrong person for example with all of these details then a bank card could be coined or with having a person’s address someone could take it/ remember it and go to break into that person's house.

DBS is a check to see if you have any criminal records or to see if you have been barred from being around young children or vulnerable adults. This helps companies recruitment employers as then they know if tis person is safe to work with children and vulnerable adults. DBS will give a list of people to the police who should known.  I need this for my placement because I will be working children of all ages.

Equality and Diversity is all about treating people fairly, for example, some of the children in my group do have dyslexia so they sometimes take a little longer than other to pick up what I am asking them to do than others.

It is important to have all of the above in place because child safety is very important.

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The hardest thing is to invite audiences into a theatre especially because of the rate in which people work at, there simply is no time. In addition it's difficult to fund a production and invite paying audience members in to endure a spectacular.

If you can’t invite audiences in then why not go to the audiences?

Street theatre in my opinion is a fabulous spectacle where the public can be entertained whilst going about their own day.

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This all depends on what type of  a performer you want to be as there is a variety of jobs. As an actor or actress it is important that you have your own set personal skills that will make you stand out from everyone else. A good way to tell if the job is right for you is if you like doing the job as if you enjoy waking up everyday and going to work then that is an good indicator of that the job is right for you.

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Have you ever wondered if you picked the right career? Is your job right for you? Does it make you happy? Is it what you were put on the planet to do?

If you have (like most people), you may have found yourself evaluating the pros and cons of what you do for work. While this is a useful process, it can be easy to get it wrong. Today I'm going to share with you the exact process I use to coach clients to identify if they are in the right job or not.

You see, our brains have a tendency to do one of three things:
What does this mean?
Well, often when we look at a situation such as our job, we might distort the way that we look at it. For example:

Jenny is a Lawyer. She tells me that she lives in fear of being fired because she's no good at her job. I ask her if she has ever received feedback from her boss that she is under-performing and she replies no. In-fact she tells me how she recently just got promoted.

So what's happening here? Jenny is distorting her view of her job. She has an unfounded fear that she is no good at it, yet all of the evidence is saying otherwise.

Here's another example:

David is an IT Professional. He tells me that he absolutely loathes his job. He just can't stand it, hates every second of it. I then ask him to break down exactly what he does each day and to describe how he feels about each task. As we talk, it becomes clear that David actually enjoys quite a few of the tasks in his job - he just doesn't like the 'idea' of his job.

So, in this instance, David has generalised his situation. By saying that he 'hates' his job - he's not being 100% accurate, because the reality is that he actually enjoys aspects of his work. What's happened here is that David has drawn a global conclusion about his job.

And one final example:

Donna is a Project Manager. She tells me that her job is really boring. She just can't stand having to organize so many tiny details. When I drill down into the nitty gritty of her job, it becomes clear that Donna really enjoys the relationship-building aspect of her job, she just isn't as keen on the organizational part. She loves to deal with other people and is really good at creating long lasting relationships.

What's happened here is that Donna has deleted some of this story. She has only mentioned the boring parts of her job and failed to mention the parts that she does enjoy. So again, she's not looking at her job in an objective manner.
What do all of these scenarios have in common?
That's right -- each of these people are only focusing on the negative parts of their jobs. So, essentially, this is negative thinking in action! I see this a lot when I'm coaching people about a career change. Often people will come to me with a view that they hate their job, but when I dig a little deeper there are almost always aspects that they do actually enjoy.

The danger here is that your thinking gets skewed and you get sucked into only thinking about what you don't like about your job! This can be a slippery slope to what I call job depression. When we have job depression we wake up each morning dreading the day ahead of us. We spend all day hating parts of our job and we completely forget to savour the parts that we do enjoy. When we talk to anyone about our job we moan and whinge about how bad it is. We basically turn our job into our enemy purely with our thinking!

This is a very dangerous game to play because we're ultimately creating our own unhappiness! Plus, at the end of the day we do need to be realistic and know that it's highly unlikely that any one job will tick every single box! All jobs come with some tasks that are not enjoyable - even our dream jobs!
So what can we do to take a realistic view of our work?
One of the best things we can do is to spend two weeks creating a work diary. In this diary you need to list each task that you do down one side and then you need to go through and rate how much you enjoy or dislike each task out of 10. You can also add a few comments next to each task to become aware of why you liked or disliked each part.

What this exercise does is give you an accurate reflection of how much of your job is really that bad and how much of it you actually enjoy. At the end of the two weeks it's really interesting to go through and note what percentage of your work you really don't like and what percentage you enjoy. I bet you'll be surprised!

Below are 7 simple steps to identify if you really do hate your job or if actually it's not that bad!
7 Steps to Know if You're in the Right Job
1. Take stock of how you think about your job. If someone was to ask you "Do you like your job?" think about how you would answer?

2. Become aware. Do you generally moan to friends and family about all of the things you hate about your job?

3. Make a list of all the things you like about your job. Take your time and really think about what tasks you like doing.

4. Make peace with the fact that no one job will be perfect! Accept that there may be tasks that you don't love that come with the territory.

5. Create your own work diary. Make a list of each task you do every day for two weeks and rate every task out of 10. At the end of the two weeks you should have an accurate representation of your job

6. Consider what your unique skills are. Does your job allow you to use these skills?
7. By the end of this process you should be able to identify one of three things:

1. you actually quite like a lot of your job, it's just that you were focusing on all the bad bits

2. there are some aspects of your job that suit you but there are more negatives than positives

3. you really are in the wrong job because you dislike more than 70%of the tasks you do

If you find yourself with options 2 or 3 then it's time to start looking at a new career path. If however, you find yourself aligning more with option 1, then you may be able to make your job work for you by focusing on the tasks you really enjoy and looking at ways to increase these aspects and decrease the parts you don't enjoy!

With love,

Zoë B
This article first appeared on SimpleLifeStrategies.com. Zoe B is a Career Strategist who helps thousands of people all over the world find their dream career in just 30 days. You can sign up for free career resources over on Zoe's blog: www.simplelifestrategies.com

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7 Steps to Know If You're in the Right Job

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Have you ever wondered if you picked the right career? Is your job right for you? Does it make you happy? Is it what you were put on the planet to do? If you have (like most people), you may have found yourself evaluating the pros and cons of what you do for work.

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Agentes can support you with being an actor and making it in the instrudey this is because you can hire them to look at jobs for you while you can't. Workshops can help you improve on your skills and the people there will answer any question that you might have. Unions will also offer you support with making sure you are being treated right while at work.

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The Foundation is committed to working, where possible, in partnership with other funders and expert bodies. A number of our funding programmes are administered by other organisations and this website provides details of those programmes, including links to the relevant information on how to apply (which is generally via the partner organisation rather than direct to us).

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It is important that when working in this industry you it is a good idea that you are kept up to date with all the latest trends and no how to find work quickly by using mainly online sources as you can get an online agency, look on casting websites and you can also use social media like facebook to find pages that people upload work onto.

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Finding a new job in the art world is tough so here are a few points to help you stay ahead, progress to more senior roles or change to other sectors of the market.

Research

Any job, whether in contemporary art or working with old master paintings, requires a great deal of research. The ability to research works of art, or the market itself, is very useful and will make you a more desirable candidate.

Taking on your own projects for fun can be a great way to learn about new areas of the art world. Putting together small reports on the market is as important as researching specific works of art or artists.

Online resources, such as Artnet, Art Info and Art Tactic, can keep you informed about new sectors of the industry. Likewise, if you visit an exhibition you enjoy, conduct reports on the artist, their market position or the gallery or museum they are showing in. Keep a record of all the exhibitions you have worked on, by holding onto a catalogue, press release or exhibition announcement so you can refer back to them and discuss them at interview.

Gaining an insight into what is showing where, what is being sold to whom and which shows are doing well will prove very beneficial at interview. Don't forget to take your portfolio of exhibitions and market research to any interviews as this will impress a potential employer.

Appraisals

To get into a specialist role, learn about valuations. You must be able to appraise and value works of art in order to move up in an auction house or become an adviser. Shadow colleagues, study art market reports, get auction results and catalogues and know your figures. You will need to recognise, clarify provenance and value works of art at interview so get as much experience as you can.

Archiving

Take on archiving projects or manage a project for an artist or gallery. For example, you could transfer all the works from an artist's estate onto a database. Take ownership of a project like this so you can demonstrate your archiving experience; this will help you secure a position as an artist liaison, for instance.

Social media

Being able to navigate social media platforms is an increasingly desired skill. Start a blog and publish your research projects, talk about trips to galleries with photographs of your favourite pieces, post links to other interesting sites and publicise your Twitter. Showing you can be creative online will really help you move ahead.

Calendar

Know the seasonal art world inside out. Make sure you are aware of all the important monthly auctions, fairs and exhibitions - and try and get to as many of them as you can. Attending Asian Art Week in London in November, Old Master Picture Week in London in June, the auctions of impressionist art in New York in May, Maastricht for the TEFAF art fair in March and the contemporary auctions and Frieze art fair in London in October. These are must-sees and should be followed from afar if you cannot attend them all.

Languages

This is increasingly important as the art market grows and diversifies. If you have the option of taking an extra course to perfect any basic language skills you have, then do.

Reading

This sounds obvious but there is so much that you are not taught about the art market and it is important that you educate yourself. Reading arts newspapers, publications, magazines, blogs and forums is highly recommended so you understand all about every aspect of the market. Publications, such as The Art Newspaper, Apollo, the Antiques Trade Gazette and the collecting section of the FT Weekend are all useful, as are online articles, such as in Bloomberg and The New York Times. Find a journalist you like, such as Carol Vogel, and sign up to receive their posts.

Networking

It is an old adage that who you know in the art world really matters. While it is not the only way to get ahead, it certainly helps. Attending private views, fairs, talks and events and meeting as many people as you can will help you gain further reach when looking for a job. The more people that know you are looking, the better. Regularly meet with groups of professionals or friends and go to exhibitions and shows.

Creating partnerships

Every exhibition or event needs support. If you could secure this through your own connections, or by brokering a sponsorship deal for a single or series of exhibitions, it will prove invaluable. This could be a financial arrangement or support with the event, publication or press.

Throughout your career in art, however, you must be realistic. If you decide on a change of path within the art world, such as moving to exhibitions from sales, then be prepared to take a step back in order to get there. If you are passionate about the change you will soon move ahead and bring the experience you do have to this new realm.
Sophie Macpherson is the founder of This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Careers update.Sophie Macpherson Ltd. You can find her on Twitter at @ArtWorldJobs Topics

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Finding a new job in the art world is tough so here are a few points to help you stay ahead, progress to more senior roles or change to other sectors of the market. Any job, whether in contemporary art or working with old master paintings, requires a great deal of research.

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It is very hard to become an actor or actress as there is so many people to compete against. It is shocking how little time you can spend doing your dream job. However you shouldn't let this stop you as you need to be determined and show how much you want this job when auditioning.

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Following a glittery Baftas bash recently - and with the Oscars just around the corner - it's easy to see the appeal of a career in front of the camera or on stage.

But away from the boards and red carpets, breaking into acting and performance can be tough. While singing and acting lessons are prohibitively expensive for aspiring stars, it can also take years to get noticed. Samuel L Jackson was 45 years old when he got his big break in Pulp Fiction, while Harrison Ford was in his 30s and working as a carpenter when he was spotted by director George Lucas.

In fact, the average number of weeks per year that UK actors work professionally are only 11.3 and just 8% of UK-based actors are in work at any given moment.

Bagging a major role in film, theatre or TV is more than just the perfect CV or audition - you need to show you have the skills, experience and determination to succeed. Taking classes or studying for a degree is a good start but not suitable to all. "You don't need to learn how to act, you need to learn how to sell yourself," says Paul Roseby, artistic director at the National Youth Theatre.

So, what is the best way to break into a career in acting and performance? Join us on Thursday 19 February from 1pm to 3pm GMT for a live chat with our experts. We'll be discussing:

* If attending university or taking classes is essential

* Cost effective ways to get training

* Unusual ways to get spotted in the industry

* Tips for finding an agent

* How to keep motivated following rejection

The Q&A takes place in the comments section below this article. Taking part is easier than ever: create a free Guardian account, or log in using your Twitter or Facebook profiles to comment. Alternatively, you can tweet us @GuardianCareers or email your questions to charlotte.seager@theguardian.com who can post them for you.

Panel

Paul Roseby is chief executive and artistic director of the National Youth Theatre. In over 10 years leading the NYT, Paul has commissioned over 100 new plays and directed productions. He has also established the NYT REP Company - a free alternative to formal training.

Emily Tilelli is a London-based casting director and founder of ET Casting. As a member of the Casting Directors Guild, and with 15 years of experience within the industry, Emily works closely with actors throughout the audition process.

Mariel Witmond is the company director of Casting Networks in Europe and South Africa. Formerly an agent working in New York and then Los Angeles, Mariel has comprehensive knowledge of the casting industry.

Fiona Graham is convenor for the MA writing for performance and dramaturgy course at Goldsmiths College, London University. She has worked for thirty years in theatre as an actor, director, writer and dramaturge.

Mark Summers is a casting director who has previously casted for Madonna, Mercedes and Beyonce; he was also the UK casting director for Michael Jackson's "This Is It" tour. Back in 2003, Mark won the British Advertising Craft award for best casting director.

Emma Dyson is the PR manager for Spotlight and trained at the Guildford School of Acting. Previously she was an agent in a leading West End agency and has six years of experience in the performance industry.

Annelie Powell is the assistant casting director at The Royal Shakespeare Company and has worked as a freelance casting director for over seven years.

Charlie Walker-Wise is the senior business development manager at RADA. Charlie also teaches acting and communication skills at RADA and RADA in Business, and is a freelance theatre director. He trained as an actor and graduated from RADA back in 2005.

Dr Michael McKinnie is senior drama lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London. McKinnie has taught theatre theory, history and practice. He is also the author of City Stages: Theatre and Urban Space in a Global City. Before becoming an academic, Michael worked in new play development.
This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. To get more content and advice like this direct to your inbox, sign up for our weekly update and careers ebook.

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Your big break: how to get a career in acting and performance - live chat

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Following a glittery Baftas bash recently - and with the Oscars just around the corner - it's easy to see the appeal of a career in front of the camera or on stage. But away from the boards and red carpets, breaking into acting and performance can be tough.

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As an actor it is important to have things like an actor's CV and an Showreel.

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There's no one way to become an actor-whether you end up in a West End play, on a television show or on the road to Hollywood, there are many paths your career can take.

"I made some mistakes in drama. I thought the drama was when actors cried. But drama is when the audience cries". So says Frank Capra, director of It's a Wonderful Life. Here he touches upon what is so powerful about being an artist in any form-to have the ability to make an impression on people and influence how they feel. It's a power that many, many people seek via acting as they see it as a glamorous lifestyle, but in truth it's a tough path to tread. It's highly unstable, often badly paid and an open door for criticism and cynicism.

If you're thinking of becoming an actor, don't let that put you off-passion and tenacity will see you through, but do bear in mind it's not straight-forward, and you should be informed about the process before you embark on your acting career.

What do I need to know before beginning my acting career?

Make your own opportunities.
People will always tell you what a competitive industry this is, and I can't emphasise this enough-there are a lot of people grappling for a comparatively low number of jobs. Work won't just fall in your lap. Unless you're one of the lucky ones who is plucked from obscurity, you will need to work to make your own opportunities.

Make your own work.
Write your own plays or short films or sketches-wherever your strengths lie. Call upon your friends and loved ones to help promote your work, just as you in return can help spread the word about your fellow actors' projects.

Find your tribe.
Making it as an actor is often directly linked to remembering that your competitors are also your compadres. So one must keep the mindset that your fellow actors are potential future collaborators. You'll have a better chance of progressing with each other's support.

Work on that stiff upper lip.
If you don't have one already, be prepared to grow a very thick skin. Even successful, established actors will encounter dismissiveness and impatience from people throughout the industry, and you'll have to learn to not only brush off the bad experiences but to learn from them.

Do. Your. Research.
Speaking of the industry: learn about it! With no knowledge, you won't feel like a part of it. Do your research. There are a lot of resources available to you, so if you're serious about the industry you should make it your business to know as much as you can about who is who and who is working on what, otherwise you'll feel like you're on the periphery.

Get an agent.
Finding an agent who works hard for you is imperative. Some will disagree and say this is situational, but if your agent has strong relationships with casting directors you will go out on far more auditions than those who don't. Agents often attend drama showcases and make regular theatre trips on the look-out for clients, but you can't rely on being found on your own. You will need to be proactive about inviting them to shows you're in, or emailing when you're in an episode requesting they tune in, or asking for a meeting via their assistants. However, as with everything there's a fine line between being proactive and pestering people-if they're interested, they will let you know.

Budget for your dreams.
Until you 'make it', you will potentially need to invest quite a lot of money to get there. Putting aside the cost to train if you so choose, you'll need headshots and a showreel before you even begin trying to land auditions, membership to a resource like Backstage so casting directors can find you, quality recording devices and editing software so you can self-tape at home, and of course you'll need to get yourself to and from auditions under your own steam. 99% of actors will need a secondary gig as support between acting jobs, and the nature of flexible work is usually that it's not very well paid, which is another consideration to bear in mind. You might have to accept roles in projects that you don't even like, but that's entirely normal. Christopher Lee was once quoted as saying, "Every actor has to make terrible films from time to time, but the trick is never to be terrible in them".

How do I begin?

Amateur dramatics, the production of theatrical performances by non-professionals, is a great way to start, not just so you can participate in acting projects but so you can also meet fellow actors and potential future co-creatives. It's a great way to hone your craft, learn from your peers and build up your confidence as you develop as an actor. There are resources available online that extensively list drama groups and opportunities, like Acting in London if you're looking in the London area, or Theatre Wales compiles all amateur dramatics societies in Wales, for example-just get Googling, or, of course, visit Backstage to search for up-to-date opportunities by location.

Try to land as many auditions as you can when you're first starting out. If you're invited to audition, then the casting director thinks you have a chance of landing the role, and you will learn from every meeting, even if it doesn't go your way. You won't always be given feedback, but you'll start to become adept at reading people's reactions and tuning into the subtleties of their responses to you, which you wouldn't learn if you hadn't have had that time with them in the room.

In addition to learning what to expect from the audition process, why not create your own opportunities? A way to practice your acting, develop your skills and build your confidence is to write scripts for yourself and enlist the help of other actors to bolster your project. Learning to listen to the feedback is crucial, and performing or screening these projects for your family and friends will ease you into the experience.

None of your friends with 'normal' jobs will understand your lifestyle-only fellow actors will relate to your struggles and often they can provide really helpful insight, so be sociable! Meetup is a fantastic way to find groups in your area specific to actors (or anything else you're interested in) and you never know what can come from the relationships you develop with fellow creatives.

Do I want to pursue theatre /musical theatre, film, or television acting?

Do you have to decide? Whilst perhaps musical theatre trainees are quite specific, going into the industry deliberately limiting yourself is a mistake. With self-tapes and opportunities to cast internationally, you don't need to decide if you don't want to, but be prepared for very different casting processes for each.

Taped auditions.
The key thing to remember is to keep it down. Whilst theatrical productions require you to perform to the back of the room, the camera will pick up on tiny nuances and flickers of action and reaction, so don't overdo your performance. As subtlety is the key here, you are obligated to learn your lines so your head is up for the duration of the taping. The tip of keeping it down applies to the volume of your voice also-you don't need to project any more than you would in a normal conversation. Bear in mind the director is often not in attendance for auditions such as these.

Theatre auditions.
In contrast to taped auditions, it's more acceptable to have your script in hand to refer to during your read, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare - Casting Directors and Directors will instantly pick up on it if you're not familiar with what you're reading, and not everyone will give you another go at it. You'll be expected to demonstrate your emotions in a more obvious way, although often theatre auditions are also in close proximity and you might be sat right opposite your reader and the Director. If you are auditioning for an understudy role, don't be surprised if you're auditioning for the Assistant Director and not the Director.

Musical theatre auditions.
You'll be expected to be at your biggest here - you'll need to project and exaggerate and stand out as best you can! Arrive warmed up, and if there's an accompanist it's likely you'll need to provide them with sheet music. If dancing is part of the audition, you'll be expected to pick up a potentially tricky routine very quickly, perform it back accurately and in time and then somehow outshine your competitors all at once.

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What promotional materials do I need?

Headshots
This is one of the main components you'll need to invest in. Even though, you'll rarely be expected to turn up to auditions with expensive prints these days, you will need to make sure the quality of the photographs are high. If you're fortunate enough to know someone who can shoot you for free, or for a low price, make sure you're still happy with the outcome or else it's a fruitless exercise.

Make sure your headshots do you justice, as they're the first thing a casting director sees.

Don't rely solely on black and white shots; they're aesthetically pleasing, but people want to see you look like, so make sure you have colour shots also, if not entirely.

Overly flattering photos are also a bad idea-you may be tempted to edit your photos on Photoshop or wear a tonne of make-up, or even submit photos from fifteen years ago, but don't! You'll create a dishonest impression, plus you might count yourself out of a job that you're suited to if a casting director deems your photo too generic.

CV
Approach your acting CV as you would any job CV: keep it clear, concise, and professional. List project details transparently and don't over-do the detail. Bear in mind your showreel is where the casting director will get a sense of your personality; your résumé is a reference document. Looking at your CV, a casting director will want to establish:

What acting jobs you have done (preferably listed in chronological order)

If you have any training

A list of special or unique skills (if any)

How to contact you

If you're new to the game you might need to pad it out a bit with school plays or amateur dramatics, which is absolutely fine. Just make sure to edit as you develop and eventually you can take these off when you have more experience to add.

You don't need to list your date of birth-your age range (or 'playing age') is important, as is your height, eye colour and hair colour. We also want to know what accents you can do, and if you're a singer, what your vocal range is.

Be sure to keep your CV down to a single A4 page, which you can staple to the back of your headshot.

Showreel
Your showreel is crucial. Make sure you keep it up-to-date, exhibiting only work that you feel represents you well, and remember to keep it under three minutes. Often, people disagree on what is acceptable and what isn't in a showreel; they question whether montage intros (an edit together of quick clips of yourself as a way of introducing your showreel) are dated, for example, but as someone who works in casting, I personally feel there's room for a bit of creative flair as long as the main point is correctly communicated, and that is your acting ability.

For more information on reels, check out our in-depth guide: "How to Create Your Demo Reel"

Online presence
Having your own website can be a very useful way of collating everything you want a CD or the public to know about you, and you can be in charge of what to include and what you would rather forget! Squarespace is a good option, as it's user-friendly, has professional-looking templates, and offers reasonable monthly rates (between £10 and £20). You can expect a free trial as a new customer, and you can find discount codes by listening to podcasts, which they rely on heavily for advertising (I can always hear Squarespace promoted on the Adam Buxton podcasts for example, worth listening to in their own right as he often interviews actors).

You should give plenty of thought to your social media presence. Twitter or Facebook can be great ways of engaging with the public and expressing your personality, but make sure you are representing yourself professionally. Always bear in mind you're offering information about yourself publicly, so don't let yourself down. It's never a bad idea to share updates about what productions you're in (if you have permission) and you can increase viewership of programs if you Tweet your followers to remind them to tune in.

Always be extremely careful about your social media use on set-a lot of sets are very private and cast members have been reprimanded and sometimes even removed if they take pictures on set and post them to social media.

What are some other good resources to bear in mind?

Publications
Backstage is the premium, trusted, casting platform for actors and performers, casting over 6,000 roles a week, as well as editorial coverage that provides actors and performing artists with a wealth of advice, guides, news, interviews and resources. You can also check out the Opportunities section where you search for jobs by location.

Another valuable resource for UK actors with a well-kept website, The Stage has excellent reviews in particular, although it is more theatre-centric than Backstage.

Also check out Fourthwall and Sight & Sound (BFI)-the articles are well-researched and the website includes a Player section where you can stream BFI films, some for free. Empire has great events listings and is a useful resource for cinefiles in particular.

Workshops
Companies like Casting Workshops sell limited numbers of tickets to actors to spend the day learning face-to-face from casting directors of specific fields, to help hone their skills and get direct feedback, not just on their performances but their headshots and CVs.

What are some key terms I should know?

Slate: If you're filming a self-tape, a slate, or ident, is really useful for a casting director. It's a short intro in which you state your name, agent (if applicable) and height, and often other information the casting director might have asked you to include like profiles (see below), shots of your hands, and possibly experience or skills that you have that are relevant to the project (e.g. if the role involves being on a wire, you could mention any aerial experience you have, or if the part requires you to speak another language you could demonstrate your fluency level with a sentence or two). These are often recorded at the beginning or end of your audition also.

Profiles: Shots of one side of your face and then the other, so the director can see what you look like from different angles.

Sides: The lines or information you're given to prepare for the audition. Most of the time it will be text pulled from the script, unless the contents of the script is heavily protected (you would find this mainly with major studio productions like Warner Bros) and you're given text from another source. It might also contain the outline of a scenario rather than text, and you'll be expected to improvise some action or dialogue around the scenario.

Optioned: This applies most commonly to TV, where production teams have yet to schedule the project but wish you to stay available for a certain period of time in case it does get green-lit. It might be that the first series you participated in is yet to air and therefore they haven't yet been able to gauge its success, and won't know if they wish to make a second season. It might be that the series will go ahead, but they're still deciding upon their schedule or trying to secure a location. There are many reasons, but traditionally you will be given a "pick-up date" (a date by which they have had to decide by), and you should be financially compensated for remaining available throughout this period.

Generals: These are invaluable for actors climbing the ladder. An actor and a casting director have a casual chat with the intention of putting said actor in a casting director's mind's eye. If you are set up on a general with a CD, make sure you research them and their work first, read their signals as to when is an appropriate time to wrap up the conversation, and make sure you show an interest in them and their work-you never know what journey will be kick-started from a short chat. A general will not cost you anything other than whatever you spend on travel to see the CD, and you should not be expected to part with any money for the meeting. You should only expect to part with money at an organised, informative event like a workshop where you would receive some form of coaching.

Where should I consider training and why?

The U.K. is a fantastic location to study acting, if you choose to train, with an abundance of schools boasting excellent educators and extensive lists of successful acting alumni. Suitability should be based on your budget, your objectives and your choice of commitment level, so if you do choose to study it's crucial to do your research. Part of your consideration as to which school should always be, why NOT this school? Lots of establishments are competitive, with high standards and a focus on the "breaking down" of its students with a view to making you a more malleable actor.

Ask yourself what you are hoping to achieve from the training process, and assess whether your expectations are realistic.

Notable UK schools include (but are not limited to):

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA)

Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)

Oxford School of Drama

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama

Central School of Speech and Drama

Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

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Where should I consider living and why?

Again, this is up to you. There's no right or wrong answer here, and there are plenty of opportunities open to you in any part of the U.K. You might assume London is the obvious choice for actors seeking work, but with self-tapes becoming more acceptable forms of casting, all you'd potentially need to book a job is a smart phone and decent internet speed.

Having said that, if you do choose to live outside the main cities, you should be open to travelling in for castings if that is what is asked of you. There are many actors who settle in rural areas, but you must be happy with getting into town at your own expense if CDs want to meet, which, more often than not, they will. I've never worked on a theatre job that didn't require a face-to-face meeting, as they are always attended by the director so they can assess not just if you're right for the part, but if they want to spend time working extensively with you, as is required in theatre jobs.

Here are some alternatives to London to potentially settle in:
Bristol, England
A bustling city with a similar arts scene to London (just on a smaller scale), Bristol has a fine reputation for theatre and is still within reasonable travelling distance if you are called to the capital.

Manchester, England
Since the BBC moved up north, Manchester has seen a huge increase in TV production and created lots more opportunities for northern-based actors.

Edinburgh, Scotland
Home to the world-famous Edinburgh Festival, it's an amazingly cultural city housing lots of creativity. It's particularly good for those looking to get into comedy.

Dublin, Ireland
The capital of Ireland (and home to the Guinness brewery, as an added incentive!) Dublin is home to some exciting casting directors like Louise Kiely and Amy Rowan.

How do I find roles to audition for?

When it comes to finding roles to audition for, there's no better source than Backstage, especially for early-career actors! If you don't have a manager or agent who's in direct cahoots with casting directors of various acting projects, Backstage is the No. 1 trusted source and top casting platform-for over 50 years-to kick-start your career, land your next (or first!) role, and get discovered. The casting notices on Backstage can help you bolster your demo reel and get you an agent to take your career to the next step. Plus with thousands of vetted casting opportunities across smaller projects like student shorts, web series, and regional theater productions all the way to larger blockbuster features and productions on the stage, you know that with Backstage, you're always getting reliable information and scam-free gigs.

Once you're subscribed to Backstage, you can go backstage.com to edit your public profile. This is the page that casting directors see when booking talent for their latest project, so make sure your headshots and résumé are up to date, and link or embed your reel, website, social media accounts, and other fun extras as you see fit.

Does Backstage work? Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock told us that "Every single thing I have today is because I picked up Backstage every Thursday." And she's in good company! Just ask some of the other stars below.

Scarlett Johanson: "How did I get into acting? Well, I read a lot of Backstage. Everybody got Backstage. That's so funny. Backstage, wow. Doesn't every unemployed actor have their Backstage? That's the first step."

James Franco: "Backstage was one of my first introductions to the business."

Amy Schumer: "Like every other actor in New York, L.A., or Chicago, I have such a relationship with Backstage. As soon as I got out of college, I would go through the magazine and circle [casting notices]... Those taught me so much and they connected me with people that I still work with now."

Kathryn Hahn: "I got my first play in New York from Backstage. It was part of the festival at Theater for the New City, and I got a role in a play called 'Bar None' that starred a woman named Avocado Tit. I'm not even kidding. So I have a long history with Backstage."

Matthew Rhys: "For actors, you know that Backstage is of your own people. It's instrumental."

Here are some other resources to keep in mind:

Spotlight. Most professionals are signed up to Spotlight and it costs around £150 per year. In order to be eligible for membership, you must have had four or more professional credits in featured, speaking roles in film, television or theatre, or else have at least one year's training from a full-time accredited drama school or course.

Casting Call Pro. A really useful tool for actors who are just starting out in particular, as lower-profile jobs are great to build up your CV and help flesh it out whilst you're still finding your acting feet.

Your agent. This is a chicken and egg situation, as you need to be working in order to invite an agent to see and evaluate your work. They really are the best way to inspire the casting director's confidence in you, however, and they will have the best leverage when it comes to getting your foot in the door.

Do I need an agent?

Yes-unless you're Bill Murray, you should have an agent. For every one dubious agent that will take your commission and sit waiting by the phone, there are 20 hard-working, assertive, and motivated professionals who will emotionally share in your successes and failures.

There are a lot of awkward conversations that need to happen in order to book jobs, and your agent is your filter. They negotiate terms on your behalf so you don't have to.

Being represented by an agent who has strong relationships with casting directors will always bolster your chances of getting seen and therefore getting cast, so just as agents will assess what you will bring to their table, make sure you understand their position within the industry.

It's crucial you maintain a good relationship with your agent. You can't expect them to work hard for you if you are not holding up your end of the bargain. Stay organised and on top of your diary, respond to their queries as quickly as possible and don't harbour resentment if you don't get cast-they're there to get you in the room, it's up to you to book the job.

How and when should I create my own work?

There's never a bad moment to be in control of your work. Whenever you have the time, the inspiration, and the wherewithal, is a great time to be creating your own work. If you're experiencing a lull, you have nothing to lose. If you're riding a wave of success, you're more likely to secure funding.

The how is obviously the harder part, but there are lots of resources available for those hoping to pen their own projects. For the early stages of development, Raindance offer one-day writing courses at very reasonable prices (often discounted via organisations like Groupon), as an example, for those seeking help during the creative process.

Once devised, check out BBC Writers Room, to which you can submit original scripts. If they respond to your work highly enough, they will help you to develop the project and get it off the ground.

In between creating and producing, there's the proof-reading, feedback stage, in which you are looking to tweak and perfect your script. Organisations like Actors and & Writers London (AWL) might take your script and perform it using a group of actors, who will provide invaluable feedback and insight into how they perceive it, and where its strengths are or how it can be improved. This is also another great way to meet fellow industry professionals, and is generally considered a fun way to network.

Also, check out the London Screenwriters Festival (LSF) which is an invaluable event for those penning their own film or TV projects and yet another great way to connect with people who will help you in your career.

If I'm an actor from the U.S. looking to head to the U.K., what do I need to know?

If you're not already established, it's likely to be quite tricky. Unless the production is specifically looking for an actor from the U.S., for example, or if you have worked with a dialect coach a very convincing British accent (bearing in mind there are many U.K. accents outside of Received Pronunciation), you're going to find that opportunities are limited. The best advice that comes to mind is to come with your own brand. If you have a strong sense of who you are and what you have to offer, you're more likely to be recognised and remembered.
Now check out Backstage's London audition listings!
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There's no one way to become an actor-whether you end up in a West End play, on a television show or on the road to Hollywood, there are many paths your career can take. "I made some mistakes in drama. I thought the drama was when actors cried.

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How does an Actor/ Actress become an actor/ Actress

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How does an Actor/ Actress become an actor/ Actress

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Some option in become an actor or an actress are as followed: Take a course, sign up for an online agency, sign up with an agent and join a local theatre company.

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by Tom Bunkham

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jobs advertised

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Are you a bit of an extrovert? Do you think all the world's a stage (and actually know where that line comes from)? Then you could become an Actor.
There are various different types of jobs for people looking to break into the acting industry, from live theatre and touring productions to television radio and feature films.

An Actor's day-to-day activities will vary widely, but typical responsibilities will include:

Learning lines and attending auditions

Meeting with agents to discuss prospective parts

Rehearsing parts once they have been secured

Performing

Recording voice-overs for non-live roles

To become a successful Actor, dedication and resilience are absolutely essential. Lots of Actors spend a good deal of their time between jobs, so you may need alternative employment to support yourself until your next role comes up.

You will often also need to be confident, especially when attending so many auditions. And in order to seek acting as a profession, having an agent is almost a pre-requisite.

A good Actor will be:

Great at communicating with all kinds of people

Punctual and reliable

Excellent at working in a team

Thick-skinned to deal with all the criticism

Determined

Being an actor can be tough, as I feel like I'm constantly trying to line up more work and there isn't the same job security you might get in other roles. Having said that, the buzz of winning a part is fantastic. I also love being able to pretend to be other people and getting the chance to express a range of emotions when I inhabit that character. Meeting lots of interesting fellow Actors is another highlight, as is spending nearly every day working at a craft I truly love.
Children's Acting Online Course View All Jobs

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by Tom Bunkham 22 jobs advertised Varies estimated starting salary Varies estimated salary Are you a bit of an extrovert? Do you think all the world's a stage (and actually know where that line comes from)? Then you could become an Actor.

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https://www.bectu.org.uk/jargon

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CPD stands for Continuous Professional Development. This is the term used to describe ongoing job and career-related training during the course of your professional life. It can also describe wider forms of learning not associated with a job but which will boost career development of some kind.

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This is my acting CV linked to BackStage which I got to create when I singed up.

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Nicole James; Actress -- View her headshots, reels, and professional resume.

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I have decided to sign up to the online casting agency called Back Stage this is because it’s easy for me to look through jobs that I’m interested in as well as having a good profife that people can look at which it supper easy for me to edit. I also get given advice within the industry which I personally think is really helpful.

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Find and apply to over 5,000 casting calls, auditions and roles on Backstage, the most trusted platform for actors and models. Start and get cast today!