Blog - Archive for the ‘Weekly Insider’ category
This weeks interview is with Lost Theatre Company. Lost is a long established company spanning 30 years, and is one of the most exciting and vibrant youth theatre Companies around, working with actors under 27 years of age, and has a history of producing great talent. Having just moved into their brand new multi-million pound theatre in Vauxhall, London, They talk to us about the good, the bad and the ugly As a theatre company, what are the top three things you look for in an actor when they walk into an audition? i) Alertness (someone who doesn’t turn up with a hangover) Do you only employ people who have experience? Not at all, we look for people who have that something special about them – whether they have formal training or not. Do you employ people more than once or do you find it encouraging to work with new people? Both. We always ask actors who have worked with us to audition again, because that is how we have always worked, but fresh blood is the life line of the company, you run the risk of going stale if you get too comfortable. How bigger role does an actors headshot play in the casting process? A bad headshot can have a detrimental effect as it shows little attention to their career, but a good headshot is just a headshot. Would you choose not to see someone based on a bad headshot? Not necessarily, but I would be more wary. They would need to have an interesting CV to convince me they are worth an audition slot. Do you watch showreels from actors that are sent in? I tend not to, unless I’m after a good laugh! Most showreels don’t really add much unless they have an extensive TV background. You can gain much more in the audition room. Do you keep actors headshots on file or do you use them on a show-to-show basis? Yes, we always try to keep the headshots & CV of actors we’ve auditioned on file. However, we always ask for an updated CV/headshot if they audition again. What’s the most memorable audition that anyone has ever done for you? There are two actually – one person who walked out of the room and then didn’t come back for 5 minutes and the other was someone who sang his audition song into the wall! What sort of research do you hope an actor would do before walking through the door? Know about the company’s aims and ethos, understand the directors aims for the show, have some thoughts about the part you would like & aim your audition towards it. What’s your best piece of advice you can offer to a jobbing actor? Spell check all e-mails & always read all information you can before you write off, and don’t ask questions that have already been answered!!!! To find out more about Lost, their new venue and any upcoming shows and castings, visit LOST THEATRE.
ii) Awareness of the company/show they are auditioning for (you’d be amazed how many actors have no idea what show they are auditioning for)
iii) Common Sense (someone who has thought about the audition and has some intelligent questions to ask)
This weeks interview is with Joe and Alice from Picturebook Showreels, Giving us the scoop on what will make you shine on your showreel. What exactly do you guys do at Picturebook? We create, edit and host showreels for actors and presenters – Picturebook creates sleek and impressive visual portfolios of the actor’s screen work. With our Picturebook Profile Pages we can host your showreel online on an individual and personalised webpage, complete with links to your CV, headshot and representation/contact details. It’s a easier to show you than to explain! Have a look – www.picturebook-showreels.co.uk/examples Why is it important for actors to have a showreel? Nowadays video showreels are becoming more and more important as a marketing tool. An increasing amount of casting directors, directors and producers will insist on seeing an actor’s showreel before considering getting them in for a meeting. Nearly all US casting directors work like this and have done for years. Within 2 minutes, any prospective employer can get an idea of your physical and emotional range, what better way to advertise yourself! How long should a showreel be? Good question. It’s dependent on a few factors but we generally recommend a showreel to be between 3-6 minutes. What can I do if I don’t have much material for my showreel? It’s never about quantity but quality. As long as you have one good, well lit scene we can create an effective showreel for you. We can create a short montage if necessary of 2-3 expressions, variants of physicality to grab the viewer’s attention and then edit the showreel to be a teaser of your talents. Does it all need to be broadcast TV and film work that I have done? No, not at all. As long as your screen work is well produced (good sound, picture and lighting quality) and the content is engaging then we can use it to market your talent. If I wanted to record my own material to put in, what are the best kind of scenes to use? We don’t recommend doing this unless you can ensure good lighting, picture and sound quality. A camcorder in your back garden does not market you professionally no matter how good you are. If you are able to film something well then consider finding and producing a contrasting piece of material to your current material ie A different accent, look or character. Your showreel is your opportunity to show your range as an actor. Is it best to show a whole range of emotions and characters, or keep it focused? It is useful to keep your strengths in mind when choosing scenes, you do want to present yourself in a somewhat commercial light – you will know from your headshot choices what you need to portray yourself as in order to get an audition, ie quirky, beautiful or intense. Which image sells you best? – Reflect that choice in your showreel scenes, however take the opportunity to show yourself differently after the initial commercial impression if you have the material. Can I have music on my showreel, if so what kind of music is best? A good, well-chosen piece of music can really add to your showreel. Every actor is different and so the music must reflect who you are as an actor. What about copyright on music? Is it all right to use mainstream music? Uniquely we have a pool of recording artists and signed producers who can create music to suit your showreel, so that’s our way round it! Mainstream music has to be cleared, that means you need to have permission to use it to avoid infringing copyright. Royalty Free music is available to use wherever and wherever you like so that’s also a good way round that issue. When I have my showreel, what’s the best way of getting it out for people to see? The Picturebook Profile Pages are a great way to get your showreel out there. A simple link sent via email, posted on websites and embedded in your CV means your showreel and all your information is only a click away. Should I send DVDs to casting directors? We offer a master DVD, along with extra copies of your showreel, all professionally packaged and finished, so you can pop them in the post at will. However we find the easier and more immediate option is to send your Picturebook Profile Page link via email or embedded in your CV. Is it possible to put stills photos and headshots on my showreel? Yes, if the photos are at a high resolution, a headshot at the start or end of showreel is a nice touch. How long does a showreel take to put together? We promise to have your showreel ready for you to view within 3 days of receiving your material. If we can show it to you before that we will. Whoever you choose to edit your showreel make sure you get the opportunity to view it and give notes for any changes you or your agent wants before sign off. It’s your showreel, we feel strongly that you should feel excited by it, – after all it’s your work! I’ve never had a showreel because I’ve thought it’s too expensive, is this true? Showreel companies’ prices vary but generally it is a very affordable way to get yourself an invaluable marketing tool. We at Picturebook are solely with Actors in mind and so offer a very actor friendly price of £120. Picturebook Profile Pages are £30 per annum which includes all headshot and CV updates and changes. Fancy seeing what we do? Visit us at www.picturebook-showreels.co.uk or drop us a line at info@picturebook-showreels.co.uk