Blog - Posts tagged ‘director’
Shot the new publicity photos for Pianist Clive Dunstall last week. Clive is a very talented pianist who has just finished MD’ing Hairspray in the westend and is generally, a very busy man! If you want to know more about Clive, or generally need a Pianist, M.D., Arranger or Composer, check out http://www.clivedunstall.com/
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)
If you are an Actor, Singer, Dancer or Performer of any type in the arts, the start of a new year is the perfect chance to give yourself a kick-start and get yourself out there and be seen, but what are the best ways to do so?
Following up from my post last month on branding, I have listed below my top 10 tips for 2010 to give yourself the branding you need to make it a perfect year and get the jobs you need.
1 Photos – Of coarse this was going to be number 1 as it is what I deal with daily. Never under-estimate what a positive effect new photos can have for you, not only from a ‘fresh-start’ psychological point of view, but also giving people a fresh look at you. Your agent will be encouraged that they can re-market you and send your new photos out for break-downs that possibly the old ones weren’t right for.
2 Showreel – There is no excuse for actors to not have a showreel of some kind these days, the biggest problem is having enough quality material. Student films and short films are a great way to boost your content, although be aware that they can sometimes be disorganised productions and end up causing you more hassle than they are worth. Follow your gut instinct, and choose the ones that appeal to you and have a drive behind them. Shooting People – The independent filmakers network and similar sites are a good resource for casting breakdowns.
There are companies out thre that can edit your existing material together for a very reasonable price, there are also companies that will record scenes for you and edit them together, although pick carefully, as they can easily look cheap and can be pricey and not always the best choice. You can also upload any videos you have to sites like youtube and vimeo, which is great for people to be able to search for your work. For more tips on showreels, read my recent interview with picturebook showreel company HERE.
3 Website - A great way to have all your details in one place and be able to show people who you are. Website companies like Wix.com and Clikpic.com are cheap and easy to manage the galleries and C.V., add new pages and tailor a website to your needs. Its not as daunting and scary as you may think, nor does it have to be expensive. Check out my article on BRANDING YOURSELF to read more about websites and promotional material.
4 Write Letters – Grab yourself a copy of Contacts, or The Actors handbook which are great resources for knowing who’-who in the industry. Write to Casting directors of productions you admire, try and keep them personal instead of blanketing hundreds, you are more likely to get a response that way, and don’t be afraid to follow up with a phone call, it puts you in direct contact and you have a point of reference to discuss.
5 New Agent – If you are in a loveless relationship with your agent maybe it is time to move to pastures green. It can be a daunting thing in such a flooded industry, but with careful research into what agencies specialise in, you can find one to suit you, again, always try and personalise your applications too, find a name that you can write to, and even phone before writing to see if they are considering new clients, again, the Contacts Book, produced by Spotlight is an invaluable resource for listings of all agents. Read my interview with Agency Scott-Niven Associates to get an idea of what agents look for in new applicants HERE.
6 Networking - In an industry where a majority of work is generated by who you know, it is important to keep networking. Go to friends shows and film showings, introduce yourself to directors and producers, If you are a member of casting websites, they often advertise social meet-ups, don’t dismiss them, if nothing else, it is a good opportunity to meet other people in your position and discuss whats happening at the moment in the Industry. Write to old contacts and directors that you have worked with in the past, and above all, stay positive, it is a small world so try not to bad-mouth as you can nearly always guarantee it will backfire on you!
7 Watch New Theatre – Get along to the Royal Court, The Bush or any of the other great new writing venues to see whats about. A great way to get enthused about what you want to be doing and its always good to be able to talk about recent work and writers with new contacts.
8 Go Shopping – You should take the opportunity of the January sales to get some new clothes that are going to show you at your best, a couple of nice shirts or a dress that you can save for auditions and that are going to make you feel 100%. If you don’t feel positive when you walk through the door, you will not be able to make a good impression. Now is also a great time to get things like movement clothes, dance shoes, and books or plays that you may need. Keep reading… it will really help your confidence in the audition and rehearsal room when you can reference literature that relates to what you are doing.
9 Analyse yourself - Sit down and have a think about who you are and where you need to be heading in 2010. Ask yourself: What is my casting? What are my strong points as a performer? What are my weak-points? Where do I want to be this time next year? How can i achieve that? – You need to be honest with yourself and lay down a plan of action for the year.
10 Join Online Websites – Casting sites like Casting Call Pro and Castnet are two sites which are very popular when it comes to online casting breakdowns, but it is also worth considering sites and publications like PCR and The Stage are perfect for keeping on top of the industry and what is happening.
Dont let the industry get you down, it is one of the hardest in the world to work in, but you need to take every knock-back with a pinch of salt and look to friends and family for the much needed support you need to stay positive.
If you have any comments or ideas of how to promote yourself in 2010, please share in the comment box below, and Happy New Year!
One of the most common questions I get asked during a photo session is what makes a good headshot? It’s a fair question too, think how much you judge people on first impressions, your headshot is the first meeting, within a nano-second the casting director, agent or general employer will have made a judgement on you that most of he time will result in you getting a phonecall or being placed in the bin.
A friend of mine used to assist a very well known TV casting director, and her sole job each morning was to open the pile of 30-40 A4 sized envelopes and bin the contents (alas, the 10×8 sized headshot print has been wiped out nearly entirely by digital copies, but I imagine the email inbox gets the same treatment. ) she would occassionally be given briefs of certain looks to keep an eye out for, and that is when the headshot that stood out caught her eye.
This is not to say that every casting director does that, you have to remember that they are busy people who seek to find the right actor rather than have it thrust upon them, but that’s not to say the right photo can’t convince them to call you in for a meeting because they are intrigued.
Your headshot has to be real. The real you, but this doesn’t mean it can’t have a bit of character, one common misunderstanding is that you must have neutral actor photos, why? At what point in your life do you walk around in a neutral actor way?
You go through a whole range of emotions from minute to minute each day, happy to sad, angry to calm, energetic to lethargic… Those are just some of the extremes, I could go on, but the point is that humans are capable of so many different emotions, why should you not show some in your casting shot?
I’m not talking about tears and big grins, 97.56% of a headshot is all about the eyes, conveying a range of emotions through your eyes is not an easy thing to do, it takes focus, concentration and forethought, but it’s also about being relaxed with your photographer.
But where can i find a good photographer? You need to find a photographer that you are happy with, that you can relate to in some way and build a relationship with, you wouldn’t expect to do a performance opposite another actor who you don’t know and are unsure of, feel free to ask questions and take advice from friends and colleagues.
I personally don’t even click the shutter on my camera till I have built up a rapport with my client over a cup of tea, for me, being a photographer is not about churning through clients, it’s about taking time to relate to each person and capture a photo that will deliver for them.
