An Actor’s Guide to Getting Work

✍ Scribed by Simon Dunmore

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2012
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 257
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

‘Essential reading for any young actor’ Dame Maggie Smith Competition for acting work is fierce and talent is not necessarily enough. Actors need all the help they can get with all aspects of the profession. Now in its fifth edition, completely revised and updated, this practical, comprehensive guide contains invaluable information and advice to enable actors to succeed in the business. Written with honesty, humour and thoroughness, An Actor’s Guide to Getting Work draws on the author’s rich experience in the field to offer advice to both the novice and the seasoned performer. New material in this fifth edition includes what drama schools are looking for, approaching Shakespeare for audition, professional email etiquette, using the internet as a self-marketing tool, and many more useful checklists and updated insights into the profession.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1: If you really want to be a professional actor
Those of school age
School-leavers
The mature entrant to the profession
Preliminary training
Full-time training
Choices
Some fundamental considerations
Early preparations
A drama school applicant’s toolkit
‘What are audition panels looking for?’
2: Applying for training – the details
The paperwork
Audition speeches
Rehearsing your speeches
Some practical considerations
Performing your speeches
Audition songs
Selecting and preparing your songs
Performing your songs
Dance auditions
Movement, improvisations and self-devised audition pieces
Sight-readings in drama school auditions
Interviews
Audition days
After your auditions
If you get a place
Reserve/waiting lists
Funding your training
If you don’t get a place
Summary
3: The training
Being at drama school
Your first public appearances
Your first professional steps . . .
Early work (and the lack of it)
An actor’s toolkit
Slog
4: Equity and Spotlight
Equity
Spotlight
5: Directors, producers, agents and casting directors
Who’s who in casting
Directors
Producers
Casting directors
The mechanics of casting
Other issues
Agents
Finding an agent
Working with an agent
Co-operative agencies
Final thought
6: Your promotional material
Letters, CVs and photographs
Some pitfalls to watch out for in your letters
Writing good letters
Some pitfalls to watch out for in your CV
Creating a good CV
Some pitfalls to watch out for in your photographs
Getting good photographs
Other things to think about before sealing the envelope/pressing the send button
Targeting your submissions
The following correspondence or lack of it
Other promotional material
Business cards and postcards
Showreels
Voicereels
Recording your voicereel
Personal websites
Additional internet promotional opportunities
Final note
7: The casting point: inter viewing and auditioning
Interviews
Preparations for an interview
Some things to consider on the day
Pre-interview checklist
A few final notes . . .
Sight-readings
In advance
Textual details
On the day
In the room
Additional considerations for television, commercials and films
Television interviews
Commercial castings
Films
Digital acting opportunities
8: Low-pay/no-pay ‘work’
Fringe theatre
Setting up your own production
Setting up your own company
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Showcases
Low budget films
Summary
9: Other forms of acting income
Role-playing
Presenting at trade shows and business conferences
Enhancing the business-person’s presentation and communication skills
Getting work in these fields
Role-play companies
10: Professionalism: the business of being an actor
Organisation of interviews/auditions/castings
Casting information
You!
Professional public relations
Public relations while working
Essential professionalism
Some additional thoughts
Two theories
Some other thoughts
Bibliography
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y