Graduates given career advice from leading casting director

Sam Jones CDG met final year drama students last night as part of the Spotlight Graduate Programme 2010. 

Jones, who is currently casting for National Theatre Wales, drew on her vast experience of theatre casting (with the RSC, Almeida and Shared Experience) to answer questions on a variety of topics including:

• selecting showcase pieces;
• networking in the industry; and
• the importance of showreels.

At the next Spotlight Graduate Programme event, on 8 February, casting director Pippa Ailion will share tips and advice on a career in musical theatre.

Graduate Programme events are open to students graduating from CDS drama schools in their final year. Places are free, but will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. For more information and to book a place visit www.spotlight.com/graduates

posted on 26th January 2010

Spotlight at the BBC

The BBC has renewed its unique subscription to Spotlight, which gives every BBC employee instant desktop access to our database of more than 35,000 actors, dancers, presenters and child performers. 

Production teams across the BBC search the Spotlight database to cast shows including Eastenders, Holby City, Doctor Who and Casualty, to name but a few. At a click of a button, they can view Spotlight members’ photos, credits, contact details, showreels and voice clips.

BBC teams also regularly use The Spotlight Link to advertise their casting requirements to agents and, in some cases, directly to Spotlight members. In 2009, BBC employees sent 490 casting advertisements for over 1,500 roles and viewed 238,838 member CVs in response, making Spotlight a vital part of the BBC casting process.

Ben Seale, Managing Partner of Spotlight, comments: 'We are delighted that the BBC has chosen to continue its successful partnership with Spotlight. Every year, a fantastic variety of TV and radio work is generated for Spotlight performers through BBC productions spanning drama, documentary, comedy, news and entertainment. We look forward to working together again during 2010.'

posted on 26th January 2010

Spotlight members nominated for Baftas

Eight Spotlight members are on the shortlists for this year’s Baftas, which were released today. The nominations also include five films that were cast via Spotlight.

The awards’ leading actor shortlist includes Colin Firth (for A Single Man) and Andy Serkis (for Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll). Carey Mulligan is nominated in the leading actress category for her role in An Education.

Christian McKay (Me and Orson Welles), Alfred Molina (An Education) and Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) are on the supporting actor shortlist, while Anne-Marie Duff and Kristin Scott Thomas are both in the running for supporting actress for their roles in Nowhere Boy.

In the outstanding British film category, In The Loop, Moon and Nowhere Boy were cast via Spotlight.

Eran Creevy, the writer/director of Shifty, and Stuart Hazeldine, writer/director of Exam, are nominated in the category of outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer – both films were cast via Spotlight.

The Bafta awards ceremony will be held at the Royal Opera House in London on Sunday 21 February.

A full list of nominations is available from Bafta’s website.

posted on 21st January 2010

Top agent offers career advice to drama students

The second of this year’s Spotlight Graduate Programme seminars was held last night.

Agent Michelle Braidman of Michelle Braidman Associates, answered questions on a wide variety of subjects including approaching agents, representing international performers and the do’s and don’t’s of actor photographs.  

One of the graduates at the event commented: “I personally found it incredibly useful and gained a lot of information from it.

“The speaker, Michelle, was amazing. I felt she genuinely wanted to be there to help us and provided a very realistic impression of the industry.

“I learned so much about how an agent works and how to approach them, etc, which was invaluable.”

The Spotlight Graduate Programme is a series of free events aimed at educating and advising graduating drama students about the industry and working as an actor.

The guest expert at next Monday’s seminar will be casting director Sam Jones CDG, who will advise and answer questions on theatre casting and auditions.

Graduate Programme events are open to students graduating from CDS drama schools in their final year. To find out more about upcoming dates and to book a place, visit www.spotlight.com/graduates

posted on 19th January 2010

Introducing Spotlight’s Actor on Tape service

With the US pilot season under way, Spotlight’s Actor on Tape service offers a quick, easy and cost-effective way to get a performer’s audition to US producers.

If you have an American casting confirmed and a script ready then simply book your Actor on Tape session to record your audition. We can upload DVD-quality clips and send links to your casting director in minutes.

One of the great benefits of Actor on Tape is that it allows an actor to pursue UK opportunities and compete for American roles at the same time.

Make sure you're ahead of the game and book your Actor on Tape session.

Sessions cost £60 per hour, including VAT; or £40 per 30 minutes, including VAT. Prices include free upload to casting website and free DVD copy upon request.

To book your session contact Thom Hammond on 0207 440 5044 or Frances Mordue on 0207 440 5061.

posted on 15th January 2010

Spotlight members nominated for Rising Star BAFTA

Two Spotlight members have been shortlisted for this year’s Orange Rising Star BAFTA Award.

Nicholas Hoult and Carey Mulligan are among five nominees for the award, whose winner is decided by public vote.

Best known for his roles in the 2002 film About A Boy and in E4’s Skins, Hoult stars in Tom Ford’s directorial debut film, A Single Man, which is due for release in the UK next month.

Mulligan won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award nomination for her role in An Education and will star opposite Susan Sarandon and Pierce Brosnan in The Greatest.

The Rising Star Award winner will be announced at the BAFTA awards ceremony on 21 February.

• Watch Nicholas Hoult tell BBC Breakfast how he landed his role in A Single Man … with a little help from Spotlight!

posted on 14th January 2010

Presenters 2010: New directory out now

The latest edition of Spotlight Presenters is now available to order. Featuring around 650 famous faces, Presenters 2010 is the definitive reference tool for sourcing dynamic and professional radio and television presenters across areas including news, entertainment, comedy, celebrity, documentaries and sport.

So whether you’re looking for Frank Skinner or Fiona Phillips, Paul Daniels or Sarah Beeny, Natasha Kaplinsky or Nick Ross, Spotlight Presenters 2010 gives you a full page colour photo of every presenter, plus their latest agent contact details and their credits.

Spotlight Presenters now features 'emerging talent' presenters in their own section at the back of the directory and showcases new, up-and-coming names on the presenting scene.

To browse a preview of the book or to order a copy, visit the Spotlight Shop.

posted on 11th January 2010

Spotlight hosts free career advice events for graduates

Spotlight is hosting a series of free events aimed at helping drama school students to kick-start their professional career.

The Spotlight Graduate Programme offers students a chance to meet and put questions to leading casting professionals and agents. Panels of industry experts will offer advice on issues such as:

• networking and promotion
• how to approach agents and casting directors
• audition technique
• building a CV and photo portfolio

The programme of seminars and workshops runs until June and aims to support all students graduating from CDS drama schools in their final year.

This month’s events, which will be held at Spotlight’s casting studios in London, are:

Mon 11 January: Guide to Commercial Castings – Speaker Thom Hammond
Mon 18 January: Meet the Agent – Michelle Braidman
Mon 25 January: Meet the Casting Director (Theatre) – Sam Jones

During their final two terms, graduates will be making the transition between training as an actor and working as an actor. When they leave school in the summer they will be faced with the realities of working as a professional actor: auditions, being self-employed, getting an agent, etc.

One of Spotlight’s most important jobs is to support and nurture these students as they make this transition.

Places at these events and workshops are free but will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. For more information or to book at place, visit http://www.spotlight.com/graduates

posted on 11th January 2010