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Spotlight news

How to choose your professional name for Spotlight and Equity

One of the most important decisions you take in your performing career is what your professional name will be. Most performers keep their own name, but you need to ensure this is unique and isn’t easily confused with other performers. This is an issue both Spotlight and performers’ union Equity get plenty of questions about from new members. We asked Equity’s Head of Membership Matt Hood for his advice on picking your performing name. For performers choosing a unique, professional name is key to establishing yourself in a highly competitive industry. Whether by word of mouth,...

posted on 7th February 2012 Read full article >>

Spotlight’s Scandinavian travels: Norway’s Bardar Academy

Spotlight isn’t just confined to the British Isles. As well as our global collaboration with other International Alliance of Casting Directories (IACD) members, we also spend time building contacts in Europe to benefit our members and subscribers. Last week, Spotlight’s PR Manager Emma Dyson (pictured left, outside Oslo’s National Theatre) headed to Norway to speak to students at the Bardar Academy and discover a little more about the Scandinavian acting industry. Now she’s thawed out, here’s her report: So to Oslo Spotlight goes! This is the furthest I’ve travelled for Spotlight talk yet and – given...

posted on 1st February 2012 Read full article >>

Spotlight’s weekly news roundup: 27 January 2012

Welcome to Spotlight’s weekly news roundup, where we highlight the news and blogs we’ve enjoyed and want to share with our members and others within the industry, so grab sit back and catch up on the stories you need to know. Awards season steps up a gear It’s been another big week in 2012’s awards season, with more nominations and ceremonies. All eyes were on the Oscars earlier this week, which released its nominations ahead of the big event on February 26. Hugo and The Artist led the pack in terms of nominations and there were several nods for Spotlight members with...

posted on 27th January 2012 Read full article >>

Spotlight’s weekly news roundup: 20 January

Welcome to Spotlight’s weekly news roundup, where we highlight the news and blogs we’ve enjoyed and want to share with our members and others within the industry, so grab sit back and catch up on the stories you need to know. Keep on campaigning Businesses in the West End were celebrating a memorable victory this week as Westminster Council announced they were scrapping proposed evening parking charges. Theatres, performers, Equity and others had campaigned against the proposals, which they claimed would have cost the area’s economy millions, and forced many businesses and performers out of work. Henry Goodman and...

posted on 20th January 2012 Read full article >>

Spotlight Mondays: Your time to book a free career consultation

Each week, Spotlight offers a free one-on-one 20 minute career advice session with Emma Dyson, our PR manager and careers expert. Emma trained at the Guildford School of Acting and spent six years as an agent, so can offer advice about all aspects of the industry. Spotlight Mondays are one of the most popular services we provide to our members and spaces fill up quickly. The next available sessions for March are now open for booking. Actors can – and often do – ask Emma anything about their career, so we thought we’d get her to...

posted on 20th January 2012 Read full article >>

Spotlight’s weekly news roundup: 13 January

Welcome to Spotlight’s weekly news roundup, where we highlight the news and blogs we’ve enjoyed and want to share with our members and others within the industry, so grab sit back and catch up on the stories you need to know. Marvellous musicals BBC Four’s The Story Of Musicals has been attracting a lot of praise and interest from many in the arts world, and is well worth a watch. London Theatre Tickets has a detailed review of the series, looking at how the history of the genre has developed over time. The series is available to watch on BBC iPlayer until...

posted on 13th January 2012 Read full article >>

Money saving deals for Spotlight members

When you join Spotlight, you don’t just get access to some of the best jobs and career advice in the industry, your membership gives you money off a range of products and services – from theatre tickets to hairdressers, acting courses to personal trainers, there’s so many ways to save money with your Spotlight membership card. These deals we’ve negotiated on your behalf are a little added extra that we like to give our members, and new offers are added all the time. Most of the time you’ll just need your Spotlight card, but make sure you check...

posted on 12th January 2012 Read full article >>

Happy New Year from Spotlight and our plans for 2012

From everybody at Spotlight we’d like to say a big Happy New Year and welcome back to all our members, subscribers and friends, as we look forward to an exciting acting-packed 2012. We have lots planned for the next 12 months and, to inspire you as you start 2012, we thought we’d let you know of a few notable events and other areas where we’ll be out and about helping our members boost their careers. Also, as it’s January, keep your eyes peeled on Spotlight’s news site for a series of pieces aimed at helping you to freshen...

posted on 3rd January 2012 Read full article >>

Spotlight’s weekly news roundup: 20 December

Welcome to Spotlight’s weekly news roundup, where we highlight the news and blogs we’ve enjoyed and want to share with our members and others within the industry. This is our last one before Christmas (and a special one after taking a power-cut enforced break last week), so grab yourself a mince pie and mulled wine and catch up on the stories you need to know about before the festive season. Creative Christmas There’s plenty of great performances on stage and screen this Christmas, and if it’s dance you fancy, then head to The Arts Desk, who...

posted on 22nd December 2011 Read full article >>

Spotlight's highlights of 2011

As 2011 comes to a close, we at Spotlight thought we’d look back on our highlights from the past 12 months. There have been so many fantastic performances across stage and screen - theatre, film, dance and television - that’s had us raving to fellow Spotlight co-workers in the office the next day. Of course, the tastes of all Spotlight staff vary, although if there was one play and performance that got everybody talking and featured at the top of our end of year list, it was Mark Rylance’s performance in Jerusalem. Ben, Spotlight’s managing partner, described it...

posted on 20th December 2011 Read full article >>