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Spotlight Graduates

Casting director Annelie Powell’s top tips for Spotlight Graduates

CDS students were busy making new contacts and catch up with old ones last Sunday at the first networking event for final year drama students (below) – plus casting director Annelie Powell stopped by to give her top tips for the graduating students. But if you couldn’t make this fabulous afternoon of networking – or you networked a little too hard to remember - with Annelie’s kind permission, here are her top 10 tips for those of our members about to graduate or just starting out as a performer. Make sure you research...

posted on 24th January 2012 Read full article >>

Get networking: Spotlight graduate brings CDS students together

Final year drama students will get a chance to mingle and swap stories this Sunday, with the first ever networking event for CDS graduates - and Spotlight is paying for the first round of drinks for everybody who attends, to help the conversation flow a little quicker. The informal event starts at 2pm at the Soho Theatre and gives Spotlight graduates can mingle, make new contacts and catch up with old ones. The afternoon also includes a talk from casting director Annelie Powell on the importance of networking. The event is the brainchild of ALRA student Linden Walcott-Burton...

posted on 19th January 2012 Read full article >>

Life of a drama school graduate: Preparing for the showcase

Each month we’re following the progress of final year drama student Joe Gaminara from LAMDA, as he prepares to leave drama school behind and head into the world of auditions, castings and agents. This month, Joe prepares for his final year showcase and hopes to keep his Scottish and Irish accents apart as he gets tested on his vocal ability. It’s here: 2012, the year of the Olympics, the European Championships, and, according to the Mayan calendar, the end of the world. Hopefully the world won’t end for us, since, as graduating students this is meant...

posted on 18th January 2012 Read full article >>

Spotlight’s CDET school talks: Preparing performers for the future

It’s getting close to the time where many performing arts students prepare to graduate and enter the world of agents, auditions and casting directors. To help them prepare for a world after graduation, Spotlight’s PR manager Emma Dyson travels around the country, speaking to students about how they can market themselves and offer industry insights they need to know about. Prior to joining Spotlight Emma worked as an agent for six years and trained at the Guildford School of Acting, and has a wide knowledge of the industry. This month, Emma is focusing her talks...

posted on 10th January 2012 Read full article >>

Life of a drama school graduate: Wrestling with radio performances

Each month we’re following the progress of final year drama student Joe Gaminara from LAMDA, as he prepares to leave drama school behind and head into the world of auditions, castings and agents. This month, Joe tackles the world of radio for the first time, which prompts a performance with a mouthful of cereal and memories of a very young and demanding listener. Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat, although hopefully we’re not, as our showcases are just around the corner. Luckily mince pies have been the last things on our minds, as...

posted on 12th December 2011 Read full article >>

Book now for Spotlight Graduate Programme for drama students

Students rehearsing for the Spotlight showcase From January to June each year Spotlight runs a series of free events exclusively for members of Spotlight Graduates, designed to support drama students during their final year of study and really kick-start their professional careers. Panels of industry experts, including leading agents and casting directors, will offer advice on a variety of issues, including: How to network and promote yourself How to approach agents and casting directors Audition technique Getting the most out...

posted on 12th December 2011 Read full article >>

Graduate showcases: What the agent is looking for

The graduate showcase season is warming up, as final year drama students across the country prepare for the performances that could see them take a large step towards a long and successful career as an actor. Key to this are the agents who attend the showcases, keeping an eye out for new young talent, or that performer who has something that little bit extra. From the young performers’ point of view, with the stress of the performance itself, it can sometimes be difficult in knowing exactly what the agents in the auditorium are looking for when they step...

posted on 16th November 2011 Read full article >>

Life of a drama school graduate: Acting on screen

Each month we’re following the progress of final year drama student Joe Gaminara from LAMDA, as he prepares to leave drama school behind and head into the world of auditions, castings and agents. Joe’s final year journey continues this month as he and his fellow students attempt to get to grips with screen acting for the first time and he tries not to kiss the casting director in a TV audition. It’s now half-term here at LAMDA, and finally we have a few sacred days to ourselves to briefly reflect on two months of TV, get...

posted on 31st October 2011 Read full article >>

Just two days left for drama students to join Spotlight Graduates

If you’re a final-year student at a Conference of Drama Schools (CDS) member school and you’re graduating in 2012, then it’s time to join Spotlight Graduates. Students on two-to-three year acting or musical theatre courses need to apply before 15th October 2011 to be included in February’s directory - distributed to key industry professionals nationwide - and to receive a fully searchable, professional CV on Spotlight’s website. Postgraduate students have until 24th November 2011 to apply.   Benefits and services If you’ve already applied for Spotlight Graduate membership, congratulations!  You now qualify...

posted on 13th October 2011 Read full article >>

Spotlight Graduates sparkle in 2011 CDS New York Showcase

For a select group of Spotlight’s graduate members, Monday 3rd October was the day they had the chance to impress some of the United States’ top agents, managers and casting directors in the New York showcase. The students from CDS-member schools, who had to be eligible to work in America to take part, started to rehearse for the showcase back in June and had spent a further four days in New York honing their material with director Doug Hall, ahead of the performances. Spotlight’s Pippa Harrison watched the New York Showcase and spoke to both the performers and...

posted on 4th October 2011 Read full article >>