Author: Natasha Raymond

  • Tips for Delivering a Natural Read

    Tips for Delivering a Natural Read

    Founder of the VoiceOver Network, Rachael Naylor shares her advice for voice over artists, including how to deliver a natural read. Sounding natural when you deliver your lines is a vital skill for every aspiring voice over artist. Not only does it showcase your abilities as an artist, but it’s also a desirable skill that…

  • The 12 Best Podcasts for Actors

    The 12 Best Podcasts for Actors

    12 of our favourite podcasts for actors to get acting tips, industry news or practical performing advice Listening to podcasts has fast become a popular pastime. They’re engaging, informative, and there are plenty to choose from. It’s estimated that there are now around 5 million podcasts worldwide, with 70 million episodes between them. A good way…

  • What Young Actors Need to Know About Working with Intimacy Coordinators

    What Young Actors Need to Know About Working with Intimacy Coordinators

    How intimacy coordinators look after you during production and what they do to ensure your wellbeing during intimate scenes. The role of an intimacy coordinator is still relatively new to the industry – only beginning to increase in popularity in 2017. But intimacy coordinators aren’t for show: they’re an important ally for performers to have…

  • Acting Showreel Tips from Casting Directors

    Acting Showreel Tips from Casting Directors

    The casting directors of ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Captain America’ reveal common mistakes that actors make in showreels, and what you should include in yours. If done well, a showreel is your key to getting more acting work. It’s the trailer that showcases you – and your talent – and can help make…

  • 14 Tips for Finding Freedom within Self-Tapes

    14 Tips for Finding Freedom within Self-Tapes

    Leading acting and voice coach, Mel Churcher, guides us through the process of self-taping, and finding the freedom to act more naturally within it As well as running workshops and coaching a wide range of professionals for the past 30 years, Mel Churcher has also worked as an actor and broadcaster. Her session at Spotlight’s Open House drew…

  • Bonnie and Betty’s Tips for Parents of Young Performers

    Bonnie and Betty’s Tips for Parents of Young Performers

    Children’s agent Bonnie & Betty share their advice for young actors and their parents/guardians about how to make the most of your Spotlight profile and improve your casting chances. Bonnie & Betty is an agency that represents babies, children and teens for various photographic, commercial, TV, film and stage work. We spoke to founder Bonnie Lia…

  • The Essential Dos and Don’ts for Voice Work

    The Essential Dos and Don’ts for Voice Work

    Voice experts share their top tips for caring for your voice and unlocking its true potential for voice over work. Voice overs are an exciting and potentially lucrative opportunity for actors. However, thanks to the surplus of A-list celebrities being cast in voice roles for their ‘star power’, there’s an untrue expectation that voice work…

  • Tips on How to Choose Your Monologue

    Tips on How to Choose Your Monologue

    Stage director Natalie Abrahami and Spotlight Prize performers share their top tips for choosing a great monologue that’s right for you. Whether you’re choosing a monologue for a showcase, an audition, or even our very own ‘Into the Spotlight’ monologue competition, the search for a piece that perfectly shows off your acting skills can be daunting. There…

  • Tips for Planning Your Edinburgh Fringe Show

    Tips for Planning Your Edinburgh Fringe Show

    What to keep in mind when you’re planning to bring a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Taking a show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe isn’t something to be done on a whim. It takes months of preparation and planning to make sure everything runs smoothly, and even then, there’s plenty that can be forgotten or overlooked.…

  • Top Tips on How to Write Your Own Show

    Top Tips on How to Write Your Own Show

    Mark Thomas, Simon Longman, Vinay Patel, Luke Barnes and Georgia Christou share their top tips for writing your own work When opportunities don’t come your way, you need to go out and create your own. For actors, this can mean writing your own show to perform in. As screenwriter and playwright, Vinay Patel (Murdered by…