Category: News & Advice
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How to Handle Criticism
Eight steps for handling feedback, whether it’s constructive or misguided As actors, feedback is a necessary part of our craft. We can’t see our performance from the outside, so we rely on teachers and directors to guide us. However, criticism is sometimes less than constructive. It can be ill-intentioned, clumsily put, misguided or plain unhelpful.…
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Performing on Stage in Germany
Work permits, contracts and travel advice for performers preparing to work on stage in Hamburg, Germany. As a British stage and screen actor, my work has taken me to many exciting places around the world. Earlier this year I was given the opportunity to travel to Germany for the first time to perform as the…
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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…
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Casting Director Nina Gold on ‘Slow Horses’ and Auditions
Nina Gold talks about casting Gary Oldman in ‘Slow Horses’, wanting actors to do well in auditions and being right for a part British casting director Nina Gold could not be busier, having cast several shows currently streaming, including Apple TV+’s Slow Horses and Bad Sisters, Disney’s Andor, HBO’s Rain Dogs and Amazon Prime’s The Power. With two BAFTAs wins, and five…
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Confidence in Auditions
Top tips to help actors approach auditions and self-tapes with confidence. I’ve done a lot of auditions. I’ve been acting professionally for 30 years, performed on stage and screen in the UK, Ireland and Australia, and ran a theatre company in Melbourne for six years. I’ve worked across multiple genres: drama, comedy, musical theatre, Shakespeare, sitcom,…
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Tips for Editing a Young Performer’s Spotlight Profile
Our top tips for getting the most out of your child’s profile and improving their casting chances. Leading casting professionals use Spotlight to cast their productions, whether a TV drama, feature film, or West End show. Through Spotlight, a young performer can be found for castings in two ways: Their agent can put them forward…
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What You Need to Know About Making a Short Film
Tips for producing and funding a short film, and how to apply to short film festivals. Creating your own work is an important part of finding your way in the industry today. With the UK film and television industry now one of the fastest growing industries in the UK, and recent statistics showing that high-end TV…
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How to Edit your Self-Tapes and Showreels
Learn how to edit and export your self-tapes and showreels with our handy step-by-step guide. With the rise in popularity of self-tapes and showreels, it’s more important than ever to know how to edit a video. Video editing can sound complicated, and you may think it would be expensive to get the right software, but this doesn’t have…
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6 Reasons Why Actors Should Give Commercial Work a Chance
How commercial work can be beneficial for your acting career, and why you should give it a go I made my prime-time television debut last month, and my notifications feed has been non-stop ever since. It seems that every Facebook friend, distant relative, and old school pal is burning to ask me the same question: “Are you…
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A Parent’s Guide to Mental and Physical Health for Young Performers
A parent and coach gives her guide for parents in supporting their young performers. Please note: If you are in need of mental health advice and support, please seek this out from a qualified professional. This article is aimed specifically at parents of young people in the acting profession. Outlining practical tools to support their…