Category: News & Advice
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How to Approach a Small Theatre Company
Want to make theatre with a local company? Here’s how to get started. Whether you’re looking for that vital last credit for your Spotlight membership application or just love theatre (and don’t quite know how to get the Old Vic’s attention!), approaching small theatre companies can be a great way to gain a foot in…
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Everything You Need to Know About Rep Theatre
The ins and outs of performing rep theatre! What do Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ian McKellen, Imelda Staunton, and Vanessa Redgrave have in common – other than being some of the best names in the biz? They all began as actors in repertory theatre. For those privileged to have experienced thorough drama-school training, the challenges…
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Your Top 5 Questions Answered
We’re always looking out for ways to help new members settle in at Spotlight, making our recent Welcome Evening the perfect opportunity to find out what questions our new members have. Here are just a few popular questions we get asked about how to make the most of your Spotlight membership: How do I self-submit?…
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Getting Roles in Europe Just Got a Whole Lot Easier
We’ve partnered with Northern Europe’s largest casting platform, Stagepool, to share opportunities with each other’s members and make it easier to gain opportunities throughout Europe. If you’re an actor, many of Europe’s leading casting directors such as Tusse Lande (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Skyfall) will now be distributing their breakdowns via Spotlight, giving you the opportunity to…
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Scene Study: Why is it Important?
Acting – at least for those who do it professionally – is about much more than just learning the lines in a script and then saying them out loud. You also have to know which way to face and who’s paying your wages at the end of the week! I’m joking of course (well, not…
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How to Stay Proactive When You’re Skint
When I was in my third year of drama school, a casting director advised me above all else to ‘Do three things a day that make you feel like you’re an actor. Especially when you’re not working.’ At the time, I met this comment with side eye and bemusement. Of COURSE I was going to feel…
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BBC Casting Director John Cannon on: The Audition Room
John Cannon has been working in casting since 1989 with the National Theatre, having headed up the casting department at the RSC, cast several independent films and television, he now works at the BBC. He spoke to actress and blogger Domenique Fragale, to talk about his past work, life experience, and casting today. What made you want to go…
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An Actor’s Guide to Surviving January
Jesus, I’m craving another Lindor. And a job. Happy New Year, actors! I had this image in my mind that I’d wake up on the first day of the new year and start as I meant to go on; go for a run, sip green tea and write a goals list for the year ahead.…
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5 Ways To A Better Relationship With Your Agent
There’s a load of advice out there about how to get an agent, but very little about what to do once you have one. How do you build an effective working relationship with your agent? How often should you email? Should you let them know when you hear about work? And what if things aren’t going well?…
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How to Survive Pilot Season
It’s a well known fact that Los Angeles is the mecca for television, and the birthplace of the majority of our favourite series, but the actors on those shows all have something in common; most of their careers skyrocketed because of pilot season. Living in Los Angeles as an actor you quickly become accustomed to the…