Category: The Essentials
-
What Aspirations Drive an Actor?
A look at the acting goals and aspirations of our Spotlight Prize 2023 winners and finalists. The aspirations of actors can be as varied as their talents. Some performers dream of stardom and their name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, others want to be the representation they didn’t see on screens as children, or…
-
Inspiration for Becoming an Actor
Previous Spotlight Prize nominees share their motivation for becoming an actor and what first inspired them. Being an actor is one of the most challenging professions to pursue. You have to deal with countless rejections, never knowing when you’ll get your next role and usually work a side job to keep your finances healthy. However,…
-
How Do Casting Directors Find Performers?
How the casting directors of ‘Starlight Express’ and ‘Sister Boniface Mysteries’ use Spotlight to find performers and their other methods. As a performer, you only see one side of the casting process. You or your agent submits you for a role and if you’re right for the part, you’ll send a self-tape or attend an…
-
Financial Guidance for Actors
Advice from industry professionals on agent fees, invoicing and tax for actors. As a performing artist, it’s your responsibility to manage your business. Sharpening your script analysis and attending auditions is one thing, but developing your financial understanding is equally essential for your career. Things like accounting, filling out self-employed tax forms and negotiating agent…
-
Voice Reels for Actors: Top Tips
Advice on how to make your voice reel stand out and why vocal training is necessary. In the world of voice acting, voice reels are your way of catching the attention of casting professionals. Your voice reel is your chance to showcase your range of vocal talents, demonstrate skills like accents and make a memorable…
-
Top Tips for Approaching Your Voice Reel
Advice from ‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ voice over artist Tracy Ifeachor on how to make your voice reel stand out and why vocal training is necessary. In the world of voice acting, voice reels are your way of catching the attention of casting professionals. Your voice reel is your chance to showcase your range of…
-
Rosalind Eleazar’s Advice for Spotlight Prize Nominees
‘Slow Horses’ star Rosalind Eleazar on what makes a good monologue and how to nail your acting showcase. Actress Rosalind Eleazar, best known for her role as ‘Louisa Guy’ in Slow Horses and ‘Agnes’ in The Personal History of David Copperfield, is a previous Spotlight Prize winner who returned to help judge 2023’s Spotlight Prize…
-
An Actors’ Survival Guide to Side Jobs
Potential side jobs for actors that can help you make a living while acting. When you choose to pursue acting as a career, there are many uncertainties in your path ahead. Financial instability is perhaps the biggest concern for many aspiring actors and it’s common for creatives to have a hand in many different fields…
-
5 Tips to Bring Comedy to Your Improv
Five practical tips for being funny and improvising well. As recently shared while teaching ‘Comedy for Actors’ for Spotlight, improv is a really useful tool – whether trying to be funny or get booked. Oddly, to be funny, you don’t actually have to try. Don’t try to be funny, sexy, or clever – because you…
-
10 Films to Watch on International Women’s Day
10 British films from female filmmakers to watch this International Women’s Day. From comedies to real-life dramas and biopics of world-famous musicians, we’ve compiled a list of 10 British films directed by women to mark International Women’s Day 2024: 1. ‘How to Have Sex’ (2023) Nominated for three BAFTA awards this year, Molly Manning Walker’s…