Tag: finances/legal
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Regular Spending with an Irregular Income
How to plan your spending as an actor to ensure you’re saving enough when your income is high and surviving when work is slow. One of the biggest obstacles to self-employed actors getting a grip on their finances is a failure to budget properly for their irregular income. It’s easy to spend freely when earning…
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A Guide to Pensions for Self-Employed Actors
How to set up a pension as an actor and how much you should aim to save for your retirement. When you’re starting your acting career, retirement is probably at the back of your mind. Finding an agent, preparing for auditions and keeping your Spotlight up-to-date seem more urgent. Typically, actors are driven by a…
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What Performers Should Know About Copyright
Find out how copyright applies to the television and film productions you have been a part of in the UK and how to seek permission before including excerpts in your acting showreel. Copyright is a complex legal subject that can be hard to navigate when starting out as an actor. It’s not always clear when…
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How to Become a Freelance Drama, Dance or Singing Teacher
Looking for a side job? Start teaching drama, dance or singing as a freelancer now with this helpful guide and teaching tips. Many actors, singers, and dancers transform their passion for the performing arts into a rewarding teaching career. Teaching drama, dance, or singing as a freelancer offers a decent hourly wage, the opportunity to…
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How to Find Funding for Your Short Film
Explore the best ways to get funding for your short film project in the UK and find out what costs to budget for when turning your vision into reality. Creating your own short film can be a long, perilous journey full of ups and downs – the type that can sometimes tempt you into believing…
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How to Set Yourself Up as a Freelancer
When actors need to register as sole traders, how they calculate tax and how taking on additional work affects this. As a self-employed actor, whether you have an agent or not, you’re a freelancer. In most cases, for the purposes of HMRC, your legal status is ‘sole trader’. These terms might appear daunting at first,…
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What You Need to Know About Acting on a Cruise Ship
Everything you need to be aware of before you set sail as a cruise ship performer, including contract details, how you’ll be taxed and life on board. Cruise performer jobs are a great way to see the world, meet new people and do what you love – all while getting paid. However, it’s a unique…
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Making the Most of Your Spotlight Discounts
How Spotlight members can use Spotlight Discounts to save money on everyday things. Life is expensive, right? That’s why, as a Spotlight member, I always try to use Spotlight Discounts as regularly as possible to save myself money on lifestyle necessities and luxurious treats. If I need to book insurance, go out somewhere fun for…
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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…
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Tax Tips for the Self-Employed Actor
How performers can register as self-employed and what is tax deductible as an actor. Being a performer requires a lot of work – you have to learn lines, film self-tapes and go to auditions – all while juggling the rest of your life. Self-employed actors in the UK also manage their financial aspects and are…