ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

11 years, 6 months ago - Marlom Tander

Make sure you are doing good work. I recently saw two peices with the same (unknown) actress. One was an utter mess. The other, she controlled the screen.

I think that the difference was that one was strongly directed by a professional who knew when he had got what he needed, and how to get it, but the other looked like the work of an earnest student who had probably never pointed a camera at an actress before, and didn't know how to direct. And was probably more focussed on trying to work out how to ask her out :-)

If you need to work with someone like that, (because they are free/cheap and need showreels as much as you do), YOU need to make yourself the de facto Director and then be your most severe critic.

Good Luck.

11 years, 6 months ago - SP User

Hi Louise, I feel that it's about how people perceive you. If you wish to change this, then perhaps you might try presenting your credits accordingly, removing certain credits (or reducing the number) from your Cv when you apply for specific screen projects and placing them lower down the page. A short (no more than 2 mins max) broadcast-quality showreel will also help - but NO reel is better than a bad one. Ensure that your reel reflects your 'type' - and if you don't know find out. That brings us back to perception again. I hope this helps

11 years, 6 months ago - Daniel Cormack

Speaking personally, I wouldn't automatically pass over someone who had trained in musical theatre. I would probably want to investigate how committed the actor was to film in the hope that they weren't see it as a poor second to their main passion. If they had little or no experience in film, I would also want to find some way to reassure myself that they would be able to adapt to the different methodologies of film compared to acting in musical theatre.

I love musical theatre, but I do sometimes think that the acting can sometimes be quite "big" if you catch my drift and I would perhaps explore a more nuanced approach in an audition.

Obviously, a showreel (or a good one at least) would be a quick way of allaying some of these potential doubts.

Good luck.

11 years, 6 months ago - STEVEN CARNE

Fraid so. Trick is to understand all your varied skills and make different CV's, photos and website copy to match them. I'm an old git these days and have learnt by many mistakes. Casting Directors do not have the time and budgets these days to explore an actor's world so your photo and CV has to be the limited item they want.

You'll also find AGENTS very limited in their view. If they see West End fodder - long contracts which gives them a bit of dosh - they wont push you for anything else in TV etc.

Decide what you want and go for it. And - such a cliche - but be who you are and not be afraid of people rejecting you. That's their problem. Good luck!

11 years, 6 months ago - Napoleon Ryan

Agreed.

If you haven't got great useable footage yet from the other projects and you feel comfortable with this, produce your own reel.

Write or hire someone to write and create a reel for you that focuses on you're casting type and the qualities that you uniquely bring to the screen.

With a great showreel no one can deny that you are a screen actor wherever you trained (even if you didn't), especially if they can see you performing brilliantly in excellent, broadcast-standard footage.

Also, network and start building an army of crew contacts in the film world.

NAPOLEON

11 years, 6 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

I doubt you're being rejected for musical theatre, more that you're finding it hard to get a job in the most oversubscribed sector (Female, white, 20-something). I posted a job ad for a character fitting that broad spec, and had to close the listing early as I had literally hundreds of applications within 3 days.

Maybe make sure your showreel has some good, 'small' performances on it?

11 years, 6 months ago - Matt Jamie

I'd agree with Dan that I think for film people don't tend to look at your training as a point of reference. When I've cast films I always go by the showreel before I even look at any credits and I don't think I've ever looked at which school they went to. I'd recommend even paying spotlight to shoot a "spotlight intro" which is basically an 'ident' (name, a bit about you, what you look like) as this shows what you look like in motion on camera even though it's not acting. (Only about £50 I think). If I'm casting a lead in a film it's very unlikely I'd meet someone with no reel, where I would meet someone with a good reel but no credits/training.

11 years, 6 months ago - Deva Palmier

I'm a writer director who makes films and for me it's about your reel. If you have an amazing showreel that demonstrates your vulnerability as an actor and on top of that you can sing and you're great at comedy, I'll really want to meet you. For me, the more skills you have the better. Good Luck!!

11 years, 6 months ago - Dan Selakovich

In the commercial world, casting directors pigeon hole EVERYONE. Features, it's a bit less. If you've done a few shorts, why don't you have a reel? Do a reel. Even if you have to film something yourself, do a reel. Do as many shorts as you possibly can. I can honestly say, that I have never looked at the education of an actor. I don't care. Can they be natural and believable is all I look for. And for that, you need a reel, because I hate cattle calls.