Acting Profile

Today I have compiled a list of acting websites that I think will help you in finding acting work and advise. Some of the acting websites you can visit and find casting calls and possibly work.

This website seems to have a bit of everything for actor’s in the UK. It has acting calls and information. The Acting Website is a new special directory of contacts for the Film, Theatre TV and Radio industry. This site has plenty of constructive tools and the latest information on thousands of topics ranging through the entertainment industry.

Anvil is one of the leading producers of quality drama and live entertainment in Wales.

http://www.anvilproductions.co.uk/

This website offers websites are specifically tailored to reflect the needs of UK actors.

http://www.actorsites.co.uk/actors’

Actor and actress search engines, portals, and directories.
http://www.searchengineguide.com/pages/Entertainment/Actors_and_Actresses/

A website geared for actors. It has information, reviews and artivcles you can read.

http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/articles/171200.htm

I went to see a dance show at college tonight and it was really good. The first dance took my breath away it used really big movements and each dancer was wearing a beautiful red dress. The dresses flowed with each movement which was very effective.

The following dance was more mime based than dance. It was very funny the way that they did the dance. The dancers were wearing masks and sitting on deck chairs with George Formby playing in the background. It reminded me of the old fashioned movies such as Charlie Chaplin.

There was a good mix between fast dance acts and slower ones. There were all types of music played such as jazz and classical.

The costumes were greatly varied in colour and style. Some of the costumes reminded me of the 70’s kind of style and were similar to those worn in the musical “Fame”. Other costumes combined shades of black with white. Props were made from pa pier mac he and included pieces of art work like a guitar made from pa pier mac he. Colours of reds, oranges, greens and very bright colours were used.

Each dance told a story that started with a black and white theme then worked its way into a combination of bright colours.

There were different styles of dance used which was good because there was a great mixture between ballet, jazz, modern, ballroom and classical.

The last time I went to see a dance show was at my Church and it was a ballet. Although I enjoyed the last dance show I went to this one was very different. This dance show was different because it was faster and included different styles of dance and music. It was very fast paced and energetic compared with the last dance show which was slower.

The cast interacted with one another well and performed ensemble work that was nicely polished. The show was choreographed well and the dancers followed each other and were aware of each other on the stage. Considering that this was a student production I think they all performed well.

We chose a news story about The X Factor, but because that would only leave scope for singers we decided to go with Britain’s Got Talent instead. We still chose the news story for The X Factor, but we played around with the story so it would fit our needs. Stories in the news give you a good story to start with that you can then change around to fit your needs.

We looked at other news stories, but because we had such different types of talent within our group we thought a story based on Britain’s Got Talent would allow everyone to have their chance at performing. With Britain’s Got Talent we would have chance to develop our own individual gift’s further.

We had the various talents within our group; break dancing, poetry, acting, singing and writing. We thought that the story we had chosen would make an interesting script. As long as the story is interesting then you can write a good script that will be of interest to the audience.

Turning the original story into a play was probably the most difficult. Both Tom and I went away and wrote a short script for consideration. When we brought it in the following week we decided to run with my version because Tom’s was too short and aimed for just two people. When my script was chosen I went away and worked on it till I had some good material. Each time I went away wrote the script then went back to college to get feedback. I found that once I received feedback I could go away and work on the script some more. The feedback gave me ideas I could base the script around.

Originally we had six people including; Nicky, Elaine, Christie, Tom, Anthony and Mel. Two of those people dropped out of the group at different stages of the script writing process. That left us with only four people to fit into the script. This meant that we had to change many areas of the script. It was a difficult process and we didn’t have that long considering we were only part time at college and then had to carry on with the rest of our lives. Writing a script is really a full time process and you need to put your heart and soul into it otherwise it won’t turn be a huge success which is what you should always aim towards. Although our college course was only part time I worked on the script every night and originally I wanted to let the script breathe. Unfortunately there was no time to allow the script to breathe so we were working on the script right up to the time of performance and I felt there was so much more work we could have done on it.

The dynamic of the group was very different in the beginning. I didn’t get on with one of the girls called Nicky and she was very difficult towards me. Nicky would chose not to do certain things I asked her to do. At times I felt that she was jealous of me because I wasn’t there for the first week she took the lead. Then when I joined the script writing process she didn’t want anything to do with it. When I asked Nicky to do things for me like print things off the computer she would make excuses up and head to the library. I found working with Nicky was very difficult and it used to be quite stressful. Nicky was not very nice towards me and would often snap or be short with me.

Other people in the group were wonderful to work with although there were disagreements at times. I also found it difficult with absences like Anthony who took a number of weeks off whilst we were in the final process of the script this hampered the script writing process. I suppose I took the lead during the writing of the script although this position is new to me. I am not used to taking the lead and although I know that I did it wasn’t a choice of mine. I found it quite uncomfortable because I have never fit into a group situation before. When I was at school and even college I was bullied badly and never fit in. I have felt different though on this course and have finally come out of my shell. Although I did take the lead I also tried to include my other group members.

I think I probably had too much input in the script although Elaine and I did work together a lot. Tom had some input as well and gave his ideas that were used in the play. As the characters developed and we read through the script more ideas were added.

The script writing process was interupted by Christmas which didn’t help. It meant that there was a break in writing for two weeks. Although I carried on writing I had no feedback so I didn’t know if what I was doing was right or wrong.

When working with a group of people you need them to all give feedback otherwise you might write something that a person doesn’t agree with and find out that you have to change it. If you have to change things when writing it can mess up the whole structure of the play. You might have to change a whole page of the script or possibly more. It is the same when people leave your group it leaves you having to make decisions such as whether to cut a character from the play or not. It also meant that I couldn’t develop the characters the way I wanted because I never knew if a character was going to stay in the play or not.

I had to change the script a lot which was a learning experience that made me see how important it is to have people that are dedicated to the play and are not going to let the script writer down.When I first started to write the script there were 3 more characters that were going to play a part in the end I had to cut those 3 characters out. When my tutor allowed people from the other group to take part in the play it did help, but I knew I couldn’t have asked them to play some of the main characters.

I had to decide on the essential ingredients for the play and get rid of those that were probably not essential. I think the fine tuning process was good for the script and made the main characters grow and develop. When we went back to college after Christmas another bomb shell was dropped on our group. Our technical theatre tutor was leaving the college which meant that as far as sound, lighting and special effects were concerned we had to give all hopes up of having any. That didn’t change the play drastically, but it did mean that the play wouldn’t have the elements I wanted in it.

During the first weeks whilst I was meeting at college with my class to discuss the play we were going to put on it, it was very difficult to find ideas that everyone agreed on. Some of my friends suggested ideas, but it seemed that writing a script was a long way ahead.

We had discussions and Anthony came up with the idea for Britain’s Got Talent .Originally he was going to be performing a break dancing routine and we would have other performances with the judges. Tom and I decided to go away and write down a short script for consideration the following week.

When we met the following week we showed our scripts to the class, Elaine and Nicky preferred the script that I had written. There were a mixture of emotions during the first weeks as we seemed indecisive, but realised that we needed to make a decision. Once we had a copy of the first draft of the original script we felt a lot happier. It suddenly seemed like all the ideas we had talked about were getting into some order. It was then that we were able to read the script and come up with more ideas. That was when I went home and typed the ideas into the script.

Writing a script is not easy but, the way I found it easier was to look at the script as a process and take it step by step. I would advise anyone writing a script not to fall in love with it and decide that nothing is to be changed. To get the best out of devising a play you have to be flexible and allow everyone to have their say. A script can only grow when it is allowed to develop and breathe as it were. Although people left the course during the writing of the script and characters had to be dropped I found the whole process a learning experience. At first there was a totally different dynamic to the play, but after people left the dynamic changed. Writing a script that you are going to perform is definitely a learning process where you have to be open to change.

When we first performed part of the play in front of the rest of the group I was pleasantly surprised that they all enjoyed it and even my tutor said that it was advanced for our level. We were given a hand out and I remember reading about tabloids and using narration that gave me the idea for the narration at the beginning of the play which set the scene. I wanted to do a tabloid as soon as the narration was being read and the play began. I think that was very effective and would recommend to anyone writing a play to run with it, be enthusiastic and experiment with different techniques. Although a play can be straight forward using different techniques can give it that edge it needs to impress an audience.

Writing the script was a group experience that I think everyone of us enjoyed although some more than others put more work into it everyone developed their own character. I must admit that I wrote the majority of the play though I was inspired by Tom’s ideas and Elaine contributed a lot to the play as well. I think if you have more heads than one it is better because you all have different ideas. Never be closed to just one idea because that limits the scope of the play. When you are open to different ideas the play can be stretched further and take on new dimensions. My tutor even told me that it was good to be flexible with script writing and not too clingy. Sometimes you might need to edit many pages of a script for it to flow better whilst other times cutting big parts of the script can be a bad decision. However you never know if you don’t try and it is all a learning experience. It also teaches you what goes into the writing of a script so that you don’t take for granted the writer’s who have put the work into the production. If I was to write a script again I would me more organised and plan ahead of time. I would work on a page at a time until I felt that it was the best it could be then I would ask people to read the script and during rehearsal’s changes can be made.

Now my project is over I feel like I have nothing to work towards. I really enjoyed the whole process of writing the script and performing it. I contributed a lot to the script, but I enjoyed working with others. I felt that the main contributors to the final script was Alison and I. We used a news story contributed to the group from Tim. The news story was about Britain’s Got Talent and that sparked ideas for the play that came from Adam and Tim. Once we got the idea’s together I went away and wrote a script that could be used to develop the production further. As we worked with the script certain ideas were kept whilst other’s were discarded. Tim brought a script to the table, but we decided to reject it as it didn’t fit the criteria and Nicky as well as Alison decided that my own script was of a higher standard. Whilst we rejected Tim’s script there were certain idea’s that I could use from it. For example the fight scene in Tim’s script helped to trigger the idea for the nagging wife and argumentative husband.

Whilst we looked at other news stories none were as suitable as the one we chose. When writing and devising a play you have to go with a story that motivates you to write and Britain’s Got Talent was definitely inspiring. It was really interesting listening to everyone’s ideas as everyone contributed something to the final devised script. Although I have never had the experience of writing and devising my own play I felt that the process was fun and exciting. I would definitely recommend that if you get the chance to write a script and perform it then you should do. It was a good learning process and helps you to understand the work that goes on in bringing a production up to performance level standards.

So I finally acted out the performance of Journey’s and I was so dreadfully nervous I don’t know if it went well or not. I forgot a lot of my lines and felt that it didn’t go well. However other people on my course said that it was very well performed and that they enjoyed watching it. My friend said that I was a perfectionist and maybe I am I just felt it could have gone so much better if I had of been less nervous. We were being filmed and I think that is what made me so nervous as well. In heindseight if I had of done it again I would have practised more and had more time to prepare the script. I put a lot of work into it and felt it could have been better.

On a positive note my tutor showed me a new side to him. I realise now that my tutor is not actually the man I thought he was. He seems to care about us more than I thought he did. I also realise now that he probably cares too much and that things are difficult for him. I think I judged him too harshly. I know he has his mind set on the West End, but he also cares about our course.

So now, I have to write a short assignment to describe the project and what I contributed to it. I was thinking that I could write the assignment and then post it on the blog. That way it might help others who have to do a similar assignment learn what needs to go into it. The effort you have to put into it and the kind of standards you should aim for. I aim to get a distinction, but my tutor told the class that we shouldn’t expect to get grades like that on our first assignment. As long as I get higher than a pass I will be happy although I would love a dinstinction. As I am posting the assignment I will explain the work that has gone into it and how I went about completing it.

I am so miffed about college at the moment. My tutor really doesn’t seem to have his heart in teaching which is frustrating because we all want to learn. He doesn’t seem to understand our needs and he doesn’t value us. Sorry but, this post is a vent about him because he is doing my head in. How are we supposed to learn how to perform if he is not teaching us? He sits there and watches us and tonight he actually did give a bit of feedback, but that was a complete rarity.

It is sad and depressing and I completely understand why so many people have left the course. The tutors I had before really built you up and made you feel worthwhile. It isn’t even that we need that much building up, but some advise and direction would be good. What does our tutor do as soon as we enter the class? He tells us that he has an application form in his pocket for a top drama school in London. Well, that just made me feel really bad because I want to study in London, but I cannot afford it. I think our tutor just looks at our group like we are nothing. It is like we are just some silly project that doesn’t matter.
I know for a fact it’s not just me that feels this way. It is his birthday on Friday and that’s another thing he has been going on about. Then he was talking about his musical and how much it cost him to put it on. When it comes to our class he just doesn’t seem bothered. It is really affecting me now because he has been tutoring us for some time and I am getting fed up with him. Our tutor is just about himself and his own world anything outside of that box he isn’t interested in.

These group projects we have written and are performing are very important to us. Tonight when he was getting into his car he said that after we have finished these projects we can get on and do something better. He said that he wanted us to do something big and proper. That really hurt because I have put so much into the project and my tutor doesn’t value it. I really think my tutor needs to go to the West End and stop talking about it because when his head is there he is not doing his class justice. It is a real privileged to be given a class to look after and teach, but he doesn’t look at it like that. The truth is, I don’t think he ever will do. We’ll never be important to him and there will always be another project or another class that is more important.

My husband often asks me how famous actor’s get into their character and give such a wonderful performance. He also asks how I act and get into the character. Acting to me is like breathing it is the most natural thing in the world. Once I have read the script a few times the character jumps out at me and I slowly start becoming that character. Every time I act I put myself into the script and what is taking place. I feel the emotions, taste the flavours, smell the scents and in every way become that character.

I learn more and more about the character and the types of likes and dislikes that character has. Just as though the character were a real person I become that character. I become totally absorbed in the script until I am actually living out the journey that the script takes you on. As I learn the script and can remember the lines it helps me to become more familiar with the character. Then it is the little things that help me to characterise more. What type of clothes the character wears, what the character does for a living and how the character interacts with other characters in the play.

I started to act when I was 11 years old and even back then it was the most natural thing in the world to me. I could just do it and people often told me how good I was. I couldn’t describe it though never before had I felt that anything fitted me more than acting. As I got older I started noticing that this dream I had was a dream that many other people had as well.

I started to see that it wasn’t about talent alone, but more about getting that lucky break. It was more about being in the right place at the right time and having the right looks so that you would be noticed. Yet, I knew that if I could be in front of someone who was looking for talent then they would see I could act. My chance came and went when I was just 13 years old. I was in a drama group and we were putting on a play for a Granada project. There were other groups around the UK who were also taking part in this. As the Granada people sat in the audience my mum just happened to be sitting next to them. They were talking about the actor’s in the play and although I didn’t have an especially big part my mum heard them say I was a natural.

Unfortunately we got told that the Granada scheme went bankrupt and the drama group soon collapsed. Unfortunately although I was noticed nobody asked me to do anything else.

As I grew older I put my dreams aside thinking that I was never going to get anywhere and that I would be happier if I just forgot that gift was there. As I got older I stopped acting and became very depressed. I knew that I was suppressing something that was a passion of mine. So I went to University when I was 21 and I past the course with the highest mark of Distinction.

I fell ill shortly after completing the course and as a result I didn’t make an effort to follow my dream. Again I put my passion aside and carried on with life. When I met my soul mate at the age of 28 things started to look up for me again. I began to feel better and more alive. The mental illness was getting better and I was starting to feel more positive about myself.

Finally at the age of 31 I decided it was time to make a go of it. No matter what happened as long as I was acting in some way it didn’t matter about being famous. What mattered is that I was acting and doing something that I loved. If fame came as a part of that then I would welcome it, but the main point had to be that I was acting and carrying out my passion.

Being famous is something that a lot of people want to achieve in their lifetime. Though some people have the wrong motives and will never be fulfilled. For me though as long as I am acting in some way I will be happy. The following is a bit of fun that I thought I would include.

How do you know if your famous?

On Myspace you have more than 10,000 friends and over 50 comments. On Youtube you have been downloaded around 50,000 times or more. You are linked on more than 100 different Web sites. You are being talked about on at least three top gossip sites.