Hi everyone
Sorry once again for not writing in a while, since starting my Christmas job, I've not had a great deal of time to do much else.
But since I've got my first audition in 3 weeks... IM SOOOOO EXCITED! I have been reading some blogs to help me out, and I loved this one and wanted to share it so enjoy!
7 tips for drama auditions
ANDY JOHNSON 3 FEBRUARY 2014
Auditioning for drama school can be a nerve-wracking experience. Andy Johnson is an actor, a director, and the author of 'The Excellent Audition Guide'. He shared 7 tips for engaging an audition panel, and keeping yourself engaged too.'The Excellent Audition Guide' is available from Nick Hern Books.
1. Don’t ‘just start’
Over eighty per cent of the people I see doing an audition just launch in.They simply ‘do’ their monologue, without giving much thought to the world they’re creating, or the audience they’re playing to.Some are not that bad – even quite good. But because of the way they ‘just start’, it is plain that they’re only going through the motions. Your job in any performance is to invite the audience into the world of your character. This has the effect of creating a distance between them and their audience – and you don’t want that.Your job in any performance, and especially in an audition, is to invite the audience into the world of your character. The members of the audition panel need to enter that world with you.They have to become engrossed and absorbed. If you ‘just start’, it is harder for them to do this. You must give them a chance to come with you.
2. Think of it as a two-minute play
To really maximize your chances of succeeding in your audition, you need to think of it as a two-minute show.More than that, think of it as a show the panel will watch with all the focus and attention with which they would watch a two-hour show, only condensed down into an intense two minutes between you and them.Therefore, as with any play, your show has to have changes of mood, tone, pace and atmosphere. Change is crucial, even in a two-minute show.Think about it. Nobody would sit through a play that stays in the same gear the whole time.Any text or production that flatlines into one mood will prove boring and colourless. This applies whether the mood is sadness, anger, grief, or anything else.A good show needs to be a journey. It should employ movement and surprise in the telling of the story. Change is good.
3. Evoke the world of the play
Bring the whole of the world of the play onto the stage with you. It’s not just about the bit you’re doing for your audition, in isolation.An entire universe of events, ideas and moments must take shape in those two minutes. Everything needs to be distilled into an intense, rich experience.To bring the world of the play onto the stage with your character, ask yourself these questions:Who are you?Where have you just come from or been?What happened to bring you here?Why are you here now?What do you want? And how badly do you want it?Who are you talking to?Why are you talking to them? And what makes you start talking?What are you afraid of? What would be the worst outcome for you?How are all these things affecting your behaviour?Work with these questions often. They will be of use continuously.
4. Fix your focus before you begin
For your sake and that of the panel, take time to connect with what you want to achieve, or even avoid, in your performance.Remind yourself not to wonder if the panel likes you or what you are doing.Resolve not to judge them, or your work. Time and effort spent on wondering, judging and conjecture is wasted focus and energy.Tell yourself that you are not here to get into drama school – you are just here to do your best, most focused and connected work.Assure yourself that nerves are good, because you can use those nerves as a positive force, instead of allowing them to work against you.When you’ve done this, create the physical world and surroundings of the character. Where are you? What time is it? Are you hot or cold? Is it winter or summer? Get into detail.If you spend time on this in your rehearsal work, you can ‘pop’ all of this into place in seconds. You will then be in your world and that of the character, not in the dreaded audition room – bonus!
5. Give your character a reason to start speaking
Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. This may well be what is prompting your character to react, to decide to speak. Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. Alternatively, run through what has just happened to you and why it happened. This will propel you into why you are speaking and what you, as the character, want.Remember: we speak because we have to. Just before we utter words, there is a compelling urge, a tingle, to vocalise our thoughts.We may be reacting to what’s just been said. We may have to seek justice, put facts straight, change someone’s mind or actions, get somebody to do something.There are many reasons to pipe up. But they are all driven by a thought.We speak until that thought has been given expression, and then, unless there’s another thought, we stop.
6. See your monologue as a duologue waiting to happen
Quite often, auditionees make their own character the only focus of the monologue.Get used to including the other person in your thinking and ideas, from early work right up to and including the execution of your audition.They, the other person, should be constantly involved.What do they look like, sound like, smell like? Do you want them to speak or react?
7. End the monologue well
A lot of performers end really badly, without style or conviction. Stay with the end moment. Let the glow settle. They disengage from the world of the character way too soon after the last line. This gives the impression that they have not engaged at all.Stay with the end moment, and let the glow of what you have been doing settle. Stay in it and be proud.Don’t step away with any kind of sheepish, self-destructive look.Don’t apologise verbally, or with a self-effacing countenance.Even if you think you were rubbish, the panel may well have seen something that interested them. In all probability, you will be your worst critic.Let them be the judge of all that. Free yourself from that burden.End with a bang, not with a whimper. You owe it to yourself.7 tips for drama auditions
ANDY JOHNSON 3 FEBRUARY 2014Auditioning for drama school can be a nerve-wracking experience. Andy Johnson is an actor, a director, and the author of 'The Excellent Audition Guide'. He shared 7 tips for engaging an audition panel, and keeping yourself engaged too.'The Excellent Audition Guide' is available from Nick Hern Books.
1. Don’t ‘just start’
Over eighty per cent of the people I see doing an audition just launch in.They simply ‘do’ their monologue, without giving much thought to the world they’re creating, or the audience they’re playing to.Some are not that bad – even quite good. But because of the way they ‘just start’, it is plain that they’re only going through the motions. Your job in any performance is to invite the audience into the world of your character. This has the effect of creating a distance between them and their audience – and you don’t want that.Your job in any performance, and especially in an audition, is to invite the audience into the world of your character. The members of the audition panel need to enter that world with you.They have to become engrossed and absorbed. If you ‘just start’, it is harder for them to do this. You must give them a chance to come with you.
2. Think of it as a two-minute play
To really maximize your chances of succeeding in your audition, you need to think of it as a two-minute show.More than that, think of it as a show the panel will watch with all the focus and attention with which they would watch a two-hour show, only condensed down into an intense two minutes between you and them.Therefore, as with any play, your show has to have changes of mood, tone, pace and atmosphere. Change is crucial, even in a two-minute show.Think about it. Nobody would sit through a play that stays in the same gear the whole time.Any text or production that flatlines into one mood will prove boring and colourless. This applies whether the mood is sadness, anger, grief, or anything else.A good show needs to be a journey. It should employ movement and surprise in the telling of the story. Change is good.
3. Evoke the world of the play
Bring the whole of the world of the play onto the stage with you. It’s not just about the bit you’re doing for your audition, in isolation.An entire universe of events, ideas and moments must take shape in those two minutes. Everything needs to be distilled into an intense, rich experience.To bring the world of the play onto the stage with your character, ask yourself these questions:Who are you?Where have you just come from or been?What happened to bring you here?Why are you here now?What do you want? And how badly do you want it?Who are you talking to?Why are you talking to them? And what makes you start talking?What are you afraid of? What would be the worst outcome for you?How are all these things affecting your behaviour?Work with these questions often. They will be of use continuously.
4. Fix your focus before you begin
For your sake and that of the panel, take time to connect with what you want to achieve, or even avoid, in your performance.Remind yourself not to wonder if the panel likes you or what you are doing.Resolve not to judge them, or your work. Time and effort spent on wondering, judging and conjecture is wasted focus and energy.Tell yourself that you are not here to get into drama school – you are just here to do your best, most focused and connected work.Assure yourself that nerves are good, because you can use those nerves as a positive force, instead of allowing them to work against you.When you’ve done this, create the physical world and surroundings of the character. Where are you? What time is it? Are you hot or cold? Is it winter or summer? Get into detail.If you spend time on this in your rehearsal work, you can ‘pop’ all of this into place in seconds. You will then be in your world and that of the character, not in the dreaded audition room – bonus!
5. Give your character a reason to start speaking
Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. This may well be what is prompting your character to react, to decide to speak. Hear in your head the lines that have just been said to your character. Alternatively, run through what has just happened to you and why it happened. This will propel you into why you are speaking and what you, as the character, want.Remember: we speak because we have to. Just before we utter words, there is a compelling urge, a tingle, to vocalise our thoughts.We may be reacting to what’s just been said. We may have to seek justice, put facts straight, change someone’s mind or actions, get somebody to do something.There are many reasons to pipe up. But they are all driven by a thought.We speak until that thought has been given expression, and then, unless there’s another thought, we stop.
6. See your monologue as a duologue waiting to happen
Quite often, auditionees make their own character the only focus of the monologue.Get used to including the other person in your thinking and ideas, from early work right up to and including the execution of your audition.They, the other person, should be constantly involved.What do they look like, sound like, smell like? Do you want them to speak or react?
7. End the monologue well
A lot of performers end really badly, without style or conviction. Stay with the end moment. Let the glow settle. They disengage from the world of the character way too soon after the last line. This gives the impression that they have not engaged at all.Stay with the end moment, and let the glow of what you have been doing settle. Stay in it and be proud.Don’t step away with any kind of sheepish, self-destructive look.Don’t apologise verbally, or with a self-effacing countenance.Even if you think you were rubbish, the panel may well have seen something that interested them. In all probability, you will be your worst critic.Let them be the judge of all that. Free yourself from that burden.End with a bang, not with a whimper. You owe it to yourself.
Monday 17 November 2014
Sunday 2 November 2014
Out of the Fire and into the frying pan!
Firstly, Hello you lot!
Secondly, bugger roo I haven't written in over 6 weeks!
This post is just to let you guys know that I haven't died and I'm still totally in for the big guns when I get round to applying to Drama School.
I have just been extremly busy.
For example; During the past 6 weeks I have:
-Applied to over 50 jobs (and managed to get 1!)
-Been on several open days to Guildhall, Rose Bruford and RCS
- Seen the most amazing theatre including the RSC's Henry the IV (parts 1 & 2) and Much ado about Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Frankenstein and Hamlet (again)
-Been to Rome
- Gone on two Acting course's with the RSC and NYT
- Applied to ten Drama School's
-Wrote a 5000 word essay on temptation in literature
- Seen the most incredible musicians like George Ezra live
- Had the best coffee cake ever.Fact.
So you could understand why I haven't had the opportunity to write recently.
Will also inform you that I am going to get even more busy as I will be starting my new job tomorrow so wish me luck!
Will probably write when my first audition comes up (The Lir in Ireland)
But for now,
TALLY HO!
Secondly, bugger roo I haven't written in over 6 weeks!
This post is just to let you guys know that I haven't died and I'm still totally in for the big guns when I get round to applying to Drama School.
I have just been extremly busy.
For example; During the past 6 weeks I have:
-Applied to over 50 jobs (and managed to get 1!)
-Been on several open days to Guildhall, Rose Bruford and RCS
- Seen the most amazing theatre including the RSC's Henry the IV (parts 1 & 2) and Much ado about Nothing, Romeo and Juliet, Frankenstein and Hamlet (again)
-Been to Rome
- Gone on two Acting course's with the RSC and NYT
- Applied to ten Drama School's
-Wrote a 5000 word essay on temptation in literature
- Seen the most incredible musicians like George Ezra live
- Had the best coffee cake ever.Fact.
So you could understand why I haven't had the opportunity to write recently.
Will also inform you that I am going to get even more busy as I will be starting my new job tomorrow so wish me luck!
Will probably write when my first audition comes up (The Lir in Ireland)
But for now,
TALLY HO!
Wednesday 17 September 2014
The Old Vic's A Streetcar Named Desire: The Review.
Hi again,
So yesterday I watched the Old Vic's latest production of A streetcar named desire, directed by Benidict Andrews, via the National Theatre Live scheme at my local cinema.
Having not much knowledge about the play before seeing it, I didn't know what to expect. So I let my Dad tag along and watch it with me. It was quite ranchy, which made the experiance of watching it with my Dad quite arkward...
But it was brilliant all the same.
To people who haven't heard of the play, it was written by Tennesse Williams and it was the 1952 movie version of this play that help start Marlon Brando's acting legacy. The play is set in southen america and there are three main characters. Estella, her Husband Stanley and her drunkard sister Miss Dubuoise who has come to stay with them in their tiny place while she gets her life back into order, but its already too late for that.
Gillian Anderson, who play the miserble drunk sister, was good. But I felt that it took her a while to really get into her role and show us her skills. The real attraction of the play was Stanley himself. As while he didnt have that much to say, he was able to create the tension and the unearthing sense that he was going to snap at any second whenever he came onto the stage.
The play itself was set in the round and the set, ie a see through rectangular apartment, revolved so the audience members each had a different perspective of the play, an idea which I found unique and interesting to watch.
I would compleatley recomend going to see this play as it was gripping, mesmerising and a utter joy to watch.
In terms of what I'm doing next - in terms of drama school applications - I've applied for a audition at an agency in manchester and I'm going to be seeing a performance of romeo and juliet at the Victoria Baths in Manchester next week, so I will write a review of that when I have time.
For now though,
Cheerio,
Terri ;D.
Tuesday 16 September 2014
The Royal Exchange's Hamlet: A review
Hello again,
So many of you will starting to get yourselves ready for all the drama school audition's coming up. I know that with eleven around the corner I just want to get cracking. But first I want to talk about the production of Hamlet which I saw yesterday. Starring Maxine Peakes as a female Hamlet, the first thing that really stood out to me was the gender split of the cast, which was pratically 50/50, with a large number of male role's being cast as female. I loved that, mainly because I a great annoyance about the fact that males get a higher proportion of roles in both TV and screen. I Also loved the way the actors used the stage, with it being in the round, it definitely gave the play the edge over other productions of Hamlet,
However, one thing that I wasn't sure of was the young actors used as the players. Now I know that it was to show the link between old members and the new, but for me... it just felt a bit tacky, and took the point away from the meaning of why the actors were being used.
Anyway tonight I'm seeing A streetcar named desire at the Cinema with the NT live scheme. I've also booked to go to the Rose Bruford open day on thursday and the Guildhall open day next month so things have started to roll now. Cannot wait to start auditioning again. I'm so excited!
Hope to write some more soon.
Adios,
Terri ;D xxx
So many of you will starting to get yourselves ready for all the drama school audition's coming up. I know that with eleven around the corner I just want to get cracking. But first I want to talk about the production of Hamlet which I saw yesterday. Starring Maxine Peakes as a female Hamlet, the first thing that really stood out to me was the gender split of the cast, which was pratically 50/50, with a large number of male role's being cast as female. I loved that, mainly because I a great annoyance about the fact that males get a higher proportion of roles in both TV and screen. I Also loved the way the actors used the stage, with it being in the round, it definitely gave the play the edge over other productions of Hamlet,
However, one thing that I wasn't sure of was the young actors used as the players. Now I know that it was to show the link between old members and the new, but for me... it just felt a bit tacky, and took the point away from the meaning of why the actors were being used.
Anyway tonight I'm seeing A streetcar named desire at the Cinema with the NT live scheme. I've also booked to go to the Rose Bruford open day on thursday and the Guildhall open day next month so things have started to roll now. Cannot wait to start auditioning again. I'm so excited!
Hope to write some more soon.
Adios,
Terri ;D xxx
Tuesday 9 September 2014
Guildford School of Acting: Open Day
Hi there!
So last Saturday I went to the open day/ tour of the GSA (Guildford School of Acting) facilaties, and to be quite frank. I'm not compleatley sure what my feelings are about the place.
So to give you an overview of the place, I will just tell you the main parts of what I learnt about it.
- The GSA is part of the University of Surrey and is set within its campus. Which is massive.
- GSA is still regarded as a conservatoire however - in being part of the University of Surrey - you do need to get top grades to secure a place (ie AAB/ABB Alevel grades).
^ This is the part that I don't understand, and what tinges my opinion of the school. As no other drama school, weather associated with a University or not, has such abnormally high academic grade expectations.
- They only offer 36 places and around 1,500 people applied last year
- Has a minimum of 30 contact hours each week and, while it has a core staff unit there teaching full time, they regually have directors come in and give lectures.
-The BA acting course is accedited by Drama UK
- The facilities are fabulous, they even have a Starbucks in the GSA building which is very cool.
- With the audition process they do have regional auditions in some major cities across the UK
-Around 30% of applicants are recalled to the second round.
Overall the day was pretty interesting and I learnt a lot from it. Still uncertain weather I will be applying there but I'll let you know asap.
In terms of the other stuff that I'm up to at the moment, This is the start of my gap year (which is very terrifying to think about) so I'm in the middle of filling out a vast deal of job applications as well as learning monologues and applying to short acting courses to help boost my drama school applications this year. Including a drama school audition masterclass week with the National Youth Theatre.
I should be going to a Rose Bruford Open day next week so I will write more about that then.
But until then.
Adios,
Terri ; D
- The facilities are fabulous, they even have a Starbucks in the GSA building which is very cool.
- With the audition process they do have regional auditions in some major cities across the UK
-Around 30% of applicants are recalled to the second round.
Overall the day was pretty interesting and I learnt a lot from it. Still uncertain weather I will be applying there but I'll let you know asap.
In terms of the other stuff that I'm up to at the moment, This is the start of my gap year (which is very terrifying to think about) so I'm in the middle of filling out a vast deal of job applications as well as learning monologues and applying to short acting courses to help boost my drama school applications this year. Including a drama school audition masterclass week with the National Youth Theatre.
I should be going to a Rose Bruford Open day next week so I will write more about that then.
But until then.
Adios,
Terri ; D
Friday 29 August 2014
Lucy Kerbel on 100 Great Plays for Women by National Theatre - Podcast
Lucy Kerbel on 100 Great Plays for Women by National Theatre
Hi!
So as might be expected I am very busy at the moment learning my monologues for Drama School auditions. But during my research I came across this brilliant podcast by the National Theatre on plays that are female dominated. And I thought that you guys would also benifit from listening to it too!
Anyway enjoy, Im going away to London this weekend and will be watching the musical Matilda! Also 1 year til I go see Hamlet starring Benidict Cumberbatch. I cannot wait!
Bye,
Terri ;D
Hi!
So as might be expected I am very busy at the moment learning my monologues for Drama School auditions. But during my research I came across this brilliant podcast by the National Theatre on plays that are female dominated. And I thought that you guys would also benifit from listening to it too!
Anyway enjoy, Im going away to London this weekend and will be watching the musical Matilda! Also 1 year til I go see Hamlet starring Benidict Cumberbatch. I cannot wait!
Bye,
Terri ;D
Saturday 16 August 2014
UCAS and CUKAS drama school applications
Hi beautiful thespians,
So it is coming up to that time of year again when its time to start getting those Drama school applications in! I'm so excited and nervous already about it all. Especially because up until an hour ago I couldn't find a sutible monologue as a contempary. But finally I've got it. Anyway this post is a little database on some of the drama school's available via the UCAS and CUKAS website's with some basic infomation. Now with UCAS and CUKAS there is a £16 fee (CUKAS) and a £23 fee (UCAS). You can only apply to up to five school's on UCAS. This inclueds any other university course's that you might be applying for.
UCAS drama school's:
1. The Royal Central school of speech and drama.
UCAS institution code- C35
Course ( BA Acting) code- W410
Audition fee - £50
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1960's) and 2 shakespeare monologues chosen from a list on their website. Max of 2 minute duration. Also two songs needed, one from a musical with accompanying piano music and another song unaccompanied. (Although from what I understand the singing part of the audition is for the musical BA.)
Audition is at the school.
2. Drama Center
^Under the name of University of the Arts in UCAS
UCAS institution code- U65
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1830) and 1 shakespeare monologue, both with a maximum of 3 minute duration, dualogues are also accetable (you must have a partner) for both speaches.
Audition is at the school.
3, Guildford school of acting (GSA)
^ Under the name of University of Surrey in UCAS.
UCAS institution code- S85
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £35
Audition process - 1 contempary speech (post 1950) and one classic monologue (pre 1800). Also you must bring a sonnet with you, you don't have to learn it. They should not exceed a 3 minute duration.
Initial audition's are held in:
·Belfast
·Cardiff
·Dublin
·Exeter
·Edinburgh
·Newcastle
·Manchester
·Guildford (I.e the school) + all recall's.
4. Manchester school of acting
^Under the name of Manchester Metropolitain university in UCAS.
UCAS institution code- M40
Course code- W411
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1950) speech, 1 shakespeare speech and another monologue of your choice. All should not exceed 2 minute duration.
Audition's held at the school.
5. Rose Bruford
UCAS Institution code- R51
Course code- W410
Audition fee-£45
Audition process- Two speaches, one classic monologue and one contempary (I presume as the school's website does not give much infomation.)
Audition is held at the school.
Other UCAS school's include Italia Conti and East 15.
CUKAS school's:
1. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS)
CUKAS institution code- R58
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 Shakespeare speech and one contempary speech. All should not exceed a 3 minute duration.
Audition is held at the school.
2. Royal Welsh school of music and drama college.
CUKAS institution code- R59
Course code- 200F
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 Shakespeare speech and one contempary speech (post 1950). And should not exceed a 2 minute duration.
Audition's held at:
· Cardiff (I.e the school) plus all recall's.
·London
·Edinburgh
·Belfast
·Manchester
Hope this helps people,
Cheerio,
Terri ; D
So it is coming up to that time of year again when its time to start getting those Drama school applications in! I'm so excited and nervous already about it all. Especially because up until an hour ago I couldn't find a sutible monologue as a contempary. But finally I've got it. Anyway this post is a little database on some of the drama school's available via the UCAS and CUKAS website's with some basic infomation. Now with UCAS and CUKAS there is a £16 fee (CUKAS) and a £23 fee (UCAS). You can only apply to up to five school's on UCAS. This inclueds any other university course's that you might be applying for.
UCAS drama school's:
1. The Royal Central school of speech and drama.
UCAS institution code- C35
Course ( BA Acting) code- W410
Audition fee - £50
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1960's) and 2 shakespeare monologues chosen from a list on their website. Max of 2 minute duration. Also two songs needed, one from a musical with accompanying piano music and another song unaccompanied. (Although from what I understand the singing part of the audition is for the musical BA.)
Audition is at the school.
2. Drama Center
^Under the name of University of the Arts in UCAS
UCAS institution code- U65
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1830) and 1 shakespeare monologue, both with a maximum of 3 minute duration, dualogues are also accetable (you must have a partner) for both speaches.
Audition is at the school.
3, Guildford school of acting (GSA)
^ Under the name of University of Surrey in UCAS.
UCAS institution code- S85
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £35
Audition process - 1 contempary speech (post 1950) and one classic monologue (pre 1800). Also you must bring a sonnet with you, you don't have to learn it. They should not exceed a 3 minute duration.
Initial audition's are held in:
·Belfast
·Cardiff
·Dublin
·Exeter
·Edinburgh
·Newcastle
·Manchester
·Guildford (I.e the school) + all recall's.
4. Manchester school of acting
^Under the name of Manchester Metropolitain university in UCAS.
UCAS institution code- M40
Course code- W411
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 contempary (post 1950) speech, 1 shakespeare speech and another monologue of your choice. All should not exceed 2 minute duration.
Audition's held at the school.
5. Rose Bruford
UCAS Institution code- R51
Course code- W410
Audition fee-£45
Audition process- Two speaches, one classic monologue and one contempary (I presume as the school's website does not give much infomation.)
Audition is held at the school.
Other UCAS school's include Italia Conti and East 15.
CUKAS school's:
1. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS)
CUKAS institution code- R58
Course code- W410
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 Shakespeare speech and one contempary speech. All should not exceed a 3 minute duration.
Audition is held at the school.
2. Royal Welsh school of music and drama college.
CUKAS institution code- R59
Course code- 200F
Audition fee- £45
Audition process- 1 Shakespeare speech and one contempary speech (post 1950). And should not exceed a 2 minute duration.
Audition's held at:
· Cardiff (I.e the school) plus all recall's.
·London
·Edinburgh
·Belfast
·Manchester
Hope this helps people,
Cheerio,
Terri ; D
Tuesday 12 August 2014
Dedication to Robin Williams
So I guess that you have already heard, but I was really shocked to hear that one of the best American Actors, Robin Williams, has so suddenly passed away. He really was a true legend in my eyes. With some of his greatest roles including Mrs Doubtfire and the teacher in Dead poet's society.
I hope to someday have a fraction of the skill and talent that he posessed.
Farewell Robin, you are now free.
RIP xxx
I hope to someday have a fraction of the skill and talent that he posessed.
Farewell Robin, you are now free.
RIP xxx
Monday 4 August 2014
Sun is shining in the sky, I think that this will be a beautiful day!
Hey fellow thespians,
So I know that you guys are still waiting for me to post a database of all the drama schools that Im applying to this year and to give you some infomation on them, but first I thought that I'd give you guys a quick update on whats happening at the moment in my life.
Firstly it is less than two weeks til my A level results arrive. And, lets face it, I kinda just want to vomit every time I think about it. I don't know what everyone elses thoughts/feelings are about results day but I wish you all the best for the traumatic hour that will be 6:00 am on the 14th of August.
As a postive I'm going to be heading down to Leeds festival soon and I'm compleatley buzzing to go. I know that Leeds fest has quite a bad reputation for drugs and theft, and fair enough as last year I had my sleeping bag stolen for no apparent reason :/ but I guess that that is part of its charm.
Another positive is that I've just been to the cinema to watch Guardians of the Galaxy, the new marvel movie staring Chris Pratt and Bradley Cooper. Now for thoes who haven't yet watched it I won't spoil the plot but the soundtrack is brilliant and Chris Pratt is a fabulous dancer!
And the last positive thing is… I'm going to see a total of 4 different shakespeare productions within the next year incuding… Benidict Cumberbatch's Hamlet at the Barbican next August!!!!!! IM SO EXCITED I cannot wait for 2015 to arrive!
I waited two hours in the online queue (a very english queue I might add) and I reckon its going to be compleatly worth it!
Of course I'm heading up to see the Hamlet at the Royal Exchange too (which was a quater of the price than the barbican production), Romeo and Juliet at the Victoria Baths in Manchester and Love Labour's Won (i.e Much ado about nothing) at the RSC.
With the Love Labours Won show, I never intentionally bought tickets for that, what I am doing is going to a weekend of workshops held at the RSC to help with my performance of Shakespeare and the show was thrown in as a perk if the workshops there.
As you can see I'm using my Gap year to see as much theatre and movies as I can, including attending open days and going to drama school auditions to try and start my campaign to becoming an actress.
On drama school, Im still struggling trying to find the perfect contempary monologue, obviously I could use last years monologue for Port by Simon Stephens but I'm not certain I was able to showcase my skills well with that piece.
Anyway, as I'm on a packed train trying to write this. I guess that it would be wise to write some more later.
Adios,
Terri ;D xxx
Friday 11 July 2014
Summer Time Maddness (It begins...)
Hey All!
So it has been a while since I wrote, I think the main reason for that is that after two months of A level exams I got kinda sick of writing the contents of my brain down. But after a three week break I'm back with avengance on working towards getting into drama school!
Not that I haven't done any research since my A levels, I have, honest.
Since thoses horrific exams I have been to three open days, to name them:
1. Mancheter Metropolitain
2. Birmingham school of Acting
3. Royal Central school of speech and drama.
Now I know that I applied to Manchester last year (check out the January post on the audition) but, in going to the open day, I just wanted to clarify my infomation about the place.
And, to be honest with you, compared to the other two drama schools, it dosen't really hold up to standards.
The next open day I attended was Birmingham School of Acting. Now until recently I didnt even know that this school exsisted until I found it on the Drama UK website, and by the sounds of it, not many people have either.
But don't let this fool you into thinking that this is a bad school. The School itself is set inside the Millenium point building, which is a five min walk from the Bull Ring. The building is surounded by surrealist gradens and a playground for children (its very cool, and the play ground made me want to be a kid again).
As the course is accredited by Drama UK, it has all the features of the usual drama school course at BA hons. And while the place is small compared to other places, it has everything you need for a rounded acting education. While I missed the tour of the accomadation (yes they do have accomadation), I was deeply impressed with the talk that the head tutor gave and the discussion that the pupils gave (willingly) afterwards in a side room at the end. And in that 20 min chat with them, I gained more knowledge than any previous audition had given me.
Note: One way I judge the sutiability of a course is by what the current students say about it openly, and not what they are told to say by a tutor.
Another great thing about the drama school is that because few people have heard of it. Because - lets be honest - who expects Birmingham to have a state of the art Drama School in it's city center. Then less people apply to it, meaning that you have more of a chance getting in.
^ Oh and did I mention that they have a huge cinema in the floor above! Now that's impressive.
The other open day which I attended was at Royal Central school of speech and drama. Now while I knew about this course last year (as the application is done through UCAS) I didn't apply, mainly because the audition process (compared to others) is terrifying. Not only do they say that you have to learn two set shakespeare peices and a comtempary but also two unacompanied songs from musicals. And I felt - last year - that the process would of been too much for me to handle with such little audition experiance.
But this year, I want to have a crack at it.
The school itself is beautiful, as well as the suroundings. The place feels like it should be in a surburban area in Cornwall or Devon and not at all in the middle of the Capital.
I realise that I keep going on about the buildings of the places, but personally I prefer working in a beautiful enviroment than a urban junk yard.
The place itself is huge, they have a massive red seat theatre near the front door and a dainty little café that serves sandwiches and cakes at a decent price.
They have plenty of studios and a good libary.
I loved it. When I walked in there, it felt like home.
The only down side of Central is that they have a limited camera and radio department which is kinda essential to an actors traing these days.
In terms of the audition process there, the reason they said that they make it so tough, is to stop people just coming in and wasting their time with what they think will get them in.
Which makes sense, I guess.
The head of the Acting, who I have to say was dressed very drammatically in all black (i.e black skinnies, a black deep v neck top and a black tuxedo jacket) seemed to have an issue with "privalleged" people, i.e to him if you have done LAMDA examinations (which I have done) then you are privalleged and don't deserve as much of a place.
That, I found a little, odd. But oh well I'm not put off.
And thats all I've got done so far, I am planning of booking a few more open days over the next few weeks, namely for Drama Centre and GSA. But now I am going to start the dreaded search for modern monologues.
I've had no luck so far.
Will also be posting a database of Drama Schools and the essential infomation on them within the next few days.
Until then,
Adios,
Terri ;D x
Thursday 26 June 2014
Applying to drama school: How to get started
Hi again,
So it has been just over a week since I had to worry about revision for exams and trying not to have panic attacks before every exam. And I have been enjoying the experiance immensely. Since then I have experiance my first night out clubbing with my friend's, which was... interesting. And Ive been going to the movies to catch up on all the good films that I've missed.
Note: If you are planning on going to see The Fault in our Stars then bring plenty of tisssue's, it gets emotional
But to cut the crap I realise that it is time to start getting ready for next years round of auditions. And as I was starting to get my stuff ready I realised both how much there is to do and how tough this was last year to do without any help.
So here are the top tips on starting to apply to drama schools:
1. Start the research now
This may seem like an obvious thing to be doing but I know the question "but where should I start my research". To start off your research I would suggest checking out the Drama Uk website (http://www.dramauk.co.uk), This is the organisation which accredits courses which meet a high quality standard in training actors, and lists all the school's with some basic infomation about them. The website also includes articles on advice on how to apply and what to expect in the audition process.
Another website which is brilliant to check out is CUKAS. (http://www.cukas.ac.uk/) This isa website owned by UCAS and is brilliant in talking you tthrough the application process for both UCAS and CUKAS applications.
2. Get organised
This means gathering all the research that you've done so far and putting it in a file (either a digital or paper) where you can refer back to it to make an informed decision on where you want to apply in the following months to come.
I would suggest that you file the infomation into cattegories such as " course overviews", "audition procedure" etc.
3. Open Days
I know that there aren't that many schools that offer open days but I would seriously advise you to get to as many as you can afford to go to, That way you can get a feel of a school without having wasted a UCAS place when applying.
4. Figure out what you want from a drama school education.
With the infomation you have researched you should now be able to figure out what you want from a drama school. This will then help you cut out the infomation you don't need and allow you to consentrate your efforts into the schools which suit you.
Hope this helps,
Hasta la vista
Terri ; D
So it has been just over a week since I had to worry about revision for exams and trying not to have panic attacks before every exam. And I have been enjoying the experiance immensely. Since then I have experiance my first night out clubbing with my friend's, which was... interesting. And Ive been going to the movies to catch up on all the good films that I've missed.
Note: If you are planning on going to see The Fault in our Stars then bring plenty of tisssue's, it gets emotional
But to cut the crap I realise that it is time to start getting ready for next years round of auditions. And as I was starting to get my stuff ready I realised both how much there is to do and how tough this was last year to do without any help.
So here are the top tips on starting to apply to drama schools:
1. Start the research now
This may seem like an obvious thing to be doing but I know the question "but where should I start my research". To start off your research I would suggest checking out the Drama Uk website (http://www.dramauk.co.uk), This is the organisation which accredits courses which meet a high quality standard in training actors, and lists all the school's with some basic infomation about them. The website also includes articles on advice on how to apply and what to expect in the audition process.
Another website which is brilliant to check out is CUKAS. (http://www.cukas.ac.uk/) This isa website owned by UCAS and is brilliant in talking you tthrough the application process for both UCAS and CUKAS applications.
2. Get organised
This means gathering all the research that you've done so far and putting it in a file (either a digital or paper) where you can refer back to it to make an informed decision on where you want to apply in the following months to come.
I would suggest that you file the infomation into cattegories such as " course overviews", "audition procedure" etc.
3. Open Days
I know that there aren't that many schools that offer open days but I would seriously advise you to get to as many as you can afford to go to, That way you can get a feel of a school without having wasted a UCAS place when applying.
4. Figure out what you want from a drama school education.
With the infomation you have researched you should now be able to figure out what you want from a drama school. This will then help you cut out the infomation you don't need and allow you to consentrate your efforts into the schools which suit you.
Hope this helps,
Hasta la vista
Terri ; D
Thursday 19 June 2014
Freedom!!!!!!
Hello everyone.
I have officially finished my exams, which means that I will never have to do another academic exam again! (woooh)
And what this actually means is that I am now able to concentrate on working towards getting to drama school next year. This means looking up all the drama school courses (again), writing a personal statement (again) and choosing modern and classic monologues (again).
While my "again"'s may not make me sound like I'm looking forward to it too much I actually am, and I am determined to improve myself in trying to get a place at drama school.
And I'm going to start now, by going to my college and print off all the information on the different courses available and work out where I might want to study for three years.
Enjoy the summer guys, I know I will.
Terri ;D
I have officially finished my exams, which means that I will never have to do another academic exam again! (woooh)
And what this actually means is that I am now able to concentrate on working towards getting to drama school next year. This means looking up all the drama school courses (again), writing a personal statement (again) and choosing modern and classic monologues (again).
While my "again"'s may not make me sound like I'm looking forward to it too much I actually am, and I am determined to improve myself in trying to get a place at drama school.
And I'm going to start now, by going to my college and print off all the information on the different courses available and work out where I might want to study for three years.
Enjoy the summer guys, I know I will.
Terri ;D
Thursday 12 June 2014
Advice For Actors: How To Get Signed Repost
Hi guys,
Still three more bloody exams to go. But here is a follow up of the reposting from Acting Coach Scotland where he discusses in detail the different stages for becoming a successful actor. I realise that I have been doing an awful lot of reposting lately, but I promise you these lot all kinda carry on from one another so I might as well do them all if you want the information.
While this advice is interesting, whenever reading blog posts (even mine) always take a pinch of cynical thinking along with you. Not everyone will follow the same path to becoming an actor otherwise more people would "make it".
Anyway enjoy,
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor
Today is the fourth in my series on getting the acting career that you want.
You can read parts 2 and 3 on GETTING GOOD and GETTING NOTICED here (i.e. last two previous posts :D ).
Today is about signing with an agent.
You may or may not go to drama school to get good, drama school offers you the best chance to get noticed, to get seen by casting directors and potentially signed by agents…but it’s not the only way – however, if you’re going to get access to premium jobs, and make the career you want, you’re going to need an agent. A decent agent.
I get many messages from people all over the UK asking if I can suggest agents that might take them on. IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT.
If you aren’t GOOD, and you haven’t NOTICED them, and got them to NOTICE you, no one is going to sign you. Not in a million years.
Of course, because agents = work, every Tom, Dick and Jenny wants to get to them. And so they make it difficult for you to see them. I don’t blame them. As the clueless and the profoundly NOT GOOD assail their real and virtual doorstep, they find it hard to spot the diamond in the rough.
First get GOOD. Then get some experience of good quality. A few high quality reviews. A few pieces of worthy showreel material. If you really are good, they won’t all reject you. But you have to be good, not hopefully good, not done a bit of training, not tired of trying to get good – so might as well give it a punt – really. actually. good.
Of course you can work without an good agent, and if you’re happy with SA (Supporting Artist) work, or a few lines here and there, then settle for that.
But if you’re not, then investigate the agents that you think might be amenable to speaking with you. Don’t contact the big dogs straight off, they get hundreds, thousands of enquiries, don’t waste your breath, ink, postage, efforts. Start small, start reasonably local, not extra agencies, not rentacrowd style, – only actors’ agents.
Now think. Why should they even have a meeting with you?
What is it they want in a client? Do you know? They need to make money, they need someone good, some mature, with a head for the business, will you waste the opportunities they create for you, will you fold, will fail to meet your potential?
And then it comes down to this. Get a recommendation from someone you know, someone who is already signed with them. If you didn’t go to drama school, this is the best way to do it. And don’t let them down, because you won’t get another chance. And people in the industry have LONG memories.
Don’t know anyone? Then you aren’t even in the business. GET GOOD. GET NOTICED (get quality experience and notice the industry) – GET NETWORKING.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about GET WORKING…
To You, the Best
COACH
Still three more bloody exams to go. But here is a follow up of the reposting from Acting Coach Scotland where he discusses in detail the different stages for becoming a successful actor. I realise that I have been doing an awful lot of reposting lately, but I promise you these lot all kinda carry on from one another so I might as well do them all if you want the information.
While this advice is interesting, whenever reading blog posts (even mine) always take a pinch of cynical thinking along with you. Not everyone will follow the same path to becoming an actor otherwise more people would "make it".
Anyway enjoy,
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor
Today is the fourth in my series on getting the acting career that you want.
You can read parts 2 and 3 on GETTING GOOD and GETTING NOTICED here (i.e. last two previous posts :D ).
Today is about signing with an agent.
You may or may not go to drama school to get good, drama school offers you the best chance to get noticed, to get seen by casting directors and potentially signed by agents…but it’s not the only way – however, if you’re going to get access to premium jobs, and make the career you want, you’re going to need an agent. A decent agent.
I get many messages from people all over the UK asking if I can suggest agents that might take them on. IT DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT.
If you aren’t GOOD, and you haven’t NOTICED them, and got them to NOTICE you, no one is going to sign you. Not in a million years.
Of course, because agents = work, every Tom, Dick and Jenny wants to get to them. And so they make it difficult for you to see them. I don’t blame them. As the clueless and the profoundly NOT GOOD assail their real and virtual doorstep, they find it hard to spot the diamond in the rough.
First get GOOD. Then get some experience of good quality. A few high quality reviews. A few pieces of worthy showreel material. If you really are good, they won’t all reject you. But you have to be good, not hopefully good, not done a bit of training, not tired of trying to get good – so might as well give it a punt – really. actually. good.
Of course you can work without an good agent, and if you’re happy with SA (Supporting Artist) work, or a few lines here and there, then settle for that.
But if you’re not, then investigate the agents that you think might be amenable to speaking with you. Don’t contact the big dogs straight off, they get hundreds, thousands of enquiries, don’t waste your breath, ink, postage, efforts. Start small, start reasonably local, not extra agencies, not rentacrowd style, – only actors’ agents.
Now think. Why should they even have a meeting with you?
What is it they want in a client? Do you know? They need to make money, they need someone good, some mature, with a head for the business, will you waste the opportunities they create for you, will you fold, will fail to meet your potential?
And then it comes down to this. Get a recommendation from someone you know, someone who is already signed with them. If you didn’t go to drama school, this is the best way to do it. And don’t let them down, because you won’t get another chance. And people in the industry have LONG memories.
Don’t know anyone? Then you aren’t even in the business. GET GOOD. GET NOTICED (get quality experience and notice the industry) – GET NETWORKING.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about GET WORKING…
To You, the Best
COACH
Tuesday 10 June 2014
Advice for Actors: Getting Noticed Repost
Hi guys,
I'm now officially half way through my exams! Only 4 more to go (they still wont go away) but here is a follow up of the post from Acting Coach Scotland where he discusses in detail the different stages for becoming a successful actor.
While this advice is interesting, whenever reading blog posts (even mine) always take a pinch of cynical thinking along with you. Not everyone will follow the same path to becoming an actor otherwise more people would "make it".
Anyway enjoy,
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor
GET GOOD – GET NOTICED – GET SIGNED – GET WORKING – GET BETTER
This is the third of my ‘Getting’ blogs. The first explained the stages of getting the acting career that you want. The second explained how getting good is the foundation step – of course it’s the one that most people want to skip.
Today’s is about getting noticed, the third step:
Don’t miss the first step. Only the very lucky get noticed without being good, and if you are noticed and aren’t very good, it won’t last. Everyone wants to skip straight to ‘get working’ – of course they do! It would be wonderful. But it isn’t how it works, unless you are very, very lucky, everyone has to go through this process.
Everyone wants to get noticed.
Don’t expect anyone to go out of their way to notice you.
Of course, the easiest way is to go to drama school, get noticed and the rest should fall into line. But what if you don’t manage to make it into the top 1% of applicants for drama school?
No one will notice you, if you don’t know who they are.
Who casts the television shows in your area? Don’t know? How will they ever know you? The biggest change in getting noticed, is to notice who needs to notice you! Do your research and then slowly start to make polite contact with them.
Getting yourself into some good short films or perhaps semi-professional plays will now help. It’s something to prove that others have noticed you, don’t expect agents or casting directors to come, but it does demonstrate that you might be worth paying attention to, others have noticed you!
If you’re at this stage, and you aren’t good – and I’m sorry to say it is very often the case, they are going to be noticing all the wrong things and it will take a long time to change their perception of you.
Getting noticed is giving them reasons to notice you, but your job is to notice them, to know who they are, what they do and make gentle but deliberate contact.
To You, the Best
COACH
Mark Westbrook is Senior Coach at Acting Coach Scotland
I'm now officially half way through my exams! Only 4 more to go (they still wont go away) but here is a follow up of the post from Acting Coach Scotland where he discusses in detail the different stages for becoming a successful actor.
While this advice is interesting, whenever reading blog posts (even mine) always take a pinch of cynical thinking along with you. Not everyone will follow the same path to becoming an actor otherwise more people would "make it".
Anyway enjoy,
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor
GET GOOD – GET NOTICED – GET SIGNED – GET WORKING – GET BETTER
This is the third of my ‘Getting’ blogs. The first explained the stages of getting the acting career that you want. The second explained how getting good is the foundation step – of course it’s the one that most people want to skip.
Today’s is about getting noticed, the third step:
Don’t miss the first step. Only the very lucky get noticed without being good, and if you are noticed and aren’t very good, it won’t last. Everyone wants to skip straight to ‘get working’ – of course they do! It would be wonderful. But it isn’t how it works, unless you are very, very lucky, everyone has to go through this process.
Everyone wants to get noticed.
Don’t expect anyone to go out of their way to notice you.
Of course, the easiest way is to go to drama school, get noticed and the rest should fall into line. But what if you don’t manage to make it into the top 1% of applicants for drama school?
No one will notice you, if you don’t know who they are.
Who casts the television shows in your area? Don’t know? How will they ever know you? The biggest change in getting noticed, is to notice who needs to notice you! Do your research and then slowly start to make polite contact with them.
Getting yourself into some good short films or perhaps semi-professional plays will now help. It’s something to prove that others have noticed you, don’t expect agents or casting directors to come, but it does demonstrate that you might be worth paying attention to, others have noticed you!
If you’re at this stage, and you aren’t good – and I’m sorry to say it is very often the case, they are going to be noticing all the wrong things and it will take a long time to change their perception of you.
Getting noticed is giving them reasons to notice you, but your job is to notice them, to know who they are, what they do and make gentle but deliberate contact.
To You, the Best
COACH
Mark Westbrook is Senior Coach at Acting Coach Scotland
Sunday 8 June 2014
Advice For Actors: Getting Good Repost
Hi guys,
Still studying for my exams, (they just wont go away) but here is a follow up of the post from Acting Coach Scotland where he discusses in detail the different stages for becoming a successful actor.
While this advice is interesting, whenever reading blog posts (even mine) always take a pinch of cynical thinking along with you. Not everyone will follow the same path to becoming an actor otherwise more people would "make it".
Anyway enjoy,
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor
COACH
Still studying for my exams, (they just wont go away) but here is a follow up of the post from Acting Coach Scotland where he discusses in detail the different stages for becoming a successful actor.
While this advice is interesting, whenever reading blog posts (even mine) always take a pinch of cynical thinking along with you. Not everyone will follow the same path to becoming an actor otherwise more people would "make it".
Anyway enjoy,
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor
Yesterday, I wrote a blog that introduced you to the 5 stages of getting the acting career that you want. Today’s blog tackles the first stage, getting good.
What do I mean by getting good? Being good enough to impress, to act well enough to get noticed – which is Stage 2.
Now I can’t tell you how many actors that I’ve met that are so desperate to skip to Stage 2 and 3, that they can’t wait to get good.
You know what happens? They disappear and make a few crappy short films or do a bit of amateur theatre and then wonder why they haven’t been noticed, why they are really working, or if they are working, why it’s never more than a line here or there.
They want to work, they think that working to get noticed is the best way. If you aren’t any good, getting noticed is a waste of your time.
And yet, having the patience to wait and get good, it’s very difficult.
So what does good look like? Well, after many years of working with actors, I can tell you it’s pretty simple. It’s not some mysterious intangible ‘talent’ that others will verbally masturbate about. Talent – if it exists, is subjective, and while yes, some people do seem more inclined towards excellence in acting, without a conduit to bring that ability to the surface, the person will struggle.
When I look to give someone an honest assessment of where they are at, they may not want to hear. Most people aren’t really that good, even those that have been told they are talented.
You may not be good but I’ll tell you something, you can get better, and if you are willing to work, to learn, to grow and develop, you can get really good. Most won’t. It’s hard work.
When I look at an actor to give them an honest assessment of their acting, I am looking at just a few very simple things:
1) INVISIBLE ACTING Is your acting visible or invisible? If it’s visible, you will be consciously performing, if it’s invisible, it will be just like you were when I was chatting to you before you began to act. It’s the easiest test. Record yourself talking about something, then record yourself acting, if you can see a performance, you are Acting, and no one will believe your performance. Good acting is invisible. No one can see you doing it.
Most people don’t want to change, are you like that? They would rather protect what they believe they have, than risk failure by changing to be better. The very best will never fear improving – they know it’s the only way to get really really good.
2) SCENE INTERPRETATION Have you gotten to the dramatic heart of the material you’re performing? Do you understand the dramatic action of the scene? Do you understand why the character is there – what they want (MOTIVATION), what they doing to get it (TACTICS) and what will happen if they don’t? (STAKES)
3) TENSION Is your body leaking tension, nerves, discomfort or stress? This can be fixed, but it immediately shows any problems.
4) CHARACTER I don’t mean the fictional one – I mean YOU. Are you mature? Fun? Playful, respectful, professional and determined. Are you easy to work with? Do you listen? Are you early? (but never too early).
5) FULLY HUMAN - This is an odd one. When people act, they become boring. They become too simple, too singular, they act only what they can see happening in the scene. Real people, scratch their face, stretch, smile – they are fully human. If you are really good, then you ‘live truthfully’ as Meisner said – LIVE – be fully human.
These are the areas to focus on – but will you pay attention? Will you just ignore these and hope the same dumb luck that made you the lead in your high school play, or got you cast in that semi-pro stage production will also help you get noticed, signed and out into the industry?
The choice is yours. Get good, or try to get noticed before you are.
In tomorrow’s blog, I’ll discuss getting noticed…
To You, the Best
COACH
Mark Westbrook is the Senior Acting Coach and Studio Director at Acting Coach Scotland.
Friday 6 June 2014
Getting the Acting Career You Want repost
Hi guys,
So I am into the last two weeks of my exam (woooh) and I realise that I haven't written anything new in a while, but I came across this post from the Acting Coach Scotland blog and thought it would be brilliant to share with you guys.
To any aspiring actor who is currently tackling exams, then my heart goes out to you.
Enjoy (and good luck),
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor – Do you have the Acting Career You Want?
These are the FIVE steps or stages that I believe EVERY actor must take to achieve the acting career that they dream of having….
Get GOOD
In order to get noticed, you need to get good. Not good because your parents say so, or your friends or your high school drama teacher or even a few reviews, but good enough to get noticed, and really noticed. Most people can’t tell if they are good or not. That’s my job as an acting coach, and I know how to look to see if you are good. In tomorrow’s blog, I’ll tell you how to get good, so that you can have the acting career you want. Most people don’t have the patience to wait for this stage, they want it all now. And that’s precisely why they don’t make it.
Get NOTICED
It’s pointless getting good, if you don’t give yourself opportunities to be seen, and seen by the right people. Sending out endless CVs and head shots is pointless. Getting noticed requires a strategy and a lot of hard work. Most people won’t have either, so on Monday, I’ll show you how to make sure you can get ahead of them and get the acting career you want.
Get SIGNED
Having an agent IS very important. Of course, you can work without them, but to have access to the premium job opportunities, you need an agent. There are different levels of agent, some can get you work on local television commercials, and some can get you major roles, but your acting career won’t really take off without one! Getting signed is what we’ll cover on Tuesday.
Get WORKING
Once you get a job, you can’t stop. This is the stage where you have to put your money where you mouth is. If you get to this stage, without an agent and without getting good, then you will have been noticed somehow. That’s great, but without skills and technique to fall back on, you may now really find yourself struggling. Wednesday’s blog, will deal with this.
Get BETTER
They say that the best way to learn is through doing. The secret to getting better is to learn FROM doing, not through doing through. In Thursday’s blog, I’ll deal with learning on the job.
Over the next few days, I will cover all five of the above in much more detail and if you read each one and start to take action, you can push your career forwards and get the acting career you want. Most won’t. Most are sitting at home waiting for the acting career you want to happen to you. Is that you?
To You, the Best
Coach
Mark Westbrook the Senior Coach and Studio Director of Acting Coach Scotland.
So I am into the last two weeks of my exam (woooh) and I realise that I haven't written anything new in a while, but I came across this post from the Acting Coach Scotland blog and thought it would be brilliant to share with you guys.
To any aspiring actor who is currently tackling exams, then my heart goes out to you.
Enjoy (and good luck),
Terri ;D x
Dear Actor – Do you have the Acting Career You Want?
These are the FIVE steps or stages that I believe EVERY actor must take to achieve the acting career that they dream of having….
Get GOOD
In order to get noticed, you need to get good. Not good because your parents say so, or your friends or your high school drama teacher or even a few reviews, but good enough to get noticed, and really noticed. Most people can’t tell if they are good or not. That’s my job as an acting coach, and I know how to look to see if you are good. In tomorrow’s blog, I’ll tell you how to get good, so that you can have the acting career you want. Most people don’t have the patience to wait for this stage, they want it all now. And that’s precisely why they don’t make it.
Get NOTICED
It’s pointless getting good, if you don’t give yourself opportunities to be seen, and seen by the right people. Sending out endless CVs and head shots is pointless. Getting noticed requires a strategy and a lot of hard work. Most people won’t have either, so on Monday, I’ll show you how to make sure you can get ahead of them and get the acting career you want.
Get SIGNED
Having an agent IS very important. Of course, you can work without them, but to have access to the premium job opportunities, you need an agent. There are different levels of agent, some can get you work on local television commercials, and some can get you major roles, but your acting career won’t really take off without one! Getting signed is what we’ll cover on Tuesday.
Get WORKING
Once you get a job, you can’t stop. This is the stage where you have to put your money where you mouth is. If you get to this stage, without an agent and without getting good, then you will have been noticed somehow. That’s great, but without skills and technique to fall back on, you may now really find yourself struggling. Wednesday’s blog, will deal with this.
Get BETTER
They say that the best way to learn is through doing. The secret to getting better is to learn FROM doing, not through doing through. In Thursday’s blog, I’ll deal with learning on the job.
Over the next few days, I will cover all five of the above in much more detail and if you read each one and start to take action, you can push your career forwards and get the acting career you want. Most won’t. Most are sitting at home waiting for the acting career you want to happen to you. Is that you?
To You, the Best
Coach
Mark Westbrook the Senior Coach and Studio Director of Acting Coach Scotland.
Tuesday 27 May 2014
Quick Update
Hey Guys,
Sorry for not writing in a while, I'm about a quarter of the way through my A level exams so I am a little worn out...
But in my off time I have been looking up potential Drama school's to apply for in the new academic year. And with this I have found out some open days for some BA Acting courses including:
Manchester Metropolitan - 25/06/14
Royal Central - 2/07/14
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - 8/08/14 & 17/10/14
Although I have already been through the Man. Met. system I think that it's a good idea to refresh my knowledge on the course.
Hope this information helps, if you want to attend these open days yourself then you need to book you're attendance on their website's (this applies especially to the Royal Central open day as I understand they have limited spaces).
Hope to be writing again soon,
Adios
Terri ;D
Sorry for not writing in a while, I'm about a quarter of the way through my A level exams so I am a little worn out...
But in my off time I have been looking up potential Drama school's to apply for in the new academic year. And with this I have found out some open days for some BA Acting courses including:
Manchester Metropolitan - 25/06/14
Royal Central - 2/07/14
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland - 8/08/14 & 17/10/14
Although I have already been through the Man. Met. system I think that it's a good idea to refresh my knowledge on the course.
Hope this information helps, if you want to attend these open days yourself then you need to book you're attendance on their website's (this applies especially to the Royal Central open day as I understand they have limited spaces).
Hope to be writing again soon,
Adios
Terri ;D
Sunday 18 May 2014
Rwanda...
Hi Everyone,
Just thought I'd give you a little update on something other than acting :O
Rwanda April - June 1994, 800,000 people are murdered during the mass genocide that has devastated this stunning country ever since. As a result, hundreds of children have been left with no family, surviving totally alone.
This time next year, I will be in Rwanda, spending 10 weeks at Imbabazi orphanage on the Rwandan/Congolese border in a small village called Gisenyi, many of these children and young adults will have witnessed events that we could not possibly imagine.
I am open-mined to what I will no doubt face in Rwanda, it will not be easy by any means, but I do know that it is important for me to experience what I believe is 'the real world.'
Best Wishes,
Elizabeth
xxx
Just thought I'd give you a little update on something other than acting :O
Rwanda April - June 1994, 800,000 people are murdered during the mass genocide that has devastated this stunning country ever since. As a result, hundreds of children have been left with no family, surviving totally alone.
This time next year, I will be in Rwanda, spending 10 weeks at Imbabazi orphanage on the Rwandan/Congolese border in a small village called Gisenyi, many of these children and young adults will have witnessed events that we could not possibly imagine.
I am open-mined to what I will no doubt face in Rwanda, it will not be easy by any means, but I do know that it is important for me to experience what I believe is 'the real world.'
Best Wishes,
Elizabeth
xxx
Friday 9 May 2014
Shakespeare at 450:His top ten adaptations on film Repost
Hey everyone!
Realise I haven't wrote anything in a while, sorry about that but with my first A level exam within the week it's getting pretty intense.
Anyway although it's a week or so old here is a brilliant post from the blog "One room with a view" on the best movie adaptations of Shakespeare work. Half I have seen and the other half I fully intend to look at after the exams are over.
Enjoy!
Realise I haven't wrote anything in a while, sorry about that but with my first A level exam within the week it's getting pretty intense.
Anyway although it's a week or so old here is a brilliant post from the blog "One room with a view" on the best movie adaptations of Shakespeare work. Half I have seen and the other half I fully intend to look at after the exams are over.
Enjoy!
Shakespeare at 450: His Top Ten Adaptations on Film
Shakespeare. It’s the most famous name in the English language, ringing proudly out across the British Isles. From his first works on stage around the 1590s to Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing in 2012, Shakespeare has been at the heart of literary culture for more than four hundred years, and his influence has spread around the world. In celebration of his 450th birthday this week, it’s time to look at his impact not just on the written word but on the world of cinema, as we count down the top ten best Shakespeare's on film.
10. The Tempest (2010)Let’s get something straight: Julie Taymor’s take on The Tempest isn’t a particularly good one. Despite her amazing cast – Ben Whishaw and Alfred Molina among them – Taymor’s film is slow and confused, with an overload of special effects that can’t hide its choppy pace and tone. What it does have? Helen Mirren as Prospera, a gender flipped version of Shakespeare’s vengeful sorcerer. Her performance is worth more than the rest of the film combined; she perfectly captures the power of Shakespeare’s words, lending them a new resonance and proving exactly why more adaptors should take the risk and cast women in male roles. Skip through the rest of the movie and treat yourself to a stunning solo performance from Mirren.
9. Henry V (1944)
For Laurence Olivier’s adaptation of this famous history play, the clue is in the year. Produced during the chaos of World War Two, it’s a Technicolor exercise in English patriotism; released to coincide with the Normandy landings, Churchill himself instructed director-star Olivier to use the film as a morale booster for a war-fatigued British nation. They even went so far as to cast real WWII soldier Esmond Knight as Fluellen. Despite stripping away King Henry’s darker traits, leaving Olivier as a whiter-than-white hero figure and destroying some of the play’s more intriguing nuances, it’s an interesting insight into British filmmaking of the era.
8. A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999)
A big-budget Hollywood production that isn’t afraid to play around with Shakespeare’s source material, this end-of-the-century adaptation moves the action to the end of the century before. Set in an Edwardian-styled Italy, it boasts an impressive mix of familiar names; Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci, Christian Bale, Callista Flockhart, Rupert Everett, and Kevin Kline are just a few. The mismatched lovers play their parts with zeal, the fairy King and Queen (Everett and Pfeiffer) are delightfully awful to each other, and the scenery is not half-bad. Treating Shakespeare’s language and story with obvious affection, it’s a fluffy cloud of a film that manages the comedy well enough and will leave you with a smile on your face.
7. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Adaptations don’t always have to preserve Shakespeare’s words to keep their meaning. Gus Van Sant’s film about street hustlers is an imaginative retelling of Henry IV Part I and II, with Keanu Reeves’ Scott as the problematic heir and William Richert’s Bob standing in for Falstaff. Whilst executives at New Line Cinema (who’d rescued it when its funding fell through) wanted to excise the Shakespearean elements, the European distributors put their foot down and Scott lived to see another day. Capturing the betrayal and death that lurks around every corner of the comic history, My Own Private Idaho’s originally divisive borrowing of Shakespeare has become one of its most recognised successes.
6. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
The first Branagh film on this list, his Much Ado is another of Keanu Reeves’ Shakespearean vehicles (though not his best – he was nominated for a Razzie). No – it’s the performances of Branagh himself as Benedick and Emma Thompson as Beatrice that fill this film with energy and zing, more than making up for the flatness of Reeves and his co-star Michael Keaton as Dogberry. With a host of famous faces prancing about in 19th century Italy, its a deft and joyful adaptation that puts the nuance and emotion back into Shakespeare’s language. Thompson and Branagh’s chemistry is a delight, carrying the film through others’ more wooden performances – and make sure to look out for Kate Beckinsale’s pre-Underworld eyebrows.
5. Henry V (1989)
Branagh’s directorial debut and first Shakespeare adaptation is the antithesis of Olivier’s – not least in terms of mud. With a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film can only be described as gritty. Henry’s iconic Agincourt speech is delivered by a muddy, bloody, rain-soaked Branagh to an equally filthy “band of brothers”, and on-screen deaths are replete with pointy swords and spraying blood. As he always does, Branagh renders Shakespeare’s language understandable through tone, diction, and passionate delivery, and directs his cast to do the same. Though the text is heavily cut and scenes from Henry IV I and II form flashback sequences, Branagh’s Henry is a far fuller character than Olivier’s and the film a more rounded study in general.
4. The Lion King (1994)
The film that forever linked cartoons and Shakespeare in the mind of a generation, Disney’s tale of a lion cub losing his father is a loose retelling of Hamlet. Originally conceived in 1988 and with zero relevance or relationship to the play, it was reworked in the early 90s after producer Don Hahn decided the script was unfocused and lacking in theme. Though technically Disney’s first original story, its links to Hamlet are clear; along with Simba as Hamlet, Mufasa and Scar stand in as the King’s Ghost and Claudius respectively, and Timon and Pumba aren’t so far from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (in Stoppard’s absurdist adaptation of the play, at least).
3. Shakespeare In Love (1998)
Alright, so this pseudo-biopic of Shakespeare isn’t a conventional adaptation, but it is a bloody good movie. As well as employing Romeo and Juliet as a play-within-a-film, it borrows heavily from the same play for its own plot, chronicling a fictional love story between Shakespeare and noblewoman Viola De Lessops that inspires Will to write that self-same play. It’s all very meta. As well as bagging Gwyneth Paltrow an Oscar, it’s an excellent example of the 90s British rom com, thus embodying two of our greatest traditions. Joseph Fiennes flutters his eyebrows as a very handsome Shakespeare, but the film also never shies away from its darker elements. In Shakespeare’s world love is tragic, and there’s a hidden pathos that slowly reveals itself.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
This had all the potential to be yet another teen non-com borrowing from the Bard, but this turn-of-the-century update makes one of his most controversial plays palatable for a modern audience. Based on The Taming Of The Shrew, it explores Shakespeare’s dodgy 1590s approach to women with fun and a touch of feminism, giving the Shrew’s Katherina her own voice in Kat Stratford, a spiky third-wave feminist who listens to Riot Grrrl bands and won’t take shit from anyone. The taming of the title is turned into a multi-gender exploration of high school and first love, with exceptional performances from baby-faced Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (before they were snapped up by Nolan’s Batman trilogy). A roller-coaster of heightened teenage emotion, it turns one of Shakespeare’s most controversial plays into a household favourite.
1. Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Shakespeare’s dogged presence in the national curriculum has made him the bane of teenagers’ lives across the globe, but its in films like Romeo + Juliet that he begins to live for them. Developed about as far away from Elizabethan London as you can imagine – in modern day Sydney under the eye of director Baz Luhrmann – the central tenement of Luhrmann’s approach was to imagine how Shakespeare himself might approach filmmaking. Combined with Luhrmann’s frenetic auteurship, Romeo + Juliet is a neon-soaked love letter to the original play; a super-heightened, super-intense exploration of forbidden first love that opens the Bard’s work out to everyone. With two of the most naturalistic Shakespearean performances ever captured on film, Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes defined Romeo and Juliet for a generation with their chemistry and talent, earning themselves rightful acclaim and securing the film as one of (if not the) greatest Shakespeare adaptations of all time.
Honourable mentions: Romeo and Juliet (Zeffirelli, 1968), Ran (Kurosawa, 1985), Throne of Blood (Kurosawa, 1957), West Side Story (Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins, 1961).
Hope you guys aren't stressing too much about deadlines and exams, and if you are. Grab a drink, sit back, and tuck into some Shakespeare!
Adios,
Terri ;D x
10. The Tempest (2010)Let’s get something straight: Julie Taymor’s take on The Tempest isn’t a particularly good one. Despite her amazing cast – Ben Whishaw and Alfred Molina among them – Taymor’s film is slow and confused, with an overload of special effects that can’t hide its choppy pace and tone. What it does have? Helen Mirren as Prospera, a gender flipped version of Shakespeare’s vengeful sorcerer. Her performance is worth more than the rest of the film combined; she perfectly captures the power of Shakespeare’s words, lending them a new resonance and proving exactly why more adaptors should take the risk and cast women in male roles. Skip through the rest of the movie and treat yourself to a stunning solo performance from Mirren.
9. Henry V (1944)
For Laurence Olivier’s adaptation of this famous history play, the clue is in the year. Produced during the chaos of World War Two, it’s a Technicolor exercise in English patriotism; released to coincide with the Normandy landings, Churchill himself instructed director-star Olivier to use the film as a morale booster for a war-fatigued British nation. They even went so far as to cast real WWII soldier Esmond Knight as Fluellen. Despite stripping away King Henry’s darker traits, leaving Olivier as a whiter-than-white hero figure and destroying some of the play’s more intriguing nuances, it’s an interesting insight into British filmmaking of the era.
8. A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999)
A big-budget Hollywood production that isn’t afraid to play around with Shakespeare’s source material, this end-of-the-century adaptation moves the action to the end of the century before. Set in an Edwardian-styled Italy, it boasts an impressive mix of familiar names; Michelle Pfeiffer, Stanley Tucci, Christian Bale, Callista Flockhart, Rupert Everett, and Kevin Kline are just a few. The mismatched lovers play their parts with zeal, the fairy King and Queen (Everett and Pfeiffer) are delightfully awful to each other, and the scenery is not half-bad. Treating Shakespeare’s language and story with obvious affection, it’s a fluffy cloud of a film that manages the comedy well enough and will leave you with a smile on your face.
7. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
Adaptations don’t always have to preserve Shakespeare’s words to keep their meaning. Gus Van Sant’s film about street hustlers is an imaginative retelling of Henry IV Part I and II, with Keanu Reeves’ Scott as the problematic heir and William Richert’s Bob standing in for Falstaff. Whilst executives at New Line Cinema (who’d rescued it when its funding fell through) wanted to excise the Shakespearean elements, the European distributors put their foot down and Scott lived to see another day. Capturing the betrayal and death that lurks around every corner of the comic history, My Own Private Idaho’s originally divisive borrowing of Shakespeare has become one of its most recognised successes.
6. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
The first Branagh film on this list, his Much Ado is another of Keanu Reeves’ Shakespearean vehicles (though not his best – he was nominated for a Razzie). No – it’s the performances of Branagh himself as Benedick and Emma Thompson as Beatrice that fill this film with energy and zing, more than making up for the flatness of Reeves and his co-star Michael Keaton as Dogberry. With a host of famous faces prancing about in 19th century Italy, its a deft and joyful adaptation that puts the nuance and emotion back into Shakespeare’s language. Thompson and Branagh’s chemistry is a delight, carrying the film through others’ more wooden performances – and make sure to look out for Kate Beckinsale’s pre-Underworld eyebrows.
5. Henry V (1989)
Branagh’s directorial debut and first Shakespeare adaptation is the antithesis of Olivier’s – not least in terms of mud. With a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film can only be described as gritty. Henry’s iconic Agincourt speech is delivered by a muddy, bloody, rain-soaked Branagh to an equally filthy “band of brothers”, and on-screen deaths are replete with pointy swords and spraying blood. As he always does, Branagh renders Shakespeare’s language understandable through tone, diction, and passionate delivery, and directs his cast to do the same. Though the text is heavily cut and scenes from Henry IV I and II form flashback sequences, Branagh’s Henry is a far fuller character than Olivier’s and the film a more rounded study in general.
4. The Lion King (1994)
The film that forever linked cartoons and Shakespeare in the mind of a generation, Disney’s tale of a lion cub losing his father is a loose retelling of Hamlet. Originally conceived in 1988 and with zero relevance or relationship to the play, it was reworked in the early 90s after producer Don Hahn decided the script was unfocused and lacking in theme. Though technically Disney’s first original story, its links to Hamlet are clear; along with Simba as Hamlet, Mufasa and Scar stand in as the King’s Ghost and Claudius respectively, and Timon and Pumba aren’t so far from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (in Stoppard’s absurdist adaptation of the play, at least).
3. Shakespeare In Love (1998)
Alright, so this pseudo-biopic of Shakespeare isn’t a conventional adaptation, but it is a bloody good movie. As well as employing Romeo and Juliet as a play-within-a-film, it borrows heavily from the same play for its own plot, chronicling a fictional love story between Shakespeare and noblewoman Viola De Lessops that inspires Will to write that self-same play. It’s all very meta. As well as bagging Gwyneth Paltrow an Oscar, it’s an excellent example of the 90s British rom com, thus embodying two of our greatest traditions. Joseph Fiennes flutters his eyebrows as a very handsome Shakespeare, but the film also never shies away from its darker elements. In Shakespeare’s world love is tragic, and there’s a hidden pathos that slowly reveals itself.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
This had all the potential to be yet another teen non-com borrowing from the Bard, but this turn-of-the-century update makes one of his most controversial plays palatable for a modern audience. Based on The Taming Of The Shrew, it explores Shakespeare’s dodgy 1590s approach to women with fun and a touch of feminism, giving the Shrew’s Katherina her own voice in Kat Stratford, a spiky third-wave feminist who listens to Riot Grrrl bands and won’t take shit from anyone. The taming of the title is turned into a multi-gender exploration of high school and first love, with exceptional performances from baby-faced Heath Ledger and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (before they were snapped up by Nolan’s Batman trilogy). A roller-coaster of heightened teenage emotion, it turns one of Shakespeare’s most controversial plays into a household favourite.
1. Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Shakespeare’s dogged presence in the national curriculum has made him the bane of teenagers’ lives across the globe, but its in films like Romeo + Juliet that he begins to live for them. Developed about as far away from Elizabethan London as you can imagine – in modern day Sydney under the eye of director Baz Luhrmann – the central tenement of Luhrmann’s approach was to imagine how Shakespeare himself might approach filmmaking. Combined with Luhrmann’s frenetic auteurship, Romeo + Juliet is a neon-soaked love letter to the original play; a super-heightened, super-intense exploration of forbidden first love that opens the Bard’s work out to everyone. With two of the most naturalistic Shakespearean performances ever captured on film, Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes defined Romeo and Juliet for a generation with their chemistry and talent, earning themselves rightful acclaim and securing the film as one of (if not the) greatest Shakespeare adaptations of all time.
Honourable mentions: Romeo and Juliet (Zeffirelli, 1968), Ran (Kurosawa, 1985), Throne of Blood (Kurosawa, 1957), West Side Story (Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins, 1961).
Hope you guys aren't stressing too much about deadlines and exams, and if you are. Grab a drink, sit back, and tuck into some Shakespeare!
Adios,
Terri ;D x
Friday 2 May 2014
'Trespass Against Us'
Over the Easter holidays I was lucky enough to work with Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson on Adam Smith's production 'Trespass Against Us' in Glouscheshire. I was on set for a total of 5 days (including the reshoots due to intruding paparazzi) I was sat in a café on day 1, when Michael walks in, noticing that I'm on the production, he came over in introduced himself. I was totally speechless! I've been a fan of Michael's since 2009 after I saw him in Steve McQueen's 'Hunger,' and I was blown about with his passion for his work. Michael really took me under his wing and considering that this was my first job, I'm very grateful to everyone involved! After being covered in dirt and mud for 16 hours a day for 5 days, I think it's safe to say that I still want to act, and do even more than I did before! Not that I knew that was possible ;) Best wishes for now. Elizabeth Pennington
'HighRise' Update
Hi Everyone! So apart from A-Level exams making me what to tear my eyes out.... We're taking 'HighRise' to Bangor, Northern Ireland next month. More details coming to you very soon! Best Wishes, Elizabeth xxxx. http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-05-01/tom-hiddleston-to-film-in-northern-ireland-this-june
Wednesday 23 April 2014
HAPPY 450th BIRTHDAY BILLY
Hello all!
So today we celebrate the birthdate of one of the most marvellous thinkers that ever walked the planet (in my opinion)... William Shakespeare!
So to celebrate I'm going to be plopping down the revision and cosy down to watch some of my favourite Shakespeare productions including:
Josie Rourke's Much Ado About Nothing (Staring David Tennant and Catherine Tate.)
Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night or what you will (Staring Imogen Stubbs, Toby Stephens and Helena Bonham Carter)
Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (Staring the beautiful Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes)
Enjoy,
Terri ;D
So today we celebrate the birthdate of one of the most marvellous thinkers that ever walked the planet (in my opinion)... William Shakespeare!
So to celebrate I'm going to be plopping down the revision and cosy down to watch some of my favourite Shakespeare productions including:
Josie Rourke's Much Ado About Nothing (Staring David Tennant and Catherine Tate.)
Trevor Nunn's Twelfth Night or what you will (Staring Imogen Stubbs, Toby Stephens and Helena Bonham Carter)
Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (Staring the beautiful Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes)
Enjoy,
Terri ;D
Friday 18 April 2014
If I don't get into Drama School Re-post
Hi there again!
Hope everyone is enjoying the b-e-a-utiful weather that we are having here this Easter weekend.
Sorry for not posting in a while, I'm having to revise like mad so have had no time in writing for a while.
Anyway this is post a re-posting from the brilliant blog Acting Coach Scotland, which is headed up by a guy called Mark Westbrook (who claims to be a massive guru in all acting woes).
And I was reading through it recently and this particular article caught my eye.
A word of caution - Although this guy is rather convincing with his arguments, keep in mind that this is just one guy's opinion and you can (like I have done in the past) disagree with such advice.
Hope you enjoy it,
Terri ;D x
If I don’t get into Drama School
Hope everyone is enjoying the b-e-a-utiful weather that we are having here this Easter weekend.
Sorry for not posting in a while, I'm having to revise like mad so have had no time in writing for a while.
Anyway this is post a re-posting from the brilliant blog Acting Coach Scotland, which is headed up by a guy called Mark Westbrook (who claims to be a massive guru in all acting woes).
And I was reading through it recently and this particular article caught my eye.
A word of caution - Although this guy is rather convincing with his arguments, keep in mind that this is just one guy's opinion and you can (like I have done in the past) disagree with such advice.
Hope you enjoy it,
Terri ;D x
If I don’t get into Drama School
If you want to be a professional actor, the most common entry point into the profession is by attending a high quality accredited acting school.
But what if you failed to secure your place on one of these acting courses this year? What can you do?
ONE: GET REAL – Give yourself a reality check about just how hard it is to get a place at drama school. It’s harder than ever to get a coveted place at a prestigious UK drama school. Recent studies show that it’s harder to get into a British drama school (1 in 7) than it is to enter Oxbridge (Oxford/Cambridge is 1 in 4). If you want to get a place at drama school, you have to accept that the competition is painful intense.
TWO: GIVE IN NOW - If failing to get into drama school on your first attempt puts you off, give up and go do something else. It may take you FIVE attempts, and if the first failing puts you off, you won’t stand a chance in this profession.
THREE: SPREAD THE NET - Obviously if you only apply to ONE school, you’re dramatically reducing your chance of studying acting at a Drama UK approved course. Next year, apply to as many schools as you can. Each school has a unique personality, and are looking for different qualities. If you only apply to those schools that you’ve fetishized for no good reason, you will probably miss out on your chance of getting into drama school. You have a year to save up for audition fees and transport/accommodation costs, how bad do you want to get in?FOUR: GROW UP – The most common quality that I perceive in those that I know have achieved a place at drama school is a mature outlook. Go out to work, travel Australia, work for a charity, but even if you feel like a mature person for your age, getting out into the world will bring you a new maturity that will be highly attractive to audition panels..
FIVE: GET EXPERIENCE - You now have the best part of a year to gain more experience. Go be an extra, go take some acting classes where you live, attend drama school audition coaching or courses lead by the leading schools.
SIX: Â MAKE A LIST - Make a list of 20 things that you can do to improve your chances of getting into drama school. Then start ticking them off as you achieve them. This will bring your 20 STEPS closer to obtaining your goal.
SEVEN: GIVE UP - Yes, I’ve said this for the second time. If you can live without going to drama school, you probably don’t want a place bad enough.
You will probably notice that I haven’t included ‘going off to University’ or ‘doing an acting course at a local college’, these may be ways that some people become actors, but as your goal is to get into drama school, these would be considered a failure to achieve your goal.Mark Westbrook is the Senior Coach and Studio Director at Acting Coach Scotland.
Original article webpage - http://actingcoachscotland.co.uk/2014/04/if-i-dont-get-into-drama-school/Friday 11 April 2014
The Drama School Audition Advice.
Hey everyone again!
Now that all my auditions are over, I thought that it would be an excellent idea to compile a list of all the tips I have learnt about audition over the course of the year.
I Wanna be an Actor.com's Top Tips for auditioning to Drama School...
1. Research, Research, Research
If I was redoing this year again, I would of so done much more research than I did. If you want to go to Drama School then you should know everything there is to know about it. For example: The History of the School, the teachers who currently work there, what they have done, who's trained there, what percentage of student are in employment in the industry, how much they are earning, what the school expects from it's student e.c.t. I could go on forever.
And I don't just mean that about the school either, you should be going the extra mile with you're monologues too. You should know anything and everything about the characters and the play.
You may be asking, "This seems a load of effort for just a 15 minute audition, why bother?" Because hardly anyone else will be going to that length to show how much they want it, and if the panel can see how hard you are prepared to work for it, then they will be more likely to want you.
2. Understanding the costs.
Now this I don't just mean money-wise. Yes it is important to realise that it isn't just the audition fee that you'll be paying, but also travel and accommodation fees too, - which to let you know, if you live outside of London, it may cost you around triple the audition fee alone. - so you can see it is expensive.
But you also have to understand the emotional costs of all this kafuffle. Not only is it stressful getting to these places but you also have to contend with:
a) The pressure of picking/learning you're monologues.
b) Doing the audition.
c) The waiting of the news.
d) Possibly - being rejected from said drama schools.
And if you get through the auditions and receive a place, after graduating you'll be lucky if you can earn more than £3000 a year from a job in the acting industry.
But if you still want it, go get it tiger!
Whoop, lecture over, now carry on.
3. Don't overthink it, feel it.
This is defiantly something I would of recommended myself to do when I was learning my lines last September.
If I were you, when looking at a new monologue, I would read it a few times. Then I'd stand up and read it out loud. You could do this with someone or no one. If you like how it sounds or you get that poke in you're gut telling you that this is good then investigate the monologue further. If not, set it down, make a note of the monologue in a journal or something and try another one.
Just keep trying new things out until you find monologues that suit you and you ENJOY doing.
4.Be YOURSELF!
I know this is such a cliqué but seriously, you need to get it out of you're head asap that you need to act in a certain way to impress the audition panel. When it boils down to it, they want to want you! Not some version of you that you think they will like. I myself have fallen down this audition rabbit hole this year. I was picking pieces that I thought that the panel would like, not what I enjoyed or showed the best sides of my acting. And for every audition I wore black... I hate black clothing. It reminds me of funeral's. But I thought that it was the "drama school" thing to do.
It sounds silly when you look back at it but that's what I thought you should do. So please don't make the same mistake as me.
5. Just enjoy it!
I realise that it seems like a lot of pressure to get one of those precious places but come on! If you're going to pay £200 for 30 minutes of people judging you then you might as well have fun doing it.
Duh.
^Hope this all helps you, I'll probably re-post this at the beginning of the next academic year so you can re-refer to it then.
Adios,
Terri ;D
P.S - If you were looking for more tips in how to get into Drama School then check out "The Saturday Acting Academy's Blog" page as it is written by some guy who helps out on Drama School panel's.
Hope this (also) helps.
http://thesaturdayactingacademy.blogspot.co.uk/
Now that all my auditions are over, I thought that it would be an excellent idea to compile a list of all the tips I have learnt about audition over the course of the year.
I Wanna be an Actor.com's Top Tips for auditioning to Drama School...
1. Research, Research, Research
If I was redoing this year again, I would of so done much more research than I did. If you want to go to Drama School then you should know everything there is to know about it. For example: The History of the School, the teachers who currently work there, what they have done, who's trained there, what percentage of student are in employment in the industry, how much they are earning, what the school expects from it's student e.c.t. I could go on forever.
And I don't just mean that about the school either, you should be going the extra mile with you're monologues too. You should know anything and everything about the characters and the play.
You may be asking, "This seems a load of effort for just a 15 minute audition, why bother?" Because hardly anyone else will be going to that length to show how much they want it, and if the panel can see how hard you are prepared to work for it, then they will be more likely to want you.
2. Understanding the costs.
Now this I don't just mean money-wise. Yes it is important to realise that it isn't just the audition fee that you'll be paying, but also travel and accommodation fees too, - which to let you know, if you live outside of London, it may cost you around triple the audition fee alone. - so you can see it is expensive.
But you also have to understand the emotional costs of all this kafuffle. Not only is it stressful getting to these places but you also have to contend with:
a) The pressure of picking/learning you're monologues.
b) Doing the audition.
c) The waiting of the news.
d) Possibly - being rejected from said drama schools.
And if you get through the auditions and receive a place, after graduating you'll be lucky if you can earn more than £3000 a year from a job in the acting industry.
But if you still want it, go get it tiger!
Whoop, lecture over, now carry on.
3. Don't overthink it, feel it.
This is defiantly something I would of recommended myself to do when I was learning my lines last September.
If I were you, when looking at a new monologue, I would read it a few times. Then I'd stand up and read it out loud. You could do this with someone or no one. If you like how it sounds or you get that poke in you're gut telling you that this is good then investigate the monologue further. If not, set it down, make a note of the monologue in a journal or something and try another one.
Just keep trying new things out until you find monologues that suit you and you ENJOY doing.
4.Be YOURSELF!
I know this is such a cliqué but seriously, you need to get it out of you're head asap that you need to act in a certain way to impress the audition panel. When it boils down to it, they want to want you! Not some version of you that you think they will like. I myself have fallen down this audition rabbit hole this year. I was picking pieces that I thought that the panel would like, not what I enjoyed or showed the best sides of my acting. And for every audition I wore black... I hate black clothing. It reminds me of funeral's. But I thought that it was the "drama school" thing to do.
It sounds silly when you look back at it but that's what I thought you should do. So please don't make the same mistake as me.
5. Just enjoy it!
I realise that it seems like a lot of pressure to get one of those precious places but come on! If you're going to pay £200 for 30 minutes of people judging you then you might as well have fun doing it.
Duh.
^Hope this all helps you, I'll probably re-post this at the beginning of the next academic year so you can re-refer to it then.
Adios,
Terri ;D
P.S - If you were looking for more tips in how to get into Drama School then check out "The Saturday Acting Academy's Blog" page as it is written by some guy who helps out on Drama School panel's.
Hope this (also) helps.
http://thesaturdayactingacademy.blogspot.co.uk/
Wednesday 9 April 2014
NEWS UPDATE:
Hi Everyone! How are you all? I've been receiving some lovely comments about the blogs and I'm thrilled that you're enjoying reading each of the posts. EXCITING NEWS: I found out yesterday that I'm going to be an extra in a film next year with Brendan Gleeson (Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter films) and Michael Fassbender. Shooting begins early 2015, and I can't wait! Thank you to everyone for your support. Best Wishes, Elizabeth Pennington
Friday 4 April 2014
The Drama School Audition Awards!
Hello and Welcome to the first national Drama School Audition awards!
Well what a year it has been, 6 auditions down the line and not a single recall later (she says, chortling on her wine) means that it's time to reveal who has come top of the best audition of the year!!!!!!
So here are the Categories...
1. Best Overall Audition - RADA
Maybe I was just in a good mood that day, or maybe because I had high expectations of RADA that I thought that it was the best. Everyone was nice, the place was sweet, it didn't cost that much to get there. In conclusion RADA, you rock!
2. Worst Overall Audition - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Liked the placed, but apparently my stomach did not. Sorry Glasgow.
3. Most welcoming Panel - RADA
...Yeah I was really impressed by them. Both of the panel shook my hand before they began and they made me feel so comfortable that it was hard for me not to enjoy that audition.
4. Most Intimidating Panel (boo hiss) - National Youth Theatre/Italia Conti
I have come to this conclusion because mainly both panel's looked like I had thrown a water balloon filled with wee in their faces after I had done my audition. Was also freaked out by the fact that neither panel asked me questions in the audition either.
5. Audition Best Value For Money - Manchester Metropolitan
With a 45 minute warm up, a considerably long audition and only having to pay £2.50 for the train fare made this the most value for money
6. Audition Least Value For Money - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Guildhall just missed out on this title by £1 but... at £61 (£45 + CUKAS fees) with no warm up and a 5 minute audition the RCS is the loser of the round.
7. Best facilities (at the school) - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Looking at the above, I really do seem to have a mixed view of the place. However on the tour this place showed that it really does have everything you need to get a brilliant acting education.
8. Worst facilities (at the school) - Italia Conti
Was situated within a grubby looking part of London and due to the number of auditionies that day, we were all too squashed in that room.
9. Best "gut instinct" Feeling Audition - RADA
Like I said above, RADA totally rocked.
10. Craziest Panel Outfit Competition (i.e. the most important information you need to know about a future audition e.c.t.) - Guildhall!
This prize was suitably won by the female judge on the panel who sported the baggiest green harem pants I have ever seen, a Hawaiian shirt and to top it off, a stiff leather jacket.
Thank you all for reading this blog for the past year, and hopefully I'll be compiling another one of these next year for all you lovely people.
But for now, enjoy the show that is called life!
Terri ;D x
Well what a year it has been, 6 auditions down the line and not a single recall later (she says, chortling on her wine) means that it's time to reveal who has come top of the best audition of the year!!!!!!
So here are the Categories...
1. Best Overall Audition - RADA
Maybe I was just in a good mood that day, or maybe because I had high expectations of RADA that I thought that it was the best. Everyone was nice, the place was sweet, it didn't cost that much to get there. In conclusion RADA, you rock!
2. Worst Overall Audition - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Liked the placed, but apparently my stomach did not. Sorry Glasgow.
3. Most welcoming Panel - RADA
...Yeah I was really impressed by them. Both of the panel shook my hand before they began and they made me feel so comfortable that it was hard for me not to enjoy that audition.
4. Most Intimidating Panel (boo hiss) - National Youth Theatre/Italia Conti
I have come to this conclusion because mainly both panel's looked like I had thrown a water balloon filled with wee in their faces after I had done my audition. Was also freaked out by the fact that neither panel asked me questions in the audition either.
5. Audition Best Value For Money - Manchester Metropolitan
With a 45 minute warm up, a considerably long audition and only having to pay £2.50 for the train fare made this the most value for money
6. Audition Least Value For Money - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Guildhall just missed out on this title by £1 but... at £61 (£45 + CUKAS fees) with no warm up and a 5 minute audition the RCS is the loser of the round.
7. Best facilities (at the school) - Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Looking at the above, I really do seem to have a mixed view of the place. However on the tour this place showed that it really does have everything you need to get a brilliant acting education.
8. Worst facilities (at the school) - Italia Conti
Was situated within a grubby looking part of London and due to the number of auditionies that day, we were all too squashed in that room.
9. Best "gut instinct" Feeling Audition - RADA
Like I said above, RADA totally rocked.
10. Craziest Panel Outfit Competition (i.e. the most important information you need to know about a future audition e.c.t.) - Guildhall!
This prize was suitably won by the female judge on the panel who sported the baggiest green harem pants I have ever seen, a Hawaiian shirt and to top it off, a stiff leather jacket.
Thank you all for reading this blog for the past year, and hopefully I'll be compiling another one of these next year for all you lovely people.
But for now, enjoy the show that is called life!
Terri ;D x
Monday 31 March 2014
My Inspirations
So, I thought I'd share with you some of my inspirations (in a list format) Jared Leto, James McAvoy, Tom Hiddleston, Daniel Day-Lewis, Keira Knightley, Kate Winslet, Juno Temple and Saoirse Ronan. I think it's REALLY important for young, aspiring creatives or not, to have people who they look up to and respect... There are SO many more incredible actors and actresses whom I admire greatly, not only for their talent but for their incredible gift to communicate with others. Getting spiritual now ;) Best Wishes! Elizabeth xxxx
Sunday 30 March 2014
The news so far...
Hey everyone,
Since it has been a while since I wrote, we have quite a bit of catching up to do...
Firstly, I have been rejected from Italia Conti. Which, let's face it, was not a big surprise. This means that I will defiantly be doing a gap year. I have soooo many ideas of what I want to do in it but the great thing is that loads of my friends are staying in Manchester - either going to uni or getting a job e.c.t. - so it's not like I'm being abandoned by everyone PLUS I have been given the role of Ruby in When We Are Married at the Stockport Garrick which I am thrilled about.
In other news, I'm now 18! I had by birthday last Friday and all my mates came over to mine for a drink and stuff so that was fun.
Still waiting for news about the National Youth Theatre audition, but to be honest, if I don't get in this year I won't be too bothered... I know that as an aspiring actress it should be one of the main institutions I want to associate myself with but... The summer course is on at the same time as Leeds's festival and, well, that sounds like just as much fun.
Anyway as my A level exams starts in less than 6 week time (eekkkk) I really do need to be getting my head down and concentrating on that at the moment.
Hasta la vista darlings!
Terri ;D x
Since it has been a while since I wrote, we have quite a bit of catching up to do...
Firstly, I have been rejected from Italia Conti. Which, let's face it, was not a big surprise. This means that I will defiantly be doing a gap year. I have soooo many ideas of what I want to do in it but the great thing is that loads of my friends are staying in Manchester - either going to uni or getting a job e.c.t. - so it's not like I'm being abandoned by everyone PLUS I have been given the role of Ruby in When We Are Married at the Stockport Garrick which I am thrilled about.
In other news, I'm now 18! I had by birthday last Friday and all my mates came over to mine for a drink and stuff so that was fun.
Still waiting for news about the National Youth Theatre audition, but to be honest, if I don't get in this year I won't be too bothered... I know that as an aspiring actress it should be one of the main institutions I want to associate myself with but... The summer course is on at the same time as Leeds's festival and, well, that sounds like just as much fun.
Anyway as my A level exams starts in less than 6 week time (eekkkk) I really do need to be getting my head down and concentrating on that at the moment.
Hasta la vista darlings!
Terri ;D x
Friday 28 March 2014
HighRise
http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=40050. Hi Everyone, Ben Wheatley is set to direct Tom Hiddleston in JG.Ballard's novel 'HighRise.' Filming begins in June in London. Can't wait to be a part of this one..... More information coming your way soon. Best Wishes, Elizabeth Pennington
Monday 24 March 2014
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!
Hello everyone,
So today is a very special day, as... It is the 1st anniversary of me setting up this blog!
I cannot believe how big this has become, I have absolutely loved writing on this to you fabulous people this past year. And I am happy to say that I shall be continuing to do so as I continue to pursue my acting dreams. :D
Now at the moment I am concentrating on my A level's which, sadly, will be the bane of my life until the 18th of June. Then after that... FREEDOM!
And a whole year in which to fill with utter bonkers plans and fun me thinks.
But until then,
farewell.
Terri ;D
So today is a very special day, as... It is the 1st anniversary of me setting up this blog!
I cannot believe how big this has become, I have absolutely loved writing on this to you fabulous people this past year. And I am happy to say that I shall be continuing to do so as I continue to pursue my acting dreams. :D
Now at the moment I am concentrating on my A level's which, sadly, will be the bane of my life until the 18th of June. Then after that... FREEDOM!
And a whole year in which to fill with utter bonkers plans and fun me thinks.
But until then,
farewell.
Terri ;D
Saturday 15 March 2014
Something awsome is about to happen...
Hey there people!
No news so far on the Italia Conti audition or NYT audition... (the tension is killing me).
Anyway that is not what I wanted to talk about. Since it is coming to the first aniversary of this blog (!!!!!!) I have wanted to shake things up on here for a while, and I have found a solution.
(drum roll please)...
My lovely thespian pal has agreed to write posts on here too!
Her name is Elizabeth and she is about to embark on a year of auditions for drama school. Annnd I thought it would be a fab idea that she could share her experience's on here with all you lovely people. She is very talented and cool so I cannot wait to see what happens!!!!
But I will leave the rest up to her.
Enjoy!
Love Terri ;D
P.S. Going to see Noel Coward's Fumed Oak again next week, so if you missed it in the cinema the first time round then Cineworld is showing it again on their take two offer!
The link is here if you want to look into it more.
http://www.cineworld.co.uk/blog/take-2-private-lives-march
Toodiloo.
(drum roll please)...
My lovely thespian pal has agreed to write posts on here too!
Her name is Elizabeth and she is about to embark on a year of auditions for drama school. Annnd I thought it would be a fab idea that she could share her experience's on here with all you lovely people. She is very talented and cool so I cannot wait to see what happens!!!!
But I will leave the rest up to her.
Enjoy!
Love Terri ;D
P.S. Going to see Noel Coward's Fumed Oak again next week, so if you missed it in the cinema the first time round then Cineworld is showing it again on their take two offer!
The link is here if you want to look into it more.
http://www.cineworld.co.uk/blog/take-2-private-lives-march
Toodiloo.
Wednesday 5 March 2014
Italia Conti: The Audition
Hey,
Sorry for not writing in a while, I'm studying my A level's at the moment and the pressure to get decent grades in mounting considerably, so it seems like I won't be writing much on here for atleast the next four months (i.e up to and during the exam period). The pressure is much, much more considerable this year as our darling Education Minister, Michael Gove; has now stated that no one can now do a third year and, therefore if I fail, I cannot resit and then can't go to university or get a decent job. Gee thanks Mike! Remind me the next time I see him to give a good old tutting to (as tutting is the appropriate way for an Englishperson to show disgust.)
Anyway I will save my ranting about how much Mr Gove is a compleate and utter twat for another post.
What I really wanted to talk about was my Italia Conti audition last Monday.
Now in the previous week, it had been the half term holiday. Which is why I decided that over the week I would do absolutely nothing and have a good old rest. What I forgot to remember was that I had a major audition within the week and had not learnt to set piece properly. I ended up remembering on the Saturday and, scrambling from my bed I lurched into a panic of learning lines, re-reading the School's website on what it looks for in a candidate/what I needed to do in the actual audition etc.
Thankfully (for me) my mum had organised the travel and accommodation for the night before, so on the Monday morning (waking up at the dreadful hour of 6 o'clock). We headed out to the heart of London.
The place wasn't that hard to find and, on entering, my first impression was that it was rather small. I think that this is because apparently they are modifying the building therefore ensuring that the audition space was rather crowded.
I was told by a rather cheery bloke, to fill out a form of what I would be performing, plus where I had auditioned this year and what the results had been. I do have to admit, it was rather embarrassing that I had to put down that for all my previous auditions I had been rejected (yes sadly, even RADA :'( ...) But at looking at everyone else's forms, they too had mostly been rejected from everywhere else. I was then sent upstairs where many other hopefuls were waiting. Another impression, there were a lot of people. Around 30-40, it was the biggest number of people I had seen at a audition ever really. The people I remember most was a beautiful girl who had come from Italy, and a rather attractive guy in his early 20's called Scott, who was a traveller until he was 16.
We were all sitting there for a while until the cheery bloke came up and started the warm up. It was immensely fun. We were all prating about being dinosaurs chasing prey and shaking our arms round in a bizarre fashion for at least 30 minutes. I loved it.
After this we did some improvisation in small groups, as we were doing this the cheery bloke came round with a clipboard and assessed us as we were going about the task. Also very fun, but since the room was quite small and there were so many people talking I couldn't hear what the majority of my group were saying, so I kinda ended up falling into the background a bit. I do feel that may of been spotted by cheery bloke.
Anyway after this we were then sent outside of the room as the panel - made up of a man and a woman - entered, in order to conduct the audition.
I was forth. On my turn they both shook my hand and asked me what speech I wanted to start with. I said my modern (Back to Methuselah by G.B Shaw). It went very well. Then the set Shakespeare (I ended up doing Helena in A midsummer night's dream) I didn't forget any of the lines, which was a positive. Once I finished they thanked me and asked me to sit back outside. No questions asked. I felt a tiny bit weirded out by that fact. Now the wait.
A fact about Italia Conti, even if you are not recalled back you still have a chance of getting a place.
I wasn't recalled, I was both - strangely - dissapointed and glad by this. The latter because I was already tired and didn't want to get back home at midnight (which in being recalled I probably would of.) Yet, I was dissapointed because a) it would of been nice to get just one recall out of the many auditions I have done (although another guy there, who was about my age and was rather annoying. Had been to 9 drama school auditions this year alown and had had not one recall!) And b) the recall part did sound like loads of fun. If you did get recalled, you took part in three different workshops (singing, movement and voice) then would redo your pieces.
Now in the previous week, it had been the half term holiday. Which is why I decided that over the week I would do absolutely nothing and have a good old rest. What I forgot to remember was that I had a major audition within the week and had not learnt to set piece properly. I ended up remembering on the Saturday and, scrambling from my bed I lurched into a panic of learning lines, re-reading the School's website on what it looks for in a candidate/what I needed to do in the actual audition etc.
Thankfully (for me) my mum had organised the travel and accommodation for the night before, so on the Monday morning (waking up at the dreadful hour of 6 o'clock). We headed out to the heart of London.
The place wasn't that hard to find and, on entering, my first impression was that it was rather small. I think that this is because apparently they are modifying the building therefore ensuring that the audition space was rather crowded.
I was told by a rather cheery bloke, to fill out a form of what I would be performing, plus where I had auditioned this year and what the results had been. I do have to admit, it was rather embarrassing that I had to put down that for all my previous auditions I had been rejected (yes sadly, even RADA :'( ...) But at looking at everyone else's forms, they too had mostly been rejected from everywhere else. I was then sent upstairs where many other hopefuls were waiting. Another impression, there were a lot of people. Around 30-40, it was the biggest number of people I had seen at a audition ever really. The people I remember most was a beautiful girl who had come from Italy, and a rather attractive guy in his early 20's called Scott, who was a traveller until he was 16.
We were all sitting there for a while until the cheery bloke came up and started the warm up. It was immensely fun. We were all prating about being dinosaurs chasing prey and shaking our arms round in a bizarre fashion for at least 30 minutes. I loved it.
After this we did some improvisation in small groups, as we were doing this the cheery bloke came round with a clipboard and assessed us as we were going about the task. Also very fun, but since the room was quite small and there were so many people talking I couldn't hear what the majority of my group were saying, so I kinda ended up falling into the background a bit. I do feel that may of been spotted by cheery bloke.
Anyway after this we were then sent outside of the room as the panel - made up of a man and a woman - entered, in order to conduct the audition.
I was forth. On my turn they both shook my hand and asked me what speech I wanted to start with. I said my modern (Back to Methuselah by G.B Shaw). It went very well. Then the set Shakespeare (I ended up doing Helena in A midsummer night's dream) I didn't forget any of the lines, which was a positive. Once I finished they thanked me and asked me to sit back outside. No questions asked. I felt a tiny bit weirded out by that fact. Now the wait.
A fact about Italia Conti, even if you are not recalled back you still have a chance of getting a place.
I wasn't recalled, I was both - strangely - dissapointed and glad by this. The latter because I was already tired and didn't want to get back home at midnight (which in being recalled I probably would of.) Yet, I was dissapointed because a) it would of been nice to get just one recall out of the many auditions I have done (although another guy there, who was about my age and was rather annoying. Had been to 9 drama school auditions this year alown and had had not one recall!) And b) the recall part did sound like loads of fun. If you did get recalled, you took part in three different workshops (singing, movement and voice) then would redo your pieces.
No idea when I am supposed to be reciving a result, will probbably come within the next week.
However, if I don't book my Drama Centre audition soon, that will of been my last drama school audition this year...
I'm not really sure what to make of the fact really. I mean, I knew that I wasn't going to get a place at the age of 17 but... A whole year, without a real plan of what I will be doing within the next year is, very scary.
However I have put some things in place. For example this evening I am going to be auditioning for a few plays at the Stockport Garrick for their productions next academic year so that looks good. I'm also going to be sending my CV to every theatre in the within a 10 mile radius of where I live, just so I can work there and get a better feel of the working of a theatre. I will also be carrying on persuing some of my design ambitions and use my esty shop to raise so well needed cash for next year's drama school auditions!
But for now, revision time!
Adios,
Terri ;D xxx
Friday 21 February 2014
RADA: D-day (i.e. the Audition)
So today I had my initial RADA audition in Manchester. First Impressions: The nicest pannel I've had plus the most comfortable that I have felt in any audition so far.
The day panned out as follows:
After arriving at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester - though not before getting hassled by three charity people on the way and getting lost in the Arndale then having a slight panic attack with all the nerves, - with half an hour before the audition. I was a bag of nerves. I was directed to go sit on a couch where a few other's were waiting. They were all very nice. And as we divulged in the social norm of awkward small talk we were called to come into another, smaller room away from the main theatre. I have to admit, even though by this point I was almost vomiting with the nerves now, it was a gorgeous room. You could see the shops outside and the room itself was surrounded by 1930's oak. In here we were given a jug of water and told to fill out two forms. One asking what pieces we were doing and the second asking general details ( I.e. do you have any difficulties (mental/physical) and where else have you applied.)
I was then called up upstairs where I was to wait until I was called in to my audition. I was a couple of minutes later. The panel was made up of a man and a women (who happened to have been in Doctor Who!) and both shook my hand (I never shake peoples hands so I found that part weird). I then sat down and they asked that, as I was 17 what I was doing at A level? They seemed interested that I don't do drama at college and they wanted to know where then, I did I do my acting at. I think they also found it interesting that I was doing Hamlet as well. Well they made an "ohhhh" sound when they read that I was doing it.
So I stood up and did my Hamlet first. It went soundly, it wasn't immaculate but I got across what I wanted to tell.
They I did Port. For this audition I decided to change my planned movement and did it all sitting down (I just thought that getting up and moving about wasn't the natural thing to do.) and not just for the first bit (like the times before). This also went well, much better then I have done in the previous auditions.
Then I sat down in front of them again. By now I was enjoying myself loads. They asked who was my acting idol, when and where I went to see the theatre, where else I had applied and what would I do if I didn't get in drama school this year. They then asked me to confirm that I was again 17 (I found this one interesting as I had said I was beforehand...)
Another shake of the hand and I was allowed to leave.
FREEDOM!
Have celebrated a good audition by buying myself a Starbucks ice latte from Sainsbury's.
Apparently I should receive the result in the post in the next two weeks.
If I am honest with you, if I don't get recalled I won't be too upset as I know I did all that I could.
But now, time to concentrate for the NYT and Italia Conti because they are so close and I don't want to get too laid back 'cause I did one good.
But it means that I am more than half way through my auditioning process!!!!!
BOOM
Cheerio,
Terri ;D
The day panned out as follows:
After arriving at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester - though not before getting hassled by three charity people on the way and getting lost in the Arndale then having a slight panic attack with all the nerves, - with half an hour before the audition. I was a bag of nerves. I was directed to go sit on a couch where a few other's were waiting. They were all very nice. And as we divulged in the social norm of awkward small talk we were called to come into another, smaller room away from the main theatre. I have to admit, even though by this point I was almost vomiting with the nerves now, it was a gorgeous room. You could see the shops outside and the room itself was surrounded by 1930's oak. In here we were given a jug of water and told to fill out two forms. One asking what pieces we were doing and the second asking general details ( I.e. do you have any difficulties (mental/physical) and where else have you applied.)
I was then called up upstairs where I was to wait until I was called in to my audition. I was a couple of minutes later. The panel was made up of a man and a women (who happened to have been in Doctor Who!) and both shook my hand (I never shake peoples hands so I found that part weird). I then sat down and they asked that, as I was 17 what I was doing at A level? They seemed interested that I don't do drama at college and they wanted to know where then, I did I do my acting at. I think they also found it interesting that I was doing Hamlet as well. Well they made an "ohhhh" sound when they read that I was doing it.
So I stood up and did my Hamlet first. It went soundly, it wasn't immaculate but I got across what I wanted to tell.
They I did Port. For this audition I decided to change my planned movement and did it all sitting down (I just thought that getting up and moving about wasn't the natural thing to do.) and not just for the first bit (like the times before). This also went well, much better then I have done in the previous auditions.
Then I sat down in front of them again. By now I was enjoying myself loads. They asked who was my acting idol, when and where I went to see the theatre, where else I had applied and what would I do if I didn't get in drama school this year. They then asked me to confirm that I was again 17 (I found this one interesting as I had said I was beforehand...)
Another shake of the hand and I was allowed to leave.
FREEDOM!
Have celebrated a good audition by buying myself a Starbucks ice latte from Sainsbury's.
Apparently I should receive the result in the post in the next two weeks.
If I am honest with you, if I don't get recalled I won't be too upset as I know I did all that I could.
But now, time to concentrate for the NYT and Italia Conti because they are so close and I don't want to get too laid back 'cause I did one good.
But it means that I am more than half way through my auditioning process!!!!!
BOOM
Cheerio,
Terri ;D
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