Introduction
My second year at the Conservatoire was a pivotal transition in creating a skills toolkit to apply to the industry. It became a thought process for working in a professional setting, becoming a self-sustaining artist in a highly competitive, unstable and network-driven industry. I also had a personal goal to overcome my imposter syndrome. This might be resolved by accepting my ability to write and direct, viewing myself as a multi-disciplinary creative rather than having a singular proficiency and I wanted to consider this.
Additionally, I wanted to strengthen who I am as an actor by identifying parts of my identity intrinsic to acting. Document One is the biography I submitted for a recent open audition with Leeds-based theatre companies. I acknowledged my Northern roots so they knew I understood their communities since I don’t have a Yorkshire accent to give that impression. There were six diverse companies and I found it difficult to which skills to include so incorporated a broad overview for skills useful in rehearsal rooms. I naturally gravitate towards comedy so offered that as I work best with people who value humour in text and the rehearsal process. I’m now creating alternative biographies to use, depending on the project. I wanted to allow myself more freedom in my artistic identity and not constrain myself. These options are available in Document Two, and will continue to change as I develop in my training.
The Industry Landscape
I view the acting industry with trepidation, trying to look for certainty which it cannot give. The sources in my research, as detailed in Document Three, offer a bleak paradox, confirmed by conversations I’ve had with industry professionals. All sectors of the industry are growing, but this is tempered by an audience’s need for instant engagement. Work must already be visible in popular culture, or be already established in the industry. Producers are more likely to hire well-known artists over newcomers so making a breakthrough often involves making one’s own work. Due to lack of employment, many actors are doing the same which results in competition or them joining together for low-paid work. I will need to greatly improve my understanding business acumen for producing theatre, especially with the tightening of Arts Council funding, but I’m still determined to create my own opportunities, this being the most consistent piece of advice I’ve received.
This requires building a diverse network of contacts, who I can reach out to for advice or work. In third year I want to curate my branding by exploring vital parts of my identity, making me more appealing for mutually beneficial work. I recognise the dichotomy that regional theatres struggle financially more than London, but the pool of regional actors is less saturated. Their area-specific performances appeal to my value of promoting Northern talent, yet being working-class, I may not have the luxury of choosing work aligning with my ethics. Salford and Northern Film School are growing in standing and funding, increasing Northern representation on screen. By auditioning for student films being created, I hope to build my showreel as advertisement for screen and theatre work, alongside relationships with emerging creatives in tandem with this growth.
As an unknown actor, I can’t yet guarantee production companies the promise of bringing profit to their shows. Overall, the industry is reliant on money, appeal, and connections. To create appeal, I shall make work which I believe is missing from the industry; although if I notice a gap, the chances are someone else will have done so too. This is not something that deters me, I just aim to do it with my own unique voice. Lastly, I shall strengthen my industry connections in my third year by treating my productions as professional work, and start conversations with industry professionals in advance of my showcase and graduation.
Media Research
I focussed much of my research for headshots around the current Third Year actors as I found it a tangible way to assess quality. I considered first-hand knowledge of student’s personalities and acting style with how they’ve chosen to represent themselves. Established actors’ headshots tend to be more artistic which I appreciate, but since their reputation is already established it can be argued they do not have to try as hard in portraying their identity. Document Four shows headshots from three different companies which appealed and I chose AKTA because their brand focuses on representing diversity, and importantly, including offers a pay-what-you-can scheme, making it my only choice. Thankfully, their photos capture an actor’s unique spark rather than casting type and I will be able to broadcast the energy I bring to projects and rather than limiting myself to character stereotypes.
I have designed my CV with a clear and appealing image in mind, Document Five. As English readers scan from left to right, I placed my headshot in the left corner and used large lettering for my name to provide a strong visual. I chose a stage surname because my legal name is double barrelled and full of fricatives, which can cause issues with pronunciation and spelling. ‘Greenfield’ is a family name, invoking a positive image and the repeated ‘ee’ sound mimics a natural smile, promoting brand positivity. It leans towards a classical tone, aligning with my image and the projects I want to work in, e.g. the RSC. I handpicked my credits to highlight the areas I value.
Document Six is a spreadsheet of contacts that I am building and can easily organise. The agents section is sparse as I’m in debate over a London or Northern based agency. London holds more opportunities but is oversubscribed; the North is underused with a smaller pool of talent. Judging a smaller agency’s success is harder because clients seem less successful in comparison with those more famous. I’ve attended Q&A sessions with agents, including Rachel Briscoe, who advised the only way to find the best agent is to sign and see. I shall focus on my identity, presenting that at the showcase then build a rapport with interested parties. Objectively, as I present similarly to many actors, I will have to broadcast my niche as a working-class, Northern, neurodivergent actor through conversation.
Reflections from Year Two
At the start of the year I had to choose whether I wanted to pursue Theatre-in-Education (TIE) or focus on mainstream shows, detailed in Reflection One. I created the piece ‘Four Girls and a Gun’ specifically for an adult audience because I felt it important to explore the complex ethics of being a woman involved in war. Having a strong interest in history, I was excited to have the opportunity to create a realistic play to bring roles played by women to the fore. I wanted to provoke discussion and debate and align with the IWM exhibition Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict. The focus was subsequently changed by group majority, making it lightweight and suitable for a primary school introductory history lesson. I had to make the difficult decision around continuing, and after consulting with staff concluded that it’s more important for me to uphold my creative integrity than pursue an area I’m not interested in for the sake of exposure.
As a naturally animated performer, auditioners have often suggested I join TIE projects. Although I strongly believe children benefit from increased access to theatre, I realised that my performance ability does not have to reflect the nature of the pieces I want to create and I have no affinity for children’s theatre. With a self-produced show I would have the potential to appeal to a more empowered audience. Although very stressful at the time, the upside of deciding to leave the project has been that other avenues opened up for me, including the acceptance of a script for the MA Festival, to be performed in July this year. My aims for third year and beyond include continuing to hone my writing craft, creating work for actors interested in performing political plays. I’d like to use the festival opportunity to create stronger connections with producers in local theatres, such as Red Ladder, and radio, like Leeds Student Radio. I may develop a play into a full length show, to be made available to theatre groups, offering myself as director.
The rehearsal process for ‘The Rimers of Eldritch’ cemented my interest in directing. Jess Millward encouraged me to pursue work in this upon graduating, which was a lightbulb moment. I realise that much of my acting process requires me seeing the end result of the play, then working backwards. I always imagine that a play is to be performed at the National with an unlimited budget, and consider the production in its entirety: staging, lighting, costume and sound design, as well as representation of the characters. To further my directing aspirations, I made with contact with Tyler Pickles from Rebel Roots to discuss staging another play I’ve written, and my festival piece. I may apply for assistant director jobs on graduation, and networking with people who’ve ‘been there’ has proved incredibly helpful.
My epiphany in Reflection Two set an unexpected precedent for the rest of the year. I realised how much my mental and physical health affects the quality of my rehearsal work. At times, being present, open and energised is completely draining and my fibromyalgia pain increases. This is upsetting as I find rehearsing the most fulfilling part of the process. I created a record detailing how I felt in rehearsals, with associated factors. This revealed how I benefit from consistency, lowering my enthusiastic energy some days to reserve for later in the week. Introducing daily physical and vocal warm ups helps stave off tension on rest days.
This year, I have been involved with multiple projects running concurrently so implementing this routine has proved crucial in ensuring that I brought positive energy to the room. I worked with Jo and Eilon to personalise my strategies and advocate for myself. Due to the erratic nature of employment in the industry it’s really important that I continue to do so, retaining my skills during a fallow period. I’m interested in working in motion-capture, detailed in Reflection Three, which is incredibly demanding work so need to build my stamina. I feel more secure in who I am as an artist and know that I present myself as a vibrant and curious energy, and managing this will build a strong and consistent reputation. I feel better prepared for my third year rehearsals as I have established a routine that is flexible and benefits me, so I can focus on the work without burning myself out.
The biggest challenge I faced in the Skills blocks this year was developing my technique in screen acting without losing confidence. This was because we explored the differences between acting for soap and drama, and the structure of our lessons allowed for little time to practise. It’s a challenge because it’s a medium I don’t enjoy watching and couldn’t understand the appeal or how they told the story to the audience. I watched an episode from each soap on British TV to analyse the differences, and compared it with a drama series. Previously, I viewed soap storylines with judgment and thought each episode would be superficially intense whereas it was more a series of snapshots of dramatic parts of a character’s life. Once I viewed soaps as pieces of gossip, I understood the needs of the medium and felt I could ground the acting in a depth of feeling I hadn’t allowed it before.
However, I struggled with the demands required, particularly speed on the cues and lines. I hadn’t realised how much I use silence as time to process, then react and speak as a result of the character’s thoughts; soaps require all this on the line. Also, short lesson times meant we only had time for two takes, and I felt under huge pressure to produce good work very quickly. I judged my performance on the rehearsal process so it was difficult to feel positive about my learning curve as it felt like it never left the ground. The process helped me appreciate how important it is to embody my lines so the speed of being on set doesn’t affect the quality of my work. It’s also important I make a repeatedly strong offer as first takes set the precedent.
To combat my nerves, I started rehearsing in advance of the lessons, filming the scenes on my phone and learning to relax when performing to a camera. I never watched myself back, but I have slowly become accustomed to it, watching in silence. I am more objective about physicality and then I listen afterwards, to study vocal technique. I used this practice for my self-tape lessons as I discovered I have to do a take with many mistakes or a dull offer, before springboarding into bolder choices. I’ll continue this in future for screen work, as the preparation gave me more room for playfulness on the day.
My ultimate ambition as an actor is to work at the RSC. Performing Shakespeare is the ultimate act of translation and I’d like to emulate many RSC actor’s career paths, such as Judi Dench. I believe their ability to portray a truthful and affecting character through difficult language brings them success in all roles. Reflection Four and supporting evidence shows my preparation for the assessment. I’m fascinated by how different editions of Shakespeare’s folio alter its meaning, and I plotted different choices I could make for Lady Macbeth depending on whether I used ‘We fail!’ or ‘We Fail?’ and I’m continuing to analyse more of Shakespeare’s plays in this way to broaden my skills.
I honed my vocal warm up to be more specific for such roles, needing deeper chest resonance and an open sound during emotional moments. I focused on sirening on vowels and releasing tension in my body to create vocal depth. I look to find more areas in my voice that need addressing in my warm-up to increase my vocal flexibility. An audition at Stratford could then be judged on acting ability rather than flagging any vocal concerns.
Overall, my feedback was to relax on stage, which is very specific to the Shakespeare module. I performed with the intention of hitting all the positive feedback I had received in rehearsal, but it manifested as me ‘thinking’ too much on stage. I was so desperate to prove I was capable of RSC work that I overwhelmed myself. I’m now keen to create a new philosophy. My most successful rehearsal was when I adopted a ‘take it or leave it’ mentality, delivering a much freer performance. I am positive-feedback driven, but can hyperfixate on that to the point of destruction, so I’m rediscovering acting for enjoyment again. Relaxation is illusive for me, but this mentality will be crucial for me to stay resilient in an industry where criticism is prolific.
I intend to seek out more opportunities to perform classical texts. The exam was the first time I had performed classical text and I have many areas to cover to offer diverse credits for the RSC. York-based theatre companies regularly host Shakespeare-in-the-Park in summer which I’ve added to my contact spreadsheet.
Summative Statement
To conclude, my second year has marked a significant shift from training in isolation to understanding how I might operate within the professional industry. I started by focusing on developing my skills, which evolved into a deeper consideration of how I apply them in a way that is sustainable and authentic for me. Through this process, I’ve begun to define myself as a multi-disciplinary artist with agency over the work I create and career I pursue. Equally important has been my increased self-awareness, particularly in relation to my working practices and wellbeing. Understanding how my mental and physical health impacts my rehearsal process has enabled me to develop strategies that support consistency and creativity. This has not only improved the quality of my work, but also prepared me for the demands of a freelance career, where resilience and adaptability are essential.
I now feel more confident in my ability to enter professional spaces with a clear sense of how I work best. I’ll apply all this knowledge in my Third Year shows and continue evaluating its success until I feel I have embodied it. I found value in using my interests holistically and set myself three goals to explore this further: to find the specific avenues of work I want to take as an actor, to develop my own written projects, and to experiment with directing.
Looking ahead to Third Year and beyond, my goals are both practical and artistic. I’m still looking for clarity in the areas of the screen industry I want to work in. I’m intimidated by the speed of Soap sets, but succeeding under this pressure would make me feel comfortable on any set. As ‘Emmerdale’ is filmed locally, I’m going to reach out to cast and crew with the view to discussing the realities of working conditions, and hopefully shadow them. I always imagined I’d work on screen rather than stage because it is a more accessible art form for minorities, speaking to my moralistic ambition of de-gentrifying the arts. I’m very excited by the story opportunities available with large-budget film productions, but I want to experiment by taking roles in a diverse range of short or student films to fully understand each genre. I have added contacts to my spreadsheet and am following casting accounts on Instagram to apply for projects in the summer.
I shall continue to develop my writing with the aim of producing work that is politically engaged and socially relevant, performing in them myself to grow my acting credits. Building on my experience with the MA Festival, I hope to refine my scripts into full-length productions, seeking opportunities to share them with wider audiences. I applied to the festival on the advice from Lisa Holdsworth, writer of ‘Dreamers’ having contacted her regarding a TV script I’ve created. Her advice was that unsolicited scripts are still accepted by production companies, but it’s important to have writing credits to show recognition from other producers and build trust. I have recently been invited to write for Rebel Roots, and feel much more confident in reaching out to Yorkshire producers, such as Duck Soup Productions. Additionally, I’ll pursue assistant directing roles to further develop my understanding of staging and storytelling and continue to audition for acting work across all media.
A key industry objective is to strengthen my presence through strategic networking which requires approaching contacts on my spreadsheet, securing representation, and taking the opportunity of my showcase to deliver a clear, distinctive artistic identity. By the start of Third Year, I want to create an adaptable script I can use in conversations with agents and casting directors attending plays and the showcase. Being a professional actor means so much to me I can panic in the moment and lack clarity, so shall create a list of key sentences that summarise who I am, what I aim to achieve and how we could progress. Document Seven gives a draft and I’ve included flexibility to answer different questions.
Ultimately, this year has provided me with a comprehensive set of tools to play a role in the industry, and to shape my place within it. Moving forward, I am committed to developing a career that balances artistic integrity with professional pragmatism, enabling me to sustain myself creatively while contributing meaningful and impactful work.
