Introduction
My second year of training at Leeds Conservatoire has really aided my transition from student to professional Actor. My goal for this year was to widen my understanding of the business side of the industry. I wanted to be as best equipped as possible in this before going into my final year so that I can focus as much as possible on my performances next year. I have been actively reflecting on where I see myself within the industry; using our projects and final skills blocks to assist my development and this portfolio to support my research alongside.
Part of this understanding comes from knowing where you will be likely to be cast in the future. This year I have been given the necessary tools to help understand my casting type and how I can market myself using this to my advantage. I am excited to use my third year of training to really refine my knowledge of this and create a more developed understanding of self; using both my roles in shows and showcase to do so.
When first looking at actor biographies online, I was intimidated by the extent of credits each of them seemed to have. I decided that despite my roles not being professional, I would still include them in mine in order to show the variety of roles I have been cast in during my training; this felt like an easy way to communicate my casting type without explicitly saying so. It was important to me that I also explained my past work and interest in different job roles as this is something I feel sets me apart from other actors. I have an understanding of the entire process of a performance, from writing/editing scripts to working front of house in theatres. (See reference 1 below for own Biography.)
Headshots & CV
Headshots
An actor’s headshots are one of the most important tools of marketing yourself correctly. They are typically the first point of contact between an actor and a casting director or agent. It’s vital that they reflect both yourself as a performer and the roles you are likely to be/ want to be cast as. I have been thinking about what both of these mean to me and, therefore, what my headshots should look like to best represent this.
When researching different styles and photographers, I have been drawn to headshots with lighter coloured backgrounds. There is something about a brighter, more colourful backdrop that feels youthful and fun and, in my grad year, it’s important to me that I present my own personality to agencies as well as the type of roles I am likely to be put forward for.
With this in mind, I started looking at Akta as well as Yellowbelly. Both of these companies’ photos feel personality driven and alive. I really like the way the actor feels highlighted in the examples I have seen, typically using brighter, warmer lighting on the actor’s face and choosing a complimentary backdrop. The lighter background and more playful atmosphere of these headshots make them stand out in a set of photos. The Akta headshots of current third years feel representative of who they are as people as well as actors; encapsulating their personalities incredibly effectively, which I feel is really important when first entering the industry. (See attached: preferred headshot styles.)
CV
It was vital for me that my actor’s CV be clear, cohesive and accessible. Since the majority of my information will be found on Spotlight, I wanted the details found here to be concise and simple in comparison. Similarly to my biography, I wanted to choose my credits listed carefully to suggest my casting type and ability without explicitly saying so. It was important to me that one of these shows was a more hard hitting, dramatic subject matter (Rimers of Eldritch), one was a more movement orientated, physical, ensemble piece (Mary and the Hyenas), and one was a contemporary, story-telling, technical piece that involved devising and writing parts ourselves (When This Is Over). Each of these three genres are types of performances I am hoping to be involved in during my career and, showing a casting director I have been involved in these varying projects not only shows my capability but also my range.
When drafting my CV, the slightly colourful templates appealed to me more than the plain ones. Since the information found on this document is basic and simple, I wanted to use any way to show some personality, even if it is just hinted at. The headshot used in this example is outdated and no longer to my taste but, once updated, I realised I could use the coloured background of the CV to compliment or contrast the colour of my headshot, making it more immediately visible and eyecatching. Placing my details of appearance directly underneath this headshot also means the document is easy to navigate for anyone having to view it quickly, which is likely in a casting scenario. (See CV attached below.)
Industry Research
I have always been an actor who is greatly inspired by physical theatre companies and more movement-heavy pieces of work. When beginning my research into the current industry I wanted to make sure I was looking at the things that have motivated me throughout my acting journey. I started researching further into one of my favourite companies, Complicité. Complicité are a physical theatre company whose main focal point is the connection between actor and audience; inspired by Lecoq’s approach to clowning. Lecoq had a huge influence on Complicité’s initial years; some of its founding members having trained with him in Paris. It feels almost sacreligious to simplify Lecoq’s teachings but, in short, his focus is on play and liveliness, as well as embodied physical awareness.
All of these really resonate with me. It is really interesting to see a current company still working with these ideologies, and producing work that is still fresh, interesting and relevant today.
I was also interested in looking into theatre companies based in and around my hometown; it’s easy to feel that the industry is centralised to London, but there are plenty of emerging as well as established companies in various regions of the UK. I began looking at La Navet Bete, a Devon based physical comedy theatre company whose ‘unique and chaotic style of physical comedy have earned their reputation as one of the UK’s leading midscale theatre companies.’
Although I am not usually drawn to physical comedy or slapstick-style performances, I am still greatly impressed by this type of work. There is something admirable about a company whose ethos is so unapologetically themselves, a group who create to entertain and make an audience laugh.
Until this academic year, I had never been able to see myself in comedy roles or performances. I am an actor who is very comfortable in extremes, finding ease in emotional, high stakes scenes and moments; this has always been accessible for me. For whatever reason, I feel the most vulnerable trying to be funny. Having been able to explore these types of roles in our comedy block, I finally feel more comfortable in this uncomfortable feeling. It is okay to feel out of your depth or pushed when beginning rehearsals, and even later down the line in a process.
It is refreshing to know there are still south west based companies creating new theatre and touring throughout the UK; and I am excited at the prospect of working with some more local actors and groups in the future.
Breakthrough moments of this year
This year I have spent a lot of time working on my acting process, trialling different methods and styles to help me in understanding what is most effective for me. A big triumph of this year was seeing how the process I had used for our Established Repertoire project transferred to our Shakespeare assessment with only some small adaptations- which were a given when working with a classical text. I know that I need to have a large amount of textual understanding before working on a character; this includes historical and political context as well as the given circumstances and facts given in the piece of work itself.
I like to be as educated as possible on the topics, themes and style of a play before beginning a process so that I have a basis to go back to when needed and it helps in creating a grounded reality for performances. This type of research is what excites me most about a performance, particularly in the early stages of rehearsal, and it’s when I am enthusiastic that I do my most high energy, bold work. It’s important to me that as a performer I know what works for me in a rehearsal room and behind the scenes so that I can be my most present and active when working with a director.
I am excited to continue developing and adapting my process throughout my third year and into my career, now with the basis of knowledge and reassurance my second year has been able to give me.
Another breakthrough moment for me this year came during our movement assessment rehearsals. I have always been an actor who is interested in physical theatre styles and practices, such as La Navete Bete, Complicité and Motionhouse (referenced further in the research section of this portfolio) but I had underestimated the effect dance can have on an audience as well as the actors involved; helping with world building, playfulness, focus and ensemble. Working on a period dance only heightened all of these aspects; the majority of moves within the dance required a certain physicality that differed greatly to a modern person’s natural stance or posture, which meant that I was immediately transformed into character just by doing the choreography.
I think my lack of understanding or reluctance to understand dance within a piece actually stemmed from fear; I was afraid I was incapable of picking up choreography or making the moves look natural and embodied. Because I have little to no dance experience, I have always been nervous at the thought of being assessed on a dance piece; this shakespeare assessment gave me the opportunity to establish a more positive relationship with dance, giving me a larger understanding of its place within performance and overall a greater respect for its use within a play text.
I’m really happy to be able to say I am now an actor who is more than comfortable with this kind of movement, and am eager to see how this will serve me as I progress in my career.
This year I have really developed my knowledge and understanding of Laban efforts. Having studied some Laban techniques at college, most significantly his work on The Kinosphere, I have always found his teaching accessible and clear in a movement setting, but I hadn’t necessarily seen how these methods could be transferable into different skills like voice or character development. Having a clear, embodied understanding of the efforts has meant I am able to use them throughout my training as an easy way into a scene or piece of work.
Surprisingly, this has helped me most in voice classes. During rehearsals for our Shakespeare assessment I was really struggling with the intention of the language being clear. The extravagance of language and poetic nature of Shakespeare’s dialogue meant that my intonation often felt singsongy and repetitive, which in turn meant my objective was unclear. Placing a different effort on every line of dialogue, even as an experiment and often exaggerated at first, meant I was constantly having to change my vocal quality. In doing so, I unlearned some bad habits I had picked up when learning the script. It is imperative that as an actor I am able to respond to my scene partner and be open to change through listening, and that is impossible if I am saying the dialogue the same way every time.
Using Laban efforts has proved a really useful exercise in keeping scene work fresh and different, as well as giving me a more specific grounding in character archetypes and physicality. I think that the accessibility of this language is what is most exciting to me; almost every actor or director has experience with Laban, and so having it as a tool in any rehearsal room will be incredibly beneficial for me.
Second year scene study classes have been a turning point for me in my training. Having a space predominantly aimed at finding and performing text that suits your casting type has been incredibly useful, especially the year before graduating and entering the industry. I have been able to explore new roles I wouldn’t necessarily have seen myself in at the beginning of my training, now with the ability to explore and embody these characters.
The first scene I looked at at the beginning of the year was from the play ‘How to Date a Feminist’ by Samantha Ellis. The character I was playing was slightly out of my age range (but otherwise relatively suited to me within the context of the scene) and my scene partner and I were less prepared than I would have liked, but I still managed to find some really useful moments of specificity during the workshop. It was interesting to see how much of myself I was bringing to the character because it suited my casting, including small movements like shaking my foot or fiddling with my jewellery. Of course, it is sometimes more than appropriate to have the same idiosyncrasies as a character, but it is vital you are aware these are happening. This was a real learning curve for me, understanding the importance of being aware of your body within every scene you are in and, since I am an actor who is particularly tense and uses small body movements to self-soothe it is even more crucial that I am on top of this.
These classes were also a great opportunity to widen my breadth of play texts and writers. I had particular success in finding monologues and scenes from Alice Birch plays. There is something incredibly vulnerable but also conversational about her writing that I really enjoy, and suits my voice and physicality as an actor.
Summative statement
Next year, it is important to me that I remind myself I am still in training. There is something about my graduating year that makes me feel I need to be a final product; ready to enter the industry as soon as third year begins, but this is not the case. I will be doing myself a disservice if I don’t see my work next year as an opportunity for learning and discovery. I will use my casting for our third year season to help further inform my knowledge of my casting type and thus my place within the industry, and our showcase and following conversations with agents as an opportunity to network, no matter the outcome. Every impression I make next year could impact my career in the future, and it’s essential that I remember this when beginning my work with directors and/or speaking to agents.
I am unsure yet where I will be based post graduation, but I am really keen to nurture the network I have made here in Leeds. The city is full of opportunities because of its up and coming arts scene and it feels counter productive to waste that given I have loved my time here during my training. I am hopeful that my time at home over the summer and my third year of training will give me clarity on this decision, aided by any work or connections I make during this period.
With this in mind, I did some research into different agencies across my potential bases after I graduate. I looked at South West Talent, a Devon-based acting agency who were founded by actors and whose clients have worked on screen and stage. Two of my favourite actors from my hometown (who are both involved in the theatre company Four of Swords, a collective who predominantly do sight-specific, interactive theatre) are with this agency; it is reassuring to know they are actively working and creating whilst signed here. I then began looking at Lime Talent Agency and Management, a Yorkshire based agency who work in TV, film, stage and radio. They have a mixed client base of established and emerging talent and pride themselves on their personal relationship with their clients. This was particularly appealing to me as I believe I am an actor who will want/ need a closer relationship with an agent, and would benefit from this support.
I am excited to continue growing and learning both as an actor and as a person in my third year of training. Although of course I am still nervous about certain aspects of the industry: finding an agent, auditioning for roles, competing with other actors and just generally having to learn some things on the job, I am grateful to have something I care so much for that makes me feel these nerves. Next year I hope to continue improving myself as an artist, using the knowledge I have acquired this year as a spring board to do so.
