Introduction
With third year right around the corner, this portfolio has been a great opportunity to clearly define the type of performer I am and how I intend to market myself in the industry. Throughout my second year, I have shifted from skills-based training to a more professional mindset, seeing myself not just as an actor but as a marketable creative. This transition has led me to think about the types of roles I am best suited for, how I present myself in professional situations, and what work inspires me. This portfolio ties together my research, self-reflections, and key developments throughout my second year, which have widened my understanding of the current theatre and film industry. It shows the refinement of my acting process, my exploration of career pathways and my ability to make well-informed choices about my professional identity. I recognise that the industry’s competitive landscape has intensified. As I grow into my final year, this portfolio outlines my current process and the practical steps I will take to continue developing and establishing myself in the industry.
Headshots
In the industry, Headshots are crucial for marketing yourself, as they are often the first thing casting directors and agents see. For that reason, it is important that my headshots clearly communicate who I am as a professional actor and the casting types I fit into. Through discussions with my lecturers, I became aware of the casting types I currently fit into, the main one being younger characters aged 14 to 21, which is a key focus in how I intend to market myself. This has affected the stylistic choices I have made, as my appearance in my headshots can greatly influence how I am cast. I tend to be drawn to headshots that utilise natural lighting and neutral/cool-toned backdrops, and that focus on the eyes and face, as shown in Appendix 1. I recognise how styling elements such as clothing, hair and colour palette can suggest a genre or character. For example, minimal hair and makeup, pastel tone and softer styling choices reinforce the idea of a younger casting type. More structured styling, such as classic necklines, neutral colours, and updos, suggests a period or formal role, while relaxed, more modern looks (e.g., hair down and casual clothing) suit contemporary TV, such as soaps or series. I plan to have a variety of headshots that showcase my ability to play different roles. This will help me present a clear, flexible professional image, making me more employable as I enter my third year and the industry. I found Amy Rose Brown on Instagram, who is a headshot photographer based in Wimbledon. I really like the style and quality of her work, and it suits the professional image I want to present in the industry. A main concern of mine when looking for headshots is cost, and Amy’s services stood out to me because of the student discounts she offers, meaning I would pay £175 instead of her usual rate of £215.
CV
When drafting my CV, I wanted the design to be clear and professional whilst still showcasing my identity as a performer. I used Canva to create a template, which allowed me to experiment with the layout before settling on a format that I believe is easy to understand and can be updated as I gain more experience, see appendix 2. I positioned important information such as my name, headshots, and where I am based first, as these are key factors casting directors are likely to focus on and remember. My priority when making my CV was clarity. I ensured this by using clean, readable fonts and structured headings, making it easy to navigate my training, credits, and skills. Continuing into my third year, I plan to update my CV with new credits and my professional headshots, and to create a professional Spotlight profile. For now, I have used a previous headshot as a placeholder. Overall, my aim for my CV is to communicate my experience clearly and showcase what makes me unique, offering insight into who I am as a performer to casting directors.
Biography
Constructing my biography was a challenge, as I found it difficult to describe myself in a way that felt both authentic and professional without sounding pretentious. I experimented with several drafts before refining a 150-word version that felt honest and clearly introduced me as a performer, showcasing part of my personality and highlighting the type of work I am interested in creating. I made sure to put my name straight away in my bio so that whoever is reading associates the following information with me. I emphasised my passion for devising theatre and creating work that amplifies the voices of the working-class and women, as well as my interest in voice acting. I was mindful to keep the tone natural and reflective of who I am as a creative, so I avoided any language that seemed overly performative. I selected the words sprightly, vibrant and sincere as they give the reader a glimpse into my personality and how I work. After looking at Spotlight’s website guide to a good biography, I chose to write my bio in the 3rd person, as it felt more professional than the 1st-person bios I had seen.
Acess Rider
Before learning about access riders, I was concerned about how my neurodiversity might affect my work or how seriously I would be taken within the industry. A big worry of mine was that communicating my needs could be misinterpreted as being difficult or unprofessional. Learning about access riders eased my concerns and helped me understand a clear way for performers to state their needs in an evolving industry that is becoming increasingly more inclusive. This led me to think deeper about how an access rider functions in a professional context and how it can benefit me as a creative. When doing some further research, I came across an article from Unlimited written by Aby Watson that highlights that access riders are highly personal, commonly reflecting a wide range of physical, cognitive and emotional needs, and should be understood as a starting point for an ongoing dialogue between artists and employers rather than a fixed document. It was really interesting to read about access riders from the point of view of an industry professional, and it inspired me to think about how communicating your needs is not a one-off conversation; it needs to be an ongoing discussion in order to create a healthy and successful collaborative process. I began to reflect on my process, particularly in relation to my dyslexia and potential ADHD, which I am currently in the process of receiving a possible diagnosis. Given these factors, I know that my processing speed and auditory processing can affect how confidently I engage in fast-paced rehearsal spaces. In response, I have identified clear practical strategies that help me in my work, including distinct communication, allowing me the opportunity to clarify anything I am unsure about, working within active, engaged rehearsal spaces when possible and combining verbal and written instructions. It’s important to me that the expectation that actors must adapt unconditionally to certain rehearsal structures be challenged, which is why developing an access rider will give me the opportunity to incorporate communication and self-advocacy as essential parts of my professional practice. It has strengthened my understanding of what I need to work most effectively and gives any potential employers a clear outline, so they can best understand and collaborate with me successfully.
Work I Want to do
There are many things in the industry that interest me and that I would like to pursue, so it has been difficult narrowing them down. Alongside my passion for devised theatre, I am interested in pursuing voice acting as a part of my future career. I was inspired by video games that centre on character-driven storytelling, one of my favourites being the God of War series, which showed me how important vocal performance is in bringing characters to life. When researching the voice acting industry, I learned of its growth in recent years from an article by Guy Michaels, which has been driven by the increasing demand for content in things like animation, video games, advertisements, and digital content like audiobooks. I find voice acting appealing due to the ability to communicate emotion and subtext without any support from physical expression. I find it fascinating how much detail and technique go into creating an effective vocal performance. Things that we looked at in our skills lessons, such as pace, pitch, volume, tone, and intention, are what make a vocal performance thrive and create emotional nuance. I am aware, however, that alongside this boom in the voice acting industry, there have been large advancements in the world of Artificial Intelligence. AI is becoming more accessible as it develops and is being used in games and adverts to cut costs, meaning voice actors are losing work. However, according to an article by Suhail Shaikh on Gravy for the brain, “Audiences and advertisers continue to favour performances that feel human and relatable”, meaning that companies are continuing to prioritise actual performers due to their authenticity. This doesn’t completely eliminate the concerns around voice acting, however, with many performers worried about job security and many discussions about the ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Despite the discourse about AI, I remain interested in voice acting for its focus on character development and storytelling. As I start to think about ways to go into this part of the industry, I know I need to continue developing my vocal skills, especially in areas like clarity and accents. I also want to create a voice reel in my third year to add to my spotlight, showcasing different styles, such as adverts, radio, but particularly character work for games and animation, as that is an area I am really interested in. Alongside a voice reel, I also plan to build on my existing connections, such as reconnecting with Adam Diggle, who is a professional voice actor. This would be great for gaining advice and a better understanding of the industry. By continuing to develop my skills, create professional marketing materials and networking, I aim to build a pathway into voice acting.
https://www.provoiceactor.co.uk/blog/voice-over-industry-growth-and-future
Networking
Networking is a key part of building a sustainable career within the industry, and, upon reflection, I am hyper-aware that I need to improve in this area. While I have been fortunate to meet and work with a small number of industry professionals, I recognise that I have not actively nurtured these relationships during my time at drama school. Chris Thorpe, Sarah Cabrera, Adam Diggle, David Omordia, talent agent Jill Giffard and writer Ashley Pharoah are a few contacts I have made over the years that I am eager to reconnect with. As part of my professional practice, I have made a document to organise and track the industry professionals I have met or worked with. This way, I can keep a clear record of my industry contacts, including their contact information, how I know them, any relevant details about their previous work or upcoming projects and when I last contacted them (see appendix 3). This approach is more structured and allows me to be proactive rather than relying on memory to maintain a professional relationship. Moving into my third year, I aim to reconnect with these individuals and build professional relationships with more substance, ones that are sustainable and can help me gain insight into the areas of the industry I am interested in. This includes voice acting and screen work. Discussing networking in our Artistic Development classes made me realise that networking isn’t just about making contacts, but maintaining communication and showing initiative. Developing this skill is a crucial step in preparing myself for the industry and becoming more confident and proactive in my work.
Agents and Spotlight
As part of developing my professional profile, I am going to create a spotlight page with a student membership during my third year, where I can upload my new headshots, present my experience, showreels, skills, and any other material that showcases my abilities. Researching talent agencies has been an important step in understanding how I want to position myself in the industry. I plan to move back home to Wiltshire after my third year, so I have focused on agencies that are based more in the south, as I am conscious that travelling won’t be financially sustainable after graduating. The agencies I have looked into most are Robert & Day Management, BBA Management, and The Narrow Road Company. I was drawn to these agencies because their clients work across theatre, screen, and voice, which are all areas I am interested in tapping into. It was important to me that the agencies I considered had a diverse client list. As a queer individual, I want to align myself with an agency that values representation and shares my values. As I mentioned earlier, I had a short marketing workshop with Jill Giffard, an agent at Curtis Brown. I aim to reach out and reconnect with her and build a professional relationship; however, I know that Curtis Brown is a very well-known agency and typically represents more established actors, making this more of a long-term goal, especially in this stage of my career. Being represented by Jill is highly unlikely, but I still wish to reconnect with her, as this could lead to valuable insight into the industry from an experienced professional. Exploring agencies like this has reinforced the importance of working with representation that values you and your opinions as an artist. It’s important to me that I find an agent who is the right fit for me as an artist, rather than pursuing representation purely for the sake of needing an agent. I know that a strong working relationship is crucial, and that an agent should understand my career goals, my strengths, casting types and boundaries in order to support my work as an actor.
Key Learning Moments
An area in which I really improved this year has been voice, especially in sessions with Chris Penny. We explored vocal proxemics, including pace, pitch and volume. Even though it was a simple concept, I had never given it much thought, but once I started applying different speech qualities to a script, I realised how subtle vocal choices can shape a line’s meaning and subtext. Alongside this, working with action and transitive verbs helped me create a clear intention behind each line/unit, for example, actions such as “to punch” combined with the other vocal proxemics aided me in producing something that felt powerful. This has revolutionised the way I approach text, as I now have a simple yet effective way to achieve character objectives vocally rather than relying on instinct. This is something I aim to take into my upcoming projects and into my third year.
Another key learning moment for me this year was the Shakespeare block I did with Esther, particularly understanding how iambic pentameter, punctuation, and feminine endings can show the character’s feelings and emotions before even understanding the language. I was apprehensive going into this block, as my dyslexia would be a hindrance when tackling the language, as I’ve always had issues processing complex text. However, analysing the rhythm and even the sounds used helped me understand the text far quicker than I originally thought. Once I understood how these elements can guide performance, suggesting shifts in thought, intention and emotional response, I started to understand and find joy in analysing monologues/scenes. This experience was great for pushing me out of my comfort zone, and I was able to make some invaluable discoveries that I aim to take with me into my future work. Even though I wasn’t satisfied with my final performance in the Shakespeare block, I know that the skills I learned from the whole experience have changed how I look at text, and it’s something I aim to develop moving forward.
Summative Statement
This portfolio has given me the opportunity to reflect critically on my development throughout second year, as both an actor in training and as an emerging professional in the industry.
This portfolio has allowed me to critically reflect on my development throughout second year, both as an actor and as an emerging professional within the industry. One of the most significant shifts in my practice has been moving from a focus on skills-based training to a more considered understanding of how I position myself as a performer. I now recognise the importance of not only developing my craft, but also understanding how I am perceived, how I market myself, and how I navigate the industry strategically.
This process has helped me develop a clearer sense of my professional identity. I am particularly drawn to devising theatre and character-led work with a growing interest in voice acting. My improvements this year within vocal technique, movement and text work have greatly improved my ability to approach constructing a character in a more detailed and intentional way. Whilst conducting my industry research, learning about the impact of Artificial Intelligence in the industry has opened my eyes even more to the challenges in within the current industry landscape.
This portfolio has also reminded me of how important professionalism and self-advocacy are, especially through my research on access riders and networking. Building a career is not only dependent on your talent as an artist, but on organisation, communication and maintaining professional relationships. As I move into my final year at Leeds Conservatoire, I aim to continue refining my skills, develop my Spotlight profile, create a professional vocal reel, and strengthen my industry connections. Overall, this process has allowed me to plan my future career with greater confidence, clarity and a strategic mindset.
