ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY PORTFOLIO – By Dominic Kirk
Throughout second year I have been keeping one eye on third year, preparing for its arrival in many ways. This portfolio will outline the industry research I have compiled and how this will impact me as a creative attempting to market myself to the outside world. I will share reflections on these materials in relation to how industry professionals might view them, and therefore how I will be seen through this lens. Researching the industry worried me slightly, as I found that only 12% of drama graduates are working as actors, entertainers and presenters 15 months after graduation, yet I understand this is a juvenile thought and will dispel it within this portfolio. It will also convey reflections throughout the academic year and relay what I found helpful, allowing me to understand what areas of training will benefit me as I move into my final year. This year has been greatly rewarding, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to not only grow as an actor, yet as a creative beginning to find their feet in the industry.
Industry Research
Agents have been a research focus of mine throughout this year, ensuring I understand which agents could best set me up for the work I wish to do when leaving training. I investigated agents who represented actors I aspire to be, which led me to Andrew Scott’s agent ‘United Agents’. I love the performances Andrew Scott has produced in TV, Film and Stage and I like how this agent puts him forward for all these mediums equally. Yet, his stage work is what I wish to achieve in the industry, as I feel his role in ‘Present Laughter’ reflects the roles I would like to play. I know this is a very ambitious first agency, therefore I looked at Ben Gresswell, a current third-year actor who worked on ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Frankenstein’. He is with Paling&Jenkins Agency, and I like how they are London-based yet strive to find work across the country, locating many performances over a plethora of genres, such as Sherlock Holmes, Macbeth, and Singin’ in the Rain, all shows I would love to be in. I also noticed they do a lot of musical theatre, which isn’t my training yet opens this pathway, as I would like to try it at some point in my career and this agency could make it possible.
A dream of mine has always been to perform with the Royal Shakespeare Company, so I investigated the pathway required to reach their company. I researched the last few seasons of Shakespeare in London Theatres, gaining a better understanding of the theatres producing Shakespearean works (see Appendix 01). I love how the RSC produces a mix of Shakespeare and contemporary writing, as the challenge of commanding an audience and holding my stage presence through diverse repertoire is exciting and something I would like to try. Getting into the RSC is typically by agent invitation only, with open auditions being held for actors within a 25-mile radius of Stratford-Upon-Aven. I tried locating a list of agents, but the RSC don’t publish this information, yet I found they actively watch West End, Fringe and Regional Shows to find talent, therefore attending the Fringe would be my next step. Researching the RSC led me to Charlotte Sutton and Chrissie McMurrich, who are known for RSC projects alongside other work, such as ‘Death of a Salesman’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Mother Goose’, as I enjoy a mix of pantomime and ‘serious’ work and would like to undertake both.
Appendix 01
Appendix 02
Some of my research covered movement-based work, as this is a genre of theatre I am interested in working in, which led me to Gecko Theatre Company (see Appendix 02). Researching into their artistic director, Amit Lahav, I love Gecko’s ethos of experimentation and collaboration, bringing emotion to the forefront of their work. This enforcement of truthful human representation aligns with my love of finding the minutia in life, reflecting the subtlety of human nature and my drive to portray real people on stage, allowing the audience to see themselves in the piece. Their shows ‘Kin’ and ‘The Institute’ push the boundaries of movement and human connection, asking what it means to care for ourselves and each other in a high-pressure, modernised world. These questions reflect the work I would love to contribute to, and I hope to be involved in the creation and performance of one of their future projects.
Biography
Writing my biography was challenging, mainly due to the limited word count and the fact that I rarely discuss myself in this manner, yet I know it’s something I need to learn for future networking opportunities. I wanted my biography to be precise and neat, organising it in a format that industry professionals would find ‘easy’ to read (see Appendix 03). At first, I felt I was coming across too arrogant and ‘big-headed’ which is something I was worried about, forcing the advertisement instead of being true to myself. After looking at some of the third-year biographies (see Appendix 04), I noticed they utilised a light-hearted and jovial tone, whilst still maintaining professionality. I implemented this into my biography, using words such as ‘spirited’ and ‘energised’ which I felt gave casting directors and agents a hint of my personality, whilst trying to keep formality. I wanted to mention my love for large, physical characters and bold choices, yet I felt this put me in one casting bracket and didn’t wish to give industry professionals one stereotypical idea of who I could play. I therefore integrated screen into my biography, which I felt not only denoted that I am able to work in both stage and screen, but also highlighted my interest in subtlety, expanding my castability. Whilst I am not the most confident singer, Claire’s feedback noted that I should include it, which took some self-assurance but I am proud I have integrated it.
Appendix 03
Appendix 04
Headshots
After initially researching a few photographers (see Appendix 08), I settled on Akta photography. I love their use of colour coordination, seamlessly fluctuating between neutral colours for a bolder representation of a person, or vibrant backdrops so you ‘pop’ in the image, making you stand out and catch the eye (see Appendix 05). I know I want to appear bright, bubbly and joyful, showcasing my personality, yet I also want to portray a side of me that is controlled and grounded, conveying both sides of my nature whilst still maintaining professionalism. I feel Akta’s headshots bring the ‘human’ side of the individual to the forefront of the image, focusing on the character found in the physicality and facial expressions. This is aided by natural lighting, capturing each individual in a crisp, clean image, showcasing their natural features without any shadow. I feel these headshots provide a seamless mix of personality and characterisation, as these attributes will portray the vibrant, playful energy I bring to a space whilst still maintaining a sense of professionalism. Throughout second year, I have discovered what characters I enjoy playing and want my headshots to provide casting directors with a sense of my character playing-range. Akta’s dynamic colour scheme hints at large, comedic characters, which I love and feel truly match my personality, whilst the strong naturality of the lighting leaves room for Shakespeare and more ‘serious’ roles. Looking at their website, I found Akta provide a pay-what-you-can scheme and I was fortunate enough to be accepted onto it, which allows me to have three retouched photos from a one-hour session, all for the price of £75. Whilst this is an amazing offer, I would like multiple images that could showcase me in a variety of forms.
Appendix 05
This is why I have also investigated Amy Rose Brown as a potential future photographer. I was instantly pulled in by the radiant yet grounded feel of her photos, which is the effect I would like my headshots to have on casting directors (see Appendix 06). I love the playful energy she captures in her headshots, and how each individual appears incredibly comfortable in front of the camera. Looking at her website, Amy has said comfortability is something she strives for (see Appendix 07), which speaks to me as I am slightly worried about taking my headshots. I have rarely had my photo taken and I will put the pressure on myself to appear a certain way, especially when these images are crucial for the success of my career. Yet reading Amy’s words immediately put me at ease, as I feel I can present my true authentic self in a relaxed, welcoming environment. ‘We can figure it out together’ also stood out to me, as I’m not entirely certain what colours suit me and therefore what outfits I would like to wear. I have been told by a peer that dark green makes me stand out, giving a grounded, ‘serious’ essence, yet I would also love to have a couple of contrasting, bright, bold colours to make me ‘pop’ in my images, and knowing that this can be worked through in the space greatly excites me.
Appendix 07
CV
When creating my CV, I wanted it to capture who I am as a person and creative, as well as stand out to casting directors and agents. I formulated two CV’s, one being a simpler version (see Appendix 09) than the other (see Appendix 10). I feel the first CV has a simple yet effective design, as it displays all the required information in a readable format, yet I believe it doesn’t have a ‘wow’ factor, appearing compact and boring with nothing interesting to catch the eye. I therefore created a newer CV, which I feel holds a better display and more of my personality. My headshot and name are the biggest components displayed at the top, ensuring casting directors know who they are reading about. I have chosen a green colour-scheme for the CV and the headings, displaying my grounded yet spirited personality and presenting a true, positive version of myself, making the headings stand out and giving a playful impression. The main body of the CV is written in black font which separates the headings from the material, making the page easier to follow. I wanted to make the design slick and ‘streamlined’, separating my personal information from the credits, allowing casting directors to find information effortlessly. I have left room under my name at the top for future information regarding representation and Spotlight ID, ensuring casting directors are able to quickly access this information. I feel my credits represent the type of work I would love to undertake in the industry; a mix of Shakespearean drama and contemporary new-writing, which I feel displays my practiced ability to play between a variety of texts. I have included some pantomime credits, representing where I first began and I feel it presents a part of me and where my creative process came from, as well as showcases my openness to return to this genre of theatre work. In the ‘skills’ section, I have highlighted my physical abilities in somersaulting and movement, and am considering undertaking further training in doing my own stunts, granting me opportunities to be reviewed for more physical projects.
Appendix 09
Appendix 10
Summative Statement
American Project
The process for ‘Rimers of Eldritch’ was pivotal in finding my feet in my first professional rehearsal room, testing my process and putting my skills training into action. I was cast as the ‘villain’ within the play, and I initially found it extremely difficult. I discovered I overthink my character choices, and a key learning moment came when I had to trust that my character work and research into the world of the play would remain in my body whilst in a scene, allowing me to focus on being present and giving a truthful performance. I struggled with this in rehearsals, as I realised my uncertainty lay in the realms of unknown character objectives and motivations. Throughout this process I discovered that I often build a character based off their generalised emotions as opposed to their drive, creating an unfaithful version of them. I had built ‘Josh’ around crass confidence and anger, which introduced another key learning moment; our director, Jessica, gave me feedback that I was going too large and bouncy with my portrayal, and initially I took this as negative feedback that I was doing bad work. After reflection, I realised she was moulding my offers to fit her directorial vision of the piece. Learning how to dispel any negative thoughts about my work was incredibly useful, as it taught me to feel free in the space whilst still taking on direction. She pushed me to whittle down the energised character I had formed into a more grounded, humane individual. Whilst I found this role challenging, I feel I expanded my casting bracket as beforehand I only saw myself in the ‘nice guy’ roles, afraid to challenge myself with anything more. Yet this process taught me that I can play characters with emotional depth and tough topics, being entrusted with intimacy and fight choreography alongside loud, abrasive emotion to paint a character. Moving into third year, I feel increasingly comfortable going for these larger, emotionally-riddled roles, knowing I have the capacity to portray them honestly and an understanding of how to dispel negative thoughts about my work, ensuring it doesn’t impact me or my performance.
Intimacy
Within this project, I was required to undertake some intimate scenes. Discussion with Leanne Rowley during a workshop earlier in the year was fundamental in increasing my understanding of how intimacy works in the industry, highlighting how essential it is that intimacy coordinators are now a vital part of any production, ensuring everyone involved feels safe. Entering the rehearsal space with this knowledge made intimate scenes easier, as I had learned how to address any worries in a professional manner. Approaching these scenes was challenging, as intimacy I am ok with but I was required to undertake these actions with vicious intent and emotion, which I struggled to enact. My utmost priority was ensuring my scene partner was comfortable, therefore we made sure we checked-in and outlined where we would be comfortable being touched, yet I still felt something restricting me. I feared that I would still be making my scene partner uncomfortable, as the extent I would have to portray the character’s emotional outburst during this moment was highly intense and something I was struggling to commit to. Upon reflection, I found I was worried about how I would be viewed by others, even though Leanne taught us intimate scenes and what comes up throughout them do not reflect who we are as people. A key learning moment came in here wherein I found the struggle was within me and the not the intimacy. I understood that the character’s actions are not my own, giving me permission to commit to the scene without fear. This increased my comfortability within intimacy as a whole, granting me the confidence to voice my thoughts and commit to scenes without the worry of being judged. Moving into third year, I feel comfortable with the knowledge that I have gained surrounding intimacy and fight scenes, meaning if I am required to action either of these in my third year show I will feel safe and secure doing so.
Shakespeare
I think I have always been a performative actor, and whilst I have been working on toning it down throughout this year, entering the Shakespeare block I was worried about how this would impact my characterisation. I had always seen Shakespeare as grandiose and large, and this is how I approached my character, Benedick, integrating buoyant gestures and over-the-top volume and tone into my portrayal. I was performing the language instead of understanding it, which led to feedback referencing a ‘Shakespeare voice’ I had put on. I realised this contrasted the language Shakespeare was using to convey the tender relationship between the two characters. Reading ‘Shakespeare on Toast’ by Ben Crystalremoved the weight of expectation that comes with Shakespeare, providing me the freedom to explore within the rehearsal process without the fear of making mistakes. I stripped my process down and focused on the subtext, finding an actual character rather than a large stereotype. This was a key learning moment, as I will have to change my process for each character and rehearsal room I am in, keeping certain exercises but having to adapt them to suit the play, the style and the character. This realisation took me back to the text, forcing me to really understand my character’s objectives, thoughts, and motivations, shifting my perspective on the character and revealing new directions I could take them. I found this made the process increasingly playful, ensuring I didn’t get stuck in one performative way of portraying this character. One technique that aided me was Uta Hagen’s ‘Fourth Wall’ exercise, from her book ‘Respect For Acting’. I found it opened my emotional instinct and allowed me to place myself in the scene’s given circumstances, making me feel present and receptive to any new offers to see what they reveal within the character’s relationship. The Shakespeare project has taught me that stripping down my acting doesn’t take away my choices or make me ‘less of an actor’, it provides new ways to approach characters and tackle Shakespeare, steering it away from ‘big’ and bringing it down into a more authentic, grounded interpretation. I am going to continue developing this to ground my work in third year, bringing nuanced emotional variety to each character I portray. Furthermore, I would love to be involved in either the Shakespeare or a classical piece in third year, as I am highly interested in this genre of theatre and want to continue developing my skills in this area, working towards performing Shakespeare outside of drama training.
Conclusion
This year has taught me much about who I am as a creative, expanding my knowledge of the industry and how I will find my place as an actor and physical performer, embracing these skills to showcase who I am and what I strive to achieve. Throughout this portfolio, I have dispelled any negative thoughts surrounding entering the industry. At the start, I was nervous how I would fit into the industry, unsure of who I was as a performer and therefore worried about not getting work immediately upon leaving training. Yet, I feel I am beginning to find my place; I have expanded my casting bracket, worked through intimacy in a professional setting, and decreased my performative style, instead finding subtlety. I have explored physical comedy and found my place in Restoration Drama, matching my large acting to bold, performative characters. Because of these my confidence has skyrocketed, as I didn’t know it was possible for me to perform any other way than demonstrative, yet finding nuance has allowed me to see myself in a variety of new roles. I will carry this with me into third year auditions to decrease my nerves, heightening my playfulness and spontaneity. I have integrated my personality into my CV through vibrant language and colour, ensuring casting directors understand who I am as a creative and individual. I will ensure to continue updating my CV with new credits throughout third year, tailoring the display to showcase the work I aspire to do. My love for Shakespeare has flourished throughout this year, and this work, alongside comedy and contemporary text, has given me a good understanding of the type of theatrical projects I would like to undertake. I will strive to be involved in these performances going into third year, developing my classical process and formulating my creative brand to take into the industry as my unique selling point after finishing my training.
