Contacts Database

In my first year of working as a freelance actor, I would need a lot of contacts with industry professionals and links with companies to be able to be successful-

Photographer:
I would need a photographer to be able to have sufficient professional headshots. Without these I may not be able to audition for certain parts in shows as most auditions require a headshot. Having a headshot also allows me to promote myself through social media, and have a high quality photograph of myself on my actors CV.

I used this article ( https://actinginlondon.co.uk/best-headshot-photographers-london/ )to find the best photographer. I chose one based in London due to this being where the hot spot of the performing arts industry is, and most successful actors live there.

As he was rated the best, I have chosen 'Nick James Photography'. He has a very simple and easy to use website, displaying two simple deals to choose from. His prices are high, however in comparison to other actors photographers, the packages he offers are the best. The first package option costs £425, for which you get 800+ pictures, two  of them being retouched professionally, which as he says in his website, is really worth it if you want to stand out. This all takes place over the course of up to 3 and a half hours, with a relaxed atmosphere allowing the client to change clothes, shave, change their hair and makeup. He offers different backdrops to look as if they are outside, or in a studio, to create variety.
The second package is up to 2 and a half hours, and gives 400+ pictures, still with two being retouched. This costs £320.
Another reason I would choose this photographer is because he has a discount o  everything he offers, generally of £20, for students and returning clients. This is really useful for me as I am still a student and need to save money where I can.
He tells us in his website that he trained and worked as an actor himself, attending GSA for 3 years after 2 years of art college.
Because this photographer is quite expensive, I would consider asking photography students to take my headshots to start with, this allows them to add to their portfolio, and for experience, most likely making it free of charge, however they may ask for a small fee, which wouldn't be unreasonable.

Agent:
As a professional actor, I would need to have an agent, to be able to find professional work and audition oppertunities. Agents charge a percentage of what you earn, and will help you, or themselves find work that is suited to your skills as a performer.

To find the best agents and agencies in London, I used this site to help me. Althought this is dated 2016, this was the most up to date article I could find during my research- https://actinginlondon.co.uk/best-acting-agencies-in-london/# I used this to find agencies suited to me as an actor, at some point in my career.

Firstly I found Conway Van Gelder Grant, used by many very famous actors such as Joanna Lumley, Benedict Cumberbatch and Helena Bonham Carter. Obvuiuosly this is not an agency I would aim for in my first year of freelance acting, howevr it is an agency I would want to strive to be a part of after years of experience and building myself a reputation. The 'about us' page on their site states that they have sucessfully been representing actors and voice actors for over 40 years, in Soho, followed by a list of contacts for performers. This site is also used by directors and casting directors, their site includes a page of actors associated with the agency, with headshots and voice samples for them to observe.

The second agency I found United Agents, London's largest well known agency. Their clients range from new upcoming performers, to well known stars such as James Corden, appealing to actors, costume designers, directors and authors for TV, film, music and theatre. This agency appeals to me as a performer due to them accpeting clients of any age, aiming for any area of the industry. This site is effecive as it has a page about their clients recent sucesses, showig how good the agency reallt is. It also offers many different forms to contact them in, making them easily accessable. This would be a goood agency to start with for me, as it is well known, and would potentially accept me as a client.

Accountant:

I would need an accountant to take care of all of my financial issues, as long as I keep any reciepts, bank statements and invoices that you have used to be a perfomer, such as transport costs, food, costumes, any hair or makeup products that you have funded yourslef for projects. An accountant will help you to claim back VAT. It also covers more substantial things like sheet music, plays in the form of scripts or books, show reels, prints, and even postage ans stationary. 

This site- https://www.actorstax.com/want-to-save-10-off-your-first-year-fees/?gclid=CjwKEAjwjunJBRDzl6iCpoKS4G0SJACJAx-VW3PJaVCadStlNJQxnPtpZUuTgDNXNPrzLc6ezlr1ChoC7izw_wcB is specfically appealing to actors, and I would personanaly consider this accountancy company as they are offering 10% discount in the first year, and as a new performer, any discount is reallt important as I will not have a lot of money. The site is very simple, all you have to do is give them simple contact details and a small message about the type of accountancy you need, and allow them to get back in contact with you about woroking together. This seems perfect for young performers as it does not take a lot of professional contacts or anything to sign yourself up. 

I also found Baimbridge Accountants- http://www.bambridgeaccountants.co.uk/ who are a lot cleaner and more professional, and is the type of company I would aim to work with later on in my career. They clearly state that they leave the creative things to the actor, and allow themseves to deal with the number for you. They clearly state what they provide, as well as offering free consoltations, alongside a phone number and adress, on each page of their website, making them easy to access. 

Developing Contemporary Dance Technique (17th Feb)

All black with white accents and space buns in hair

Developing Contemporary Dance Technique (10th Feb)

Wearing black and white striped shorts, black tshirt with purple logo

Developing Contemporary Dance Technique (3rd Feb)

(back right)

(all black)

THE TEMPEST Character Physicality & Song Interpretations (NEED TO FINISH)

Our aims for this lesson were to explore our characters/groupings (ie. royals, servants, magicals etc) physicality, to gain a further understanding of our characters and relationships, and to become accustomed to a physical approach to the rehearsal process without scripts in hand.

All of these points are important for our performance specifically due to it being performed at the Brighton Open Air Theatre, shown below. Because it is outside, it is easy for the wind to take away our voices, due to the lack of acoustics, usually provided by an inside auditorium. Due to the size of the space, potentially seating 425 audience members, Our physicality can be lost if it is not big and over exaggerated. This is important for our groupings, for example if one character group of a specific status has a motif or movement, the actors need to ensure all members are doing it in the same style, level of tension and in unison, to establish their relationship to the audience, even at the back row.

As part of our concept for the production, we are using Kneehigh and their stylised fashion of performance. The four main points that make a piece stylised are The 7 States of Tension, Pace, Repetition and Exaggeration.
We are pulling stylised inspiration from groups/practitioners such as DV8, Frantic Assembly, Complicite and obviously Kneehigh.

DURRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL REHEARSALS (GC1, GC2 & GC3)

GC1- For a successful ensemble in this circumstance, musical and verbal skills are all needed at equal importance, with physical just below. Musically, we need to be able to show our skills with professionalism and flair, to a high standard. This will enhance showing our audience that we can work and create as  an efficient ensemble. Our verbal skills can be used in the workshop section of our performance, to be able to communicate well with the students at Durrington High School, teaching them good ensemble skills and about the themes and plot of the Show, We Will Rock You. Our physical skills are important as we need to show our characters so that the audience can understand our relationships, for example Brit and Meat, need to have intimate postures and movements to show they are together. However because we are not performing any dance, our physical skills are not the most vital.


Tuesday's rehearsal videos:

GC2 & GC3-

We began by discussing the way we wanted the performance and workshop at Durrington to go, As a group we talked about the format of the performance.  We decided to use duets from the three main partnerships in the show, Scaramouche and Galileo,  Meat and Brit and Killer Queen, however Khashoggi (Jordy and Sam) are going to be introducing the piece, and therefore are not singing. From this we chose I want It All, Another One Bites The Dust and Under Pressure. We also chose two songs that utilise our ensemble skills as a company, We Are The Champions and Radio Ga Ga. These are also the songs that we are most prepared with, some with choreography and parts divided and readily rehearsed. I suggested splitting each duet by cast, having one cast perform one half of the song, and the other performing the next part. This allows for a more ensemble feel, and for each actor to be able to show their interpretation of their characters. For example Jaydee and I, both playing Brit, have a very contrasting take on the role, I used Meat to show her softer and more sensual side, whereas Jaydee displays her as a harsh and rough tomboy, showing off her high status at The Heartbreak Hotel.

We then split off into groups, one for the songs and one for the workshop section. Working on the song choices made, I lead the Radio GaGa discussion, because Talia and I had already choreographed for this song, and we planned to use it for the workshop. We also went through each song deciding when to switch casts and when to cut them. Cutting the songs means for a shorter snippet of each song, keeping the younger audience engaged. In terms of organisation, in the group we had at least one person from each pairing, therefore we could decide who would be singing what fairly and with good knowledge of the songs in an effective and disciplined manner. 

As seen in the videos, Talia, Olivia and myself worked on splitting and working on I Want It All, with our designated parts. We found that because of our younger audience and possible disinterest, adding choreography was vital. Talia and I discussed successfully a simple but effective routine that involves our physical skills, that also allow for audience interaction, using direct address. Splitting off in this way allows for us all to focus hard on each aspect of our own characters and performances, working collaboratively to develop each others performances. For example I helped Jaydee in showing character through her voice when singing, and she encouraged my confidence when directly singing to audience members. 

When returning to the other group, we discussed what we had so far, and performed what we had decided on. This first run through was really helpful in gaining a better understanding of what we wanted to teach in the workshop to follow, and allowed us to contribute ideas as an ensemble. 

Thursday (day of performance) rehearsal videos:



GC2 & GC3- As this was the day of the performance, we felt it was important to refine and perfect our movement and formations throughout the whole piece, to demonstrate our skills with flair and creativity. Talia and I taught the rest of the cast the rest of the Radio GaGa choreography. This involved using my communication and leadership skills in a professional manner, as it was important that everyone felt confident on the movement as this type of unison fits with the narrative of the song, the meaning behind it and also shows our professionalism when performing. 

This time was mainly dedicated to running the performance as a whole, and as for the weaker parts, out of lesson we decided to develop these. Also, we looked heavily at the format and logistics of the workshop. We decided who was saying what and our groupings efficiently. In exercises in lessons, we normally work without pairings in relation to the narrative of the show, however for this workshop we felt it would be contrasting and more interesting for the students if we worked with people we would not normally work with, also showing them to work with anyone and everyone, which is a vital aspect of a successful ensemble. 

The most beneficial part of this rehearsal for me was being able to sing through the whole piece with the backing we will be performing with. Beforehand we had used the original soundtrack as it was much simpler for rehearsals, however when being accompanied live, it allows for easier cuts, and for a more fluid medley feel to the piece as a whole. This gave me a lot of confidence for the performance, as my character and audience reaction had improved massively since working on it with Jaydee. However, this is going to be very different to the students as i do not know them, and they may not be as likely to join in and clap etc. Before leaving for the school, Talia and i took time to rehearse our part of the song, recapping the physical and musical aspects to ensure our performance was well rehearsed and showed us working as a successful ensemble. 

SO SING! PERFORMANCE (GC4)

GC4-  Overall I really enjoyed the So Sing! performance and thought it went really well. I used my confidence and connections with the group to show emotions for the songs, for example in the finale song we improvise clapping and simple dancing just having fun and because all of our smiles were genuine it makes for a better performance. I used focus in my facial expressions to show seriousness in the lower parts of the medley which created a contrast. During the split sections using countermelodies I kept my beat and to my lyrics really well and had no trouble being able to project enough to hear myself over others singing the other part next to me. This is the same as the harmonies, especially in the final couple of lines of the piece, we sang the chorus of 'Keeping Your Head Up' accapella, which included some really smooth harmonies, which was really effective and had a massive impact after the performance.

This contrasts heavily to when we performed this same piece again at a meeting with all of the staff at college, presenting the department because of the impressive reputation we have developed. The audience were less involved, didn't clap and smile along like the previous audience, which was slightly off putting, however I and my ensemble maintained our composition and flair. This is due to them not being the type of people that would normally be involved in the arts, however we wanted to show them our skills and impress them. I found it harder to make eye contact with this audience whilst performing my solo, which meant it may have looked as though I lost focus throughout.