Films On A Shoestring

If you’re upset and disappointed not to get the congratulations email from the National Youth Theatre on results day, then read on to see why it isn’t the end of the world. The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain The   National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (NYTofGB or NYT) is a UK registered charity. One of the country's leading youth arts charities, NYT helps young people develop creative arts skills based around the theatre. It has a prestigious board of directors and benefactors. The National Youth Theatre alumni are breathtakingly impressive. All applicants for membership attend an audition workshop to compete for a place on a summer course. Only a tiny minority get accepted. Applicants must be 14 by the time the summer course starts and must be no older than 25. Those who complete the summer course and pay a small annual fee may become a member of the National Youth Theatre. They can compete for a place on future productions. Because it is so difficult to win an acting ...

Extras earn surprisingly little money for working on film and TV sets, despite the early starts, long hours and many outgoings. Yet you’ll still be lucky to take part. If you aren’t sure what an extra, supporting artiste or background artiste is, and want to know more about the process, head over to our article about How To Become An Extra In the UK. How Much Do Extras Earn? Extras get paid according to where and when filming takes place under an industry agreement. The extras cover the cost of travel, clothing, agency representation fees and headshots. Agency commission (plus 20% VAT) is deducted from each job payment. Most TV and Film productions across the UK pay rates to extras in accordance with the FAA/PACT Agreement, the BBC Equity Agreement, and the ITV Equity Agreement. FAA PACT Rates The Film Artistes' Association (FAA) is a section of the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union (BECTU).  The Producers Alliance for Cinema...

  There are thousands of people in the UK who enjoy working as a Film and TV extra. We explain how you get started and what to expect. How To Find Work As An Extra There is a lot of unpaid extra work that you can source yourself, usually for microbudget and student films. Facebook Filmmaking Groups and the casting website Starnow are good ways to connect with these unpaid projects. However, if you want to be paid as a Film and TV extra, you need to apply to extras agencies. They will be your contact point for opportunities, set calls and payment. We have identified some of the best Extras Agencies across the UK who will accept applications from people living near to the projects they are working on. If you're under 18, you'll need to approach extras agencies for children and young performers. You should research each agency thoroughly before making an application. Our article on fake agencies is just as valid for supporting artistes as it is for actors. Who Can Work As A ...

Getting into acting without training from an accredited drama school is no easy matter, but it can be done. If you’re wondering how to get into acting without drama school, there are plenty of things you can do to launch your career as a professional actor. But take note - you’ll have to discover your own ways to hone your performing arts skills, gain acting experience and work out how the industry works. How to get into acting without drama school Leading drama schools develop actor's craft, showcase seen by talent agents & casting directors Getting acting work is difficult whether or not you had formal training Without drama school training you need experience for CV & showreel - try casting websites Find alternative ways to practice acting technique & develop acting skill Find a decent talent agent willing to accept an aspiring actor without formal training Build a reputation as a hard working professional actor who is easy to work with ...

It’s possible for young and mature adults to become an actor without drama school. And there are plenty of working child actors and teenage actors who don’t attend full time stage schools. But while actor qualifications aren’t essential to access talent agents and casting directors, acting training is an investment in your career which you need to start an acting career. Yet it’s a complicated minefield of different options according to your age and circumstances. Thanks to intense competition from thousands of applicants, your chance of getting into a top drama school is very low, even if you can afford it. And every professional actor needs to learn and develop their craft throughout their career, whatever acting qualification they already hold. We’ll start by outlining the main areas of performance that actors specialise in. If you know which roles you see yourself in, you’ll target more appropriate training. Then we’ll move on to the huge range of stage schools...

 An actor's showreel is the first time a casting director sees a performer in action. It must make an immediate impact and be relevant to the brief if you want to get an invitation to the casting room. What is a showreel? A showreel for actors is a short video of different scenes showing the actor in their very best work. Usually this requires a speaking role, although a scene silently demonstrating powerful emotion might be added. It’s essentially an actor’s demo reel showing casting directors whether you have the right look and talent for the role they are casting for right now. Do you need a showreel to get an agent? Talent agents want to spend their time and money representing clients who regularly book work, because that’s how they earn the commission to keep their business going.  You must show potential agents that you’re a professional actor ready for professional work. Your showreel is part of that package.  Showreel advice and tips ...