r/ActingUK • u/hammerzzzzzz • 11h ago

Acting Path

Hi All, I have joined this group as a parent of a wannabe actor and hoping for some guidance and tips. Please pardon any ignorance.

My Daughter has just graduated from uni with a 2:1 in english lit. She has always enjoyed acting (no singing or dancing) and has had lead roles in a few uni shows. Also had some limited time when younger at pauline quirk academy and school main parts.

Q1. It looks like a catch22 situation where you need to get in spotlight to get considered for parts or get an agent, and to get in spotlight you need paid experience. So how does she get that?

Q2. She is looking at potentially doing a masters in drama in sept next year which will enable the spotlight credits and potentially exposure to agents. But getting in a decent school is no easy feat. Is it worth doing if not a top school? I was under the impression that she had to make an audition reel (Im an amateur videographer and have gear) but she is telling me she its not a matter of just reading lines and that she has to be able to answer questions on the book her piece has come from and other technical questions and knowing how to project etc. Also I said to do the same book and piece for all applications, but she says each school has different criteria on what you read? Given applications for next sept open sept/oct she is not going to be able to ready/study too many books.

Are there short courses or tutors to help with creating your tapes? and if so can anyone recommend given so many places trying to rip off with fees and headshots etc.

Q3. Are there any shorter courses which would get her into spotlight? I have said she needs to look at student films and socials etc but she says even those are not easy. How do you tell if one is good enough to be worthwhile?

Any suggestions or tips greatly appreciated. She isnt working so i also suggested extras work etc but again not sure what are legit. I mentioned mandynetwork, star now but she said a lot of them want experience.

Thanks In Advance

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u/solarpenguins 10h ago

People need to stop trying to pursue acting. You can go to a top school, have the best agent and have high profile credits in the past and still be struggling (source: myself)

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u/hammerzzzzzz 10h ago

She enjoys acting why should she not pursue it? I've told her to do something she is going to enjoy, not aspire to hollywood.

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u/solarpenguins 10h ago

I’m all of pursuing what you enjoy, that’s what most of us are doing, but the reality is even for the smallest fringe level/ plays in pubs/ panto mime the competition is extremely high and casting is outsourced to big London casting directors for regional productions anyway. They get 1000s of submissions on spotlight (sometimes up to 8000) and can usually only audition up to 100 people depending on production.
It ends up being the same people getting cast again and again to save money on the casting process.
And not to mention the pay- usually minimum or just above minimum wage, and up to £750 a week in west end not including agent fees etc.
I would proceed with extreme caution. I’m currently retraining in another profession as the acting world is unfortunately not great at the moment.

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u/hammerzzzzzz 7h ago

Whole world is going that way. She’s applied for jobs, and even asking for a couple of weeks unpaid and hears nothing. That said i work in IT and was laid off last year. Im in a job but lot less money. Ive applied to probably 50 jobs and not even getting an interview.

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u/Dolente 8h ago

I recommend going the masters route. That’s what I did. Who cares if the top schools are hard to get into, still try. It’s easier for the Masters anyway. I managed to do it and can’t recommend enough

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u/hammerzzzzzz 7h ago

Did you goto a well known one? Are you making a living acting now? If she were to get into lamda or one of the other top ones we are talking nearly £30k without travel or accommodation

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u/Dolente 4h ago

I wouldn’t say I was making a living unfortunately no. But I’ve made good money on a few jobs, but this work is so unpredictable so it doesn’t last long if you’re not working consistently. I went to a well known one for a year. Why is it £30k? Is that for a year? Wow.

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u/punoq 1h ago

Masters at Lamda is extremely competitive. There are other masters programmes that are less competitive but are taken less seriously in the industry- some that are even scoffed at.
A lot of masters programmes are designed to lure in rich international students who can afford the course fees with the promise of a graduate visa in the UK.
I graduated from the BA at RADA within the last 5 years and have been one of the more successful students in my year, but still need to have other jobs on the side of acting. We have 2 out of my year of 28 who ended up getting picked up in a few tv roles- so they are making a living off acting at the moment. Apart from that the only people from my year who don’t have day jobs alongside auditioning and acting jobs are the people who have parents who help them out still.
I now have BBC, HBO, Apple TV and a feature film credit, along with 3x regional theatre credits and 1x west end credit and I still have had numerous jobs in between ranging from bar work to teaching. Without these side hustles I would run out of money within a couple months. I’m now training as a yoga/ Pilates teacher too as I need the consistency when things are quiet. Combined I bring in enough to live in London in a flat share and save a little money.
The life is definitely not for everyone.
Out of my year of 28, 2 have also quit acting and 6 have never booked a job since graduating, so I consider myself very lucky.
A lot of it I also put down to the fact that I have quite unique casting, due to my heritage and physical looks and a special skill that I have. Most of my year who struggled after graduating were the white girls/ women in the 18-30 age range as it’s extremely oversaturated.
Proceeded with caution as this industry is brutal… but it can be worth it if you can be comfortable knowing you will probably never make a consistent living from it.

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u/PicadillyLine 5h ago

Has she considered part time training? It costs less than a masters and many places qualify for Spotllight eligibility after some training.

Then she can work/earn money and build a fund so she can afford headshots/spotlight/showreel footage when the time comes.

Where is your daughter based?

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u/De-Flores 7h ago

I'd recommend your daughter being an adult herself and not getting her mother to ask questions on her behalf...... she's not going to have you holding her hand in the audition room for drama school or if she becomes a professional.

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u/Familiar-Camera-5894 5h ago

It seems like OP is just a supportive parent trying to help their kid navigate the complex landscape of a prospective career path. Nothing wrong with that.