Job Profile One 2.1 (Drama TV and Stage Actress)

 

Job Profile

 
JOB ROLE:
Drama TV and stage actress

 

What is a Drama TV and stage actress?

An actor is someone who performs as a character or role in certain types of media, in this case, specifically on screen (television) and on stage. The genre of ‘drama’ is strongly based on characters who are in the process of resolving conflict in their lives. These conflicts can be shown through different emotional themes such as alcoholism, infidelity, class issues, morals and mental health.

 

What is the role?

A large part of this profession is freelance and independence as jobs are not always promised. As a result of this, I will have to prepare for rejection and not let it affect my perseverance and passion. I will also be responsible for my own career by managing my finances and scheduling auditions (however, an agent will help me out with this as they will be representing me as their candidate). As an actor, I will need to perform in front of live audiences, be able to memorize lines, heavily research before playing a character and discuss interpretation with other members of the company as well as the director.

 

Skills required:

·       Good communication and listening skills

Ø  I will need to share ideas with my team as well as using theirs.

·       Punctuality and reliability

Ø  Commitment is extremely important in this industry as hours may vary and reliability shows passion.

·       The ability to analyse roles

Ø  Interpretation is key as it will show my deep understanding of the role I am playing, the more research I do, the better this understanding will be.

·       The capacity to work well in teams

Ø  In this very practical community, I will be working with a range of diverse people, so, it will be important for me to display good people skills.

·       The ability to take instruction and criticism

Ø  I will need to listen to improvements, and not let these affect me, to grow as a successful performer.

·       Determination

Ø  As the performing arts industry is highly competitive, I must be able to strive for my ultimate goal of success without letting doubts cloud my view.

·       Confidence to network and follow up contacts

Ø  As previously mentioned, this industry is competitive, meaning work is never guaranteed so I will have to put myself out there.

·       Self-discipline

Ø  I must be able to prepare for my acting job by memorizing lines and getting enough rest so I am able to deal with the varying and long hours.

 

Qualifications needed:

Qualifications for this role are not required however they are recommended as training will further my knowledge of theatrical techniques which I could then show in future work. There are several successful actors who did not study performing arts in higher education such as Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron and Natalie Portman.

 

Experience needed:

Similar to qualifications, experience is not always necessarily needed however it is optimal as it will give me more knowledge of the performing arts industry.

Experience could look like:

•        Amateur, local community or youth theatre.
•        College and university drama societies.
•        Student drama festivals and competitions.
•       Volunteering as an ‘extra’ or short films or TV shows – signing up through an agency.
•        Working as an entertainer in places such as resorts.

Salary:

This can fluctuate - 97% of actors in the UK reported that they were earning up to £43,000 a year, meaning many were earning much less than this.

 

Related jobs:

• TV or radio presenting
• Dubbing and voice-overs
• Directing
• Film actor 
• Teaching drama in schools
• Screenwriter
• Stage management
• Wardrobe or makeup

Career prospects:

There is no standard career progression for an actor as contracts differ frequently. I may be able to increase the progression by auditioning for all sorts of roles, picking up new talents through education/workshops and branching out into different areas of performance.

MY CURRENT SKILLS IN RELATION TO REQUIRED SKILLS FOR THIS JOB:

• Vocal skills such as certain accents, dynamics, pitch and range.
• Determination and perseverance.
• Good communication skills.
• Can take (and act on) criticism appropriately.
• Knowledge and understanding of different theatrical styles.
• Good at working in teams and sharing ideas.
• Analytical mind and interested in the range of ways and character could be portrayed.

THINGS I NEED TO OBTAIN:

• Physical skills such as flexibility and balance.
• Connections such as agencies.
• Confidence in front of the camera.
• A balanced sleep schedule. 

What are the accepted rotes into this job?

Possible rotes into this career:

·       A foundation degree, degree or postgraduate diploma in a performing arts subject. To be accepted into a university, drama school or conservatoire I may need to

Ø  pass an audition

Ø  at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree

Ø  2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

Ø  a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

·       Partaking in a one-year MA/postgraduate diploma in acting, or attending a summer school or short course focusing on a particular element of acting to further expand my training.

Liaising with an agent and scheduling auditions.

 

What competition is there for this role?

 The acting industry is hard to break into as it is extremely competitive, a reported 2% of all actors earn enough, annually, to live of off. However, with the right connections, training and determination, this isn't impossible.

 

Availability for this role:

Despite the highly competitive nature of the acting industry, many jobs are available as long as you look for them yourself. These jobs may not be where I hope to be in ten years time, but they will act as great stepping stones on my path to success. Jobs can be found on social media, in newspapers and on websites such as:

• Backstage
• Mandy
• Starnow
• Casting Now
• Fame Street

 

References:

 

nationalcareers.service.gov.uk. (n.d.). Actor | Explore careers | National Careers Service. [online] Available at: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/actor [Accessed: Jan 2023]
Steel, D. (n.d.). Dream jobs and great alternatives: Actor - Indigo. [online] indigo.careers. Available at: https://indigo.careers/dream-jobs-and-great-alternatives-actor/ [Accessed: 2023].
www.prospects.ac.uk. (n.d.). Actor job profile | Prospects.ac.uk. [online] Available at: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/actor [Accessed: Jan 2023]
Malatesta, M. (2019). Drama Genre Definition - Complete List of Book Genres. [online] Book Genres. Available at: https://book-genres.com/drama-genre-definition/ [Accessed: Jan 2023]

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