any news?

[x_sugarplumfairy_x]

Hiii feel like its gone really quiet on here! how is everyone getting on? has anyone got any news- had any exciting castings/jobs? love hearing about everyones successes

We've just come out of a really quiet spell and suddenly shes really busy with castings, self tapes and pencils! so got fingers tightly crossed for those and that the busyness continues! xx

[jasmine2]

I guess lots of people are away lol...my DD is currently in rehearsals for The Producers which starts next week, then she is off as part of the Rapunzel tour...going to Kings Lynn this time xx

[pg]

DS is going back to the RSC - starts rehearsals next month for Imperium - Parts 1 and 2 - Swan Theatre, RSC from November to February.

[x_sugarplumfairy_x]

wow how exciting they all sound fab! We've not got any confirmed jobs at the moment but the cbbc web series she filmed last month is due out soon so we're looking forward to seeing that, and just hoping some of these tv commercial pencils turn to a confirm! shes got an exciting casting tomorrow for an overseas shoot so got fingers tightly crossed for that one! xx

[jasmine2]

wow how exciting they all sound fab! We've not got any confirmed jobs at the moment but the cbbc web series she filmed last month is due out soon so we're looking forward to seeing that, and just hoping some of these tv commercial pencils turn to a confirm! shes got an exciting casting tomorrow for an overseas shoot so got fingers tightly crossed for that one! xx

fingers crossed for her xxx

[lawn]

Absolutely nothing and hasn't been for over a year if I include a self tape and 2 years since her last casting. I put this down to 2 things a) her age 14.5 and b) the very large agency she's with. I decided a while ago to concentrate on the training aspect instead. Currently on hol but when we return, she moves into the senior class at drama and will do her first National Connections, will re-commence with her private lessons and I need to check how far up the list she is for private singing lessons. Have around a year before she has to apply for sixth form places.

[x_sugarplumfairy_x]

sadly not heard anything from the overseas shoot and neither of the pencils got confirmed :'( so close but so far!

But on the plus her busy spell has continued so we're very happy and greatful for the opportunities and shes loving every minute . She had a casting on tues for a supermarket xmas tvc and yesterday for another big brand xmas tvc which shes been pencilled for (really hoping this one sticks!) and heard yesterday shes been confirmed for a short film which shes really excited about.

lawn great idea to concentrate on the training side of it, im sure that will bring her lots of opportunities. I also need to do the same! currently looking for a new classes for her at the moment. Yeah i think 14/15 is a tricky age though as they can use young looking 16 year olds who dont need a license xx

[Irishdancer]

DS is going to be one of the leads in this film https://www.facebook.com/BrexitHorror/ if they can get the funding so can you all click on the link and like and follow it. The director James Crow has a lot of experance so feel he will get the funding so if all goes will he will film in France end of October beginning of November. Don't know about young looking 16 year olds it seems like it's the 24+ you have to look out for the man who plays the page in Victoria is 24-25 he is playing a 14 year old DS went for the part at 17 but it went to a 24 year old it keeps happening don't know if it's because these men where young looking at one time but now they are getting older the director producers still think of them as a lot younger when they really can not play 14 any more just feels like they will still be playing 14 year olds when well into there 30s. Some times you watch a program and the person is said to be a 14 year old when they look so much older it sort of make the film tv program not enjoyable as all you can think of is there is no way that is a 14 year old child. We thought when DS was 16 it would all change but when they are using 24+ playing 10 years younger there is no chance

[admin]

To be fair the young man referred to is a very experienced actor and incidentally son of the original owner of this site. Like life itself some people facially age differently to others and whilst it may yield lots of work being able to play down it can also preclude the opportunity to get leading actor roles in major projects because of looking too young so its swings and roundabouts. In the Sarah Jane adventures there was an adult actor playing down to the age of the children so its a very common phenomenon.

Almost all young actors hit a point at which they are suddenly competing against older or more experienced actors and even the very young get hit by that problem as in for example musicals where they want a young look but older age (over 9) so its a perennial problem. I had small young children who often got cast because they were 7 or 8 and intellectually could take direction that bit more easily than a real 5 year old. However when puberty hit they went from being one of the smallest to one of the tallest and the work stopped dead. Its what happens in this business.

I would suggest looking at acting as coming in 2 stages, firstly, the child actor stage which tends to come to an end around 14/15 puberty stage, unless you are a late developer in which case you might have a longer period of transition. Secondly from about 18+ when professional training and to be honest a little bit of luck play their part and the roles will change. Some people do play teenagers for a very long time and there are certainly many actors who have done their time on the Waterloo Road type TV shows. Likewise many plays use adults as children and it doesn't spoil the play. I didn't complain at seeing the likes of James Cordon, Russell Tovey, Dominic Cooper etc. playing school children in The original History Boys.

If you find yourself in a quiet period, amateur or student films, local theatre groups and of course training is probably the best way to go to fill the time and of course just enjoy every experience. The business is so mercurial that it is hard to predict what will happen and in my experience its so much easier if you just cherish what you are doing and don't worry about anyone else.