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This is the prize shot. Much warmer.

Has she got an agent? If she's anywhere in the south, tell her to try Ray Knight. Look it up on Google - good agency. Also Mad Dog and The Casting Collective.

She's good lookign and would be in BIG demand, I'll bet.

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Thanks Woody, she does live in the south and I'll pass on the message.

Barry 

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Thanks Woody,

I've tried looking at those agencies but unfortunately they all require a spot light number which i don't have due to not having professional training but only a GCSE and A-level.

It's so frustrating because in order to have professional training you have to have professional experience but how can you get the professional experience without the professional training?

I'll keep trying...

Barry, thanks ever so much for the photos, they're brilliant!

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I'm baffled.

I did hear mention of Spotlight once before, but never in terms of being a requirement to register with any other agency. What sort of work as an actress are you looking for, film, TV, or treading the boards?

I do supporting artistes work on TV and film and I've never had any training. OK, the pay is a a bit of rubbish (about £100 per day) and you don't get your name in the credits unless you're in Equity or something like (read further down). And from what I know, Equity won't reject you for not having a SpotLight number.

Where do you want to start as well?

Start working as an extra and at every oppotunity try and get yourself near the Director's chair when you aren't required on scene and they don't send you back to the Bus. That way you can see what's happening on his monitor, which is interesting and (this is a bit sexist, mind) he might take a fancy to your looks and give you a line of something. Well, if you've got it flaunt it girl.

Of course you could end up with a female Director but who knows in this modern day and age.

What I'm suggesting is all innocent, but that's how a lot of work gets shoved around. The thing is you learn how the scenes are stitched together, one day you're working on one scene and next week you're working on a scene that takes place before the scene you worked on previously.

I did a Foyles War in 2006. On the Monday we did one scene and on the Friday we did a scene that appeared before it. They told me to let my whiskers grow and look scruffy, as a war time factory worker hence -

/members/images/14722/Gallery/DSCF0033A.JPG



Yeh, no prizes I know, but I got extra money for that and had a 1940s haircut and then they slapped on some make-up dirt. Still the grub was good and we got extra pay again for working on a Good Friday.

I have done a few speaking parts, one was playing Joe Mears (Secretary of the FA) in 'Who stole The World Cup?', a documentary for Channel 4. It was only a small part because the real Joe Mears got taken ill soon after the Cup went missing. However, when it came to the credits my name wasn't up there, but my character's  wife, Mrs Mears, only had two lines and her name was on the credits - because she was an Equity member.

Get back on to Ray Knight and see if you can speak with a John (I forget his second name) or Tony and just ask how do you register. You'll have to go along there and take your pictures or they'll take their own, fill in the form and your on their books. It's £35 + VAT per year and you don't pay up front, they take it out of your first booking fee and a 15% commission charge on every booking.

It has to be worth it for the experience and the exposure. Speak to other extras and they'll put you right, there' some really nice folks doing it.

Good luck and send a message if you want to discuss further.

Edited: 28/03/08 15:33
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Hey and just to convince you - I've met some really nice principals along the way. George Baker, great old actor. Barry Jackson, he's done 'Dr Who' and 'Minder' in the past. Barbara Windsor, she's a fantastic person and when they're on location she has her meals on the bus with everyone else and chats with them (has a liking for bacon butties as well). Paul Freeman who played Beloq in 'Raiders of teh Lost Ark', nice guy lives in France now. Dexter Fletcher from 'Hotel Babylon' and 'Band of Brothers'. Had a fight scene with Peter Capaldi and Michael Fitzgerald.

Many others, but there are some (hold back on expletives) in the industry too. People who won't nod to you unless you've done 15 years with the RSC and so forth.

Just get inthere and enjoy it, gain the experience of working before a camera. Someone's bound to notice you and wwhen they do ................... Watch this space folks.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, but if you do stuff for the Beeb you will probably get repeat fees. I had a payment last week for a further £93 because they repeated a 'Waking the Dead' episode (or are going to) in which I played the lawnmower man. The BBC are one of the only companies to do this though, but it's all grist to the mill and bumps up your money. I'd sooner have £93 that the proverbial burnt stick.

Edited: 28/03/08 15:49
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 Lovely shot, should interest a model agency, well done you!

As for Woody, doesn't he look lovely, too?

Edited: 29/03/08 16:46
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I'm in character there Harry!

Sad thing is, the clothes they gave me were better than mine.

One incident whilst we were doing that episode. One of the extras was playing a copper (plot was, we had a gambling school going in a works and it got raided by the police), he went into make-up for his 1940s haircut and they also stuck a moustache on him.

We forgot that he'd gone inside and before he came out he put his helmet on. When he reappeared once of the other extras said "'Ere, I didn't know Leslie Phillips was in this."

It was true! He was an absulute double for Leslie Phillips. Of course after that he was going all round the set saying "Ding Dong." and "Whacko".

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Thanks for the advice

i wont give up just yet...

Changing the subject a little, what is your opinion on the Canon 300D as im borrowing one just to see how i get on with it and then i might possibly buy it...

only problem is, i dont have a manual :/ :/

Zoe

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Hi Zoe,wrt Canon 300D, it is fine camera and pretty easy to start with.  If you do not have the actual instructions for a 300D most others will be able to help you to some degree.I've got a very old Fuji and two Canons and the instructions are very similar/identical in the basic areas.  I am sure that the camera's owner will give you a good introduction.If you are a total beginner, then set the rotating dial to the green rectangle and the lens to A (auto focus), and all is then automatic.  This works in most cases, the only significant problem is that if the light is a little low, the flash will jumps into operation.Day 2, set rotating dial to P.  This will retain automatic exposure but give you control over the flash, iso and white balance.  Get the camera's owner to show you how to set these.

The original lens is not the best bit of glass but will give you satisfying results to start with.  Do leave it in auto focus though, as from my experience it is virtually impossible to focus manually because the lens mechanism is so slack.

If no one else offers you better advice and you find yourself stuck please feel free to send me a message.Otherwise enjoy it. 

Also every success in the chosen profession it is a lovely portrait.  Woody is an absolute mine of information.

Best Paul
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 Write to OTC., (Oldtimer Cameras) whose address can be found in the small ads in Amateur Photographer, or Google it . They specialise in instuction books for any camera ever made, & the cost will only be about a fiver or so.
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Here you are Zoe - I think.

It's the bottom of this list FREE OF CHARGE!

Called a Rebel - probably in USA?

EOS DIGITAL REBEL/EOS 300D DIGITAL Instruction Manual 

Edited: 07/04/08 17:56
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 Well, clever old Woody !
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Not I, Harry. Google.

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FOUND ONE HOOOOORAY.

Ive got some lovely photos on this baby!


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