Job Roles

Acting/Performance: Acting 

What is the job like?

Actors are often expected to be able to work across theatre, film, radio and TV, although these areas demand different ways of working.

Many actors specialise in theatre work, but within theatre there are lots of types of work. Theatre work can involve:

• large-scale ensemble work for companies such as the National Theatre
• theatre-in-education projects, such as workshops for schools
• seasonal work such as pantomime or festivals
• touring productions
• West End theatre
• community or youth theatre projects.

The director, producer, or casting director will usually select, or cast, actors for a production. Acting jobs tend to be short-term contracts. Full-time ongoing work is uncommon.

Many actors spend less than half of the year in acting jobs, so you will need to be prepared to find additional work to support yourself between successful auditions. Temporary jobs in shops and offices, supply teaching or casual work in hospitality and catering are all examples.

Additional work always needs to be flexible, so that you can take time off if auditions or acting roles arise unexpectedly.

Hours may be irregular. Most theatre performances take place in the evenings, but there are also daytime shows, rehearsals and auditions.

How to become an actor?

Most actors spend time training and building up performance experience before they find paid work, whether this takes the form of a full-time course at drama school or part-time classes. Determination, hard work and luck are as important as talent. A 'lucky break' is relatively rare. 

The majority of actors sign up with an agent to help them find work. Agents put actors forward for auditions and castings, but take a fee of about 10-25 per cent of the job's earnings.

Actors can also list their details in casting directories such as Spotlight. Audition notices are also published in the theatre newspaper The Stage.

Training and Qualifications needed;

If you decide to apply to drama school, courses on offer can include:

• a full-time three-year degree or diploma in acting or musical theatre
• a one-year postgraduate diploma if you already have a degree.

For three-year courses you must be at least 18, and for one-year postgraduate courses you should be at least 21.

To get into drama school, you will have to pass an audition. Some formal qualifications such as A levels or a BTEC National Diploma in performing arts may also be listed requirements. However, these are not always essential if you show enough talent and commitment. Entry requirements vary between each drama school.

As well as drama schools, many universities also offer drama and theatre studies degrees. These can be more academic than practical, so make sure that you research the course content before you apply.

If you choose not to go to drama school or to take a relevant degree, you will still need to develop your skills and get as much practical experience of acting as possible. Ways that you could do this include:

• getting involved with amateur, community or youth theatre
• joining college and university drama societies
• taking part in regional, national and international student drama festivals and competitions
• acting workshops, summer schools and part-time classes.

Where would you go and study this?

University Of London: Acting(BA)

About the course- 

The philosophy of the course can be summed up by the words, ‘embodiment’, ‘imagination’ and ‘interaction’. The training develops the actor’s body and voice as strong and effective communicators of thought, emotion and intention, and opens up the imagination so that the actor can create and sustain three-dimensional worlds from the playwright’s text. These processes invariably take place in an interactive context so that the actor is constantly learning to respond to outside stimuli – whether people, objects or atmosphere – in an open and uncensored way. Students are entitled to full Equity status upon graduation.

Duration- 3 years, full time 

Award- Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Acting (accredited by Drama UK)

Course details-

Year 1

Freeing and discovering: students start from the uniqueness of self within the group context and the rigour of the training studio, and learn to work with truth and integrity, opening up and releasing the body, voice and imagination, and developing a personal process and craft through which to build character and live truthfully within a fictional world. By learning to live and breathe in the moment, students start to discover the creative potential of the acting space.

Year 2

Stretching and growing: building on this experience, students expand their physical and emotional range, developing the art of transformation and working imaginatively from within worlds and characters which are substantially removed from their own. They also learn to transfer skills to television and radio. Towards the end of the year, students start to think about applying their training within industry contexts.

Year 3

Applying the craft: through a series of contrasting public productions and recorded media projects, students apply and develop their craft within simulated professional contexts, while at the same time engaging in the process of interfacing with the industry and learning how to survive as a working    actor.

Entry Requirements-

2 A Levels at C, 3 GCSEs at C and selection by audition. Normal offers may be higher and depend upon expected grades and audition performance. Exceptional applicants who do not meet this requirement but demonstrate appropriate potential may be accepted

University of Bedfordshire: Theatre and Professional Practice (BA Hons)

About the course-

Immerse yourself in contemporary theatre-making – as an actor, director, co-creator  or workshop facilitator - as intensive training, production and performance experience develop your skills in professional theatre practice.Your preparation for a career as a performer or creator in the world of theatre will encompass acting, devising and directing on a range of CV-building projects – including public performances throughout, and a season of work that will be realised in small-scale companies in your final year – underpinned with a growing understanding of the theoretical concepts behind your work.

Opportunities to collaborate on creative projects with students of other disciplines like Dance and English will broaden your range and employability skills.  

Entry Requirements-

The general requirement is one of the following:

-UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200, which should include either two A level passes at C or above or an AVCE Double Award.

-UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200 from BTEC QCF Qualifications would should include a minimum of Merit Merit from either two BTEC Subsidiary Diplomas or from a BTEC Diploma or Merit Merit Pass in the BTEC Extended Diploma.

-UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200 from a combination of A level and BTEC QCF qualifications

-An Access qualification

-Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, OCR Nationals, International Baccalaureate and CACHE Level 3 awards.

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Production: Costume Designer 

What is the job like?

Costume designers work very closely with the director, and often also the other designers on the show, like the set designer. Your aim as a costume designer is to find a look and feel to complement the vision of a play.

Often you might start by finding appropriate reference materials, such as images, fabrics, textures, and period drawings. You would then devise costumes within the budget available.

This might involve: 

• going shopping for clothes and accessories such as hats, gloves or jewellery, either from a theatrical costumier or high street shops and markets
• creating something absolutely new from design to finished product
• adapting some existing pieces of costuming for the purposes of a new show
• Overseeing costume fittings and last-minute changes, ready for the dress rehearsal.

As a designer, you might work with a team of people in the wardrobe department with a wide range of skills. As you move through your design career, you might also work in these roles too. 

What jobs make up a costume designer?

Many of the costume team may have had specialist art, fashion design or drama school training. However, in some cases people do work their way into the industry without formal training.

• Wardrobe supervisors handle records of what the wardrobe department already has 'in stock', and help with sourcing new items of costume. 
• Tailors and dressmakers make new garments. They will often have served an apprenticeship in the clothing industry, and adapted these skills to theatre use.

• Cutters are assistants to the dressmakers. They cut out patterns ready to be sewn together into costumes. Specialist pattern cutting courses are often available at places like the London College of Fashion.
• Milliners are hat specialists who design and make headwear. 
• Dyers 'break down' costumes, shoes or boots before they are seen on stage. Breaking down is the process of distressing a costume, to give it a worn and authentic look. 
  For example, jacket sleeves can be tied up with string, sprayed with water and left overnight to get authentic creases. Pockets are made to realistically sag by filling with paper or stones.
  Costumes can also be rubbed with sandpaper or soap to make the garment look worn or greasy. Dyers might also regularly cover boots and shoes with specially made ‘mud’.
• Dressers help the artists into their costumes when making quick changes. This is a role that can be undertaken by people without previous experience, although often the jobs are often staffed by by experienced people who may have undertaken relevant theatre training, or people who are hoping to move into more qualified wardrobe work.

How to get into costume design?

You should be as interested in subjects like art and design as theatre. An understanding of costume history is also important, so try to build up as much knowledge as you can in this area. 

Many people finish school and study design by completing a foundation pre-degree year of art study and going on to do a degree in design, millinery or costume design. They may attend fashion design college. 

However, others choose to study BTEC national diplomas or City & Guilds certificates in design or backstage art.

There are some apprenticeship schemes, such as the BBC Design Training Scheme. The Royal Opera House also offers limited work experience days.

Alongside any training, you will need to find practical work experience. You could try student and amateur theatre shows, volunteering as a helper on any TV and film sets you can or writing to theatres to try to get casual wardrobe work.

It's worth writing to costume hire shops and companies to see if they can give you work experience.  

It may also help you to build a good portfolio of images of designs and costumes you have worked on to show to potential employers.

Where would you study this course?

Wimbledon University: BA (Hons) Theatre and Screen; costume design

About the course- 

BA Costume Design at Wimbledon College of Arts introduces students to a full range of professional working practices applicable to theatre, film and television. With a focus on character and storytelling, the design to production process is underpinned by a practical foundation in drawing and costume making.
3 year course

Entry Requirements- 

We select students based on the quality of their applications, looking primarily at their portfolio of work and personal statements.

Applicants will have, or are expected to achieve, either:

A Foundation Diploma in Art and Design:

• 1 GCE A Level
• 3 GCSEs grade C or above
• BTEC Extended Diploma or NVQ Level 3
• University of the Arts London level 3 Pre-University Diploma and Extended Diploma in Art and Design:
• 4 GCSEs grade C or above
• International Baccalaureate Diploma pass achieved at 28 points or above 
• An equivalent level of performance in other internationally recognised national school leaving or university entrance qualifications
• Other evidence of prior learning and experience via Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning - AP(E)L and / or alternative qualifications assessed as offering the same level as the above requirements 
• 2 GCE A Levels
• 3 GCSEs grade C or above

University of London: Costume Construction BA 

About the course-

Duration; 3 years

The work of the costume constructor is to interpret the given costume designs, whether period or modern, abstract or representational. Students on this course will learn to be sensitive to the stylistic intentions of the designer and director, and how to research and understand the time, place and narrative of the production through analysis of the scripts or creative concepts.

Alongside training in high level and diverse making skills, students will also learn and develop skills in time management, resource management, budgeting and scheduling, working closely with students of all other theatre disciplines to realise productions.

Entry Requirements- 

3 A Levels 

Offers may vary from this, depending upon expected grades and performance at interview. Exceptional applications who do meet this requirements but demonstrate appropriate potential at interview and via their portfolio may be accepted. All candidates invite to interview are asked to bring a portfolio. 

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Administrative/Teaching: Director

What is the job like?

The director comes up with the 'vision' for a production, and leads the cast, technical crew and design staff to deliver the finished show.

On larger productions they may also work with choreographers, musical directors and fight arrangers. Different directors have different ways of working, and even the same director might vary their approach from play to play.

At all times, you also have to bear in mind the constraints of production. Your vision needs to be possible in the space it is being shown in, and you need to make sure your project doesn't run out of money. 

Some directors are also writers, and may direct their own authored productions. Most directors are self-employed. They may also be employed as artistic directors or resident directors in particular theatres, or be attached to a particular theatre company. 

In many ways the director is the key figure in a theatrical production, coordinating everything from the casting to the final performance. As a director you are crucially responsible for the artistic interpretation of the play. If it’s a new play, you may also spend a lot of time working with the playwright on the script and the best way to stage it.

Directors may also spend time working as assistant directors. This means being part of the core creative team on a production, and working closely with the director.

It can mean simply being a sounding board for ideas, or keeping tabs on key moves in rehearsals. On a big production, it can mean directing whole sections of the script.

How to get into directing?

At school, getting involved with drama as much as you can is a good place to start. Find our whether there are any local, amateur or youth theatre groups you can get involved with in your area.

Make sure you read as many plays as possible, and take any opportunity you get to go to the theatre. 

If you are also interested in acting, drama school may be an option, but many of the directing courses on offer at places like RADA are MA degrees. 

If you decide to go to university, look for a university with opportunities to get involved with student theatre. Some directors start out as stage managers, then move into assistant directing and progress from there.

If you do decide to do an MA degree course, you will need to have amassed some experience of directing, whether amateur, student or otherwise, before applying. You could also take a number of short courses and then consider setting up a theatre group or company. 

An MA in Theatre Directing is only one way into the industry. Take care to research the course before applying so that you are sure it will give you the experience you want. 


Where would you go and study this?

University of the Arts and London: MA Directing 

About the course-

MA Directing is a new four year integrated Masters course which equips you with the artistic and technical skills suitable for work or for further training in theatre, film, television and radio. Working closely with BA Acting, the course gives you a deep understanding of the acting process and a common language with performers. In the latter stages of the course you will experiment and express your voice in an increasingly challenging and diverse set of contexts across different media and gain valuable experience from professional placements. 

Careers-

Developing your skills:

• in the first place, by acting alongside them and observing actors at work

• at more advanced stages, through undertaking increasingly complex assistant director functions

• finally, by directing fellow students in a number of projects.

MA Directing focuses on directing for both the theatre and recorded media (film, television and radio). It provides an in-depth study of the art of the actor so that future directors will have an organic understanding of the acting process and a common language with performers. Initially the directing course is integrated with MA Acting at Drama Centre London, but subsequently students focus more specifically on subjects related to directing.

MA Directing offers you developing opportunities to work with actors:

These three 'pillars' of the degree course - a 'physical' approach; empathy with actors; analytical skills - are designed to empower you to be a useful director, a conduit for the author's intentions by means of the actor.

You'll also have the opportunity to collaborate with designers, musical directors and choreographers, fight directors, editors and sound engineers. In the latter stages of the course you have two opportunities for placements with a variety of theatre and television companies in London and beyond, during which you may observe not only artistic work, but also aspects of technical production, management, publicity, marketing and outreach.

Entry Requirements-

Entry to MA Directing is highly competitive. Selection to the course is determined by the quality of the application: this is indicated primarily in the quality of your interview and practical work.

• Foundation Diploma in Performance (Level 3 or 4)
• A pass in 1 GCE A level
• Passes at GCSE level in 3 other subjects (grade C or above)

OR

• Passes in 2 GCE A Levels (80 UCAS tariff points normally including one single award)
• Passes at GCSE level in 3 other subjects (grade C or above)

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-Performance related, I would choose the University of London; Acting BA. This is because it is easy to travel into London from Milton Keynes e.g. train. Also, i'd feel like this would be the best course available so I could continue the career I have chosen. Finally, i would choose this because other actors have been successful after this course so it would be beneficial for me as an actor as well.

-Production related, I would choose the Wimbledon University; BA (Hons) Theatre and Screen; costume design. This is because I have relatives near by so it would be easy to travel to and from the University and the entry requirements seem achievable.