Year End Thoughts
Redheaded woman with raised eyebrown and smirk. She wears a black top with flowers.
It’s been a busy year for which I am grateful. I’m not ending the year famous (or rich), but I’ve been busily working away on my craft and creating work for myself.
I’ve been attending workshops - Archetypes, 5-Day Self-Tape Feedback with Gemma Hancock (then a day-long Ascend/BBC Collaboration Workshop for actors with disabilities - set up by Gemma and attended by Tara McKeown, Scarlett Kefford, Niall Fraser, and Rachelle Williams-Parker).
I went to online workshops for self-tapes (the Art of the Self-Tape, Intention) as well as workshops for short film funding and a 1:1 with Debbie Howard where we looked at my showreel, headshots, and Spotlight page. She was very gracious with her advice.
In between, I worked for Oxford University in the Examination Schools helping to implement the Trinity Term Exams. One day walking to work, I was struck by a hit-and-run driver who (so far) has got away with damaging my left shoulder for which I am now in physiotherapy.
In August, I took Debbie’s How to Make a Successful Short Film webinar and came away with many ideas for how I could create my own work. I attended another webinar from the BFI about screenwriting and submitted my application for a place on their course, but sadly, was not accepted.
I took Raindance’s Foundation Film Director’s Course (taught by Simon Hunter) and am looking to further my education in that area in the new year.
I applied for many jobs I found on Spotlight and social media but only had less than a handful of auditions (self-tapes fpr a Western Wagontrail Guide and an American South Space Mechanic), but I’m still applying for whatever I see for which I feel I am right.
On the acting front, I was part of a showreel scene That Was Easy in May with the marvellous Devil’s Avocado acting with Mark Denham, who made the shoot a great laugh.
I’ve performed three of Philip Pugh’s Mini-monolgues, which are always a delight to play with.
I also returned to the Earl of Oxford’s Men for their final two murder mysteries on the GWSR in June and September, when I played the archvillaness, Luigi (otherwise known as Lucrezia Scalamilano).
Also in September, I performed closer to home in a workshop production of an educational climate drama The Rose Hill Picnic, where I played an uptight Council Worker. So much fun!
In October, I made my first outing with Rusticus at Blenheim Palace’s Halloween Trail where I split my time between the Skeleton General (General Rattlebones), and the Organic Plant Monster in all weathers. I had the time of my life and do hope I’m invited back next year.
The end of the year has brought the cast and crew screening of Rebecca Gold in which I play an assassin (how successful I am is for you to see), and new headshots courtesy of Liv at Yellowbelly, London.
