How do you break into a new area of the industry?

After looking into this as my main line of inquiry I've realised that much like Adesola pointed out in the first campus session it has maily lead me into more questions.


Main Question:                 
                                 How do you break into a new area of the industry?

Sub Questions:

                                                   What area do I wan't to break into?

Shakespeare
 
Although my training at drama school was Musical Theatre based the area I have always had a true passion for is acting. In my previous blog I noted that an area that I am desperate to break into is Shakespeare and even started a SIG group to see if anyone else on the course shared my passion. Unfortunatly I didn't get much responce to the SIG group as I would have hoped but was still able to have an interesting discussion with Mina Niikura. This however has not helped me further my inquiry.

I spoke with friend and past collegue Grace Miller about this as she has worked for Chapterhouse Theatre company in the past who perform open air productions of Shakespeare and Period Drama. She was able to give me the informaton to contact the company and I was given the opportunity to audition for the company last week. The audition went very well but since I have not heard off the company. The company has become a lot more known in the past year and hence has had a lot more actors auditioning which unlimatly means more compertition.

Although it appears I have not been successfull in this instance it has given me more insight into the company and I shall be auditioning again for their winter tour.

 http://www.chapterhouse.org/


I have found in applying for Shakespeare work that being able to play a handheld insturment defenetially makes an actor more employable and am looking at taking up violin as it is an instument I played as a child as well as guitar. I am fortunate that my very good friend Luis Titchiner is the lead guitarist in the welsh Pink Floyd tribute band and is more than capable of helping me learn to play acustic guitar.

http://www.pincffloyd.com/


The Television Industry

The television industry is another area I am also desperate to break into. Here I have the help of my agent but nothing seems to be coming from it yet. I constantly apply for short and low budget film in the attempt of being able to gather a collection of work to develope a showreel. The dilemma with finding work in the television industry is that in most cases you need to present a showreel of your work in order to get work which ends up being a vicious circle. I have posted in the Facebook Showreel SIG to see if others have faced this dilemma and try to develope this paticular line of inquiry in order to help answer my main question.

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=80&post=362&uid=145821545478191#!/topic.php?uid=145821545478191&topic=80

I am also going to contact my old acting for camera tutor from drama school who I have shot an internet commercial (modeling) for his company Hanover Pictures to see if he has any material from short films we put together in college that would work towards begining to create a showreel.

http://www.hanoverpictures.co.uk/

Here is also a link to watch the commercial I shot with the company. It's not really material I can use for my showreel as it was more of a modeling than acting job. I'd appreciate any feedback:

http://www.hanoverpictures.co.uk/warren.html


Taking this line of inquiry has most defenetially open yet more sub-lines of inquiry and has helped me identify the problems and dilemmas an actor continues to come up against in trying to break into new areas of their professions.

I will continue to blog where my research leads me and if I am able to find any answers to my questions or if again they lead me into yet more questions!