I work with a great many actors or aspiring actors but have also assisted presenters, lawyers, doctors, cabaret artistes and many other professionals. As well as coming to see me for general acting tuition people also contact me with specific needs and goals.
There is ever increasing competition for those valuable few places at reputable drama schools. Give yourself the best opportunity to secure one of those places. Avoid the mistakes that many applicants make and discover ways to give yourself an advantage.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or have had just a few paid jobs, auditioning doesn’t necessarily get any easier and we’ve all known occasions when an opportunity has been wasted at a casting. Being fully prepared for your audition can give you the confidence that could make all the difference to securing that next job. Why not give it a go? If you’re interested in having more control over your career I can also assist you in creating your own play.
Just because you don’t have aspirations to make your living from acting doesn’t mean that you don’t share that same passion. I’ve tutored those auditioning for organisations such as The National Youth Theatre as well as keen amateurs determined to secure a better role in their next production. There are good and bad amateur actors just as there are good and bad professionals. Get the most out of your craft by aiming to be the best.
Over the years I’ve helped a range of business professionals improve their confidence with public speaking or to deliver more engaging presentations. With the transferable skills that I’ve built up as an actor, director and tutor I’m well qualified to assist with these tasks. I can also help anyone else who has to give a speech, be it a politician with a message or a best man who has to reluctantly give a speech in front of a room full of friends, family and strangers.
For professional actors or those with a lot of confidence and experience it’s perfectly possible to develop a show of your own. A one person play is a great challenge for any actor and developing new skills whilst keeping your creative juices flowing can be immensely rewarding. It’s also better than waiting for your agent to ring and it has the potential to make you money and to give you some control over your career. Let me guide you through the process.
I teach children as individuals or in pairs. As well as improving their acting technique, classes can heighten a child’s self confidence and communication skills. Many parents prefer their child to have something solid to aim for, so LAMDA exams can be a useful measure of their progress and success.
“Martin is an honest, skilled and talented audition coach. His energetic and friendly outlook on his one-to-one tuition brings with it the opportunity to push your abilities to new limits!” – Hollie Gordon (former student)
I can make you a better actor!
I can work on monologues or duologues with you and teach you how to analyse a script. As well as discovering the subtext within a piece we also look at ways to create convincing characters. We cover areas such as interaction and reaction, being ‘in the moment’, how to study the shape of a scene and how to affect other characters. We look at actioning, objectives, diction, projection, stage presence, commitment, energy, believability and confidence – a whole range of tools which help you to give great performances.
I offer constructive criticism, advice and guidance with audition pieces and can work on the latest cutting edge plays as well as classical theatre, Shakespeare and restoration. If you haven’t already chosen your speeches, I can help you select something suitable (taking into account your age, appearance, accent etc) from my extensive library of over 1000 plays. Once you are happy with your choices I can make sure that they are directed to your best advantage.
Getting an audition in the first place can be difficult enough, so it’s surprising how many actors waste their opportunity by turning up to an audition unprepared. Most actors wouldn’t consider rehearsing a play without a director, so why should your audition pieces be any different? Some actors think that it’s enough to walk through their pieces quietly in their bedroom or, even worse, work out how they might present them on the train on the way to the audition! Don’t waste valuable time and effort struggling on your own and then wondering why you are not succeeding.
I can also assess your current sight-reading ability and assist you with techniques to improve. Most actors underestimate the importance of sight-reading (which should really be called sight-acting) but it is THE most important tool used for casting purposes – be it for theatre, television, radio or film. It’s also, of course, essential to be a good sight-reader in a rehearsal situation.
I’m happy to give advice on CVs, photos, agents, casting directors, Equity, Spotlight, where to find jobs and how to get started in the business (in fact I’ve put some information together that you can look at now – free advice for aspiring actors).
The acting world is hugely competitive but can also be hugely rewarding if you put the work in and are positive in your approach. Ultimately, you have a much better chance of success if you are prepared. Good Luck!