Employment

The industry - You need to make yourself aware of: Where to go or whom to contact for advice What will be expected of you as an employee What laws you will have to comply with What working conditions to expect How to make sure you are prepared and ready

to apply for work How to make contact with agents

Preparing a CV

A performer's CV should be only one side of A4 A portfolio can be useful demonstrating your

experience (posters, reviews etc)  to take to an interview or to link to from a web site in your CV.

Be prepared to audition during an interview. Choose your material (and clothes) carefully!

Photograph

• This should be head and shoulders Be a semi-side on view, with careful attention to

lighting etc.

• It is usually a black and white photo but now colour is also widely used

• Be of a good, or if you can afford it, a very high professional standard

• Be an honest and clear representation of yourself

Kiera Daily

Contact: 21a Crescent Road, Canterbury CT2 5JZ

Phone: (01227) 346987 Mobile: 07961 152 349Email: Kiera@hotmilk.com

Agent:Joan Trollope Personal Management124 Wardour Street, London W1 3PU.(01234) 222 233 Location: South East England

You need to include a photograph (which is much better than a passport photo!

Your personal contact details

Include the name and contact details of your agent if you have one.

Pay to be in Spotlight if possible

Spotlight number: 1236 Equity number: M3111 55456

Height: 6'1" Build: slim Hair: Brown Eyes: Green

Accents: UK South East RP, Geordie, London, Standard American, French,

Role Playing Ages 17- 24

Spotlight www.spotlight.com/artists.html is the photographic directory of all actors in UK and is the first place directors look when casting. You can put your CV there.

On your CV put your Spotlight page number and also if you are an Equity member.

Your height, colour of hair, eye colour and accents you can speak and sing in are important.

Skills:

Full Driving Licence, BADC intermediate certificate in Stage Fighting,

Horse Riding, Workshop Leader, Chorus Dancing, Skiing, Tennis, Scuba Diving, Computing

Skills

It’s very important to list any other practical skills/training you may have

Music Skills:

Singing: Soprano. Chorus and Solo Singing

Instruments: Versatile Guitarist, Piano Grade 4.

It is very desirable for an actor to have some musical skills

(Singers need a brief profile to explain their style of singing: opera, musical theatre, popular, plus voice type: soprano, mezzo, baritone or bass.)

Specify what you want to do and why. You can include a well produced & brief CD of your work or it can be linked from a web site. These should be one or two minute samples of your best work. The first should be the best as this may be the only one listened to.

Training:

2008 - 2009 Mountview Theatre School: Postgraduate Diploma - Acting

2004 - 2008 University of Kent : BA (Hons.) Drama 2:1

Note in this CV there is no mention of GCSEs or A Levels.Generally that will depend on your age and experience. A younger candidate might include these

But very important you should mention the professional training you have received.

Performance Experience

List what experience you have: all the productions you have been in, usually divided into film and TV and theatre. Where you have performed: year, type,  role, director and venue

Year Type Role Production Company Director

Theatre          

2008 Play GodotWaiting for Godot

Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury,

Jason Brown

2008 Play JulietRomeo and Juliet

Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury

Student Production

2006 Pantomime chorusDick Whittington

Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury

Jenny harrison

TV & Film

         

2009 Short Film TomThe Search for Dick and Harry

Puerile Productions

Alan Dawson

Showreels

A Showreel gives a taster of your skills and can be placed on-line and/or on a DVD. Make sure this is of a good professional standard

Tell the viewer how long it will last in case they have limited time (or patience!).

Employer

Should follow employment law regarding Contract stating your responsibilities and

hours of work – rate of pay etc Provide a safe working environment Follow any other regulations relating to

equal opportunities and disability rights and required training

Contracts – read them carefully! Read your contract carefully to know the terms and

conditions of your employment Required length of service ( how long you will be

employed) – ( how long you sign with an agent) Rate of pay Working hours Holiday pay Procedures for resigning or dismissal Any agreements re royalties secondary payments

Legal Requirementsfor tax and other deductions

Pay and deductions

Income Tax

National Insurance

Private Pension

Types of deductions

The Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system Your employer does all deductions directly from

your wage

Self Employed – do your own national insurance and fill in your own tax form

You can have a combination

National Insurance

You pay National Insurance contributions to build up your entitlement to certain social security benefits, including the State Pension.

The type and level of National Insurance contributions you pay depends on how much you earn and whether you're employed or self employed.

You stop paying National Insurance contributions in the year you reach State Pension age.

Who uses your National Insurance number?You must give your National Insurance number to:

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Your employer Department for work and Pensions (DWP), if you claim

benefits  Your local council, if you claim Housing Benefit The Student Loan Company if you apply for a student loan You will also be required to provide your National Insurance

number if you open and Individual Savings Account (ISA). Entitlement to many benefits depends on your

National Insurance contribution record

Employment law and tax

Tax --Most actors etc are self-employed – this means they have to have accounts and complete their own tax return

It generally works in favour as you can claim many deductions / expenses if they are ‘incurred wholly and exclusively for work’

e.g – TV rental – union fees – stage make-up- cost of attendance at auditions

For national insurance purposes you pay more if you wish to receive benefits

Dual Status

Equity has negotiated a dual status for actors You can have some tax registered and

calculated as self employed But when an actor etc get a contract they can

pay as you earn -- P.A.Y.E This means your tax is calculated and taken

from your pay

Dual employment status It’s very good This is important as it means you can

claim Job Seekers Allowance should you have times of long unemployment

Self employed people may have access to less benefits as they pay less contribution and they may earn over the accepted level of money

Citizens advice Bureau

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/work_e/work_self-employed_or_looking_for_work_e/self-employment_checklist.htm

This gives very general advice about all kinds of work but has useful information

Conditions of work

Rehearsal /performance space should be warm and adequately equipped

Facilities reasonable ( access to toilet ) Health and safety issues – risk correctly

assessed and meets legal requirements and is within the terms of your contract

Any special requirements may need training and support

Hours

The hours can sometimes be very long Licensing Act – any place presenting

entertainment needs a licence.

Under new laws venues stay open later particularly clubs and this means still an early set up but a later finish time.

Problem does the pay reflect this – possibly not!

Rates of pay

There can be many different circumstances depending on the

nature of the work size of the company or particular project Status and type of company your relationship to the people you are

working with – e.g are you a group of friends putting on one show

Rates of pay

Profit share – everyone in the company gets an equal share of any profits after all expenses and/or loans are paid

Agreed Fee for the project or work Full contract with a regional theatre or

TV /film company

Rates of Pay

Theatrical Management Association http://www.tmauk.org/ratesofpay/tmaequitysubsidisedrepertory.aspx

Has main list of rates of pay for most roles in theatre

directors /actors /stage managers/choreographers

Acting

Refer to equity rates of pay and conditions

These will also include any repeat fees or royalties regarding film or TV performances

Insurance and public liability

Equity is The Main Union for

Actors Directors Stage managers Dancers and choreographers Light Entertainment – e.g cabaret – circus

comedy

Equity negotiates across the industry the best conditions, terms and wages Basic salary Rehearsal salary Holiday pay Royalties or secondary payments (about repeats in TV –

depends if broadcast off peak 50% of fee or prime time same as original fee.

Repeat fee rates for walk on extras is classed in three rates

e.g. 1=crowd no fees 2 = featured but not speaking

3= featured and speak

Equity recommended agreement

Performers   Minimum Salary – MRSL Grade 1 and 2 £400.00 Minimum Salary – MRSL Grade 3 £372.00 MRSL Grade 1 £459.00 MRSL Grade 2 £406.00 MRSL Grade 3 £379.00

Equity agreementshttp://www.actorsandextras.co.uk/3.html

ITV. Walk on 1 £66.55 per day.

or £57.10 where 41 or more extras are used. Walk on 2 non speaking £86 per day.   Walk on 3

speaking £102.60

BBC Walk on  £93.50 per recording day (£75.50 rehearsal)

                           

Theatrical pay equity site

http://www.tmauk.org/ratesofpay/tmaequitysubsidisedrepertory.aspx

Only generally accessible to members

Employment disputes

Will negotiate in disputes with your employer – Late payments Advice on tax returns Free legal advice Contracts- Pay, hours of work, travel payments Accommodation Breaks / holiday or leave

Health and safety

Helps to negotiate safe working environments Insurance to full members is free Will give advice on Personal injury Insurance

and Back stage cover and public liability, which many

performers are expected to have especially if working in clubs, holiday centres, schools, community centres

Employment agents Equity campaigns against those that charge up front fees

Best to check agency with equity PMA listings ( Production Managers Association http://www.pma.org.uk)

Most agents based in London but there are 6 Yorkshire ones

Several based in Manchester

Equity says local theatres should do local auditions but they tend not to and still do them in London

PCR publication tells you when the castings are coming up ( Production Casting Report http://www.pcrnewsletter.com/pcr)

Also there is information in The Stage and Equity Journal

Web sites

http://www.spotlight.com/

http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/otherresources/agents/agents.htm

http://www.castingcallpro.com/uk/

Appendix of tables re tax information

Income Tax allowances table

Income Tax allowances2010-11

2011-12

2012-13

Personal Allowance (1)Up to £100

£6,475 £7,475 £8,105

Personal Allowance for people aged 65-74 (1)(2)

£9,490 £9,940 £10,500

Personal Allowance for people aged 75 and over (1)(2)

£9,640 £10,090 £10,660

Married Couple's Allowance - aged 75 and over (2)(3)

£6,965 £7,295 £7,705

Blind Person's Allowance £1,800 £1,890 £1,890

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/rates/it.htm

Income Tax rates and taxable bands

  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Starting rate for savings: 10%*

 £0-£2,440 £0-£2,560 £0-£2,710

Basic rate: 20%  £0-£37,400 £0-£35,000 £0-£34,370

Higher rate: 40%

 £37,401-£150,000

£35,001-£150,000

£34,371-£150,000

Additional rate: 50%

Over £150,000 Over £150,000 Over £150,000