Workshops
Why do we hold regular workshops?
Acting agency workshops are crucial to the relationship between D&B Management and our clients. Children are continuously changing and it is vital that we are aware of even the slightest changes in appearance, confidence and speech patterns of our clients. As parents will know only too well, children change so quickly and a child that suits a brief in January may have changed so much that they are no longer suitable for that same role in June. We take a keen interest and care about every child on our books and we feel that is proven by wanting to regularly meet with and develop the skills of our clients.
Benefits to our clients
Auditions can be daunting to even the most seasoned professionals. So for children to get regular opportunities to be presented to a panel and carry out audition scenarios is fantastic. It is also great to give practical advice to children as often, there is little or no feedback when at a real audition.
Workshops are varied, but in the past have included:
Casting process
To keep abreast of expectations within the casting process, we expose our clients to audition techniques and scenarios that they are likely to encounter – including the fundamentals of script reading, improvisations and general audition etiquette. We invite external speakers to the studios who are experts in the field of casting to give the children practical advice and pointers. Wherever possible, we will also invite casting directors who are currently looking for children to observe our workshops, and it is not uncommon for children to be cast from a workshop.
Vocal coaching
We also recognise the need for extra, specialist skills and therefore invite dialect coaches to provide training in specific accents. In particular, we work on standard American accents – a highly requested skill by casting agents. As demand for oscar winning British acting talent from across the Atlantic reaches fever pitch, our Brits need to authentically blend in with their American counterparts.
Specialist skills
Some of our clients wish to be represented for musical theatre, so we put them with a pianist and choreographer to critique their audition songs and performance in dance auditions. Similarly, we also run screen acting workshops with a leading director and cameraman for our clients to learn firsthand what it’s like to be on set and the language, directions and set roles they will encounter.