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  • HOME
  • CLASSES
    • Kids Acting Classes
    • Teen Acting Classes
    • Adult Acting Classes
    • Private Acting Classes
  • BEHIND THE SCENES
  • CASTING & AUDITION
    • Casting Opportunities
    • Actors Headshots
    • Actors Showreel
    • Self Tape Services
  • MORE
    • SPECIAL OFFERS
    • IPM BLOG
    • MEET THE TEAM
    • TIMETABLE
    • MEMBERS AREA
  • JOIN HERE

IPM BLOG

Want to become an actor? Here's how to start.

3/24/2023

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​​So, you want to become an actor?
Here are some of the best steps taken by those pursuing an acting career: 
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Enrol in Acting Classes
When embarking on you career in acting, gaining experience and improving upon your existing skills is your number one priority. This will massively improve your ability as well as give you chance to network with other actors. 

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Low budget and student films
Another great way to gain acting experience is working on low budget projects and student films. These projects are usually non-paid; however, they provide actors with a brilliant opportunity to go through the process of being cast in a film; auditioning, acting for screen, working with fellow cast members, directors, and producers. Not to mention, these films provide new actors with fantastic footage to add to their showreel. 
Get off Extras Agencies
Casting teams do their due diligence when looking at actors applying for their roles, if your credits are solely as extras they will not consider you a professional actor. Extra work can be great experience as you get to work on large scale sets and understand the process of onset production, however it should be treated as just that, experience – not credits.
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Professional Headshots and a Showreel
When applying for acting roles, it is essential to have a professional headshot. This is your first impression to a casting team and will make or break whether you are seen. Ensuring you have a series of professional headshots that accurately show what you look like is very important, especially when casting directors are looking for a certain look.
 
Another industry standard is having a showreel, featuring some of your best performances. It is a way of demonstrating your ability as an actor and showcasing any work you have done in the past. A strong showreel can push your chances to be seen even without a large number of credits.
Get an Agent
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If you are serious about acting and pursuing this career path, finding an agent is an important step. A smaller talent agency which specialises in working with new and upcoming actors is a great option. An agent will become your first port of call and connection to the industry. 
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Copywright Friends
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​Say Yes!
With an agent behind you, you will start to be suggested for roles. In the early stages of your acting career, no matter the size of the role, you should grasp the opportunity with both hands. Landing roles can be difficult especially as an upcoming actor so going the extra mile is vital. The more auditions you attend the more likely you’ll get more experience, contacts, recognition and industry credits. 
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Five Things Actors Need Continuous Training In

10/19/2021

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An Actor's training is never done. Even the biggest names (Bradley Cooper, Charlize Theron, Keira Knightley & more) need to continue their actors training on set and between roles. As the industry changes (and it can quickly as we learned during Covid) your skills as a performer need to be at a peak state. Our team has looked at some the most essentials skills that we look at for a performer to keep up with during their training.

Improvisation

Improv is something that many beginners find they struggle to approach, but practice makes perfect. Even the most talented of comedic performers need to keep up their practice. Improv goes beyond comedy, many directors like to use improvised moments alongside their scripts to make the scenes natural in content for drama. Consistent training will keep your ideas fresh, progress your timing and keep you on your toes!
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Green Screen

The advancement of technology in filmmaking has brought many blockbusters to utilise green screen to take viewers anywhere in the universe or into the creators' minds. Working on green screens can take an actor out of their element as there is nothing to build off of in the sense of visual aesthetic. So they must build that in their minds. Consistent training can help your creative mind to push those blocks aside and build the scene around you in your mind to enhance your performance.
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Self Promotion

Marketing yourself as an actor changes, with social media to speaking about yourself in auditions, your confidence in knowing yourself takes consistent practice and development. With changing profile requirements, want of showreels and updated headshots, being industry ready before getting into the audition room is key to a career.
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Filming Techniques

How we film constantly changes. From the moment filmmaking went digital the countless opportunities of growth means an actor needs to be ready to understand camera shots, techniques, stunts and ongoing trends. It takes a consistent training to keep your skills ready and adaptable to the ever changing landscape.
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Memorisation

Your memory is a muscle that always needs to be stretched. One of an actor's biggest requirements on set is to remember their lines. Exercises in group and private training can keep that muscle in shape for any role! Many actors who step away from performance find themselves 'Rusty' and struggle with longer dialogue in performance.
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IPM Acting Academy Keeps You Industry Ready with Beginner & Professional Classes

From Ages 7 to Adults, Group & Private Sessions, IPM Acting Academy's classes bring the practical side to actors training for your career growth and progression with current industry trends!
GET STARTED HERE
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What Acting Classes Can Do for Your Child

4/8/2021

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With the restrictions easing, children have begun returning to school and their social bubbles. But what kind of effects has the lockdown had on children and young adults? People are social by nature and social skills are the biggest part of development for children. So how can an acting class help with kids' social development skills and interactions? With many programmes having to be put on hold due to Covid19, the team at IPM have taken a look at what our classes do to help children through the art of screen acting as our own studio begins to re-open!
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Acting Classes allow you to be creative & collaborative in a welcoming environment. Kids have the biggest imaginations, and skills like improvisation, character work and group exercises let kids explore their creative minds in a safe and open space with like minded children! Our team has found that kids who have a creative outlet become more sociable and become more confident. More so now that many social elements where put on hold due to lockdown.
Our acting classes are proven to help improve children's grades. When kids have a creative outlet, their minds look at school subjects in a new light. Presentations and class conversations feel less intimidating and the fun side of solving a maths problem becomes more visual in a child's mind. The creative process of acting can apply to many things in an academic environment and their confidence grows when children learn a new skill and feel their own personal growth. 
The biggest thing that acting classes can do to help is allow a safe place for social interactions. With a closed studio setting, class members who have spent months inside with online education can find a secure space to meet new friends and build their skills. Our studio follows the strictest of Covid measures, but still bring elements of fun, interactive learning for the screen industry to bring kids back together in a creative, learning environment. 
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Start You Kids' Acting Journey Today with IPM Acting Academy! Join on the Button Below

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On-Set Terms Actors Should Know

3/5/2021

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Squibs, goofs, martini- there is a whole world of new language to be found shooting on a film set. For any newcomers and seasoned vets, this is a chance to brush up or introduce yourself to the some of the terms and speech of filmmakers that all actors need to know.
Take a look at some of the top terms put together by the team at IPM for filming below to start being ready for your next day on set!

Action

As classic, and the number one  filmmaking term actors need to know. This is your cue as an actor to start the scene. This could be a movement or a delivery of a line but as the word implies, it is time to get moving. Usually delivered by the director, or the 1st AD, who follows the end of a take with a loud “CUT!” when it's time to stop the scene (and cameras) from rolling.

Pick Up

​To start the scene in a specific spot, usually already into the scene by several minutes. When running through a scene, there can be some mishaps even if a take is seemingly fine at first. This could mean reshooting only the second half of a scene, when the first half is fine. This saves filming time and makes continuity easier to maintain.
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Blocking

​Blocking or blocking a shot is basically the camera positioning process that the director, lighting crew and D.P (director of photography) must work out per each movement and position of all involved in a scene. This helps coordinate all aspects of filming ahead of time so minimal adjustments need to be made.

Sides

​This is basically a condensed version of the overall script you should have learned, just the section that is being filmed that day is in this copy. It makes the referral to the scene easier for both production crew and actor to have it on hand, rather than the much larger original format. This is also a term used in casting for audition scripts that are selected specifically for a character.
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Roll-Up

​A perfect way to get all quiet on set without screaming or shushing everyone around…. this lets everyone in the immediate vicinity that cameras are about to start rolling and there should be no talk or movement. Again, an effective, yet simple technique that ensures audio is maintained and less reshoots are necessary. This may be followed up with a 'Quiet and Still please' for busier sets.

First Positions

You can likely guess what this term means from its self-explanatory title- and no it is not a ballet step! It is yours (and everyone else’s- co-stars, extras, etc) first position in a scene and where you will begin your lines/movement from a specific point on set if there is movement. A director may even halt a scene and want to start it “from the top” and require all on set to return to first positions. 

Wrap

Now any movie lovers will know that this golden word symbolises the end of a long day of shooting; hearing “And that’s a wrap” tends to elicit tired cheers and applause from the crew and actors. As you can tell it means to wrap things up and shows that all shooting for that production has ceased and it is time to pack up equipment and go home as everything is taken over by post production. 

Want to know more about the the Film Industry as an Actor? Join IPM Acting Academy today to begin your Acting Journey!

START HERE!
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Could your Child Get Creative with ITV?

2/18/2021

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What a lovely idea to keep the kiddies busy for half an hour or so this half term (during lockdown). ITV have created a wonderful creative project where your children can get involved in drawing, painting or sketching your best picture of the ITV logo.

All you need to do is download and print a copy of the ITV logo then get creative, then ask your parent or guardian to post a photo of your design using #ITVKidsCreate on Twitter or Instagram and make sure you’re following @ITV. 


If your design is chosen you will see it join forces with other kids’ designs to create a unique ITV logo to be shown on TV. 

To help you get started, you can download a template of the ITV logo here and use it to help colour in. Download template here. 

Guidelines 
  • Other than ITV, please don't include any other brands or logos in the design as we won't be able to show these.
  • Designs must be A4 size on plain paper and then photographed.
  • Photos of the Designs must be sent in by the parent or legal guardian (aged 18 or over) of the child/ren who has/have done the design(s).
  • If we like your design we will contact you by direct message and may ask you complete an online form so we can obtain some more details from you, in order to feature your/ your child's design.
  • Include #ITVKidsCreate and @ITV on Twitter or Instagram so that we can find your picture. You must also be following @ITV on Twitter or Instagram to submit the design (whichever platform you have entered on) - Closing date is Friday 26th February 2021 at midnight.
  • We may ask for your child's name, age and rough location and your consent to use those details on air and in ITV's social media platforms.
  • There is no guarantee that we will be able to feature all designs submitted.
  • By sending us a design you agree to the ITV General Participation Terms - available at https://www.itv.com/terms/participation-charity/itv-general-participation-terms - Our “Terms” and that any content you submit will be treated by us as a “Submission” under the Terms. Please note that this initiative is open to the children of employees of ITV and its group companies, as well as the general public.
  • Any personal data provided (including personal details and content/videos) will be used and processed by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the purposes of performing our contract with you. For information about your rights under data protection laws, please see our privacy notice here: https://www.itv.com/_data/documents/pdf/ITV_Broadcasting_Privacy_Notice.pdf
FAQs
How do I submit a design?
You can download our template of the ITV logo Download template here and paint or sketch us your best design. Then ask your parent or guardian to post a photo of your design using #ITVKidsCreate on Twitter or Instagram and make sure they are following us @ITV.If we’d like to use your /your child’s design, we will contact you on Twitter or Instagram with a link to an online form for you to complete, for a chance to have the design featured on ITV.


Can I apply if I’m not in the UK?
Unfortunately, not, you/ your child needs to be based in the UK to take part.
Any tips on how to create a great design? Download our template of the ITV logo Download template here 
and get creative! Other than ITV, please don't include any other brands or logos in the design as we won't be able to show these. Designs must be A4 size on plain paper and then photographed.


When is the closing date for submission? 
The closing date is Friday 26th February 2021 at midnight.


If my child’s design is chosen, when will it be shown on ITV?
 
We will be showcasing different designs every day between 1st – 31st March 2021, so keep an eye out on ITV to see if you’ve been chosen! Unfortunately, we can’t give any more accurate information on when your child’s designs might be shown - so keep your eyes peeled on our channel!


How will my child’s design be shown if it is chosen? 
This time we will be combining a number of designs together to make one ITV logo - as a collaboration between different children across the nation and their designs.


Is there an age limit?
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You will need a parent or guardian aged 18 or over to submit your photograph with our #ITVKidsCreate on Twitter or Instagram and follow @ITV to enter.

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Want to audition for Netflix?

2/17/2021

3 Comments

 
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Netflix Audition 

So you want the low down on how to audition for Netflix, or where to audition for that matter? Then you have come to the right place. If you want to be an actor then you have most likely fantasised about starring in one of their award winning productions. After all Netflix is a household name and is known for streaming some of the biggest movies, TV shows, and productions. Arguably, over 180 million people subscribe to Netflix’s streaming services. So if you want to make it in the industry it is the place to be seen. 
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Netflix Love New Faces

Netflix is known for being open to casting unknown actors. Netflix has a huge variety of interesting, unique, and different stories, films, and shows produced and distributed by Netflix. Consequently, it allows aspiring actors more chances to land an acting job. However, that doesn't mean go ahead and contact them yourself: info@netflix.com is NOT going to get you the job on the next project. 
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Start Acting

If its your dream to become an actor you're not going to get that next big role by sitting and watching the shows on Netflix, perhaps you will learn a lot from your fellow onscreen actors, but the most important thing to do is start acting! People will wish their whole life to be actors and never step foot in a training facility or on stage. 
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Practise makes perfect

So if you are serious about getting that next job, then definitely start training. I would say download a monologue, film yourself performing it and watch how you look, however you probably won't know how to prepare for the delivery that is required for screen acting. Thats where we come in, if you are looking to start training - we specialise in screen acting and can lead you to all the things you require to be even considered for roles on some of the major networks like Netflix. Make sure you enquire HERE so we can help you with the next steps. 
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What do I need to get that Audition with Netflix?

TALENT
First and foremost TALENT, but don't worry this is something you can develop with training and experience. 
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PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT
No a selfie just won't cut the mustard, if you want to be an actor then you will most definitely need a professional headshot, with at least a few alternative looks. 
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CV
Actors who end up on great shows, will have worked incredibly hard on their craft and they will have most likely done anything to get the opportunities, from stage to screen, over time they will build an actors CV with lists of their experience, work and skills. 
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SHOWREEL
A professional showreel is like a video CV, its a compilation of your ability in a short video - highlighting work you are proud of r a really good scene highlighting your acting ability. 
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Do I need an agent?

Ideally YES, an agent will source audition opportunities, like Netflix Casting Calls, they will also deal with the legalities of things like contracts and payment for work. But the most important thing that you could do is get out actively acting, training and becoming the best actor you can be, you should also LOVE acting, there is always going to be tuff competition especially if you want to make a career out of acting. 
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Do your research

When you do get the audition, do your research! A lot of actors attend auditions on a whim, they haven't done there research of even where they are going, never mind researching the casting director, director or project ( as well as its requirements). Basically the more effort you can put in the better!!
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What if I don't get the job?

Well that's how it goes in the industry, most actors attend lots of auditions and often they will "just not be right for the part". This can be for so many reasons it's pointless trying to work it out, if your agent can get feedback then great. If not, its important to keep working on your craft, gaining experience and networking with the right people. 
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Start Today

Here at IPM Acting Academy we an provide you with everything you need to start your steps forward in the industry we offer support and can provide everything you need, including Screen Acting Training, CV support, Professional Headshot Packages and even Showreel Services, if you want to grow a screen acting career we are the place to be: JOIN HERE
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Golden Globe Nominees for 2021

2/12/2021

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So, we have reached that time of year again where the best of the best go head to head with award season. This year with a new wave of emerging talent and screen veterans taking up the lead. First up is the nominations for the Golden Globes, where we can spy a few local names in the line-up. Also, in the Best Director category, the ladies are leading with three out of the five nominees being female directors. So, with such tough contenders in the race, this year is looking to be a tough one to call….
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Best Actor

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Drama (Motion Picture)
  • Riz Ahmed* in Sound of Metal- A silent gem in the acting game, Brit actor Riz Ahmed snags another Golden Globe nomination about loss and redemption.
  • Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – a posthumous entry by Black Panther star Boseman, whose portrayal of a tortured artist alongside Davis’s titular Ma Rainey.
  • Anthony Hopkins* in The Father – alongside fellow Brit thespian portraying the delicate nature between parent and child.
  • Gary Oldman* in Mank – starring as the titular Herman J.” Mank” Mankiewicz, eccentric thirties screenwriter, Oldman is the perfect artiste to embody late father of director David Fincher’s work as is seen in this alternate history biopic.
  • Tahar Rahim in The Mauritanian – a raw contender in the stakes for Best Drama, this flick is.
Television Series 
  • Jason Bateman in Ozark – the seedy, slow burning drug thriller series has retained its standard of critical acclaim, with unassuming lead Bateman raking in a humble nomination.
  • Josh O’Connor* in The Crown – quickly garnering a large national audience, Netflix’s original series has spouted new and current talent from Old Blighty, with newbie O’Connor as young Prince Charles featured amongst the series various noms.
  • Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul – Breaking Bad’s prequel spinoff has kept audiences firmly in the world of shady lawyers and the New Mexico landscape, and Odenkirk’s Saul Goodman is the man you just cannot say no to….
  • Al Pacino in Hunters ­– veteran in the game Pacino proves us repeatedly that you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but that the tricks he knows will always stand the test of time. Pacino stands tall amongst his fellow nominees.
  • Matthew Rhys* in Perry Mason – in this reboot of the TV series from the 50/60s, Rhys takes on the infamous criminal defence attorney, joining Ahmed as a Brit racking up an impressive portfolio of complex roles.  
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Best Actress

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Drama (Motion Picture)
  • Viola Davis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – no stranger to critical acclaim, Davis makes a big splash as larger than life, Ma Rainey depicting a flamboyant yet vulnerable performance unseen in her previous work.
  • Andra Day in The United States VS Billie Holiday- newcomer Day started out her career in entertainment primarily as a singer, which makes it no surprise she is undertaking fellow songbird Billie Holiday in this tragic historical drama marking the last days of the iconic jazz vocalist.
  • Vanessa Kirby* in Pieces of a Woman ­–­ a quiet and subtle affair in subject matter amongst the rest of the nominees, The Crown’s Kirby is a woman lost and in grief, but it is the gut-wrenching honesty that Kirby delivers that makes this performance one to not underestimate.
  • Frances McDormand in Nomadland - Reminiscent of 2007’s Into the Wild, veteran Frances McDormand (who earns a producing credit in this) stars as a woman free, leaving her life in society in favour of a modern nomadic lifestyle.
  • Carey Mulligan* in Promising Young Woman- ­ certainly could live up to its title as it features a deeply feminine theme running through its production. Co-produced by Margot Robbie, Londoners Emerald Fennell, and Carey Mulligan bring up the helm in this topical tale of one woman’s quest for revenge.
Television Series (Drama)
  • Olivia Colman* in The Crown – not only is she pulling in acclaim on the big screen, but Colman’s work on the small screen is also not going unnoticed. Having won Best Actress in 2019 and 2020 (for The Favourite and The Crown respectively), Colman is a seasoned professional who many are glad to see is finally receiving her flowers.
  • Jodie Comer* in Killing Eve – beloved sadistic and sociopathic assassin, Comer is Eve. A Liverpudlian native, Comer manages a balance of childlike innocence and lethal bloodlust.  With her own cult fanbase, she is one to watch.
  • Emma Corrin* in The Crown – another newcomer in the rankings, Corrin’s Princess Diana will have you looking twice. Drama school trained, Corrin joins O’Connor as a fresh face emerging from this popular series.
  • Laura Linney in Ozark – Linney brings up the noms for this blue tinged noir, as onscreen husband Jason Bateman and she embody the Byrds, a couple pushed to the limits of desperation and reason.
  • Sarah Paulson in Ratched- an imagined prequel for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Sarah Paulson is the unnervingly sunny Nurse Mildred Ratched, who’s inexplicable arrival at a Californian sanatorium sparks an unpredictable chain of events….
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Best Supporting Actor

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Motion Picture
  • Sacha Baron Cohen in The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Born and raised in London, Baron Cohen is known for his improvised comedy skills, but now takes to the drama based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more,
  • Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah - is a British actor and writer. Kaluuya began his career as a teenager in improvisational theatre and is know for his lead in 'Get Out'.  He is now up for the Golden Globe for the drama of the FBI infiltrating the Black Panther party.
  • Jared Leto in The Little Things - No stranger to the Golden Globes, Leto is up for another taking one the role of Albert Sparma in the thriller as Washington's leading role hunts a killer terrorising a city.
  • Bill Murray in On The Rocks -  The brilliantly witty performer returns to the screen as the supporting lead as A young mother reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York
  • Leslie Odom Jr. in One Night in Miami - The New Yorker best know for his work on Broadway now working to the screen is up for the fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the Civil Rights Movement.
Television Series
  • John Boyega* in Small Axe – Boyega’s Hollywood success has not led him to be starry eyed as he remains faithful to his British roots in this anthology series highlighting the struggles of West Indian immigration to London from the 60s-80s. If it could not get any more British, director Steve McQueen (of 12 Years a Slave fame) is the source of this brainchild.
  • Brendan Gleeson* in The Comey Rule – a daring series based on real life events of the 2016 presidential election, Gleeson takes on the mountain that is Donald Trump in the days leading up to his presidency. A sharp political look at the shadows and secrecy surrounding politics, this miniseries is based on the factual recount of former FBI director.
  • Daniel Levy in Schitt’s Creek – not only is he one of the four lead actors (one of which is his father on and off screen), but multitalented creative Levy is responsible for writing and directing this offbeat comedy. As the spoiled senseless eldest son, Levy juggles his acting hat with ease in this comedic turn.
  • Jim Parsons in Hollywood – miniseries set within period eras seem to be the theme of the moment, as audiences find themselves sinking into sweet nostalgia. In this tale, told through the eyes of aspiring actors set against the backdrop of post-World War II Hollywood. In this mix, Parsons is a reimagined (real life) talent agent Henry Willson.
  • Donald Sutherland in The Undoing- starring alongside Hollywood giant Nicole Kidman, Sutherland features as Kidman’s father Franklin Renner who is both charming and frightening in this newest psychological thriller miniseries. The game in question is whodunnit, with a series of twists and turns bound to keep you questioning….
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Best Supporting Actress

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Motion Picture
  • Glenn Close in Hillbilly Elegy -  the world renowned  New York stage, movie and TV star is up for another Golden Globe with the story of multi-generational family from a small Ohio town as a Yale student is forced to return home.
  • Olivia Colman in The Father - The lovable and witty Norwich born performer has seen many of awards for her work and continues to take the world by storm as Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix hit 'The Crown'
  • Jodie Foster in The Mauritanian - The L.A. performer and director' career stretches back to the 70's and now takes on the award nomination for her role as defense attorney Nancy Hollander seeking justice for Mohamedou Ould Salahi (Rahim), who is captured by the U.S. government and is languishing in Guantanamo Bay claiming falsely without charge or trial.
  • Amanda Seyfried in Mank - From 'Mama Mia' to recreating old Hollywood, Seyfried is up for the Golden Globes in the role of Marion Davies as Herman J. Mankiewicz races to complete Citizen Kane in the 1930's
  • Helena Zegel in News of the World - Helena Zengel  of Berlin acted in the German movies The Daughter (2017) and System Crasher (2019). Now with Tom Hanks in the American western 'News of the World' (2020) directed by Paul Greengrass, Zegel is on the list as the youngest nominee for this year's Golden Globes.
​Television Series
  • Gillian Anderson in The Crown – no stranger to dabbling in US and UK productions, Anderson’s latest role is that of powerhouse former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in this historical drama that seems to be sweeping the categories season after season…
  • Helena Bonham Carter* in The Crown – Alongside Colman, Anderson and Corrin, the ladies are holding The Crown up as Bonham Carter replaces Pieces of a Woman’s Kirby as an older Princess Margaret. With a lengthy, illustrious career under her belt, it is no wonder this latest role will receive the same praise.
  • Julia Garner in Ozark – a pivotal character in the series, Garner’s effortless performance of teenage delinquent for a penchant for organised crime managed to win critics over in this year’s nominations.
  • Annie Murphy in Schitt’s Creek – Netflix has steadily been responsible for introducing successful series in various genres, with this latest sitcom devised from lead patriarch Eugene Levy’s son Daniel (wrier, director for this series and up for a Best Supporting Actor nom for this), about a family who went from riches to rags. Murphy is the spoiled daughter, a portrayal that has been labelled as the “breakout” of the show.
  • Cynthia Nixon in Ratched – best known for her role in female dominated Sex and the City, Nixon plays a seemingly naïve press secretary for a prominent governor; a pawn in the spinning web co-star Sarah Paulson’s Ratched weaves as the show develops.
 
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*‘BRITS ON THE LIST’ Honourable Mentions *
  • Riz Ahmed (ever since his appearance alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in 2014’s Nightcrawler, Ahmed has impressed audiences with his portrayal of versatile characters)
  • Helena Bonham Carter
  • John Boyega
  • Olivia Colman
  • Jodie Comer (she is originally from Liverpool! A bit of Northern talent)
  • Emma Corrin
  • Brendan Gleeson (Irish actor and father of actor sons Domhnall and Brian)
  • Vanessa Kirby
  • Carey Mulligan
  • Matthew Rhys (Welsh and talented like fellow Welshman Christian Bale who won ‘Best Actor (Musical/Comedy)’ back in 2019 for his unrecognisable take on notorious politician Dick Cheney)

Want to learn to be in front of the camera?
​Join IPM Acting Academy for Industry Screen Training Today! 

JOIN TODAY
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UK Film Directors

1/29/2021

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Once upon a time Hollywood was the name and place known for its stellar and consistent delivery of high quality, emotionally moving cinema to the silver screens. The art of storytelling and high-level production behind the ‘Hollywood’ name has made the rest of the world looked stateside for the gold standard of filmmaking. However, on the other side of the pond, us Brits have been carving our own creative path. Although not as explosive as our US counterparts, the UK has spawned several generations of organic tales, all representing a different facet of our diverse British culture. Here are a handful of our favourite filmmakers, all hailing from this little island.

Alfred Hitchcock

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​Beginning with a legend of cinema, even several years after his death, legendary director Alfred Hitchcock directed roughly fifty films in a span of 6 decades. A London native, Hitchcock introduced new filmmaking techniques that established a new relationship between audience and film- effectively bridging a gap between reality and fantasy with his new “Hitchcockian” style of filming.  ​“The Master of Suspense” ‘s filmography, beginning in the late 1920s and spanning to almost the beginning of the eighties, were typically thriller/ psychological horror in its elements.  Some of his best-known works that feature these themes are Vertigo, Psycho, Rope- all films with murder being the act that is foregrounded in the events of the film. His work still influences having established a new layer of cinematography that some of our greatest filmmakers today have incorporated into their work.
It is almost fate that this UK director bears a name with a resemblance to an iconic American action movie star, as the same star power is reflected in this filmmaker’s work. Favouring an exploration of race, sexuality and violence, McQueen's style is derivative of experimental creatives such as Andy Warhol and Buster Keaton to name a few. Any fans of McQueen’s work will notice the same tone reflected in his work; a consistent theme cultivated through his collaborative efforts with fellow Brit Michael Fassbender. This was first seen in his first feature length (having previously produced short films under his director credit) film Hunger (based on the real events of the 1981 Irish hunger strike) and again Shame (another Fassbender/McQueen collab dealing this time with sex addiction), starring another UK talent Carey Mulligan

Steve McQueen

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. Many of us, film fans or otherwise will remember the ground-breaking feature film 12 Years a Slave, where McQueen made history back in 2013 for being the first black director to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Sam Taylor-Johnson

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 She started working in photography and film in the 1990s, alongside fellow Young British Artists, Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin.  And now her latest work A Million Little Pieces has a star studded cast including her partner Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Billy-Bob Thornton, Juliette Lewis and Charlie Hunnam. Another adaptation from a novel based on a writer's rehab journey.One for the Ladies! Known for her directorial debut of Nowhere Boy based on the early life of John Lennon, Sam Taylor-Johnson hails from London and is now taking the world on with her directional work. Stepping into the Hollywood scene, Taylor-Johnson directed Fifty Shades of Grey. The adaptation of the best selling series is just one of the projects that have taken her name international and broke records for the biggest opening for a female director within the industry.
​Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later…what do these blockbusters have in common? No, it is not a winningly brave protagonist, but being directed by award winning British director Danny Boyle. Having a strong affinity for the underdog protagonist, Boyle has made films that possess both grit ­and heart. Trainspotting (1996), Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and 28 Days Later (2002) all carry the typical qualities of a Boyle piece- the background being as important to the plot as the main characters delivering dialogue in the foreground.  Everything moves in a Boyle production, that is forces you as the audience to pay attention. So, despite the hallucinogenic drug haze we fall down the rabbit hole into or waking up in an apocalyptic horror of a world taking most of our focus, there is a method to Boyle’s madness.

Danny Boyle

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Ridley & Tony Scott

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The Scott Brothers combined are arguably some of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Ridley (the elder of the two, and surviving his brother), and Tony have delivered timeless films in the action, sci-fi, historical and biopic genres beginning their respective careers in the 1960s. While Tony was known for his forays into action and thriller- style films such as the commercially successful Top Gun (starring a lesser-known Tom Cruise in his breakout role) back in 1985, Ridley had a reputation for dabbling in different genres, yet ensuring his trademark filmmaking were a consistent theme in his productions. ​Some of his science fiction-based work includes the cult Alien series (he is directed the first original Alien film and two of its prequels: Prometheus and Covenant). ​
In stark contrast, his other credits include several war-based films, with diverse time periods (Kingdom of Heaven- 2005) or settings in space such as the steampunk landscape found in the original Blade Runner released back in 1982. Tony, while still capable of delivering the same atmospheric tone as his brother, opted for the more rooted action/thriller movies. Denzel Washington fans will have caught his work in Crimson Tide (another war based in solely in a submarine), Man on Fire and other Tom Cruise collaboration Days of Thunder (1990).
Though this is a list of only 5 of the UK's film directors, there are countless of internationally known visionaries and of course the many up-and-comers from around the UK that we love to see grow! Some Honourable Mentions for some of the many UK Film Directors: Guy Ritchie, Gurinder Chadha, Tom Hopper, Lynn Ramsay, Ken Loach, Christopher Nolan, Richard Ayoade.

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Actors Goal Setting

1/11/2021

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Many people say ‘I make resolutions, but never keep them’. As an actor, your resolutions don’t have to just be about the regular New Year’s promises, they can be goals you set out for your career or even starting your career! No matter where they are in their career, Actors need to set themselves goals for their skills, CV and creativity.  It is the setting and accomplishment of goals that will allow you to find breakthroughs and maybe even that life changing role. Having a goals set and  in mind provides a consistent motivation for an acting career. Here are a few small tips on how to set your goals this year.
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​Be Specific. Don’t be vague in your goals, Without specificity, actors will not find the satisfaction of identifying the accomplishment of their goal, or they will not take the most efficient steps to accomplish it. Specific goals should be targeted at one thing, and be comprised of series of steps. Start small, like  getting your CV started or updated, and work your way up!
Make appropriate and reasonable goals. We all want to be the top of our field, but when you are starting in the industry or building your CV, your goals need to be within reasonable reach. If your goal is something that you cannot take steps to achieve or is something that is completely out of anyone’s control, you will not reach it. Set yourself up for a successful goal to grow that confidence. Once you reach your first goal, you will set more and keep advancing and see yourself building a new range, skill or even just getting something creative accomplished. 
Be Accountable. The biggest reason ‘resolutions’ or goals are not achieved is because people do not hold themselves accountable for their growth and efforts. Write your goals down, set out a plan and set yourself reminders. If you’re struggling, seek out help. Your goals can be skills to personal fitness, but if you struggle and give up without finding guidance from either professionals or loved ones, you are not holding that accountability to keep trying. This for any goal you set. 
 
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These tips are just the beginning of making and accomplishing your goals. Start with something small today and keep your goals growing and moving forward for your career and you will begin to see the results! The most motivated and active actors are the ones who feel the accomplishment in themselves and their career so go and make one goal today, no matter what the size of that goal may be for your acting career!

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The Importance of an Acting Range

1/4/2021

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Having a specialisation in the Television and Film industry is a great thing to have, from sports to accents, your specialty skills can get you recognised for some exciting projects and be that first step in the door that many actors search for in their career. But just specialising in a few skills can be a limiting factor to what you get cast as in the industry. Having a RANGE as a performer is what gives the chance to open up more opportunities for you in the industry. IPM's team has looked at the benefits of having a range for your acting profile and career.
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Having a range in your performance skills doesn't just mean genre specific skills, every actor needs to be able to do comedy, drama, horror etc. It means being able to perform for Commercials, Voice Only Roles, Video Games, Presenting Roles and even now social distancing interactions! The list goes on and on to what you could use your acting skills for in the industry. The more you are able to adapt to in the medium and format of a performance, the more opportunities for you to get seen by casting. 
This doesn't mean that you can't master a certain specialty or really harness your niche. It is good to keep your skills at a peak state for your specialisations, but this means that you need to be open to the possibility of stepping beyond your regular casting type. As an actor you are there to fill the role with what is needed/wanted by the director. When your range broadens you begin to form into those roles and the more opportunities begin to arise. 
Stretching your acting muscles for a new skill or method isn't just for the casting and career side of performance growth. It is a personal growth that will become more and more evident in your confidence. The more your confidence grows, the more you push yourself to do better. Giving your characters and emotional performances a new edge. as your creativity goes beyond the specialisations that started your passion for acting.  
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Beginning to broaden your range doesn't have to be a daunting task. As an actor, you will always be growing and always finding something new to learn. Especially in the fast paced growth of the film and television industry. Start with something small, try to work on your improvisation or start learning the accent you have been putting on hold. Little steps can turn in to something big!  

Want to broaden Your Range with an Industry Professional Team? Join IPM Acting Academy today - Group & Private Sessions available for Beginners to Professionals!

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