NotaPushyMum.Com

Hello NAPMers! May I pick your brains?

I’ve been contributing to this forum on and off for several years – though I haven’t visited all that much over the last couple of years. I’ve now moved more or less full time to Spain – and very lovely it is too. You can find out more about me on http://www.helengrady.com

I do come back to the UK to work every now and again and both my children (very much grown up now!) are still based there.

For those who don’t know anything about me: I’m an actor/writer/director – though doing much less acting these days – and my son is a professional actor. My daughter still sings occasionally (some of you will remember!) and is now working in the charity sector. I have also worked as an adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals.

My question is;

Would you/your offspring/actors-you-know find it useful to have written feedback on self-taped audition pieces, monologues or showreels?

If you think you would find it useful, do you think you would be prepared to pay for it? Do you have an idea of what an acceptable/attractive price might be? How quickly would you expect the feedback and what kind of feedback would be most useful to you?

I’m mulling over various ideas and this one came about because two individuals have – independently of one another – asked me for exactly this and offered to pay me. I therefore wondered whether it was something I could offer more widely.

I have often offered this on an informal basis and have plenty of experience in a more formal setting too. As an adjudicator, I was paid to give feedback and constructive criticism for live performances and as a tutor I have helped actors to prepare for auditions. Now I’m looking into the possibility of doing this for taped performances, uploaded to a private link and viewed from my home in Spain (or wherever I happen to be).

The plans are at an early stage. I have considered various ways this might work but I would really love to hear NAPMers thoughts on the idea. If you think it’s a great idea please let me know. If you think it’s a terrible idea, please let me know that too – and ideally tell me why! Any questions you have will also be of great interest and help and I will answer them to the best of my ability.

With thanks to you all

PG
Postscript: I am intending to have a "PG Tips" area on my website with various thoughts,opinions, articles and advice about the industry -I'll let NAPM know when that's up and running!

Hi PG,

I think this might be of interest to us. My DS is a fairly successful child actor (CBBC, Nick Jnr, Disney Channel etc) but over the years he has got absolutely nothing from any of the 100s of self tapes we've done. As to how much we would pay that's a tricky one. I suppose it would depend on the depth of analysis etc but as a guide I suppose £20 - £30 might be reasonable for some really constructive criticism.

I have been a grateful reader of your wisdom over the years as we came to this knowing nothing so I know how good your input is!

Hope that helps

Thank you! That is very helpful.

I think what we have struggled with over the years has been actually finding suitable monologues and then know what to do with them. So - we would like a list of monologues that you might choose from and then once the choice is made, a sort of preparation pack - i.e. how to deliver. Then tips on how to self tape - camera angle, lighting etc (we have always managed to make my dd look awful in our tapes!). Then, once done, a critique, with an opportunity to resubmit until its right. I'd pay at least £100 for this, maybe more.

Thanks the Mumster - useful food for thought.

I would defo be up for this. I would pay £40 - £50. I do need advice on monologues etc so yes defo very interested.

Thanks for your feedback everyone. Some real food for thought. I hope to make some progress on offering some kind of service over the next two weeks and will report back.

I may be asking for some "guinea pigs" - as part of the market research, so if anyone is interested in getting feedback and then giving me feedback on the feedback, let me know!

Yes we definitely would - I quite enjoy doing self tapes, but don't have the hit rate of face to face! Happy to guinea pig any or all of my 3

My DD would be interested as we have never done one,I wouldn't know the first thing about doing one!

Great. I'll get on to this in the next ten days (maximum) and ask for some tapes to be uploaded and will give feedback.

Watch this space!

we would love to help as well

I'd be interested - done loads of self tapes with my DD & agent always says that good but she never gets a casting from them!!

Hi PG,

I would also be interested. As I mentioned before, DS has never had anything from a self tape despite being moderately successful otherwise. Only last week, we submitted a tape to a CD who knows and likes him, for a part he was (IMHO) suited to - nothing! Think we must be doing something wrong

Hello everyone.

If you would like some feedback on self-tapes or audition tapes or showreel material etc - then please send me an email on helen{at}helengrady.com.
(This email address should obviously have the @ sign where {at} is typed - but I'm trying to reduce the spam possibilities from bots!)
Please send a LINK to
something on Youtube or Vimeo -or other video sharing platform (set to private) rather than sending me the video itself.

It would help me enormously if you could let me know what kind of feedback or advice you are looking for. (If you're not sure, don't worry - but some of you may be looking for something specific). I will also give advice and feedback that I think might be useful to you. Then, it would help me if you could tell me which bits of feedback you found most valuable and why!

Any questions,before or afterwards, just send me an email.

This is an offer currently open to everyone who has expressed an interest before this post. I do have a few commitments over the next few days, so you may have to wait until next week to get the feedback!

This is a service I am planning to ask for payment for in the future - but this is currently market research so of course there's no charge at this stage.

Thanks to everyone for your input and interest.

pg (Helen)

Will do!