{"id":2496,"date":"2016-11-24T16:26:01","date_gmt":"2016-11-24T16:26:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=2496"},"modified":"2026-04-20T16:54:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T16:54:18","slug":"returning-to-the-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/returning-to-the-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Returning to the Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Casting Director\u00a0Annelie Powell, and actresses\u00a0Hattie Ladbury\u00a0and\u00a0Beth Cordingly,\u00a0share their insights about returning to the industry after a break. Here\u2019s some of the highlights from their Q&A at Spotlight’s Open House week below.<\/h2>\n

Casting directors have famously long memories<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018When making contact say \u2018why\u2019 you are returning; parenthood, caregiving, life got in the way… \u2018Fess up! Your experiences are important and make you who you are. You are bringing a whole set of different life skills to bear on both your performance and your approach to acting. Remind people who you are and let them know you\u2019re now ready to return. Keep it light, and leave a short interval before you finally seal that envelope or send that email.<\/p>\n

Make sure your CV is as complete as possible. Include dates, directors and producer names, companies – everything you can remember. Casting directors and agents have famously good recall and even if they don\u2019t necessarily remember you first-off, then the name of someone you have worked with can help jog their memory.\u2019<\/p>\n

Be realistic<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018Be disciplined. Reassess your castability and be realistic in your expectations. Keep working at it. Refresh past contacts and actively pursue new ones. Do your homework. Rebrand. Acknowledge and embrace it. It\u2019s important to play to your strengths – know who you are now. Don\u2019t limit or disguise yourself. There\u2019s no need to change your name (unless you have to or really want to for family reasons). Credit the casting director, they know you are the same actor.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
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Be disciplined. Reassess your castability and be realistic in your expectations. Keep working at it. Refresh past contacts and actively pursue new ones. Do your homework. Rebrand.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Returning is a huge commitment<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018Remember why you are returning. You have done this before. It\u2019s the same but different. The good old days of last minute castings, recalls, rejections, working away from home at short notice are back. But also, the thrill of that phone call to say you\u2019ve got the job; working with fellow actors as a company, being constantly challenged and doing something you love. You need to be in the right frame of mind to keep going and maintain your enthusiasm.\u2019<\/p>\n

Confidence<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018Anyone returning to work after a break can be daunted by the new, the unexpected and how much has changed. Turn that to your advantage. These are things an actor has to deal with every day and the ability to adapt quickly is part of your craft. Things will have changed, your old agent or casting directors you knew may have moved on or retired. Learning lines will certainly be more challenging!<\/p>\n

There is no set career path for an actor. You might be a lead in a television series one day, followed by a low-key commercial, a few weeks in a fringe play, then a voice over. One job is not better than another and won’t always lead to the same or better. There are things you can do to help yourself. Keep fit. Take up yoga or running. You can always add them to your CV as skills! Get a new haircut. Book a photo session. Enjoy it. It\u2019s the process. If you feel you are doing something it boosts your confidence. If you are confident then that shows when you walk in a room.\u2019<\/p>\n

Technology<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018Your smartphone, YouTube and Google are your friends. Know how to use them. Get a new email address with your professional business name, not what you were doing before. Some things will make you nervous. Do you need to be on Twitter, know how to\u00a0edit and upload a showreel yourself<\/a>\u00a0or do a\u00a0self-tape<\/a>? Keep learning. It\u2019s part of your job. Don\u2019t resist and then limit your opportunities.\u2019<\/p>\n

Engage<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018Set time aside each day for research. Engage with the industry, don\u2019t worry about it. Send emails and letters.\u00a0Brush up on your soft skills<\/a>. The worst thing that can happen is that you don\u2019t get a reply. Check how people want to be contacted. Use all available information and submit in the way requested. Casting directors and agents may not have time to respond but that doesn\u2019t mean they haven\u2019t read what you\u2019ve sent. It\u2019s part of their job to make sure they are on top of all possibilities for that upcoming job or space in the agency. They are a business and to do their jobs properly they need to stay ahead.\u2019<\/p>\n

Be in control, get seen<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018If you can – write or direct. Make your own work. It helps you stay in control, you\u2019re less reliant on others, and it puts credits on your CV. It will be original, not seen beforehand and therefore fresh. If you are putting on a show, maximise your chances of being seen and think of where and when people can go. Evenings are precious to casting directors so consider a pub venue at lunchtime. Be disciplined about watching others work. Go to the theatre regularly, watch and note everything. Not only is it useful to observe others and how they work, but vitally it gives you something interesting, up-to-date and fresh to talk about when you get that all important interview. Previews and press nights are good for meeting fellow professionals and helps build your network.\u2019<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be afraid to ask<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018Ask for more information if it\u2019s not been provided. Check you\u2019ve thoroughly read anything you have been sent. If it\u2019s not clear or not stated, for example the length and format of a self-tape, or a week has gone by and you\u2019ve still heard nothing from that casting last Tuesday, then it is okay to ask.\u2019<\/p>\n

And finally\u2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t force yourself, take a deep breath and try not to compare. Don\u2019t be against anything – be open. Do something when it\u2019s right for you and enjoy your comeback!\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Casting Director\u00a0Annelie Powell, and actresses\u00a0Hattie Ladbury\u00a0and\u00a0Beth Cordingly,\u00a0share their insights about returning to the industry after a break. Here\u2019s some of the highlights from their Q&A at Spotlight’s Open House week below. Casting directors have famously long memories \u2018When making contact say \u2018why\u2019 you are returning; parenthood, caregiving, life got in the way… \u2018Fess up! Your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[84,109],"class_list":["post-2496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-industry","tag-open-house","tag-soft-skills"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReturning to the Industry | Spotlight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Returning to acting after a break? 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