12 Reasons to Celebrate
12 Reasons to Celebrate
The festive season has arrived with a flash of fairy lights! We don’t know about you, but we always get a bit nostalgic at this time of year and spend the down time reminiscing about all of the things that have happened over the past 12 months. And while 2016 will be remembered for lots of different reasons around the world, we’ve been beavering away like Santa’s elves throughout the year making lots of improvements to help you make the most of your Spotlight membership.
So here’s our rundown of 12 of the changes that have happened this year that give you a reason to be cheerful this Christmas, and will help you to develop your career on stage and screen:
12
It’s now even easier to apply for roles with new filtering tools
We've introduced new filters in the agent's view of Spotlight so they can see at a quick glance whether they have read a breakdown or have already submitted a performer for a role. These changes make it effortless for your agents to manage your career via Spotlight. We're working on adding some filters for performers soon too, so watch this space!
11
Free events to develop your career, closer to where you live
As a member of Spotlight you can come to our events for free. This year, we've hosted over 100 events from Edinburgh to Birmingham, London to Dublin, Colchester to Liverpool, New York to Prague. That means you're able to access events to help you develop and progress your acting career, wherever you're based in the UK or around the world.
10
Casting directors now carry you around in their pockets
Casting directors can now use digital editions of the iconic Spotlight directories on their iPhone or iPad, allowing them to easily search or browse for performers when they're on the go. We're helping to make it easier for casting directors to find you when they're casting their next project.
9
You're now able to access all of the information in Contacts for free
Contacts, the industry's guide for your career in entertainment, is now available online. Plus, it's free for all Spotlight members! So the next time you're looking for a headshot photographer, new agent or a casting director, Contacts should be your go-to.
8
Your membership is now even easier to manage
We've made a number of changes to the way you manage your membership this year. While they're not all that glamorous, changes like being able to pay by direct debit or renewing on the same day each year instead of complicated time-frames, means your Spotlight renewal is just one less thing that you need to worry about!
7
More international casting opportunities than ever before!
Through our partnership with Subtitle Film Festival, we've now developed new relationships with casting directors from over 15 countries, including those that cast for Netflix, Amazon and co-productions across Europe. They're now using Spotlight to look for actors for these productions, so keep an eye out!
6
Provided more support for your mental health and wellbeing
We know that working in the arts can be challenging, that's why we launched ArtsMinds.co.uk with Equity, The Stage and BAPAM. You'll find lots of resources and advice if you or someone that you know is experiencing challenges with mental health. We've also offered free yoga classes in London and Edinburgh for Spotlight members to support your general wellbeing.
5
More chances to get on stage with our industry partners
Through our partnerships with TriForce Creative Network, the National Youth Theatre and most recently Actor Awareness, we've supported more actors from all backgrounds to get on stage to perform in front of industry professionals than ever before. With traditional routes into the industry becoming increasingly harder, it's important to support organisations who are giving performers a platform into the world of acting.
4
Helped more young people to fall in love with acting
The film and animation competition 'A sense of humour', enabled over 100 young people to create their own short films, helping to develop a passion for the performing arts. We believe it's so important for young people to have the opportunity to get involved in the arts from an early age - and who knows, we may have seen the BAFTA winners of the future!
3
Supported actors with children to maintain their career
We're committed to helping actors with children to continue their acting careers. That's why we work with Parents In Performing Arts, to champion the rights and needs of actors with children, therefore helping to influence change within our industry - starting with a free crèche at our events!
2
More students from more schools are now eligible for Spotlight Graduates
Spotlight Graduates are well regarded by the industry, so that's why it's good news that graduates from more schools are eligible to join Spotlight this year. There are high quality drama training courses at both universities and conservatoires, that are producing actors of a high calibre, and they can now enjoy the benefits of Spotlight Graduate membership.
1
More content and career advice direct from casting professionals
We've met with casting directors, agents and industry experts to get their tips and advice that will help you to progress your career. Follow us on Twitter @SpotlightUK for the latest tips or use the downtime over the holidays to catch up with our YouTube channel, and get inspired for the new year to come!
And there’s plenty more where that came from!
Spotlight turns 90 years old in 2017 and that means we’re celebrating - so things are only going to get even better as a member of Spotlight. Here’s a preview of what you can look forward to next year…
- We’re making it easier to afford to pay for your membership, with the option to spread the cost of your membership across 12 monthly payments. Or you can choose to keep it simple with one annual payment. From Spring 2017, the choice of how to pay is up to you!
- Giving your profile a new look! We’re working closely with casting directors to find out what they’re looking for when they look at your profile - this will make sure that we’re promoting you, your skills and experience in the best possible way to give you the best chance of getting asked in for an audition.
- Self-taping is getting more and more popular, so we’ll be launching a new video sharing system that will make it easy for you or your agent to upload a self-tape audition directly to the CDs when they request it, all via the Spotlight website.
- Relaunch of the Members discount card, with a wider range of savings across even more retailers to give you even more value for your Spotlight membership.
With so much to look forward to next year, we're taking a break in the Spotlight office from 23rd December and will be back on Tuesday 3rd January. Please get in touch with us before the festive season if you’d like anything done before the new year.
Merry Christmas and happy new year from all of us at Spotlight.
