Well! It has been a long time with no see. I realized that I never wrote a final blog for England. So, I thought ... why not. I want to move on to reviewing "Les Miz" and I can't do it without closing the previous chapter in my life.
I have been back in the states for a little over two weeks now and I am glad to be home. I had a wonderful time in England, but just like when I would stay over at a friend's house as a kid, I got homesick. The Big (and I mean BIG) American flag in the airport almost got me all misty.
I have been back in the states for a little over two weeks now and I am glad to be home. I had a wonderful time in England, but just like when I would stay over at a friend's house as a kid, I got homesick. The Big (and I mean BIG) American flag in the airport almost got me all misty.
Now, Onto the real point of this blog. :)
About half way through my stay in England, a friend of a friend asked me for advice on moving to England to start a career there. Below is my answer to him (well most of it). I think it is a pretty good guide line for any US Citizen that is interested in setting sail to the UK. (The rules are different for Canadians. :D)
....
I actually was very surprised that English Actor's Equity accepted me. In England you buy into the Union, you don't need points or an offer. (But the union has FAR less power). You do have to apply and prove that you are a professional/working actor. Just go to http://www.equity.org.uk/home/ and all the information is there. You are going to need an address in England, so you might have to wait until you move over, unless you have a friend who will lend their address.
You will also want to be a member of Spotlight if you come over. (www.spotlight.com) It is an online casting service and a lot of casting goes through that page.
The Stage Magazine is the British version of Backstage Magazine and I get that delivered, casting listings are more online than in the magazine, though. Also, because Equity has so much less power over here, a lot of castings are not advertized and more are closed. Getting seen is more of a struggle than auditioning. A good thing to purchase is "Contacts," it is a book you can get through Spotlight and lists all the casting directors/agents/theatres/etc. in London- quite valuable.
The exchange rate is a bit killer. The pound is almost worth double what the dollar is.
Now, here is the time for me to be a bit of a grump. Right now, all economies are in the dumps and England is no different. Because of it, they are REALLY tightening up on who can get a work visa. I don't have one, and consequently, I have not gotten any work. It is difficult to even be seen for something if you don't have a work visa. The best way to go about things, is to try to get an agent and see if they can work something for you. But, I would probably recommend establishing yourself in the states before you head overseas. (Or at least waiting until the economy is a bit better). I came to England because of a number of happy circumstances for me. My boyfriend is studying here so housing was free, my parents had frequent flyer miles that paid for my plane ticket, and I had saved up a good amount of money because I knew getting a job might not be an option. At the border, they will ask you all these things. I spent a good half hour being questioned at the border. A visitor's visa can be for up to 6 months. But when anyone is coming over for longer than a couple weeks, they get suspicious. Just keep a cool head and have all your information ready. (Where you are living, Your return date, How you are going to support yourself without a job, etc...) It is really aggravating, but don't get angry or snappy, they CAN send you back.
There are a couple ways to get a work visa. The first, and most common, is to be sponsored by a company that wants to hire you. You have to apply for this visa in your home country. (So, if you come over and someone sponsors you, you will have to fly home, apply, and fly back. Some people have mentioned that you might be able to just go over the border to France and apply... but that is pushing the law a bit.) Second, you can apply as an entrepreneur. But you have to have £200,000 in the bank. (So- that is the rich people work visa. lol) You can apply as a high value migrant, but you have to have been nominated (within the last 5 years) or won an oscar, tony, bafta, or emmy. The other one is the intra-company transfer. If your job-company is also present in London, see if they will transfer you.
This is problem not terribly helpful. But it is what I have learned while over here. I am having a great time, but it is very expensive, and I haven't gained much except for experience. Which is very valuable, but doesn't pay anything.
....
About half way through my stay in England, a friend of a friend asked me for advice on moving to England to start a career there. Below is my answer to him (well most of it). I think it is a pretty good guide line for any US Citizen that is interested in setting sail to the UK. (The rules are different for Canadians. :D)
....
I actually was very surprised that English Actor's Equity accepted me. In England you buy into the Union, you don't need points or an offer. (But the union has FAR less power). You do have to apply and prove that you are a professional/working actor. Just go to http://www.equity.org.uk/home/ and all the information is there. You are going to need an address in England, so you might have to wait until you move over, unless you have a friend who will lend their address.
You will also want to be a member of Spotlight if you come over. (www.spotlight.com) It is an online casting service and a lot of casting goes through that page.
The Stage Magazine is the British version of Backstage Magazine and I get that delivered, casting listings are more online than in the magazine, though. Also, because Equity has so much less power over here, a lot of castings are not advertized and more are closed. Getting seen is more of a struggle than auditioning. A good thing to purchase is "Contacts," it is a book you can get through Spotlight and lists all the casting directors/agents/theatres/etc. in London- quite valuable.
The exchange rate is a bit killer. The pound is almost worth double what the dollar is.
Now, here is the time for me to be a bit of a grump. Right now, all economies are in the dumps and England is no different. Because of it, they are REALLY tightening up on who can get a work visa. I don't have one, and consequently, I have not gotten any work. It is difficult to even be seen for something if you don't have a work visa. The best way to go about things, is to try to get an agent and see if they can work something for you. But, I would probably recommend establishing yourself in the states before you head overseas. (Or at least waiting until the economy is a bit better). I came to England because of a number of happy circumstances for me. My boyfriend is studying here so housing was free, my parents had frequent flyer miles that paid for my plane ticket, and I had saved up a good amount of money because I knew getting a job might not be an option. At the border, they will ask you all these things. I spent a good half hour being questioned at the border. A visitor's visa can be for up to 6 months. But when anyone is coming over for longer than a couple weeks, they get suspicious. Just keep a cool head and have all your information ready. (Where you are living, Your return date, How you are going to support yourself without a job, etc...) It is really aggravating, but don't get angry or snappy, they CAN send you back.
There are a couple ways to get a work visa. The first, and most common, is to be sponsored by a company that wants to hire you. You have to apply for this visa in your home country. (So, if you come over and someone sponsors you, you will have to fly home, apply, and fly back. Some people have mentioned that you might be able to just go over the border to France and apply... but that is pushing the law a bit.) Second, you can apply as an entrepreneur. But you have to have £200,000 in the bank. (So- that is the rich people work visa. lol) You can apply as a high value migrant, but you have to have been nominated (within the last 5 years) or won an oscar, tony, bafta, or emmy. The other one is the intra-company transfer. If your job-company is also present in London, see if they will transfer you.
This is problem not terribly helpful. But it is what I have learned while over here. I am having a great time, but it is very expensive, and I haven't gained much except for experience. Which is very valuable, but doesn't pay anything.
....
I had the absolute best time during my semester in England. I got to audition and be part of the Union. And I also got to produce the musical I have been writing with Kevin Fogarty. So- It was a very successful trip. I also got to do fun "tourist" stuff, that I don't know when I would ever have gotten these opportunities. (Platform 9 3/4).
So- Thank you to all that made my "educational sabbatical" possible!
This blog will continue as I move to NYC and continue to live an artist's life. Talk to you soon!
So- Thank you to all that made my "educational sabbatical" possible!
This blog will continue as I move to NYC and continue to live an artist's life. Talk to you soon!