Sources of Information

My top 5 sources of Information....


Internet


This is obviously a very broad category; the internet is by far my most useful and commonly used source of information. I am online pretty much constantly when I am at home, and feel truly lost without it. I use e-mail to keep in touch with all kinds of people in my network, and also to establish new connections with professions who I have not yet met or talked to. The internet allows me to research professionals I am interested in working with....find out more about their work, what they are currently doing and then to contact them and introduce myself. I take it for granted and almost can't imagine how difficult it would have been to find out what was going on in my profession in a pre-internet era.

I have picked out some of the sites which I feel best and most commonly enhance my professional practice;

Google - My starting point for all research, whatever I want to know about.
Spotlight - An online directory for performers which helps me in many ways. I can find out who I may be in competition with for a job, find on who is on a job so that I can research and prepare myself for working with them, and also keep in touch in general with who's doing what in my industry.
Imdb - The Internet Move Database is a great resource for finding out just about anything to do with film and television. If I have a meeting, I find it helps me to look into a director or casting director's previous credits, to get a sense of them and the way in which they work.


Word of Mouth
Even in the digital age, with so much communication done on the internet, face to face contact is still very valuable and in many cases preferable for me. I think stronger bonds are made when we meet people face to face, as we can get so much from body language and expression. Taking the BAPP community as an example, I have probably felt most comfortable and 'in-tune' with Nicole - probably because she was the person I spent most time with at the Campus Session I attended. I get a lot of information about what is happening in the acting industry from meeting people in person and catching up with friends within my professional network. It's also much easier to bounce ideas around and engage in discussion when you are with somebody face to face.


Radio
As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I listen to Radio Four a lot and it has really changed my life and the way that I learn. I listen to the news every morning, and the ability to multi-task when I am getting ready buys me a lot of extra time later on in the day. I tend to listen to whatever is on, not just programmes that directly relate to my own profession, increasing my general knowledge, which is immensely useful for an actor. I will often find a programme or speaker that is unexpectedly relevant to a play that I am doing, or have done in the past. The cultural review programmes are also a great way of keeping in-touch with what's on and current opinions within the industry. I listen to the radio through my mac computer - another example of how I really couldn't live without the internet!

  Literature
By literature, I refer to anything written down that I would not view online, for example, leaflets or newspapers. I very often read theatre reviews and interviews in newspapers, which helps to keep me abreast of current thinking within my industry. I find this also ensures I use my time well (no 'dead' time when travelling on the tube). When I visit cultural establishments, I am also on the look out for leaflets to help advise me what is happening, what I should go and see, or classes or workshops I would like to attend.


Television


I get a lot of information from watching television programmes (although strictly speaking they would come under 'internet' as I mainly view television not live, but on i-player on line). I enjoy watching the news and factual documentaries, which help me to feel 'in-touch' and mentally stimulated. As an actor, you never know which period or type of occupation you might be playing next, so I find it very useful to find ways to increase my general knowledge. This is something that will continue throughout my career.

I also watch dramas, not just for enjoyment, but to keep an eye on who is doing what in my profession, develop opinions on what I like and don't like, and better inform myself for future auditions.


Looking to the future...


This task has helped me to identify where the current gaps are in my sources of information. For example, I think the time has definitely come where I need an iphone (when I can afford it!). As well as being good looking and fun, I think they really do make a huge difference in people's ability to communicate. At the moment, I only have access to my e-mails through a computer, which I only usually check when I am at home. With so many people now being available via e-mail 24/7, I worry that I could miss out on auditions or work opportunities simply through not being quick enough. They also have very practical uses like GPS to help you find your way around.....which could be the difference between being late for a casting or not!

Although I did list television as one of my top five sources, I realise also that I really should watch more films and television. On my blog, I have often referred to the fact that I want to do more screen acting work, and watching other people's work is the best way to learn. Watching as many different drama series as possible means that you get a sense of the genre and style of the show, which I would say this puts you at a distinct advantage when it comes to auditioning.

London Marathon

This doesn't really have anything to do with the BAPP course, but it has been such a big part of my life for so long, I wanted to share it. Yesterday my brothers and I ran the Virgin London Marathon in aid of the amazing charity Mencap, who support people with learning disabilities. We were running in memory of our Nana who was an amazing woman, and carer to her son Roger who has profound and multiple learning disabilities.

We are really close to our fundraising target of £6000, so taking advantage of a new network in my life (the BAPP community), I thought I would post our just giving site here in case anyone would like to make a donation...

www.justgiving.com/the-thomas-team 

It was an truly amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone...get yourselves in the ballot for next year!

Cooperation, Affiliation & Social Constructionism

Cooperation


In looking at cooperation and Game Theory, I was interested in Axelrod's question, "When Should a person cooperate and when should they be selfish?"(Axelrod, 1884). Within my industry, as it is extremely competitive, there may be times when it can be of benefit to keep things to yourself, or risk increasing the competition even further. For example, by telling lots of other actors about a part that you are going up for. However, I know of several actors who, knowing that they are not right for a role, have suggested a friend, who ended up getting the job! If we hope for people to make such gestures for us, we must also be generous and cooperate with others. If someone has helped us towards getting a job or an audition, we are likely to remember that kindness and reciprocate. On the other hand, we are very unlikely to to help someone out who has never done anything for us. Perhaps it's like Tit for Tat in action? - we tend to copy the moves of the previous player. I think in order to succeed in the acting industry, we must achieve a balance between cooperation and a healthy competitiveness.


Do any other performers have any thoughts on this? Ever experienced a situation where someone has been particularly cooperative/non-cooperative, and how did this affect you? If anyone is interested in having a go at the game Prisoner's Dilema, just click to follow the click to an online version, as suggested by Alan in the Reader.

"Accept to be my friend"

Affiliation


O'Conner and Rosenblood's (1996) Theory of homeostasis was of great interest to me, as I feel that my own desired level of contact with others varies hugely. I find that in general I desired quite a high level of contact and support from my friends and acquaintances, but there are certainly times when I have a need to be alone or with only few others. 


In Joanna's blog, she takes an interesting line by suggesting the concept of affiliation goes right back to the beginning of creation. 

"Adam had a perfect relationship with God but then God
said 'it's not good for man to be alone' and created Eve, his helper. Could this be the start of a social network?!" (Adeyinka, 2010)

This idea struck me, as I begun to realise how many familiar stories, both factual and fictional, discuss the concept of affiliation. Some of the first stories we learn as children are great examples'; In Cinderella, our heroine desperately craves to go to the ball and be around lots of people, and similarly in Disney version of The Little Mermaid (Anderson, 1836), Arial hopes to expand her 'network of support' and sings the line "Wish I could be part of that World". Below are quotes from the play that I am currently doing, The Cherry Orchard (Chekhov, 1904) where the characters mention their desired levels of affiliation:

"I would love to talk to someone. Anyone. But there isn't anyone. I have no-one"

Charlotta

"I crave gentle words. I love to be spoken to. Nicely."

Dunyasha

"Together, just us....A calm. A quiet new life. Just you and I, Mama"

Anya

In fact, the more I think about it, I struggle to think of a single play or book which doesn't at some point mention a character either wanting to be alone, or escape someone, or alternatively desiring more company. Creating the perfect network or social safety net is something that mankind seem to be constantly questioning and fascinated by.


I would argue that it is one of the essential aspects of being human; we eat, we sleep, we drink, we breathe, we relate. Even if an individual chooses minimal contact with others, it is still a vitally important part of what shapes them as a person.


So, it's clear that affiliation is a topic often discussed in my professional life (through plays), and that it is something I think about a lot in my personal life, but how does looking at affiliation shape my view on my professional networks? Mark argues strongly on his blog that he does not believe professional networking is linked to a psychological need; whilst I see his point, that our patterns when networking socially are not necessarily the same as our professional networking behaviour, I think that for me, the two are very closely linked. I would say I am a person who likes to be liked, I tend to have deep concerns about how others think of me, and whether this is good or bad, it is part of who I am. In all aspects of my life, I realise that I will be happier if I feel secure in a 'network of support that will help' (Crisp & Turner 2007 pp266).


Just like the characters in Chekhov's plays, I think it's valuable to question and re-assess our desired level of human contact, to ensure that we don't get too isolated or too needy. Again, for me it's all about balance. It's also useful to bear it in mind when questioning the behaviour of others in our professional network. Last week I started a new job, and whilst most people have been very forthcoming and instantly friendly, there are a couple of people who I notice have not really spoken to me and keep themselves to themselves. This made me slightly paranoid, but looking through the lens of affiliation, I realise that they may simply have a different level of preferred privacy to me, or perhaps be at a point in their career where they have reached their optimum network size. I predict that by the end of the job, these people will probably have become friends, or at least professional friends, that I feel comfortable with. It may just be that I have to spend a little longer getting to know them; their level of experience and status within the industry means they don't have to go out of their way to befriend me. In other words, there is no psychological need.                 

Social Constructionism

I find the idea of social constructionism fascinating; as suggested by Crotty, I would agree that it is human interaction and the values that we place on things which give them "meaningful reality" (Crotty, 2005). Looking at the world through the lens of social constructionism, I have begun to think about the meanings different people or cultures place on certain objects. In China, for example, chopsticks have been used to eat food for centuries, but when Westerners first encountered them, they would have viewed them simply as two sticks of wood. In the UK, if a child were to drink out of a bowl, they might be told off, but in France, that it what a bowl is for.


Although I have begun to understand the concept of social constructionism, I am struggling to find a useful connection between this theory and my professional practice and networks. I accept that networks are "large social constructions" (Durrant, 2010), but how does this knowledge affect or help me in the development of my professional practice? Our networks, both personal and professional, have a huge impact on us and greatly shape our lifestyle. It is true that the networks alone, without social interaction or humans placing value on them, would be meaningless. When a cast assemble to begin rehearsals, they collectively 'construct' the vision of what they are there to do and achieve, otherwise they would just be a group of people in a room. 


For me, the most valuable concept to take from constructionist thinking, is the idea that meaning is not set, it is constantly evolving as society changes it's thinking. The study of social constructionism is a reminder to me to keep an open mind, keep questioning what we know or thought we knew, and accept that others may think differently. It also reminds me that I am part of the construction process in all the networks that I am part of. Not a passive bystander, but an active thinker who has the power to make changes and add value.   


References


Durrant, A. (2010) The networked professional reader
Axelrod, R. (1984) The evolution of cooperation. London: Penguin
Chekhov, A. (1904) The Cherry Orchard. 
Crisp, J & Turner, R. (2007) Essential social psychology. London: Sage
Crotty. M (2005) The foundations of social research: meaning and perspectives in the research process. London: sage
Adeyinka, J. (2010) http://joanna-adeyinka.blogspot.com (accessed 04/04/11)
Iles, M. (2010) http://markgraemeiles.blogspot.com (accessed 05/04/11)

Developing my Professional Network

I use a range of tools to 'network' within my professional practice. Broadly speaking, I could categorise them as technology based and non-technology based. I think one of the keys to building and retaining a successful professional network is knowing which approach to use, with who, and when. For example, if I am writing to a director who I don't know in their 70s I may (but not necessarily!) choose to write a handwritten letter and send a hard copy of my photograph, but perhaps if I want to get in touch with a friend who I think can get me some theatre tickets, I would call them or possibly drop them a message on facebook.

There are also choices to be made as to whether we would contact someone directly, or whether it would be more appropriate to go through a contact, like my agent, or a friend or colleague. Using our common sense and tact is vital, and we must always tread carefully the line between persistence and boldness, and rubbing people up the wrong way or making them feel harassed.

This is a list of the tools and resources I currently use to engage with my network:

E-mail

Facebook

Phonecalls

Texts

Websites

Face-2-Face

Post

Spotlight

Contacts

Ideas Tap   

I would say that my approaches to professional networking are pretty standard for my profession. Within theatre, it is still widely accepted that there are certain formats and 'ways of doing things', like the standard format of sending a covering letter, CV and 10x8 photo to a casting director. However, I believe that this is gradually changing due to new technologies. It is now common for example, for actors to send showreels of their work, use colour photos instead of black and white, and audition by putting themselves on tape, rather than actually physically traveling to meet casting directors. I am aware that I need to be aware of things changes and move with the times, and I have recently begun to think more seriously about putting together some film footage of my work, as I think this is increasingly expected and necessary.

I would like to expand my network to include more experienced people from within my profession that can help me to learn and develop, particularly within the area of tv and film, where my contacts are very limited. I would also like to ensure that the bonds in my network are stronger...I can sometimes be quite bad at keeping in touch and letting people know what I am up to professionally, and I realise that this is something that I need to work on. Even in my personal life, I am aware that I am not usually the one to call a friend or organise a catch up drink. My industry is very saturated and there are no shortage of actors like me looking for work, so it's important to remind people who you are!

At the moment, I am fortunate enough to be in work at a very well known theatre, so I am in an ideal opportunity to meet people in all areas of the theatre profession. I certainly don't want to be walking around with a constant attitude of 'What can they do for me?' as I think that could turn you into a pretty unpleasant and desperate person, but it has more to do with taking the time to really talk to people and seeing what you can learn from them. I also think if you ask (politely) for help or guidance, people will often be very generous in their response. I want to be more aware of taking every opportunity to engage in conversations, take up as many offers as possible to see work, and nurture my existing network by being active in keeping in touch.