Getting into drama school is notoriously difficult.
Most drama schools receive over 3000 applications for fewer than 30 places. So how do you put yourself in the best position to be one of the lucky few that gets in?
Firstly, there are no tricks or gimmicks to getting into drama school. It’s not about choosing an incredibly obscure monologue or being deliberately shocking.
What there is, however, is a genuine foundation and approach to your acting that will allow you to enter the audition room as your best self, produce your most compelling work, and give yourself the greatest possible chance of achieving drama school success.
Through a process of one-on-one audition coaching and acting classes I'll help you to select speeches that play to your individual strengths as an Actor. Then together we'll explore how to approach the text and find a way to begin to inhabit this new character and situation, while still retaining the quality that makes you so uniquely you. Finally I'll work with you to begin to 're-frame' the audition process so you can feel at your most comfortable and creative, and take back control of the audition room.
“Without Ben’s amazing help I don’t think I would have ever managed to get into any drama school, let alone RADA, and I definitely wouldn’t have had as much fun in the process!”
Live up to your true potential.
Nerves can play a huge role in the audition process and throughout your acting career. They can be the first thing that stops you from performing with a sense of play and enjoyment, which are essential if you want to create truly engaging and exciting work (remember it's called a 'Play' for a reason!).
Together we will work on easy techniques to harness your nerves and turn them to your advantage; so that you can enter the audition room confident and relaxed, and give yourself the best possible chance of getting into drama school.
"The confidence I gained through all my preparation with Ben, allowed me to go into the audition space comfortable and self-assured. Resulting in numerous recalls and 3 fantastic offers from top accredited Drama Schools"
- Aaron - Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama
"After working with Ben I gained a place at Guildhall School of Music & Drama - something which I feel would be virtually unachievable without such a highly skilled and dynamic tutor"
- Sally - Guildhall School of Music & Drama
choosing the right speech
The Play's (not) the Thing.
During my time sitting on drama school audition panels I saw countless actors make the same fundamental mistake when picking an audition speech.
They think it's all about the words.
They think that if they come into the room with the most shocking and emotionally nuanced monologue ever written they will make a lasting impression. But sadly they rarely do.
Because it's not about finding the perfect speech; it's about finding the perfect speech for you.
There are, quite literally, thousands of wonderful monologues out there that could work brilliantly at a drama school audition. However, a brilliant monologue won't be brilliant all on its own; it needs you to bring all of your own brilliant and unique life experience to bear on it, to truly make it shine.
And so the perfect speech for you is one that you feel passionately inspired by; one that you feel compelled to breathe new life into - adding to what the playwright has written, not simple delivering it.
NYT & Stage School Auditions
Acting coaching for Younger Performers (10+)
Whether auditioning for the National Youth Theatre, Stage School, or your first big TV job, it can be a nerve wracking experience especially for younger performers. Learning to craft a compelling performance and master your nerves in the audition room is a skill that takes practise.
Over the last 10 years I've worked with numerous young performers, helping them get into some of the countries leading stage schools, as well as coaching a number of young professional actors through their first television and film jobs.
What I've learnt along the way is that while children are certainly different to adults, a good teacher doesn't have to infantilize them to be able to get the best from a young actor. Children have the ability to imagine a whole range of imaginary circumstances, and to bring their own unique life experience to a text, in the way that an adult actor might not have seen.
Through a process of one-to-one acting coaching, I work with young performers to bring their own imagination to a text, to learn to trust their intuition, and build the confidence to put it into practise in every audition room.
(NB: I have an enhanced DBS Certificate to work with young performers)
“Benjamin was amazing with my son.
I still remember my son telling me how enthusiastic he felt and how much he learned after only one session!
Benjamin is brilliant, very honest , generous and such a caring coach. With his help my son got into Juilliard in New York!”
“What’s an incredible coach Benjamin is! We were recommended to use him by a friend, and with Benjamin’s help my son, Jack, managed to get offers at every one of the stage schools he applied to! What’s more Benjamin helped build Jack’s confidence immensely, and we are so grateful. Jack end up going to The BRIT School, and couldn’t be happier.”
“I started working with Benjamin in preparation for filming season 2 of The Devil’s Hour on Amazon Prime and he is an amazing teacher!”
Coaching Fees.
One-to-one Audition Coaching
£50/hr*
One-to-one audition coaching is designed for those that are resolutely committed to training at drama school (the audition process can be a long and very difficult one, and so it's not for the fainthearted - although if approached correctly it can be really fun!).
During one-to-one audition coaching sessions we will work together to:
Choose speeches that play to your individual strengths as an actor.
Work on how to deal with classical text (verse and prose) as well as contemporary speeches.
Explore how you can begin to embody this new character and situation, while still retaining the quality that makes you so unique.
Re-imagine the audition room itself to make it a fun, playful space for you to inhabit, rather than a room ruled by fear and anxiety.
In between audition coaching sessions I will ask you to prepare material for next time, so it's important that you have time to commit to the process outside of our coaching time.
Audition Surgery (3 hrs)
£140*
The 'Audition Surgery' is an intensive one-off audition coaching session, ideal for those that want a final opportunity to finesse their audition speeches, build up their confidence, and enter the audition room in peak form.
During the session we will work through all of your pieces, numerous times, and troubleshoot any issues you might be having. Depending on what stage of the audition process you're at, we may also work through some important sight ready exercises, and work on your song choice.
As the 'Audition Surgery' is designed for those soon to be auditioning for drama school, it is only really suitable for actors that have all their audition pieces learnt.
Online Audition coaching
£50/hr*
For those that are lucky enough to live outside (the big smoke) of London, I offer one-to-one online audition coaching. This takes the same form as the normal one-to-one audition coaching: working together to choose speeches that play to your individual strengths as an actor; exploring how you begin to embody this new character and situation, while still retaining the quality that makes you so unique; and finally re-imagining the audition process to make it a fun, playful space for you to inhabit, rather than a room ruled by fear and nerves.
For online audition coaching you will need access to a computer/smart phone/tablet, a reliable internet connection, and a space you can move around in.
* I am occasionally able to offer a slightly subsidised rate for those that would find the financial burden too great. These places are strictly limited and offered only in response to genuine need. Please get in contact if this applies to you.
Central London Self-Tape Service
Self Tape Service for Professional Actors.
Love them or loathe them, self tapes are here to stay.
In the last few years self-tapes have become the industry standard for the majority of television and film castings (as well as an increasing number of theatre auditions). Whilst self-tapes can offer an amazing opportunity for Actors to produce their best work in the comfort of a safe and supportive environment without the need to travel to auditions, they can sometimes feel like a burden.
That's why it is so important to have a strong self-tape setup, and an expert reader that you feel comfortable working alongside, so you can produce your most compelling work in every self tape, with as little disruption to your time as possible.
“Ben’s professionalism and set-up made me look amazing. His supportive and profound understanding of the story and other characters, and his guidance of how to make scenes work best in an audition tape scenario, are truly valuable. One can often feel like acting in front of a mirror when doing self tapes at home. With Ben I forget that I’m taping, it’s a joy to work with him. ”
“I have booked several TV jobs when taping with Ben. The visual and audio setup is excellent, and if required he offers great alternative ideas on how to play the scenes so a variety of options can be sent off.”
Why use a Self Tape Service?
Expert Guidance: With over 15 years experience working at a high level within the television and film industry, I understand the unique demands of self-tape auditions, and how to create an environment that allows you to give your best performance.
Comfortable Studio Environment: With a flexible professional studio in Central London we have the advantage of using natural light or studio light, to produce exceptional quality self tapes, so you can concentrate on your performance without any distractions.
Quick Turnaround: No self tape should take more than an hour to rehearse film and upload and with many years experience filming and uploading self-tapes of the highest quality, we can produce outstanding material with a short lead time.
“I found Ben to be a Godsend. He directed me and acted with me which really elevated the scene and shot it really well with great light, and this made my tapes 10/10 every time!”
Prices
£50.00 per hour
It’s so important that you don’t feel rushed and so I also put aside a full hour to allow us to rehearse, film and upload your self tape audition.
In my professional opinion no self tape audition should take more than an hour to complete, but in the rare circumstance you would like to book addition time this is charged at £25 per additional half hour.
Location and contacts details.
I work out of my lovely little house in Angel islington, in Central London. I have a whole library of plays for us to riffle through to find that all-important drama school monologue, and (most essentially) I make a mean cup of tea!
For those of you not based in London, I also offer online tutoring sessions.
If you have any questions, or want to find out more about what audition coaching actually is, then please do get in touch.
Contact Me
If you have any question please do get in touch using the online enquiry form (I'll be sure to get back to you asap - but do remember to check your spam folder in case my response ends up there by accident)
If you're interested in booking a one-to-one audition coaching session then it helps if you can suggest a couple of potential dates, as at times my diary can get filled up quite quickly.
(Unfortunately, due to my filming commitments I'm sadly not always able to work with every actor that gets in contact, but I do try my best to make time in my schedule to work with as many actors as I can)
Drama School Application Deadlines
Below are a list of the application deadlines for all of the main drama schools in the UK. This information relates to applications for the three-year acting programme, from UK applicants, interested in auditioning in London. For regional/international audition dates, and for other courses, please refer to the institution's own websites.
Remember that it is highly recommended to apply well before the final deadline to ensure an audition place.
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