Category Archives: The Film Set

What Essential Things Actors Can Learn From My Acting Novel, Where The Light is Hottest.

Posted on by

In my novel, Where The Light is Hottest, Natasha Jones makes it as an actor. Going from small-town Scotland to big-time Hollywood. I was an actor for over fifteen years. I acted opposite Eddie Marsan in Junkhearts and performed on the West End in And Then They Came For Me. A play based on the life of holocaust survivor, Eva Schloss, who sadly passed away recently.

My own journey as an actor is similar to Natasha’s journey as we were both born in small towns in Scotland and moved to London to ‘make it.’ The difference is that I did not become a Hollywood superstar! You can read about why I put acting on the back burner here. I also worked as a director, casting director and producer. I still have a toe in the industry in general. Here are the essential things actors can learn from my true-to-life novel. If you want to know the truth about the film industry and acting then I recommend that you read it. It is available from Kindle Unlimited, paperback, ebook and from your local library.

Natasha’s persistence.

Natasha does not give up. That is what makes her successful. Most people who fail at acting do so because they quit. Especially as people get older and get sick of the erratic lifestyle. You lose 100% of the chances you do not take. The best way to become successful is not to quit. You can take time out, but get back to it.

Where The Light is Hottest, Catherine Yardley, Balavage

Keeping her goal in mind.

Natasha focuses on the win. She knows what she wants and what she needs to do to get there. When you focus on a goal it stays in your mind. You work towards it without even knowing sometimes. Read the trades like The Stage, know what is being cast. Network.

Perfecting her RP accent.

You need to be able to do a good RP (received pronunciation) accent. You should also be able to do a good American accent. I was once at an audition and they saw I put that I was good at an Australian accent on my CV. I had never done one before, but I had to do it on the spot. Thankfully, I passed, but it is better to be prepared.

Putting herself out there.

You should be proud at your courage. To choose a creative life is brave. It can be a hard life and a lot of people would never put themselves out there. It is hard to be on stage and make yourself vulnerable. To go to auditions and face rejection again and again. Do it, and be proud. Putting yourself out there is the only way to become successful.

Making her own work.

Natasha starts a production company and starts making films with her friends. Even the best, and most successful, actors can be out of work for years. We live in a new world and making your own work on TikTok and Instagram can get you seen and make you money. YouTube is another great option. I made a comedy web series which a casting director saw and then they cast me in a few things. Acting has never been more democratic than it is now. It is not easy to make successful social media accounts, but it is possible. My socials are below if you want to follow me. I will follow you back.

Not forgetting to actually live.

Being an actor is all-consuming. It feels like if you step off the treadmill then you might miss an audition or a job. I certainly thought that and I put my life on hold too much. I remember I went skiing once and my agent called me when I was up a mountain. I seriously considered jumping on a plane home, after skiing down the mountain, of course. I am glad I saw sense and turned the job down. Life is for living. Life experience also makes you a better actor.

I also wrote a book on how to become a successful actor. It has lots of great information. You can buy it here or get it on kindle unlimited. Thank you for reading.

Tweets by Balavage

@catherineby.bsky.social

https://www.instagram.com/frostmag

https://www.threads.net/@frostmag

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063463605581

My First Acting Job Was on River City. I Am Sad to See it Go.

Posted on by

Scottish soap, River City, is sadly coming to an end. I got my first acting break on River City. I was an incredibly ambitious 18-year-old who had studied acting at college and was desperately trying to get as many auditions as I could. Auditions are hard to get so I was doing extra work to earn money and get some on-set experience.
An actor didn’t turn up and I was picked out alongside one other woman to audition for a small part with lines. I was the one who aced it, and got my first ever speaking role on TV, and the BBC no less.


The scene was in a cafe. I ordered a drink from Luca, the character that all of the women fancied. My heart was beating fast, and I was happy. Exhilarated. I knew this was a great credit to have. When the episode came out I watched it with my family. I was left with a feeling that anything was possible. A moment of luck gave me my first proper acting credit. In truth, these moments of luck, along with a huge amount of talent, work ethic and perseverance is they key to success in any creative career.


Seeing myself onscreen was a learning curve. I was a teenager with terrible roots, who needed her blonde highlights redone. I was wearing a coat that looked instantly unfashionable the moment I saw it on screen. I cringed when I saw myself, but I delivered my lines well.

The main character in my book, Where The Light is Hottest, is based on my own experiences. Unlike me, Natasha doesn’t quit when things are going well. She continues on going from small town Scotland to big time Hollywood. As acting books go, Where The Light is Hottest, is a no-holds barred, real and raw inside into what it takes to make it as an actor. My acting career was a wild ride that left me with a lifetime of stories. The highs were like nothing else, but the lows were crashing. All thanks to that moment on the set of River City. Thank you. The show is supposed to end in 2026, but people are protesting and there is a petition. Good luck, River City. Long may you burn bright.

Where The Light is Hottest, Catherine Yardley, Balavage


Where The Light is Hottest by Catherine Yardley is available on paperback from all good book stores and ebook.

Thandie Newton: ‘Lost Work For Revealing Hollywood Sexual Abuse’

Posted on by

thandie-newton-reveals-hollywood-sexual-abuseBrave and stunning actress Thandie Newton has spoken out about sexual abuse in Hollywood. The actress revealed in July that she was abused by a director when he put a camera between her legs during an audition, she even found out later that he had been playing the tape at private parties. She was also told by a director he would film above her bare breasts, but he didn’t. She says she also suffered “serious sexual abuse” from an ex-lover.

The 43-year-old claims Hollywood covers these incidents up. She told The Guardian:“Here’s the thing. I am so grateful for all that: ‘Zip it, Thandie! Zip it! Zip it!’ Because it made me more angry, made me want to talk more,”

She says that she won’t take the director to court at the moment. “You know, maybe that will happen. But he’s one person. I’m out for the whole f**king industry. I go for big. I’m not small. I’m vast.”

She refuses to be quiet about the experience “and sometimes it p**ses people off and they disinvite me from their lives. But I would rather lose friends for that one seed of doubt that might be in their minds.” She has also lost work because she spoke out about it. She said “there’s more infrastructure to cover up than there is to protect.” Thandie said she was recently diagnosed with endometriosis “And I really do think it was (down to) fury.”

What do you think?

Chris Pratt “My Son Thinks Acting is Stupid”

Posted on by

Chris prattIt can be hard to impress your kids. Parents are often thought of as uncool and poor Chris Pratt has found that even being a famous Hollywood actor does not help. Chris’s four-year-old son Jack thinks that acting is “stupid”.

The truth came out when the 37-year-old was doing a Reddit Ask Me Anything segment where someone asked if his kid thought he was a firefighter. “”He knows I’m an actor, but he thinks it’s kind of stupid. haha! I suppose he’s right!!!”

He also said his wife Anna Faris was his favourite actress and that he would love to work with her one day.

He also told Entertainment Tonight that his son was a natural behind the camera.

“Jack has been on set to visit me on every movie I’ve done since he’s been alive, he’s getting really comfortable with the idea of sitting behind the monitors. He’s like a little director! There was a moment when he was behind the monitors where the director and the producer sit, watching what’s happening on camera. He had his cans (headphones) on and he was looking through his little glasses at the monitor, and he just said, ‘Can I get a coconut water? And he wasn’t like talking to anyone necessarily, which is totally terrible behaviour that we do all the time, where you just like throw a random request into the ether and expect someone to deliver it cause we’re totally spoiled brat baby actors.”

 

Mads Mikkelsen: ‘The Snobbery in The Acting Business is Enormous’

Posted on by

snobbery in acting industry, snobbery, acting, Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen has told Rolling Stones Magazine that a lot of actors are snobby towards actors who do blockbusters. The actor has done a mix of indie and big budget films.

“The snobbery in my business is enormous. I did not grow up on deep Czechoslovakian dramas or French art films, I grew up with pop culture. So I would be a hypocrite saying I don’t love James Bond, and that I don’t love flying kung fu – ’cause I f**king love it.”

“I don’t think I would want to fly around on wires eight films in a row, but I love doing it, and I’ll do it again, at a certain point, though, you want to go the other way: ‘Please give me The Hunt again.’ Something small…, but if I do eight of those films, then I’ll go, ‘Please let me fly around with a sword again!'”

Their is a downside though, Mikkelsen said his audition for the Fantastic Four was embarrassing. He was asked in the casting office to pretend to extend his arms like a rubber man, he was so embarrassed that he thought, “I can’t do this anymore.”

Luckily he now says he does not have to audition anymore and generally books his job through simple phone calls.

 

 

Hugh Grant Saved a Fortune By Being His Own Acting Agent

Posted on by

acting, acting advice, acting tips, own acting agent, hugh grant, acting agentsHugh Grant has had a career most actors would envy, and he didn’t get there by being stupid. He revealed that for four years he created a fake acting agent called James Howe Ealy, who was actually Hugh himself. He just used a fake email address. The actor said that he “saved myself an absolute fortune.” He also said: “He didn’t exist. It was me on a different email account,” He has an acting agent now and said that he had to stop because people asked to meet James in person and that he would accidentally sign off “Hugh” when he was drunk. Acting agents tend to take between 10-20% in commission so it would have added up to a pretty good sum.

The actor also said during an interview with Howard Stern’s SiriusXM show that he believes having affairs is the key to a good marriage. The father-of-four has two children with current girlfriend Anna Eberstein and two with ex-girlfriend Tinglan Hong. Hugh said that the did not think humans were built for  “40-year-long monogamous, faithful” relationships.

“I always admire the French and the Italians who are very devoted to their marriages, They take them extremely seriously, but it is understood that there might be other visitors at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. You just never boast about. They never say anything, but that’s what keeps marriages together.” Hugh said.

What do you think?

 

If you are an actor then check out my book How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

 

 

 

 

 

WHY I TRADED IN A HIGH-FLYING CAREER IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY TO PURSUE MY ACTING DREAMS, AND HOW I DID IT

Posted on by

By Peter Meyer, author of The Boy from the Wild

Most of us dream about quitting the 9-5 (or is that the 8-7) rat race, but few ever do.  The author Peter Meyer is proof that following a dream can be more than just a daydream. He hung up his suit and left a highly-paid job in the hospitality industry to embark on a career as an actor – and was soon rubbing shoulders with Brad Pitt.

I grew up in the hospitality industry, quite literally. I was born and raised on a game reserve in South Africa that my father created. It had a safari park, a five-star hotel and a conference centre. It was once known as Safari World and its pioneering fusion of Disney-style theme park and nature reserve  made it akin to a real-world Jurassic Park

When I was older, I graduated from Les Roches Hospitality University in Switzerland and went on to work all around the world in places including the UK, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.  I worked in different director roles in sales, marketing and business development for groups like Hilton, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, JA Resorts & Hotels and then YTL Hotels.  At one point I was even one of Hilton’s youngest directors at 26 years old.  I had it all going for me – the experience, the qualifications, the connections, the lifestyle and so much more…. but then it all changed.

In 2014, I dropped everything to spend time with my father after hearing he had a very rare form of terminal cancer.  My father was my life and an incredibly special person, so I was going to be by his side.  After I lost him I lost a part of myself and realised that you are vulnerable – and that life is governed by time that we take for granted.  I tried to get back into hotels and got a huge position in Kuala Lumpur but was ultimately in a very bad mental state and lost my zest and desire for the industry.  I was missing my dad plain and simple.

By chance a short while later a family friend suggested that I try acting and modelling for fun, and at least until I’d planned my next move.  So, a short while later, I signed onto a website that was a portal for jobs in that industry.  Within the space of a few days I was contacted by a production company, which asked me to do a TV commercial for Ford.

I did the shoot and was told I was a “natural” and was advised to do more! Two weeks later I got a call from a director making an independent British film and I got a tiny part as a news anchor with some lines.  It was then that I realised how much I loved acting and it woke me up out of semi-depressed state for my father.  I decided to see where it went.

Suddenly I was getting acting and modelling roles and even got my first lead in a short film within three months of starting.  My biggest came when I got a call to audition for Allied with Brad Pitt and got the smallest part to sing.  Sadly, the role was cut but I was still an extra and got picked to be near Brad Pitt and enjoyed getting to know him. I then got chosen to work as an extra next to Liam Neeson this time on The Commuter.  He partly inspired my book “The Boy from the Wild”.  In less than 18 months all this had happened.  I was also doing a lot of plus size modelling and was Tesco’s first plus size male model wearing Jacamo.  But I have also modelled internationally with groups such as El Corte Ingles wearing Hugo Boss, GANT, Ralph Lauren and more.  Who knows what’s next?

I’ve gone from surviving animal attacks and snake bites on a safari park to surviving the concrete jungles of Hollywood.  How, people ask?  Well, get headshots, get a showreel, get an agent, brand yourself to get your followers and have passion.  If you are determined and do what you love then you will achieve.  Sometimes you have to risk it to get the biscuit. A dream is yours and yours to fail, so don’t let it.

The Boy from the Wild by Peter Meyer is out now, priced £9.99 in paperback and £3.99 as an eBook. It is available for sale on Amazon UK. Visit  www.petermeyer.com

Debra Messing ‘Pressured’ to Go Nude in A Walk in the Clouds

Posted on by

Debra_Messing_at_the_2009_Tribeca_Film_FestivalDebra Messing has revealed she was “pressured” to shoot a nude scene in 1995 film A Walk in the Clouds by the director Alfonso Arau and the film’s producers.

The Will & Grace star starred opposite Keanu Reeves in the film, it was her first major film and was not a pleasant experience. She also said that she contacted her agent about the directors request and was then informed she would likely be fired if she said no.

She went on to say that she was berated after approaching Arau about the scene. “Your job is to get naked and to say the lines. That’s it,” he reportedly said. When the time came to film the scene the filmmaker made her feel uncomfortable “He lifts (the sheet up), scans my naked body, then drops the sheet on top of me like a used Kleenex,” she said at the MAKERS conference in California, “He walks away without a word…The whole thing was a power play, a game. And the goal, to demean me, to strip me of my power and make me feel on a cellular level his dominance over me.”

 

In the end only her back was exposed in the film. The 48-year-old actress also reportedly had issues with Alfonso after he berated her for how she looked.

“How quickly can we get a plastic surgeon in here’, ‘Her nose is ruining my movie! I can’t do this! Look at this!”‘ Alfonso reportedly said.

Messing was “frozen, horrified, mortified” and “felt deep shame” about her Jewish heritage after his comments.