PORTFOLIO & CV FEEDBACK
"Both portfolio's are strong. Having the embedded videos really makes it look professional. It would look good online too, you could create more links which would be easier to navigate around" Matt (Professional Musical Theatre Actor)
"Your acting portfolio is striking, you show off so many strong skills so well. I can't help but feel like your Theatre Company's one doesn't quite match up, and perhaps you could incorporate some more information as to what has inspired you to do these workshops." Luke (Professional Latin Dancer)
*UPDATE "Love the new page with the details about Red Rose Chain, it works really well.
'Sweet Tooth Portfolio - very informative, chic, would like more images.
Acting Portfolio - very strong, great talent, wonderful array of skills
CV - Very clear, but I wouldn't use one CV for everything, I would try and split it up. Makes it easier for the readers mind to break it down." James (Freelance Practitioner)
"I love your Acting Portfolio, and your website for your theatre company Sweet Tooth is so easy to navigate around and looks so professional. I like that you have all your speeches on voice-reel, but I would have loved to have seen videos of your speech portfolio" Toni (Professional Musical Theatre Actor)
"Great portfolios and CV. Lots of writing though, maybe cut down a little on that. Apart from that, it was really interesting." Myles (Professional Actor)
*UPDATE "Looks much better now you have cut down on the words - less wordy and easier to read. Much better!"
"Well done! There is a lot of information in all the documents you gave me to read over. Firstly I thought that your Acting Portfolio was really strong, and your website really gave a clear idea of who you are as an Actor. I love the simplicity and elegance of your Theatre Company's website, and I love that you are getting into twitter and facebook - it will help with support so much! Your CV was fab, I love that you include your small roles alongside the big productions, it shows a broad character range." Evie (Professional Actor)
"Acting - This was excellent, and very clear. I liked the headshots at the beginning, and the added touch of the voice-reels and videos. Really interactive for a portfolio which I think in this industry is great - you need something that will make you stand out. And while your looks do that, as we have spoken about before, you need your marketing tools to do the same. Derek (Professional Actor)
"Your acting portfolio is striking, you show off so many strong skills so well. I can't help but feel like your Theatre Company's one doesn't quite match up, and perhaps you could incorporate some more information as to what has inspired you to do these workshops." Luke (Professional Latin Dancer)
*UPDATE "Love the new page with the details about Red Rose Chain, it works really well.
'Sweet Tooth Portfolio - very informative, chic, would like more images.
Acting Portfolio - very strong, great talent, wonderful array of skills
CV - Very clear, but I wouldn't use one CV for everything, I would try and split it up. Makes it easier for the readers mind to break it down." James (Freelance Practitioner)
"I love your Acting Portfolio, and your website for your theatre company Sweet Tooth is so easy to navigate around and looks so professional. I like that you have all your speeches on voice-reel, but I would have loved to have seen videos of your speech portfolio" Toni (Professional Musical Theatre Actor)
"Great portfolios and CV. Lots of writing though, maybe cut down a little on that. Apart from that, it was really interesting." Myles (Professional Actor)
*UPDATE "Looks much better now you have cut down on the words - less wordy and easier to read. Much better!"
"Well done! There is a lot of information in all the documents you gave me to read over. Firstly I thought that your Acting Portfolio was really strong, and your website really gave a clear idea of who you are as an Actor. I love the simplicity and elegance of your Theatre Company's website, and I love that you are getting into twitter and facebook - it will help with support so much! Your CV was fab, I love that you include your small roles alongside the big productions, it shows a broad character range." Evie (Professional Actor)
"Acting - This was excellent, and very clear. I liked the headshots at the beginning, and the added touch of the voice-reels and videos. Really interactive for a portfolio which I think in this industry is great - you need something that will make you stand out. And while your looks do that, as we have spoken about before, you need your marketing tools to do the same. Derek (Professional Actor)
FIVE YEAR PLAN FEEDBACK
"Your Five Year Plan is also strong and very professional. You can feel your passion when reading it." Matt (Professional Musical Theatre Actor)
"This is an ambitious plan, but when you put it next to your CV and what you have already achieved, I think it is far from impossible. The only thing I found confusing was between the masters and the doctorate, you seem very unclear and I would like to have seen more definition." Luke (Professional Latin Dancer)
"Five Year Plan - Clear, Strong. Not too much waffle. Could be more ambitious considering what you have already achieved, but I understand the hesitence. Just remember to aim high." James (Freelance Practitioner)
"Your career plan is really great, very clear and with a strong aim. I like that you have left some options open to debate, and I enjoyed reading them in your essay. I think you are making the right decision to do the MA instead of the PhD at this time in your life. You are young and talented with so much to give on a practical level. It would be a shame for you to go straight into academia. Especially after all the exciting bits and bobs you'll be getting up to in Asia." Toni (Professional Musical Theatre Actor)
"Great plan too. Nice layout, clear and easy to read and understand. Ambitious but achievable. Impressive" Myles (Professional Actor)
"And to top it all off your career plan is just exquisite to read. It was so interesting and admirable. You are going to go far!" Evie (Professional Actor)
"Career Plan - This was wonderful, a very mature insight into the next five years of your career. Very impressive from such a young lady, and I look forward to hearing about how many of these plans have been put into action, as well as how many more opportunities will be thrown at you!" Derek (Professional Actor)
"It is very impressive that you have been engaging in so much training and skills development. You present well and appear intelligent, creative and driven. The PhD on women in Shakespeare sounds like something you are quite capable of - but it is a training in research, and do you want to be a researcher in academia? Or do you see it as a way to earn money lecturing? The pressures of a PhD can be quite all consuming. Your opportunity in Asia sounds amazing - do avoid being seen as neo-colonial - but it sounds like you have considered this. It does however seem to me like an experience that will fundamentally change your view of how to proceed thereafter - be open to change. On the other hand it could radically improve your chances of bringing something new to a debate on gender and Shakespeare. Look again at the Epilogue to As You Like It. "If I were a woman". Shakespeare knew exactly what he was up to in terms of subversion not just comedy." Daniel Somerville (Professional Practitioner & Guest Lecturer)
"Nikica, you have so many ideas and plans – your passion for all the things you want to do is very clear. My main piece of advice for the immediate future is to bear in mind that when you do go abroad, you are going to frequently be in a position of privilege – don’t let any worries about this dictate what you do but make sure that you’ve considered all the issues surrounding this kind of work. You are clearly smart though, and I’ve no doubt that you have already thought about this. I think you mentioned India – I’ve actually just been there myself for 3 ½ months so if you want any advice let me know! In terms of your plans beyond that, you may find that you need to refine them a bit to suit your time restraints, but that’s difficult to predict, so I wouldn’t cut out anything out just yet." Anisha Fields (Parrot in the Tank)
"This is an ambitious plan, but when you put it next to your CV and what you have already achieved, I think it is far from impossible. The only thing I found confusing was between the masters and the doctorate, you seem very unclear and I would like to have seen more definition." Luke (Professional Latin Dancer)
"Five Year Plan - Clear, Strong. Not too much waffle. Could be more ambitious considering what you have already achieved, but I understand the hesitence. Just remember to aim high." James (Freelance Practitioner)
"Your career plan is really great, very clear and with a strong aim. I like that you have left some options open to debate, and I enjoyed reading them in your essay. I think you are making the right decision to do the MA instead of the PhD at this time in your life. You are young and talented with so much to give on a practical level. It would be a shame for you to go straight into academia. Especially after all the exciting bits and bobs you'll be getting up to in Asia." Toni (Professional Musical Theatre Actor)
"Great plan too. Nice layout, clear and easy to read and understand. Ambitious but achievable. Impressive" Myles (Professional Actor)
"And to top it all off your career plan is just exquisite to read. It was so interesting and admirable. You are going to go far!" Evie (Professional Actor)
"Career Plan - This was wonderful, a very mature insight into the next five years of your career. Very impressive from such a young lady, and I look forward to hearing about how many of these plans have been put into action, as well as how many more opportunities will be thrown at you!" Derek (Professional Actor)
"It is very impressive that you have been engaging in so much training and skills development. You present well and appear intelligent, creative and driven. The PhD on women in Shakespeare sounds like something you are quite capable of - but it is a training in research, and do you want to be a researcher in academia? Or do you see it as a way to earn money lecturing? The pressures of a PhD can be quite all consuming. Your opportunity in Asia sounds amazing - do avoid being seen as neo-colonial - but it sounds like you have considered this. It does however seem to me like an experience that will fundamentally change your view of how to proceed thereafter - be open to change. On the other hand it could radically improve your chances of bringing something new to a debate on gender and Shakespeare. Look again at the Epilogue to As You Like It. "If I were a woman". Shakespeare knew exactly what he was up to in terms of subversion not just comedy." Daniel Somerville (Professional Practitioner & Guest Lecturer)
"Nikica, you have so many ideas and plans – your passion for all the things you want to do is very clear. My main piece of advice for the immediate future is to bear in mind that when you do go abroad, you are going to frequently be in a position of privilege – don’t let any worries about this dictate what you do but make sure that you’ve considered all the issues surrounding this kind of work. You are clearly smart though, and I’ve no doubt that you have already thought about this. I think you mentioned India – I’ve actually just been there myself for 3 ½ months so if you want any advice let me know! In terms of your plans beyond that, you may find that you need to refine them a bit to suit your time restraints, but that’s difficult to predict, so I wouldn’t cut out anything out just yet." Anisha Fields (Parrot in the Tank)