I feel compelled to start with how sincere I found Alex to be as a mentor (and friend). Whether in the acting world or otherwise, I’ve been under the tutelage of many, but very, very, very, few have shown half the genuine care Alex has. This blog won’t be my most eloquent piece as I’ll pretty much be typing my thoughts away (forgive me in advance!) but quite simply, he actually cares about your progress and wants you to do well.
Truth be told, before even speaking to Alex, I had done my research on The Reel Scene event & what it would entail. From the offset, I knew I had to do the week and that there’d be no better way to give my acting career the boost it needed than to sign up for the week. As someone who has done his research, I’ll be the first to admit that what The Reel Scene offers as a whole, is truly unprecedented. It’s intensive structure is perfect for practically anybody, and I say this because the week isn’t intended for you to become your best by the end of the week (this is impossible in any endeavour) but rather to put you on the path to becoming the best actor/actress that you can be. I for one can confidently say that I felt well on my way after the first day – and that is no exaggeration.
From day 1 with the amazing Mina Anwar, we studied scenes & various scripts, and worked on our areas of development. This was the perfect inception for the week as this not only mentally prepared us for what was to come, but also allowed us to know what we needed to do more of i.e. maintain and improve our strengths, and also work on that which perhaps we were lacking. This magnified the experience for the remainder of the week and truly allowed us all to gain the most out of it. This was all the while the group bonded together & worked with one another as a team to bring the best out of each other. This made the week all the more interesting as our group was so diverse, with attendees of all different backgrounds, ages and from different areas, we started the week as strangers & ended the week as family.
To highlight everything that we done & achieved in the week would require an essay (must….resist….), but to give you an idea, we got to network with several industry professionals, ranging from well established actors and actresses from Tv, film, & theatre, casting agents, a Hollywood director & writer (Jared Puetz & Amanda Rux) and casting directors. It’s no secret that to do well in this industry, networking is a major key, and such a key was handed to us that we now will experience the benefits of. We received professional headshots which no professional actors should be without, and we had the opportunity to audition for potential agent representation in front of various agents & casting directors, which was not only an incredible experience that I & the others learnt from, but also gained from. In less than a week of having finished The Reel Scene event, agents (with an s!) have already expressed interest in me & I’ve already been put forward for auditions!
Working on the green screen set was incredibly enjoyable, but as fun as it was, it gave us a real feel for what it would be like while on the job. Dare I say that we actually were on the job! Jared as the Director was nothing short of amazing, his guidance not only ensured that we produced the best material on set for our show reel (which we also get..I meant it when I said there are far too many things to list that you get from this) but also lessons & knowledge that we’ll carry on with us as we progress in our careers.
I could keep going on, but Alex already knows that I’m pretty upset as it is that the week had to come to an end! But it never really does as there’s the ongoing support from Alex & the team, and the monthly workshops that keep you sharp, and I’m equally ecstatic to see what the future holds for me, my fellow Reel Scene graduates, The Reel Scene it’s self! If you want to be an actor/actress, THIS is the route to go, you’ll thank me later.