Jade Asha
Talks to Michelle Olley
About her new book
‘Actorpreneur: A Working Actor’s Guide’
There are some professions where the path to career fulfillment is pretty well laid out - law for example, or pig farming. Not so much with acting. Whilst there’s doubtless some combination of talent, tenacity, graft and good old fashioned luck in most successful thespians’ careers, not everyone starts from the same advantages or place of good fortune. If you’re not from an acting dynasty, which most of us aren’t, insights from an experienced insider who’s trod those boards before can be gold dust.
Jade Asha’s book ‘Actorpreneur: A Working Actor’s Guide’ is the thespian equivalent of that notorious ‘talk’ Elton John likes to sit every greenhorn pop star down for, where he lays out all the monkey traps and temptations coming down the road. Actorpreneur is a similar navigator’s guide to the galaxy of British film and TV. It’s bursting with sage, practical advice on how to thrive in an industry that is notoriously unpredictable - and occasionally perfidious. Jade has spent the past 15 years coming up through film, theatre and TV - in front and behind the camera. She has her own production company, writes for the screen (big and small), produces, edits, does voice-over work and podcasting - Jade’s earned her stripes in the art wars. This is her first book - and she’s layed it out, with advice for anyone at any level - from the drama school student to the experienced actor who could use some tips on how to take advantage of the new digital attention economy. Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, Here Be Treasure.
Your book is a really comprehensive, and modern, ‘How to’ guide for actors - aspiring and established. Is there any particular section of the book that you are most proud of?
I like the part where I advise people on how they can create their own work because it’s just something that worked for me so well. I feel like that part of the information can be applied to their own careers - and help them to keep going and doing work.
That seems quite indicative of how things are going these days. You can’t just be one thing thing any more. Everyone’s doing their own PR and marketing, with things like Twitter and Instagram stories. Your book really spells out how to make all those various online platforms work for people as well as how to make the most effective self tapes (self-filmed audition performance).
Smart phones changing everything. Your entire source of all content is there in that box.
What - or who - inspired you to write this book?
There was a book that came out last year that I was quite looking forward to. I was interested in it because it was written by an actress who was kind of on the same level as me. There’s books from people who are really successful or who are more teachers, but I really wanted to hear from someone who was working in the industry and going through the same thing that I was - I felt like there wasn’t enough of that. But the book that she wrote wasn’t what I expected. It was more abstract. There were a lot of books from that standpoint - sharing advice and experience - in America but none for the British film and TV industry, so I thought well if I’m looking for this maybe someone else out there will be as well.
There's a lot of insight and learned-from-experience nuggets you're sharing here - how much of the advice in your book, do you think, is currently taught by drama schools? How much stuff is in your own hands, for want of a better phrase?
I hear a lot of people coming out of drama school saying they enjoyed the experience and loved being able to act for three years, but they maybe didn’t have as much time doing film and TV-style work, rather than theatre. Theatre, I feel, is something you need to be learning in drama schools whereas film and TV can be quite an individual thing. I’d like to hope they are learning about the career side as well. I know that they are getting talks from working actors and people in the industry, but I don’t entirely know. I feel like I work with a lot of young actors who’ve come out of the schools and are quite shocked at the real world of acting so I don’t know how connected these teachers are always. I know where I come from, I’m not coming from a place of immediate success. I’ve not gone straight into working with the BBC. Some actors do but most really don’t and so I’m speaking from the place of ‘it’s not been easy for me’ and I think that’s the kind of information that hasn’t been out there. They probably don’t see so much of that.
The book is full of ways to keep your tenacity - and it was also really practical - it felt like reading your journey. When you look at that journey What are the main things that have changed in the 15 years since you joined the industry?
I think my attitude and mindset towards the industry has changed. I think I’m a lot more relaxed. I used to be really anxious and stressed. If an audition came up I’d feel like ‘this is my one and only opportunity’. If I had a bad audition I’d think ‘oh God, that casting director's never gonna ask me in again; I’ve blown it with 20% of the industry. But there’s over 250 casting directors so even if you mess one up it really doesn’t matter. People come and go. Someone who’s down one minute will be up the next, same as someone up will be down, it really is turbulent. You just have to remember that, and say ‘Right now I’m working but in a couple of months I won’t be, so just accept it now’. I have my own projects to keep me busy but it is really a mindset. Rather than always wanting tomorrow to come, just enjoy today and be like, ‘I’m happy. I’m getting auditions and I feel like I’m in a good place now’.
The book really is about cultivating that mindset. It seems like there’s a certain mental fortitude you need to foster in this and other creative professions - getting the balance of believing in yourself but also making sure any opportunity or the situation you are as prepared as possible. The audition/on set checklists at the back were really great - you should do them as an app...
I actually did a test with them. I had my first in-person audition in ages (between lockdowns) and I had lots of lines to learn. I was in a proper flap about it as it was so last minute and I thought ‘oh hang on a minute, let me just get my check list’. It really helped, just going ‘right let me get that and that and that in my bag’ and not have to worry about forgetting something - so I have proof now that they do actually work.
Have you ever forgotten something really important for an audition?
I’m quite organized so probably not. I’ve forgotten props or addresses. I’d say charging my phone is the big one. I’d always say ‘bring a phone charger’. It’s a really basic thing but if your phone konks out on the way somewhere for whatever reason, then you're literally stuck.
In the days of Googlemaps it’s crucial
Exactly. As an actor you’re always going to new places, it’s not like when you have a job you know exactly where you’re going; we’re constantly travelling around. The other one is having the right clothing. Maybe I’ve done that - something like bringing the wrong footwear for the part - forgot some trainers maybe...
Jade Asha’s book ‘Actorpreneur: A Working Actor’s Guide’ is the thespian equivalent of that notorious ‘talk’ Elton John likes to sit every greenhorn pop star down for, where he lays out all the monkey traps and temptations coming down the road. Actorpreneur is a similar navigator’s guide to the galaxy of British film and TV. It’s bursting with sage, practical advice on how to thrive in an industry that is notoriously unpredictable - and occasionally perfidious. Jade has spent the past 15 years coming up through film, theatre and TV - in front and behind the camera. She has her own production company, writes for the screen (big and small), produces, edits, does voice-over work and podcasting - Jade’s earned her stripes in the art wars. This is her first book - and she’s layed it out, with advice for anyone at any level - from the drama school student to the experienced actor who could use some tips on how to take advantage of the new digital attention economy. Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, Here Be Treasure.
Your book is a really comprehensive, and modern, ‘How to’ guide for actors - aspiring and established. Is there any particular section of the book that you are most proud of?
I like the part where I advise people on how they can create their own work because it’s just something that worked for me so well. I feel like that part of the information can be applied to their own careers - and help them to keep going and doing work.
That seems quite indicative of how things are going these days. You can’t just be one thing thing any more. Everyone’s doing their own PR and marketing, with things like Twitter and Instagram stories. Your book really spells out how to make all those various online platforms work for people as well as how to make the most effective self tapes (self-filmed audition performance).
Smart phones changing everything. Your entire source of all content is there in that box.
What - or who - inspired you to write this book?
There was a book that came out last year that I was quite looking forward to. I was interested in it because it was written by an actress who was kind of on the same level as me. There’s books from people who are really successful or who are more teachers, but I really wanted to hear from someone who was working in the industry and going through the same thing that I was - I felt like there wasn’t enough of that. But the book that she wrote wasn’t what I expected. It was more abstract. There were a lot of books from that standpoint - sharing advice and experience - in America but none for the British film and TV industry, so I thought well if I’m looking for this maybe someone else out there will be as well.
There's a lot of insight and learned-from-experience nuggets you're sharing here - how much of the advice in your book, do you think, is currently taught by drama schools? How much stuff is in your own hands, for want of a better phrase?
I hear a lot of people coming out of drama school saying they enjoyed the experience and loved being able to act for three years, but they maybe didn’t have as much time doing film and TV-style work, rather than theatre. Theatre, I feel, is something you need to be learning in drama schools whereas film and TV can be quite an individual thing. I’d like to hope they are learning about the career side as well. I know that they are getting talks from working actors and people in the industry, but I don’t entirely know. I feel like I work with a lot of young actors who’ve come out of the schools and are quite shocked at the real world of acting so I don’t know how connected these teachers are always. I know where I come from, I’m not coming from a place of immediate success. I’ve not gone straight into working with the BBC. Some actors do but most really don’t and so I’m speaking from the place of ‘it’s not been easy for me’ and I think that’s the kind of information that hasn’t been out there. They probably don’t see so much of that.
The book is full of ways to keep your tenacity - and it was also really practical - it felt like reading your journey. When you look at that journey What are the main things that have changed in the 15 years since you joined the industry?
I think my attitude and mindset towards the industry has changed. I think I’m a lot more relaxed. I used to be really anxious and stressed. If an audition came up I’d feel like ‘this is my one and only opportunity’. If I had a bad audition I’d think ‘oh God, that casting director's never gonna ask me in again; I’ve blown it with 20% of the industry. But there’s over 250 casting directors so even if you mess one up it really doesn’t matter. People come and go. Someone who’s down one minute will be up the next, same as someone up will be down, it really is turbulent. You just have to remember that, and say ‘Right now I’m working but in a couple of months I won’t be, so just accept it now’. I have my own projects to keep me busy but it is really a mindset. Rather than always wanting tomorrow to come, just enjoy today and be like, ‘I’m happy. I’m getting auditions and I feel like I’m in a good place now’.
The book really is about cultivating that mindset. It seems like there’s a certain mental fortitude you need to foster in this and other creative professions - getting the balance of believing in yourself but also making sure any opportunity or the situation you are as prepared as possible. The audition/on set checklists at the back were really great - you should do them as an app...
I actually did a test with them. I had my first in-person audition in ages (between lockdowns) and I had lots of lines to learn. I was in a proper flap about it as it was so last minute and I thought ‘oh hang on a minute, let me just get my check list’. It really helped, just going ‘right let me get that and that and that in my bag’ and not have to worry about forgetting something - so I have proof now that they do actually work.
Have you ever forgotten something really important for an audition?
I’m quite organized so probably not. I’ve forgotten props or addresses. I’d say charging my phone is the big one. I’d always say ‘bring a phone charger’. It’s a really basic thing but if your phone konks out on the way somewhere for whatever reason, then you're literally stuck.
In the days of Googlemaps it’s crucial
Exactly. As an actor you’re always going to new places, it’s not like when you have a job you know exactly where you’re going; we’re constantly travelling around. The other one is having the right clothing. Maybe I’ve done that - something like bringing the wrong footwear for the part - forgot some trainers maybe...
The audition section of the book feels really meaty, thorough and helpful. How much of that, do you think, was to do with your having been a casting director as well as an actor? You’ve seen it from both sides. Has your casting director experience had an influence on the book?
Working as a casting director was one of the most useful things I’ve found, as an actor. I think that changed the way I approached auditions; it changed my career a lot. Because you can easily think when you don’t get a part ‘what’s wrong with me? I don’t understand. Let me try doing a different walk into the audition…’. You'd like really overthink the smallest of things, but then when you end up on the other side of the chair and you’re too busy faffing because you’ve got a client to please or ‘Oh no, we don’t know what we want’, or ‘I’ve messed this up’ or the script’s changed - you’re too busy thinking of all the things you’ve got to do, so that you don’t really care about how the person walks in the room! After experiencing both sides, as an actor I began to look for ways to change the energy around. If I can try and put the casting directors at ease, rather than wanting them to put me at ease, it brings a new energy in for me. I’ve done auditions where pretty much everyone has been so, so talented, who walked in the room, that the successful audition was absolutely nothing to do with their talent. Even if they changed the way they looked, the way they walked, the way they talk, it’s more to do with having an energy that’s right for a role - you can’t really explain that. It could also be things like the producer saying ‘no, I don’t like them’, because of something ridiculous like them being ‘too tall’...
I guess Casting Directors have got to get in the mind of the producers - I guess it’s got to be a useful insight for an actor - as well as exasperating (laughter) - to out themselves into the mind of the Casting Director and figuring out what need from the situation
I recommend it. A lot of CD’s will ask actors to help out on a read through, (where the part they’re reading has already been cast), that’s a good thing to take part in at some point, just so they can see you.
You’ve turned your hand to many facets of the profession - actor, voice-over, producer, casting director, podcaster - and now author. Out of all these ‘hats’, do you have a favourite?
Acting’s always my number one baby, there’s nothing like it. I think I’m at my happiest when I’m on set and I’ve got lines and you know them so well you just kind of let the magic happen. It’s the best thing, followed very closely by voice overs. What I like about voice overs is there’s no limit on what character you can play. Your limit is your talent. I could play a little boy or an old woman. I like that it’s not about how you look. So much about acting is about your appearance, so it’s nice to have a break from it.
What’s the most unusual voice-over job you’ve ever had?
I actually just did a really strange one before we did this call where I was a witch who didn't talk, so the script was literally all these noises. I had to make all these strange little, very odd sounds. I do everything when it comes to voiceover but during the pandemic there was a lot of Corona Virus ‘Stay at home’ and international messaging, so that’s kind of interesting. I’ve done voice overs for explosives - a top secret explosive protocol. Sometimes I get to read scripts and I’m like ‘this is bizarre’. You get sent a lot of information that’s quite confidential. So you have extremes - one minute you’re a crazy little character, the next you have all this serious, important information. It’s interesting...
The advice in the book about what to do if you find yourself in an ‘inappropriate situation’ seems really helpful/practical. How prevalent do you think the issue of abuse of power is these days? Has it improved since the #metoo movement rose to prominence?
I think people are more aware of it now, which I guess is going towards improvement but the reason I decided to focus on it so heavily was not only because I had an experience and I actually wrote a short film about it a few years ago. I later found out that even though I had done all the right things and told the right people, there was another actress who had had the same experience and she had taken him to court and he had walked away free, so that was pretty disheartening.
I think people are more aware of it. People are certainly more careful. I think still not everyone understands it, especially the people who are guilty of it. You hear some men saying ‘ooh everyone’s so uptight these days.’ Well, there’s a really big difference between saying hello to a woman at work and grabbing her bum or something. I don’t understand how you can’t see what the difference is. So, it’s going in the right direction but there’s still a lot of work to be done, especially in the arts industry where there’s no HR department to go to. I think that could be improved still...
After writing this book, could you see yourself teaching a course in ‘Actorpreneurship’?
Maybe further down the line but right now I need to be acting. I know it’s usually the route that people take - write a book and do a course, but I don’t really want to be a teacher. I think I say it in the book a lot. I want to be meeting with these people a lot and working on the set as an actor rather than teaching...
What’s the most important bit of advice you would give to someone starting out in the profession?
Do some training, get some good head shots and don’t worry about where you are now. It’s not a race; you have to be in this for life. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Things will come to you when you’re ready for it but you have to be in it for the long run. You’re not going to get results straight away, and even if you do, it’s all about sustainability. Just keep going and be dedicated but also be open to opportunities that weren’t what you initially expected, I think that’s pretty important
Stay alert! (laughter)
Yeah, don't miss that one audition - because I’ve done that before. I’ve thought ‘Oh, I’m not going to that’ and all of a sudden I’m seeing the film on Channel 4 and I’m like ‘ah’ - so take every opportunity.
What’s next for you after the Actorpreneur release?
I should have a feature film coming out called Badness. It was meant to be the end of this year but looks like being next year now - it’s an international crime drama. Then lots more voice over work, which is great, but I’m also writing and looking to produce a horror feature film next year.
Website- www.jadeashavoiceovers.com
IMDB- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3547504/
INSTA- https://www.instagram.com/jadeashaa
Badness movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8635058/
IMDB- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3547504/
INSTA- https://www.instagram.com/jadeashaa
Badness movie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8635058/
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