Monsteer Artistry Brings Their Vision To The Stage

One of the best places to earn your craft as an actor, director, or crew has always been the stage, and Monsteer Artistry has taken this notion and run with their new play “The Feeling” which debuts at the Union Theater London on the 8th of September.

“A solid comedic piece about relationships, alcohol, and betrayals. the technical team has been working hard on the play alongside a stellar cast to create a play that is already getting attention from across the scene.”

We will be talking about the story, the work behind it, and of course the various elements of the setup (with a full show review coming soon). Combining the talents of the backstage with a fantastically written story by Monsteer Artistry’s own Kyra Jessica Willis, The Lost creative team is solidly behind this show and happy to be talking about the show, the process, and of course the hard graft it takes to make a play happen.

To learn more about the show or Monsteer Artistry see:

The Feeling” Union Theatre.

Monsteer Artistry.

Patricia Jones: An Actors Journey

Patricia Jones has created a stellar career as an actor and is now the author of the book Opening Doors for Working Class Actors.  We wanted to gain a little more insight into the career, and thoughts of this stellar actress and how she came to be where she is. 

can you tell us more about yourself and your career path as an actress?  

I always knew that I wanted to be an actor from a very early age so in a way it was easy for me to know where I wanted to be. I didn’t go to drama school due to lack of funding which was in grant form at that time but started to chart a career for myself in fringe and small-scale productions in London in order to build a cv for myself. I eventually landed some good theatre work and then was offered a regular role in the TV series ‘Byker Grove’ where I stayed for four years. This was an amazing opportunity to learn my craft and to meet many different directors who I subsequently worked with again on various shows and this was how I began to build a television career. I took a break when I hit my forties thinking that work was getting scarce but returned 10 years later and started again. I think that if I had my time again I wouldn’t have taken that break. I am not sure I believe it is true about actresses getting less work as they age. I think you just have to stick with it. Stay at the top of your game and be patient. Things are beginning to change slowly and it’s important to give a voice to the stories of older women.

You have worked a wide range of roles over the years, and secured some interesting parts, would you say the industry has changed over the years and if so how? 

In a way, I think the industry is much more open now. With the advent of online casting sites and workshops for actors there is much more opportunity to be present, practice your craft and meet casting directors and agents. We are learning to take more care of our health and wellbeing as artists which is hugely important and didn’t exist at all when I was starting out. Social media platforms can offer access to casting information to everyone regardless of training and makes the industry more accessible to those starting out. Casting Directors are now more accessible too. Back in the day, there was the idea that they were gatekeepers in ivory towers but that is changing too now. This is not an easy profession for sure, but if you run yourself like a business, stay in touch with what is going on, and take action to promote yourself, it is not impossible to create a career. Staying positive and having an interest outside of the business is essential. Purely defining yourself through acting is not healthy or helpful. Finally, stick with it. This has always been the case and always will be so get ready for the long haul. Enjoy it and if you stop doing so, get out and do something else. The going can get tough so you need to love what you are doing.

Your new book Opening Doors for Working Class Actors touches on your own journey but also looks at alternative paths to entry into the industry, what was the impetus for you writing the book, and what is your plan for the future? 

The book came out of the lockdown and the online workshops I attended during that time. Casting directors and agents were really open and helpful and I noticed a lot of the same questions coming through time after time about headshots, showreels, self-tapes, etc and I thought, why not put all this together in one place for those starting out? Although the title aims the book at working-class actors it is in fact for anyone who wants to enter the industry and doesn’t necessarily have the financial resources to go to a traditional drama school. The idea for it, going forward, is that it will be updated on an annual basis with new courses, workshops, and information. I am in contact with organizations throughout the UK with the intention of keeping the book relevant and useful.

Is there a role in film/TV/theater you would love to tackle as an actress?  Is there a particular genre you would like to enter into from a purely acting stance?  

I can’t say that there is a particular role I am desperate to play but I would like to be seen as a vital part of the stories and representation of older women in theatre and television. There is a wealth of untapped experience to draw from here and I would very much like to be part of that narrative.

To learn more about Patrica Jones or to purchase her book see:

Patricia Jones Twitter.

Patricia Jones Spotlight.

Patrica Jones Management team.

“Opening Doors For Working Class Actors" Amazon UK.”

Talking Acting, Filmmaking, and Storytelling with Kate Perry

Having caught Kate Perry’s fantastic character-based showreel on her Twitter account, we couldn’t resist reaching out to talk and getting a little more insight into the woman behind the video and talking about acting, filmmaking, and storytelling with such a talented performer.

Could you introduce yourself to our audience and give us a little background on your work? 

Hello, I’m Kate Perry from Derry, an actor/writer/sketch comedian from Northern Ireland. My passion for storytelling began at ten years old, watching Westerns in a town called Dungannon. I’m from a family of twelve children so my elder brothers would take the younger ones to ‘the pictures’ on Saturday mornings to give my mother and the neighbors a break. That’s where I fell in love with storytelling, westerns, and cinema. I loved the genre for blending the comical and serious, farcical and cerebral, highbrow and lowbrow. I believe these elements have influenced my style of writing ever since. 

I have written one-woman shows, sketches, radio plays, and short films. I live in London now but prior to that, I spent time in South Africa, the US, and Ireland. 

You have been sharing your showreel via Twitter, which includes a series of comedic characters, can you tell us more about this and if there is a plan to expand on the concept? 

I began my writing and performing character comedy while living in San Francisco doing spots in the evening at a club called The Marsh. I had a full-time job at the time as an events manager so never thought of making the commitment of moving into the arts full-time. However, due to the encouragement of friends and co-workers, I developed the characters which eventually turned the 10 mins spots into a one-hour one-woman show. I toured the show in Ireland to critical acclaim, came back to the US, quit my job, and returned to Ireland to live in Dublin. I continued acting and writing and wrote a sketch show called Do Not Adjust Yourself for the Dublin Fringe Festival which led to writing opportunities at BBC NI, which led to commissions for BBC Radio 4 and RTE Radio 1. I also went to college for the first time in my 40s and did an MPhil in creative writing at Trinity College and then a master’s degree in screenwriting at the Institute of Arts Design and Technology in Dun Laoghaire. I moved to London in 2011, kept performing, and eventually took The Very Perry show to the Edinburgh Fringe. On the back of that, I was invited to the San Francisco Theatre Festival and The United Theatre Solo Festival in New York, where The Very Perry Show won the best comedy award. I have been working on other projects ever since but now I'm back writing new material and developing other comedy characters.

You have a short film currently doing the festival circuit and winning awards, what can you tell us about the project and how it came about? 

I was originally commissioned by BBC Radio 4 to write a fictional short story for a series called Under My Bed with the remit of exploring memories and stories of what characters might have found stashed away in the dark. I called it Ruthless. 

I came up with the idea of a ten-year-old boy who finds a prosthetic leg under the bed and how he uses it as currency to get something he desperately wants, which is the latest T. Rex album, Electric Warrior. He has also recently lost his mother, his father has shut down emotionally and they are stuck in a mire of grief. The problem is that PJ is skint and his Da is on the dole so PJ comes up with a cunning plan to get the dough, involving a pawnbroker, a sock, and a prosthetic leg.

I wanted to explore that sense of loss lifted with moments of comedy and lightness using the backdrop of the troubles and the glam rock movement happening in Northern Ireland. In Belfast, in the early 70s something was in the air and it wasn’t a bomb, it was a revolution. Glam Rock was drowning out the noise of armored cars and as British soldiers patrolled the streets, kids were glued to Top Of The Pops, entranced by Marc Bolan, the androgynous, satin-clad, glitter-god. 

In a nutshell, the prosthetic leg and a T. Rex album become the conduit for overcoming grief. After I wrote the radio play I knew it would make a good film so I adapted the story to a screenplay and applied for funding through Northern Ireland Screen. Luckily they liked the script, I found a producer and we shot the film in Belfast in 2019. Ruthless is currently on the film festival circuit and has won 5 awards so far and been nominated for six so I’m over the moon for team Ruthless. 

Is there a particular role or project that you are working on at the moment you can tell us about and is there a particular role you would love to be cast in?  

I am currently writing a children’s book called Saucepan Eddie. Hard to talk about as it’s in the early developmental stage so not sure where it is going….but it’s going somewhere. 

As for a role I’d like to be in, I was cast as one of the Yoga Mums in season two of Ted Lasso and would happily jump into that lycra again!

To learn more about Kate Perry and her work see:

Kate Perry Twitter

Kate Perry Youtube.

Kate Perry Website.

Opening Doors For Working-Class Actors By Patricia Jones

There has been a push to get more working-class people into actors but with that, there has been little to no attempt at providing any information or support, which is why we at the lost creatives were very happy to be able to talk to Patricia Jones, a working actress of note, and the author of the book “Opening Doors for Working-Class Actors.” 

Opening up to her readers about her own journey from her Northern English roots, and struggles, her honest and upfront approach to the art of acting offers up hope for those who want a career in the arts and shows that it can be done. 

The book itself covers the basics of starting out and takes you through the process, offering advice based on experience, anecdotes about people she has met, and how her own life shaped her journey. 

Each chapter sets out a map of the craft and puts you in a position to set a clear path from starting out to finding yourself an agent, with a series of current options that are designed to be researched and cross-referenced to fit your plans, budget, and aspirations. 

Something that stood out for us was the reference to theater as a learning platform, we are big advocates of working on stage as an actor or backstage as a crew member, you will learn a huge amount about time management, voice work, character development and working to the constraints of the stage, another plus is the short and student film market, both of which can give you a chance to build showreel material and network (a very important part of the job of an actor). 

The *book “Opening Doors for Working-Class Actors.” is a book that has been needed for many years and in a content-hungry age of digital downloads, shows that the craft is not just for those with financial means, it is a journey that can be made by anyone with the determination to do it. 

With the full support and endorsement of The Lost Creatives, the book “Opening Doors for Working-Class Actors” is something we highly recommend to anyone looking to delve into the world of acting or to expand their knowledge of the working world of actors. 

To learn more about Patrician Jones or discuss bookings see:

Patricia Jones Twitter.

For further details of the book which is available in Kindle, hardback and paperback format see:

Opening Doors For Working Class Actors Amazon UK.

Travel and Meeting Contacts Featuring vShowcards

We are really pleased when people reach out, especially when our contacts who have taken time off, come to us to talk about working on something fresh which has been happening a lot recently especially with photographers and a few actors who feel that the time is right to start working on smaller projects to stretch their muscles a little after the uncertainty of the last two years.

Naturally, this has given us the impetus to think a little more deeply about concepts and start stockpiling items that may seem strange but will in the long term be of advantage to us, such as the mix of ready-made prosthetics, butterflies, and other items that would on the surface seem strange.

In addition to this, we are planning a trip to London, part buyers trip and part meet up with friends, although the timing for this has been a little tricky due to family commitments, there are advantages to this that aside from being able to shop, we can discuss plans with the team at vShowcards gaining further insight their upcoming changes (which look to be amazing), our creative director JamesC is already a member which is another reason we want to sit with them and work out some details and add to his profile with strategic work.

What we are planning for is trips to the major makeup retailers, meeting with clients/friends, then returning to Scotland to work on additions to the sites across the board. There is something to be said for this plan that goes beyond the obvious networking, it really is about finding new sources of inspiration on route.

The scope and potential of this trip should be interesting and be a welcome break from the background work we have been doing.

To learn more about JamesC or the vShowcards site see:

JamesC vShowcards.

vShwocards official site.

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! By Ivan Peric

As an accomplished filmmaker and actor in his own right, Ivan Peric has become something of a maven for the digital content market and with his book “Don’t F*ck Your No Budget Movie” takes you through the hard-earned and hard-learned process that took his passion for acting and film to a wider audience, detailing the process with retrospective ease to help others in the same place.

Working backward, Ivan Peric talks about his own experience of starting out as a filmmaker taking the mistakes he made, the lessons he learned, and compiling them into an easy-to-follow and frankly common-sense manner that will change the way you look at digital filmmaking and selling your product.

Many new and established filmmakers have the belief that “If I make it, they shall come,” and focus on film as an art form rather than a commercial venture, which if you want to make a career out of this is the wrong approach and often leads down the path of shelving a project. What this book focuses on is taking the art, and the commercial, combining the two, and producing work that will be a showcase of your talents and commercially viable.

What is really refreshing about “Don't F*ck Your No-Budget Movie” is the candor with which Ivan approaches the process, he openly talks about how hard it was to make things happen and why, giving a first-hand view of what he did, how he achieved it and what pitfalls he faced in the journey.

As a team, we can see the value in this book and fully endorse it, our team has worked behind and in front of the camera for over 20 years and we decided that we wanted to focus our energy on producing for ourselves which we had a broad idea of what was involved from previous work, however, taking that knowledge (along with our contacts in distribution, casting, etc), alongside the stellar advice offered by Ivan Peric in his book, we can clearly create a path that will reduce the process of creating a TV or film project and streamline it making it a much more cohesive journey. *It is worth noting even with the experience we have it is always good to source additional information and add to the arsenal of information we have in our pocket, which this book did by verifying our thought processes and giving a clear and concise plan that filled in certain gaps in our knowledge.

To learn more about Ivan Peric or to purchase the book see:

Ivan Peric Link Tree.

Ivan Peric Twitter.

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! Amazon UK. (Kindle, Paperback, and Hardback)

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! Amazon USA. (Kindle, Paperback, and Hardback)

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! Barns and Noble USA

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! Google Books.

Don't F*ck Up Your No Budget Movie! Apple Books.

Talking Acting and The Vshowcards Site With Alex Reece

We are incredibly proud to be able to talk to some of the leading talents in the UK about their careers and plans, with a CV that spans the world, and a down to earth attitude Alex Reece is not only an actor of note but the co-founder of vshowcards the newest talent spotlight site to hit the market and create a storm.

As an actor you have had a varied career, can you start by telling us about yourself and the work you have done?

“I’m an adventurer at heart. I love new experiences and extreme ones too. I’ve traveled and lived on different continents and learned languages and studied martial arts and cultures as diverse as Capoeira in Brazil and Kalari Payatttu in India.”

I’ve lived in the mountains in Spain where I scratched a living working for the local farmers and builders. Acting is an extension of that. It’s a way of going to new places, from a perceptual point of view… investigating new characters and immersing myself in different stories. It’s a great adventure.

What has been the highlight so far of your career and is there a dream role you would like to take on?

There have been several huge highlights… getting flown to Canada to do a great role as a Hindi speaking English spy ( I’ve been learning Hindi since doing a huge movie Sajjan Singh Rangroot with Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh) and working with Daniel Craig on the Heineken Skyfall Commercial and getting cast as the lead villain in Danny Patrick’s latest movie ‘The Aryan Papers’ - Danny won the Cannes Film Festival Best Director for Independent film in 2021 and to be working with is just huge.

What advice would you offer to a new or aspiring actor?

Get proactive. Don’t wait for the jobs to come to you. Keep at it, the craft, the marketing, the networking. A powerfully positive mental attitude is your best asset. And get a vShowcard. It’s the best way to put an actor’s professional information all in one link.

You are one of the founders of vshowcards, can you tell us a little more about the site and how it works?

The vShowcards site lets Actors put all of their information in one link. This saves the casting directors so much time. These days you need to have all your links in one place. A vshowcard is the next best thing to actually meeting people. Meeting people is the best way to connect and network, and the vShowcard is the best link to send to people so that they can see as much of you and your work all in one place.

To learn more about Alex Reece or to discuss booking see:

Alex Reece vshowcards.

Alex Reece Twitter.

Alex Reece Instagram.

Alex Reece Facebook.

Alex Reece Spotlight.

Alex Reece IMDB.

Cut Frame Magazine

Designed to be a showcase platform for talent, from emerging to the established, Cut Frame Magazine has been making waves in the arts for its frontline look at the industry and passion for showcasing voices that might otherwise be missed. 

A creative hub that talks to the different people involved in creating the music we love, the theatre we watch, and the film and TV projects we enjoy, Cut Frame has become a go-to for the creative talent sphere that is rapidly gaining eyes outside the industry for its open dialogue approach and easy form. 

Insights from talent are something that frequently gets overlooked especially from the crew, what this magazine offers is them the chance to speak and show the reality of being part of an industry that spans the globe.  

Standing out in the market, Cut Frame has been instrumental in opening up a dialogue with filmmakers and actors who are telling the world about their journey, looking at the films that captivate us, and reviewing them with the critical eye of the talent behind the camera.  

With plans in motion to expand the platform with membership options that will open up further stories that are industry-related and give a more comprehensive and in-depth focus to their work, alongside a podcast culminating an end goal of going beyond the current boundaries and opening up the world to the potential of the creative fields. 

In an industry that relies on networking, marketing, and of course contacts, Cut Frame offers professional insight into that world and gives valuable advice and support to the creative networks out there, and shows us that we are not alone, the industry is there to support you.  

To learn more about Cut Frame, support, or get involved see:

Cut Frame Magazine.

Cut Frame Instagram.

Cut Frame Twitter.

Cut Frame Linkedin.

Support the magazine and its writers via:

Cut Frame Paypal.

Cut Frame Buy me a coffee.

Making No Mercy a Boxing Odyssey

When it comes to indie film the process can be arduous and full of obstacles but the outcome is worth every step. Tackling not just acting but producing, directing, and more we talk to Louis Findlay about his latest film No Mercy, a film about the darker side of boxing, taking the gloves off and looking at it from a different angle.

Filming a project on this scale is a big undertaking, what have been some of the challenges you have faced in the process and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenge for this project was money. I must have spent around £2,000+ on the project which is all I could really afford. Most of it was my own money and then the rest was via GoFundMe. The way I overcame potential challenges prior to filming was by writing locations I knew I had access to and casting friends I had worked with before. Then it was literally asking a LOT of favors from everyone else. One challenge I wasn’t prepared for was COVID. We literally had the training montage to film which is one of the most important scenes in any boxing movie,  so we couldn’t wrap it till we shot that but no one knew how long lockdown would last.  I felt about pulling the plug on this project so many times when the going got tough, but I just had to fight my way through it (no pun intended) 

The style of the film is very close to the docudrama or docusoap style, do you think that will change how people will look at the film and the people involved?  

Yeah, I hope so. The main focus was about making these characters feel real and forget people are actually playing these parts. I wanted to show this working-class family who are incredibly close, who have had their ups and downs and a fair share of family drama but at the end of the day, you can relate and fall in love with them.  I wanted it to feel natural and I think the visual style really helps to sell that. THAT and the fact everyone just bossed their roles. 

What was the motivation for this project in particular the look at boxing and the behind the gloves side of the business?

 My dad used to box back in the day, not professional but had a few bouts. He tried getting me to do it as a kid but I felt bad hitting people in the face. I have fond memories of his Mike Tyson VHS tapes on the shelf (which eventually made their way to the loft.  Dad and I watched them a few times when I was a kid and I thought it was pretty cool but had no interest in pursuing it other than working the bag and pads in the gym as I got older. 

But I think what makes any boxing film great is the story outside the ring, I think southpaw is a great example of that because he’s fighting for his daughter, not about being champ.  For my film, I wanted to focus on the darker side of boxing which is reflected in some of the dialogue and the way the promoter goes about business. I took a lot of inspiration from DareDevil, between a prize-fighting father and a son who looks up to him, but behind the scenes the promoter is dodgy. I also threw a lot of personal stuff from my childhood into the project too. 

There have been many who have taken the step over the line from actor to director/producer and worked both sides of the camera. Do you think this is something you will continue between acting jobs as a means to not only showcase your own concepts but to create opportunities for others in the creative fields?  

Absolutely, 100%. I had no idea how to get into the acting business when I left school so I started making my own films. In essence, I’ve learned other skills along the way by doing that such as writing and learning how a camera works.  But I’m very much a person who can’t sit still, I don’t wait for the grass to grow and if no one is going to give me the roles I want then I’ll go out and get them myself. I could’ve been waiting years for a role like this and it may have never come my way.  I think it’s so important for actors to make their own work and if I can help others out along the way and offer opportunities in front or behind the camera then that’s what I’ll continue to do! 

 What is next for you and your team? Do you have any projects in the works that you can tell us about?

 Yes, I’ve got a micro shortcoming very soon that we shot on the sky in Trafalgar, a short film called RoadKill that I had hoped to turn into a feature and a drama coming very soon which is about a man confronting someone from his past revisiting some disturbing memories. I have also just written two new features. 

What advice would you offer to someone starting their journey as a filmmaker and actor?

As I said, don’t wait for the grass to grow. It is so easy to make a film nowadays, we all have a camera in our pocket so just write something and film it.  Find like-minded people who can help you and if you’re really nice to people they’ll go out of their way for you. If you don’t ask, you don’t get - simple! 

*I would like to add a huge thank you to everyone involve and in particular Marcus O’Brien, Brandon Bailey, Dan brooks, Richie lamb, Gerard, and Keith Scott.

To learn more about the film or the team see:

No Mercy Trailer.

No Mercy Facebook.

No Mercy Twitter.

No Mercy IMDB.

Whouknow a New Marketing Tool

We were really intrigued by the idea of the site Whouknow for marketing targetting the creative side of the world and opening up doors to new and interesting prospects with both clients and collaborators. The site itself is straightforward to set up and our creative director JamesC has already thrown his cap into the ring and created a profile.

“There's no such thing as buyers and sellers in creative communities, which is why Whouknow works the way you do. We've also thrown in a bunch of other features that'll make your life a whole lot easier.”

Whouknow offers the option to set a base budget and offer your services to projects on other terms such as barter, it has real scope for marketing and has gathered some interesting talents to the table who are open to opportunities and marketing their skills through the site.

Naturally, we plan to use this as a part of our upcoming projects and where possible source additional team members to the fold for this. In fact, with our 3 shorts and a small-scale commercial/showreel project in the works, this could be something positive and give us access to a host of new faces to work with which is a real boost to our goals both short and longterm.

We recommend you go check out the site and see the potential for yourself:

Whouknow website.

Whouknow Instagram.

Whouknow Facebook.

Whouknow Twitter.