About us
For what its worth...
MELISSA OSBORNE - DIRECTOR
I’m a former actress, now producer/writer/entrepreneurial type of person. I studied at Queen Mary’s (English & Drama), worked at a small satellite channel for a while, then started a new TV company to create niche interactive TV platforms. I wrote for some magazines and was featured a variety of trade and national press. Then got back into acting and did a myriad of music videos, theatre and everything that just gets you by.
I was inspired to create Stand Up Drama when I was in an acting class at the Actors Centre and I watched a guy perform brilliantly and then he told me afterwards that he couldn’t get an agent. So I launched Stand Up Drama and London Bites. He performed in my first show and now he's working as an actor in New York.
In 2006 I was honored to win Best Producer for Stand Up Drama at the Fringe Report Awards. I continued on the acting path for a while with some success (you might have watched Thor: Hammer of the Gods on Sky over Christmas…or not) and I’m now working on the new and improved Actors Platform and producing full time. I also work part time at Jinks/Cohen at Warner Brothers (Milk, Big Fish, American Beauty). I’m producing a short film in March 2010 and will be pitching my feature later in the year. For more info on that you can visit www.afilmforchange.com and www.provocativefilm.com
Stand Up Drama and now Actors Platform have been my passion from 2005. There’s nothing better for me than hearing that someone has an agent or has booked an audition from what we do here. Thank you for supporting us and in return I’ll keep supporting you.
Email addresses.
Okay. I think, every so often, its worth while stepping back and reminding ourselves that this is showBUSINESS. So that means presenting yourself in a business-like way at all times.
Now, I see a lot of email addresses from a lot of people and I naturally, and maybe unfairly, have a pre-conceived idea about the person that has this email address:
sweetassgirl69@hotmail.com or offmyhead38798@gmail.com
I made them up, but you get my point.
Email addresses’ are free. So if you don't already have one that’s easy to read, remember and basically just says your name and doesn't make you sound like a porn star then go get one!
RACHEL PAYANT - PRODUCER & CASTING COORDINATOR
Rachel studied BA Drama at The University of Exeter. In 2007 she co-founded Brawl; a London based Theatre Company to commission and develop New Writing. She produced full-scale productions and an ongoing workshop scheme to support script development for young playwrights.
Since moving into Casting in 2008, Rachel has been the Casting Associate at the award-winning Finborough Theatre. During this time she has cast many productions for both in-house and visiting companies. Rachel has worked as a casting assistant on theatre and television projects in both the UK and the US. She is committed to supporting co-operation and opportunity for artists within the creative industries.
From the founder and director of Stand Up Drama, Melissa Osborne
Copyright 2010 - The Actors Platform
