Episode 5 / Lauren Shannon, Co-Director of agency Shannon & Bloom
/by Roj Whitelock
London-based photographer and HSM Associate Member
Lauren Shannon, Co-Director of agency Shannon & Bloom, talks about setting up an agency, working with children and nurturing young talent and provides some great advice for young, aspiring actors.
How Did Shannon & Bloom Get Started?
Note: View on YouTube for captions.
"I don't want to be catfished. I want to see how you look and your headshot has to be an impact to me. I don't want a flawless, airbrushed representation of you. I want those unique features, I want you to embrace what you look like and celebrate it."
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How Did Shannon & Bloom Get Started?
I have a background in TV and film from doing castings, working behind the scenes as an acting tutor and just being on set mainly with children. I've had a school for 25 years. I met Rosemary, was absolutely bowled over, fell in love, saw that we were like ying and yang and had such core, different strengths, that we decided to make this amazing Shannon & Bloom family and become an agent.
What Are The Key Considerations For Nurturing Young Talent?
I feel children are a complete, different kettle of fish because parents need guidance, they need help with set up, how to tape, their headshots - literally every component with children really needs that nurturing vibe. So, with our actors we always give feedback. Because we're both trained actors we really do re-direct, because, obviously, a partnership together will really be able to build success and create a vision. And with children you really do need to, in some ways, tutor their self tapes so that they really shine in the way that you know their characters are really coming across, transferring onto the screen and being able to really embody the character. Showing that emotional range. With children, that needs nurturing. That needs guidance. So it is a completely different kettle of fish with children, to be honest, in my opinion. And it's also very hard when you have a child who's invested so much time in a self tape. Or they've got through to the screen test and it's just between them and another child. It's really heartbreaking to tell them. So it's a different component that Rosemary and I have - we have to be the child's biggest cheerleader. We have to be really reassuring that, you know, this is the business, it's harsh, but you need to celebrate even having a self tape. You need to really embrace the process, learn from it and then you know normally when the film or the advert comes out and they weren't chosen you can always see what was the difference. And then you learn from that process, really. It's character building and also you have to really support a child. that they then have the believe to keep on going. And that's where I found that I didn't have that as a young performer. I need - we really believe in our clients, we're so close with them, that we can really work and create magic, you know. And every opportunity, look back at your self tape and learn from it and grow and to have that correction is just fantastic. Just celebrate every opportunity to be seen by a casting director because if you don't get it and you're memorable it's amazing - you've won anyway.
What Do Young, Aspiring Actors Need To Think About?
Personally for me, it's a strong headshot and I don't want to be catfished. I want to see how you look and your headshot has to be an impact to me. I don't want a flawless, airbrushed representation of you. I want those unique features, I want you to embrace what you look like and celebrate it. Absolutely document it in a headshot and have that star quality that we're looking for. Because we are sent hundreds a week and if you've got somebody that shows real magic on a headshot, you see that actually they're unique, they're mouldable and then it transfers into their showreel. That's what I'm saying as I don't want to be catfished with a headshot that when I come to a meeting with you on Zoom you don't look like the headshot. So just embrace what you look like, look at your features, look at your selling points and just totally believe in yourself. Because everybody is unique and beautiful and that' got to be celebrated and that's what we're looking for. We're looking for that different, special star quality.
