Andrew Sykes

78 Redcliffe Square, London, SW10 9BN | 07561 531 566 | contactsykes@gmail.com

13/3/19

Lecturer: Acting East 15

Dear Madam / Sir,: Relevant doctoral level degree in a relevant subject or be close to completion or
equivalent professional experience or practice.

I have extensive experience teaching Acting for Stage and Screen both in the UK and US to students
agesd16-50 (actually my oldest student, Gloria, was 72). Stanislavsky is at the core of my teaching,
though my practice has evolved to include the teachings of other directors and educators who have
opened doors in my heart and mind. A few directors that have made an impact on me are: Rebecca
Gatward, George Clooney, Gabriel Gawin, Trevor McFarlene, Jeff Stark, and Christine Gernon.
Working with such gifted directors has shown me XXXXXX All have served, and serve, to give me the
holistic approach to actor training that I have now. What have they taught you? Why are they
inspiring?

Gatward,

patient humble approach and understanding the power of being receptive to students and actors
ideas as a part of the collaborative process

Clooney

Humour and an understanding of the individual needs of the actor, and how best to facilitate those
needs while fusing a quantity into a collaborative entity.

Gabrial Gawin

To challenge the actor to surpass their self imposed limitations and comfort levels. The physicality of
the actors process, how to access their deeper selves and emmesh this with the character and the
writers intention. This as well as looking at the process of polish approaches to acting, directing,
theatre and story. Sensory, song of the goat, pig, box of far 😊 Quality of contact. Princess Iwona.
Bastard worked me the hardest I’ve ever worked then failed me. And he was right… He liked to make
the actors uncomfortable. In that place of not knowing (willem defoe) we find freedom.

Jeff Stark

Knowing how to get out of the way of the actor, letting them know it’s all about them. Giving them
that power that perspective.

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Christine Gernon

Making your actors comfortable (in many ways the polar opposite of Gabe’s process) humor,
lightness of touch, camaraderie, but sharp as a tack. Creating the right energy, the fertile ground
from which actors can leap with confidence and be loose and giddy. Real believer in relaxed actors
feeling good and supported and loose, and part of a family. Very relaxed atmosphere.
I have spent over half of my life creating and delivering filmmaking, acting, writing workshops,
education and events to young people aged 8-25. The students were from a wide range of social,
educational, and cultural backgrounds, both in the UK, the US. I have worked as an educator,
director, and workshop devisor / facilitator in schools, pupil referral units, secure units, SEN schools,
drama schools, and private acting and filmmaking classes. Many of the workshops I created are now
being delivered by other practitioners in LA and London. I also teach young people public speaking
and communication, my goal being to give them the tools to improve their confidence, social skills
and opportunities for them in their world.

I co-created an entire acting and communication syllabus that is being delivered by two (soon to be
three) universities in the Middle East and it has been received with great acclaim. I have also
developed and managed arts events - with a particular focus on youth arts education and
community enrichment on both sides of the pond.

(2nd and 3rd para are very similar – combine into one)

I obtained my BA (with honors) Degree in acting at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama.
The training has served me well, we were not only taught how to implement the methodologies of
Stanislavsky and Michael Checkov, but also how to create our own work, direct and write. It was
wonderfully rigorous training and has served me well. I often smile when I find myself sharing the
skills I learnt all those years ago, and see them empower and embolden my students to go forth and
shine.

I have extensive industry contacts in London and LA. Many of them are: filmmakers, directors,
screenwriters, producers and actors, who could act as a bridge between YFA and the industry.
Additionally, they can bring a wealth of customer facing experience along with partnership
procurement. I’m well versed in bringing professionals from different areas together to help fund,
support, and promote events and initiatives. For example, I have been invited to host the Knight of
Illumination Awards at The London Hammersmith Apollo in September. At which I will be discussing
film and theatre design and its future within the arts. I continue to have great relationships with
those individuals I have previously worked with.

I have years upon years of experience imposing order onto chaos, talking to parents, and taking
responsibility for my own team and our work schedule. I experienced all of this while I was one of
the long-term members of the drama department at Chorton High School. While I was there not
only did I get to teach the children about drama but I had to come up with lesson plans that were
both engaging and interactive. This also included making sure the syllabus contained ways to
implement CPD and best practices on how to evolve speech in an everyday setting. In addition, I
forged links between local casting directors and students/young actors wanting a career in the
industry.

Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy or the ability to gain professional recognition at this or
a higher level if appropriate

How, what is this equal to?

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Experience of working independently in teaching at undergraduate and/or postgraduate levels, or

demonstrable potential to engage in teaching and learning support in engaging and innovative ways.

In addition to the work I conceived now being delivered in the middle east…
After carrying out R&D with a previous Secure Unit in which I was employed, I conceived and
delivered a Dramatherapy module at Orchard Lodge. This was based on the students individual
needs and challenges and was delivered to great success. It took into account both their specific
academic and emotional needs. The module was delivered in school and in living quarters, and I
liaised with the resident psycologist as well as the students families / guardians to create workshops
and educational / therapeutic materials that would embolden them. The acting served as a means
for them to express in a safe environment, their inner lives, hopes, fears, regrets, questions. This
served as the experiential foundation from which my public speaking and communication workshops
were borne, I take great pride in this work, as, from all the incredibly varied environments I have
worked in, from schools, to sen schools, pru’s, secure units, acting studios (in person and online) I
have garnered one common thread: all young people that finds themselves in difficulty, offenders or
otherwise are better served and equipped by being given the necessary tools to express. In the same
way that books saved my life. A process of expresses ones own nature (or the nature of others,
empathetically) is invaluable.

X Experience of contributing to designing and planning learning activities, developing effective

learning environments (face to face and/or virtual) and approaches to student support and
guidance.

Academy plus. LA acting coaching and theatre directing. Secure Units. Chorlton High. Private public
speaking and communication workshops. Virtual speaking and acting tuition online. It has been an
education for me having to modify my teachings to retain clarity and remain effective when teaching
one to one online. I have found the best ways to simplify, without losing the core of what is being
communicated.

X Sustained engagement in continuing professional development in relevant subjects/disciplines

and their pedagogies, incorporating research, scholarship and the evaluation of professional
practices.

When delivering my syllabus in the middle east, I documented the process, the response, and my
own thoughts, feelings, successes and failures. Between the teaching aspects I scheduled time for
meeting with my colleague in which we would reflect and review our practice, and give one another
and ourselves advice, constructive criticism and nurturing on how best to evolve our process and
best practice. We set ourselves sustained development goals and objectives, checking in and logging
when these we met and surpassed. We incorporated both formal and informal learning as a part of
our CPD.

We researched other successful CPD examples and methodologies to apply to our own, giving us a
barom

CPD is something I have always been engaged with in every educational social environment I have
worked in: Schools, Private Workshops, PRU’s, Secure Units. I have always been self driven with
regards to CPD. The recipients of your teachings can only grow as much as you grow yourself, it is a
symbiotic process. The teacher who has nothing left to learn has nothing left to teach.

Funded by a US platform (Netflix) I am creating a documentary about the different acting processes
around the world.

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X Understanding of / willingness to engage with the implications of quality assurance and quality
enhancement for academic and professional practice with a particular focus on teaching.

Chorlton high and Secure Units.

Dubai, prisons, dramatherapy module at SU.

X Experience of relevant professional theatre work.

Acting / Directing / Teaching US / UK / Canada

X Good networks / knowledge with Theatre Directors and other relevant professional
practitioners.

Diane and people she knows. People I know. LA connections. London Connections. Alwyn etc.

X Experience of teaching applied Stanislavsky. X Appropriate recent teaching experience in

Higher Education or a professional theatre conservatoire environment.

LA. Toronto. Manchester. London.

X Experience of professional directing.

Manchester. LA. Toronto. London. What of Rob’s can I say I directed. Bens. Etc. Blood and Honor
Arts Theatre.

X Proven ability to teach Shakespeare.

Taught Shakespeare in LA and Manchester.

X Experience of working with international students.

LA. Toronto.

X Experience in dealing with pastoral matters.

LA. Chorlton

Secure units

PRU’s

X Knowledge of Michael Chekhov.

Swat up on.