ONE of the things we’re passionate about here at Shoot Me! is reducing costs for actors. We have actors on our founding team (take a bow, Cush Jumbo) who ensure that this ideal is at the core of our philosophy, and practically speaking it’s at the centre of everything we do.

We recognise that it can be expensive trying to break into acting, with performers expected to regularly put their hand in their pocket just for the opportunity to do what they love. Union dues, actor directories, casting sites, travel to auditions, accommodation, head shots, showreels, the list goes on and on. These days yet another cost has to be accounted for, the cost of self-taping and with a huge increase of on screen work being written and produced all over the world, this is a cost that no actor can afford to ignore.

Last summer in the UK, the Labour Party commissioned the Acting Up Inquiry which looked into the barriers faced by actors from lower income backgrounds who are desperately trying to break into the industry. Specifically, it found that audition fees, commonly demanded by drama schools, can be as high as £100 ($140) per audition.

The report concluded what most in the industry already know, that the “sky high” cost of auditioning for drama school is “unjust and unfair” not only serving as a deterrent to many young actors entering the profession but possibly damaging the future diversity of the profession altogether.

This isn’t a problem that is going to be solved overnight, but here at Shoot Me! we want to play our part in helping aspiring actors from any background to follow their passion.

The first part of that is easy. We made our app free for any actor who wishes to use it.

Job done? Not really, no.

The second part is more challenging. We want schools, colleges and registered charities, to work with us so that we can help them build an online audition stage into their application process. In return we’ll set them up with the tools and software they need to facilitate and manage their online applications. For free. Forever.

We recently partnered with two-time The Stage School Of The Year, London’s The Musical Theatre Academy on their #auditionfromhome initiative and they believe the benefits of building an online audition into their application process are clear.

In a statement announcing the partnership Annemarie Lewis Thomas, Principal/CEO of The MTA, said:

"For some time we’ve been looking at a way to reduce costs for applicants. The industry is all about self-tapes at the moment and as the only MT college to offer a 50/50 stage/screen split we felt that this was the perfect vehicle for our latest initiative #auditionfromhome.

We are mindful that the audition costs quickly mount up when you’re looking at travel and accommodation too.

Partnering with Shoot Me! was a no-brainer. The app is destined to become the industry standard for creating self-tapes so they are the perfect partner for #auditionfromhome."

Now we want to extend that invitation to other schools, colleges and charities around the world. We can work with you to reduce costs for prospective students, while at the same time giving them invaluable early exposure to the reality of the self tape process.

Let’s make a difference, together.

Interested schools, colleges and charities can email us at free4ever@shoot.me

For more info on the Musical Theatre Academy’s #auditionfromhome visit www.theMTA.co.uk/auditionfromhome