Georgia Neath is an up and coming young actress from the West Midlands represented by Actors Own Management. Her debut screen performance was part of the Birmingham City Council funded short film ‘BAIT’ directed by Viewfinder’s Matt Ford. Her next project is a lead in Carma Film UK’s ‘Cleo’s Choice’.
What inspired you to pursue acting?
I started acting with a local amateur theatre group when I was pretty young, only about 10 years old. I had very little self esteem or even self worth partially with my appearance when I was younger, so I think the initial thought when I started acting was this is good because I can get lost in someone else who isn’t me. I enjoyed the escapism (and still do) and not having to think about any negative part of myself. However, with more experience, growing passion and maturity, I have learnt that acting is so much more than that. I am starting to achieve some of my best acting work all through self belief and being content within. There is such a big difference between being confident with your own ability and being perceived as arrogant. The continuous growing love I have for acting at this young age continues to inspire me and I have learnt so much at such a young age it drives me to want to experience even more. I feel blessed that I have found a passion that I want to pursue for the rest of my life, because I know not many people truly find theirs.
Do you have a favourite actor/role model, if so how have they influenced you?
There are many great actors I admire, especially in this generation. I really look for actors who literally sacrifice every part of themselves for a role. That really makes me look up to them and makes me want to reach such a level. I’ve seen this in actors such as Leonardo DiCarprio, even more so since ‘The Revenant’ when I heard about him eating a raw bison liver just to create the gritty realness for the film, even though he is a known vegetarian. Details like this may not seem important or even a big deal to passive film viewers, but this sacrifice for his art, disregarding all his own values is what makes him such an incredible and deservingly iconic actor. I am also massively impressed with Jack O’Connell’s career development as I have been a fan from his appearance in ‘Skins’ through to his massive film role in Angelina Jolie’s ‘Unbroken’. This makes me so positive for what opportunities can be just around the corner in this industry. Again, Jack O’Connell under went massive physical change for parts of his role as Louis Zamperini in ‘Unbroken’. These sacrifices for art influence me to devote myself to any role I get, as I know how powerful the result is.
Cleo’s Choice
What do you look for in a script?
I look for a story which not only compels me as an active film lover, but also creates questions for me as an actor. If a script allows me to easily create the scene in my head, I believe it has served its purpose as this is essentially the foundations for the production. If you get a good script, everything else should fit accordingly.
What do you look for from a director?
Passion. Above anything else, if the director is passionate about a piece then I straight away have a mutual connection with them to make the production work. Also, I do like it when a director is happy to hear any points from other cast members about a particular moment and answer any questions, such as if I feel I should be doing something differently as my character. As we all want the best outcome and have a mutual passion for the art, I think being able to easily communicate with the director is essential.
Georgia in BAIT
Do you favour a certain acting style or process when getting into character?
From the very start of the production I do heavily rely on the script so I can indulge myself in the points coming across in each scene, what my character is experiencing etc. I am pretty good at learning lines, so I try to get this done as early as possible so I then have the foundations set to build up my role. I feel like once I have my lines set, I can begin to experiment, research and ask questions to further add layers to the character. No person is one dimensional, so neither should your character be.
Having had experience in theatre and film, do you think there’s a distinct difference between performing on stage to being in front of a camera?
There is a massive difference and I learnt this as soon as I starred in my debut on -screen role. In my audition for the Birmingham City Council funded short film ‘BAIT’, I was told to leave everything I knew about acting on stage at the door. It is a whole different ball game but it is very easy to understand why. On film or TV, every subtle detail is picked up on camera. A certain look from an actor can create emotion or questions for the audience, making an impact sometimes more than dialogue can. Whereas on stage, an audience member at the back is not going to pick up a subtle hand or eye movement so dialogue is crucial to understanding the plot and character development. Simply put, on-screen roles reflect real people, experiencing very real human emotions and showing real characteristics, on stage everything is heightened from movement to voice.
What would your dream role be?
I don’t think my dream role has been written yet or even thought of. When a large scale audience observe me as a particular character and universally agree that they cannot imagine any other actor portraying that role, that’s when I will have been cast my dream role.
In a previous interview with Micheal Muyunda he believed acting should, “Not have it be about fame, money or twitter followers, just having the focus on doing the best job possible for the love of film. Not money, not fame but storytelling”, with this in mind how important is finding fame to developing as an actor?
In the world we live in, celebrity gossip and lifestyle is of such a high interest. Social media has become a part of daily routine where we can take a glimpse at a star’s life. I actually see a positive side when it comes to fame with actors, as social media especially can create such a great hysteria over new film releases, reaching large audiences fast. It can be an advantage for actors to be able to interact with fans and widely see others opinions on their roles, due to their fame. I think any actor would be lying if they said they wouldn’t like to be publicly recognised for great work. I think the main difference is between fame and being in the ‘limelight’ if that makes sense. There are many famous actors, widely known across the world whose private lives have not been broadcasted all over the internet or in newspapers. Their fame has derived from being recognised as good actors. Fame is important to developing as an actor and to be able to get the bigger roles you crave. More fame opens more doors to meet new industry creatives, however, being publicly in the limelight can damage your persona which puts your career at risk.
If you could change one thing about the film industry, what would it be?
I would have big film companies take more ventures outside of mainstream film, not only seeking new talent, but new edgy scriptwriters and directors who aren’t afraid to tackle taboo subjects for film. I sometimes feel big budget films are created for the sake of generating guaranteed box office sales, so investing money in unique film concepts would create platforms for new talent, as well as show mainstream audiences fresh ideas.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to pursue acting?
If acting is the only thing you think about and know your heart is in, then you have to give it your all. No matter what you do along side to support yourself, never lose that end goal. Seek every opportunity to build up your training and experience. Social media is a great way to get yourself seen, as well as finding projects to be a part of. Being content with yourself is everything, especially before and after going into that audition room. There is no reason why it can’t be YOU who gets that next role, so go for it!
