We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ross K. Foad a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ross K. , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
I strive to find a positive aspect in every situation and understand that nothing will come of not trying. If I audition for a role and don’t get it, I don’t linger on the outcome or criticize myself. I simply submit and move on. If I get a response, fantastic! If not, another opportunity will soon arise.
Even without a callback, I’ve gained something: experience, the chance to explore a new character or tone, or a connection with a casting director. And if it’s someone I’ve met before, even better! Being asked back is a sign that I’m on the right track.
The beauty of being part of the creative industry is that any day could present an exciting opportunity that propels you forward, but you’ll only be ready for it if you’ve laid the groundwork.
I choose to hold on to that hope.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
There is a difference between wanting to be an actor and needing to be an actor. Someone who wants it would be content doing something else with their life if it came to it, but that isn’t me. I need to be an actor.
I adhere to the belief that ‘a day without creativity is a day wasted.’ On days when I’m unable to engage in even a small act of creativity—whether it’s performing, auditioning, or learning lines—I end up feeling extremely frustrated and unfulfilled, as if I’ve accomplished nothing. Such activities rejuvenate my spirit in a way that few other things can.
Plus, I would probably go insane if I couldn’t do it.
Acting is in my blood, so doing what I do partly feels preordained. Both my parents are actors, and my elder brother is a special effects make-up artist. I know some actors joke about telling their kids not to be actors, but mine have only supported and encouraged it.
In fact, it was my Mum who got me into a nappies ad when I was 18 months old! Though, my serious pursuit of acting began in my late teens when a friend and I formed a comedy duo on the London circuit. Since then, I’ve continued to seek out roles in screen, on stage, and in voice acting.
In addition to taking on increasingly exciting projects and intriguing roles, I aspire to be someone that proves neurodiverse individuals can thrive in this often challenging industry, despite our unique obstacles.
Being autistic and dyspraxic myself, inspiring even a single person would make me feel that I’ve made a meaningful contribution.
Discussing more current times, I was happy to learn that the spoofy 80s-style horror film ‘I Scream On The Beach!’ is now available on Amazon Prime Video, potentially reaching a wider audience.
I just contributed some additional voices for it, but it’s reminiscent of the type of film my brother and I would have likely rented on VHS when we were too young to do so, which makes it quite special to me.
Moreover, the film has won numerous awards on the festival circuit and has received a warm reception from genre enthusiasts. It’s always lovely to see small independent film studios succeed against the odds, especially when I have the opportunity to be involved in some tiny way!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Grind.
I will discuss this in the context of acting, though the fundamentals can be applied to any creative or career endeavor. Engage in as much activity as possible, as frequently as possible. Initially, seize as many opportunities as come your way, as long as they are sensible and align with your personal beliefs and sensibilities.. Obviously, avoid anything that seems exploitative or hazardous, but it’s essential to start building up those acting muscles.
It does not matter whether it is supporting artist work or 3rd spear-carrier on the left. Whatever gets you in front of a camera, around a crew, or on that stage. You will learn by osmosis without even knowing it.
You can, rightly so, become choosier as you continue to build up your experience.
Many novice actors obsess over acquiring dramatic, cinematic-quality showreels right off the bat, often spending nearly a thousand pounds to have them custom-made. However, elaborate lighting and cinematography cannot compensate for a lack of experience. If you plan to use this as your introduction for the next couple of years, it’s wiser to focus on gaining practical experience first.
Learn the script.
This may seem super obvious, but you cannot perform the script if you don’t know it.
I have been on many shoots with actors who are quite blasé about having not had time to learn it, and that they have been busy with a litany of excuses. Everyone has different ways of doing this, but my method is one page at a time and reading each bit of my dialogue over and over and over. When I can do it without looking, then I will move to the next bit and repeat. When I reach the end of the page I will link everything together, and work more on how to say it.
The other tried and tested method I like is writing your lines out by hand over and over. I even do this with some voice over roles, just writing them out and saying them gives me a better feel for it. There is scientific evidence that backs up that this physical act of touch allows the brain to memorize it better than reading it off a screen.
Be kind.
To yourself and others. This applies to any career, path, or life in general. People love to work with pleasant positive people. Be someone you would want to be around and others will feel the same. Nobody wants to work with someone difficult, no matter how good they are.
Remember to extend this kindness to yourself as well. We are often our own harshest critics, tending to critique ourselves with a professional eye. You may review your own performance and dwell solely on what you think could have been better. However, the average viewer does not scrutinize in such detail. They absorb the experience as a whole, whether consciously or not – the music, the set, the plot, the visuals, and the entire cast. They are not obsessed with how you could have delivered the line ‘how are you’ better in a particular scene; that concern is yours alone.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am keen to connect with any directors, producers, writers, animators, or video game developers interested in collaboration. You can reach me directly through my Twitter account, Sound Cloud, by leaving a comment on one of my YouTube videos, or through my agent at Inclusive Talent.
Contact Info:
- Twitter: https://x.com/RossKFoad
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Ross_K_Foad
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/ross-k-foad
- Other: Spotlight: https://app.spotlight.com/7656-8944-4958 Casting Call Club: https://www.castingcall.club/ross-k
Image Credits
David Stone Photography, Lumosia Photography.
