We are taking an honest look at the current state of the screen acting industry, the realities of working in the sector and what changes are needed to ensure career longevity from an individual, educational and industry perspective.

We'll be discussing:

o Training & what institutions need to do to equip students with the skills to enable them to secure ongoing paid work in the sector

o Industry expectations

o Impact of unstable, insecure and unpredictable working conditions on the mental health and wellbeing of those working in the sector

Hear from our panel including:

Emmerdale actor, Ash Palmisciano

Ash Palmisciano is an Actor, Speaker and Presenter. Since 2018- to present day, Ash plays series Regular Matty Barton in ITV’s Emmerdale, A ground breaking role as the soaps first transgender character. Previous credits include ‘Boy meets Girl’ BBC 2, ‘Pop’ British Film Institution, ‘The Lady that Dances’ Channel 4 Random Acts. Ash is also a patron of Diversity Role Models and often delivers talks on his lived experience. You can find Ash’s TEDX talk over on Youtube: ‘Why your truth is your superpower’.

Dr. Charlotte Armitage – Managing Director, YAFTA International, Psychologist and Psychotherapist

Dr. Charlotte Armitage is the founder and Managing Director of YAFTA International, a screen specialist training and education academy in Leeds, and the award winning, PMA registered YAFTA Talent Agency. Charlotte is a psychologist and psychotherapist who specialises in duty of care within the Film and TV industry and is a member of the British Psychological Society's Media Ethics Advisory Board which is involved in the development of policy and regulation for those in the Film and TV industry. Charlotte is a regular contributor to the media and public speaker on mental health, the acting industry and disability representation on screen.

Yvonne Francas-Mellor – Managing Director, Rollem Productions

A freelance producer for over twenty years, Yvonne has worked on many high-end dramas for UK broadcasters including Scott & Bailey, Death In Paradise, Our Girl, and most recently two series of All Creatures Great and Small for Channel 5 / PBS. Yvonne has been involved with Rollem since its conception, producing some of Kay’s most famous work, such as Fat Friends, A Passionate Woman, In The Club & Love, Lies & Records. She was most recently Executive Producer on The Syndicate Series 4. Yvonne leads the strategic direction of the company and is Exec Producer across Rollem's productions.

David Flynn – Head of Customer Success, Spotlight

David is the Leeds-based Head of Customer Success at Spotlight and is part of the senior management team in London. He previously worked at Sony Music promoting artists across the labels from Little Mix to Arcade Fire, and spent several years prior to this at The Soundcheck Agency working in the music management division. David also had a musical theatre career in West End shows such as Blood Brothers and Mamma Mamma following his graduation from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. David just completed his Masters at the University of London in Culture, Diaspora and Ethnicity.

Booking Details

This event is open to Equity members and a limited number of non members.

Registration is required!

You can join us in person at Leeds Carriageworks or online:

Please register here if you are attending via zoom:

https://equity-org-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUoc--srD8jGtdSgmB9FEyUqJN7kDKWAwkK

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

The viability of the acting career: The good, the bad and the ugly