Social media is now part of the acting landscape - but how do you use it well without losing confidence, oversharing, or putting your career at risk?

In this episode of The Drama Coach Podcast, I’m joined by Brian Maitland, an actor, professional content creator and social media coach. Brian is also part of Actors and Social Media, helping performers understand how to use social media in a more confident, professional and informed way.

This is such an important conversation for actors, young performers and parents, because online presence can feel exciting, confusing, overwhelming - and sometimes a little bit exposing. We talk about how performers can show up online in a way that feels useful and authentic, while still keeping clear boundaries around safety, privacy and professionalism.

Brian shares really practical advice on what actors should think about before posting, how social media can support a career, and where performers need to be careful. We also talk about career preservation, online behaviour, content creation and how actors can build confidence without feeling they have to become full-time influencers.

In this episode, we chat about:

Social media as part of the modern acting industry

How actors can use online platforms professionally

What young performers and parents need to consider before posting

Online safety, privacy and boundaries

Career preservation - and why your digital footprint matters

The difference between being visible and oversharing

How to create content without losing yourself

Confidence, comparison and protecting your mindset online

What performers should avoid posting

Practical tips for actors who want to use social media more intentionally

Guest links:

@brianmaitland 

Actors and Social Media: ⁠http://www.actsocmed.com⁠www.actsocmed.com

@mrmckillop

@abigailcoyy

Follow The Drama Coach:

Instagram: @thedramacoach
TikTok: @thedramacoach
YouTube: The Drama Coach
Website: www.thedramacoach.co.uk

The Drama Coach Podcast is for young performers, parents of young performers, and actors navigating training, auditions, confidence and the industry with a bit more clarity.

Sponsored by SceneTribe

This episode is sponsored by SceneTribe - a growing creative community helping performers, creatives and industry professionals connect, collaborate and be seen.

Find out more and create your profile at: www.scenetribe.com

In this solo episode of The Drama Coach Podcast, I’m following on from my conversation with Ethan and Katie, who are studying Drama, Theatre and Performance at the University of Lincoln, to talk about something I think a lot of young performers need to hear: Drama school isn’t the only door.

This is not an anti-drama-school episode. Drama school can be brilliant for the right person, at the right time, on the right course. But it is not the only valid route into acting, theatre, performance or the creative industries.

For young performers, the pressure to find “the route” can feel huge. Drama school auditions, recalls, rejections, university choices, gap years, training options and comparison can all become overwhelming. This episode is here to offer a calmer, more honest perspective.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why there is no single perfect route into acting

• The pressure young performers can feel around drama school

• Why not getting into drama school does not mean you are not talented

• How “not yet” is different from “never”

• Why university drama can be a brilliant and valid option

• The value of making work, devising, writing, directing and collaborating

• Why actors need life experience, curiosity and resilience

• How to make any route active, not passive

• The comparison trap for young performers and parents

• Why the route matters less than what you do with it

This episode is especially useful for older teens, parents of young performers, drama students, university applicants, drama school applicants, gap year students and anyone feeling unsure, disappointed or behind in their acting journey.

This episode is sponsored by SceneTribe - the new network for the creative industries.

SceneTribe is built around your credits, your collaborations and the work you’ve actually done, helping performers, crew, creatives, agents and producers build profiles and discover opportunities through real creative connections.

https://scenetribe.com/

Follow The Drama Coach:

Instagram: @thedramacoach TikTok: @thedramacoach YouTube: The Drama Coach Website: thedramacoach.co.uk

If this episode helped you breathe a little bit, please share it with a young performer or parent who needs to hear that there is more than one door.

In this episode of The Drama Coach Podcast, I’m joined by Katie and Ethan, who are both studying Drama, Theatre and Performance at the University of Lincoln.

This is a really honest conversation about what drama at university is actually like - from choosing a course, moving away from home and making friends, to dealing with pressure, comparison, rejection and the big question of whether drama school is the only “serious” route into the industry.

Katie and Ethan speak brilliantly about finding a course that felt right for them, why university drama can offer a broader experience, and how studying drama can build confidence, communication skills, independence and resilience - whether you go on to act professionally or take those skills into another path.

We talk about:

• Why Katie and Ethan chose university drama instead of drama school

• Whether drama school is still seen as “the route”

• The pressure young performers can feel when choosing their next step

• What their course actually involves day to day

• Screen acting, Shakespeare, devised work and performance modules

• Moving away from home and growing in independence

• Making friends and building a support system at university

• Rejection, comparison and staying resilient

• Why there is no single path into acting

• Side jobs, finances and staying realistic

• Advice for teens considering drama at university

• Advice for parents supporting those big decisions

This episode is especially useful for teen performers, young actors, parents of young performers, and anyone wondering whether drama at university can be a valuable and meaningful route.

As always, this is about building confidence, understanding and realistic expectations - whether you’re a young performer or a parent supporting one.

Guest Links / Follow

University of Lincoln - Drama, Theatre and Performance: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/course/drathfub/

Ethan TikTok: @et.armour

Follow The Drama Coach Podcast for honest conversations about acting, auditions, training, confidence and the industry - for young performers and the people supporting them.

The Drama Coach: https://www.thedramacoach.co.uk

Instagram / TikTok / YouTube: @TheDramaCoach

Music: Soft Music 495878 by nastelbom, Pixabay.

In this solo episode of The Drama Coach Podcast, I’m following on from my conversation with Rosie Stancliffe, also known online as the Geordie Voice Coach, to talk about why your voice is such an important part of your acting kit.

For actors, your voice is not just about being loud. It’s about breath, body, clarity, thought, emotion and connection. Whether you’re preparing for a drama class, LAMDA exam, school production, self-tape, audition or performance, your voice needs care and attention.

So often, young performers only think about their voice when something goes wrong - they lose it, strain it, rush, go quiet, or shout instead of projecting. This episode is a practical reminder that looking after your voice is part of being a performer.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why voice work is about more than volume

• The difference between projecting and shouting

• How nerves can affect the voice

• Why the voice lives in the body

• Common mistakes young performers make with voice

• Rushing, dropping line endings and disconnecting from meaning

• Why warm-ups matter before auditions, rehearsals and performances

• A simple pre-performance voice routine

• How parents can support vocal care without becoming voice coaches

• Why young performers need to treat their voice with respect

This episode is especially useful for young actors, parents, drama students, LAMDA learners, musical theatre performers and anyone preparing for auditions, exams, rehearsals or live performance.

This episode is sponsored by SceneTribe - the new network for the creative industries.

SceneTribe helps actors, performers, voice artists, crew and creatives build beautiful profiles around their credits, collaborations and creative journey.

Find out more: https://scenetribe.com/

Follow The Drama Coach:

Instagram: @thedramacoach

TikTok: @thedramacoach

YouTube: The Drama Coach

Website: thedramacoach.co.uk

If this episode is useful, please follow, subscribe, leave a review or share it with a young performer who needs a reminder to look after their voice.

In this episode of The Drama Coach Podcast, I’m joined by Rosie Stancliffe, an actor and voice coach from Tyne and Wear, also known online as Geordie Voice Coach.

This conversation is a brilliant deep dive into what voice training actually is, why it matters for young actors, and how performers can build vocal confidence without feeling they have to lose who they are. We talk about breath, resonance, articulation, tension, accent, identity, drama school preparation, vocal health, and how voice work connects so closely to truthful acting.

Rosie also shares practical exercises that young performers can try safely at home, including ways to explore resonance, support articulation, release jaw tension and begin looking after the voice more thoughtfully.

We also discuss accent bias, regional voices, authenticity, and why accents are not just something to “put on”, but are deeply connected to identity, culture and lived experience. Rosie speaks beautifully about helping performers lean into their own sounds rather than feeling they need to smooth themselves out or change who they are.

Voice practitioners discussed in this episode include:

Cicely Berry, David Carey and Rebecca Clark Carey, Barbara Houseman

Jessica Wolfe - https://www.jessicawolfartofbreathing.com/the-art-of-breathing

Rosie Stancliffe website: https://www.rosiestancliffe.com/

TikTok: @GeordieVoiceCoach

Instagram: @georgievoicecoach

Follow @TheDramaCoach for more acting tips and podcast clips.

Find links, resources and coaching here: https://linktr.ee/TheDramaCoach

Music: Soft Music 495878 by nastelbom (Pixabay)

In this solo episode of The Drama Coach Podcast, I’m following on from my conversation with Kate Harbour to explore whether voice acting could be part of a young performer’s acting journey.

Voice acting isn’t just about doing funny voices - it’s still acting. It asks for imagination, clarity, character, listening, truth and play. Whether your child loves animation, audiobooks, gaming, storytelling or character work, voice acting can be a brilliant way to build confidence and develop useful performance skills.

This episode is not about becoming a professional voice actor overnight. It’s about getting curious, trying things out, and discovering what voice work can teach you as an actor.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why voice acting is still acting
• The difference between “doing a voice” and creating a character
• How voice work can help performers feel freer and less self-conscious
• Why clarity, pace, imagination and intention matter
• Simple ways to explore voice acting at home
• How recording yourself can become a useful acting tool
• Why voice acting is playful - but still requires craft
• A gentle reality check about professional voice work
• How voice work can support confidence, storytelling and character skills

This episode is especially useful for young actors, parents of young performers, drama students, voice-curious performers, and anyone wondering how voice acting might fit into wider actor training.

This episode is sponsored by SceneTribe - the new network for the creative industries.

SceneTribe helps actors, voice artists, performers, crew, creatives, agents and producers build profiles around the work they’ve actually done, the credits they’ve built, and the people they’ve collaborated with.

Find out more at scenetribe.com

Follow The Drama Coach:

Instagram: @thedramacoach
TikTok: @thedramacoach
YouTube: The Drama Coach
Website: thedramacoach.co.uk

If this episode helps you think differently about voice acting, please follow, subscribe, leave a review or share it with another young performer or parent.

In this episode of The Drama Coach Podcast, Lisa is joined by actor and voice artist Kate Harbour, whose work includes much-loved animations such as Bob the Builder, Shaun the Sheep and Octonauts.

Together, Lisa and Kate explore what voice acting really involves - beyond simply “doing voices”. They talk about animation, audiobooks, commercials, ADR, character work, auditions, home recording, studio work, AI, confidence, resilience and why voice acting is such a skilled part of the acting industry.

Kate shares honest, practical advice for young actors who are curious about voice work, including how to start exploring your voice, why listening back matters, what equipment you actually need at the beginning, and why the work always has to come from truth, connection and the body.

This is a brilliant episode for young performers, parents and anyone interested in the craft behind voice acting.

In this episode, we talk about:

What voice acting actually includes
Why it is not an “easy” route into the industry
The difference between animation, audiobooks, commercials, ADR and corporate voice work
How to start exploring your voice as a young actor
Why confidence is audible
The importance of breath, hydration and physical connection
Basic home recording tips and why your space matters
How to approach voice auditions
Why actors need to read the brief carefully
Taking direction well
AI, human connection and the future of voice work
Why being yourself is your biggest strength

Guest Links & Resources
Website: kateharbour.comInstagram: @kateharbourofficialTikTok: @kateharbourvoiceactorLinkedIn: Kate HarbourBusiness Facebook: KATEHARBOURBIZ

Kate is represented for voice work by Vocal Point:
https://vocalpoint.net/fvo/harbour/

Kate is represented for acting by Arran Jones Associates:
https://www.arranjonesassociates.com/

Additional resources mentioned in this episode:
Rob & Helen Bee: b-double-e.co.uk
Tanya Rich / Richcraft: https://richcraft.biz/Tanya coaches adults aged 18 and over, with several options available including a reel review service.

Listen if you or your child is interested in:
Voice acting
Animation
Acting for audio
Self-tapes and auditions
Building confidence as a performer
Exploring different areas of the acting industry

Follow The Drama Coach:
For more acting tips, self-tape advice and honest conversations about the industry, follow @TheDramaCoach.

Courses, resources and more:
https://linktr.ee/TheDramaCoach

Music:Soft Music 495878 by nastelbom via Pixabay

Supporting artist work can be a brilliant way to gain experience on professional sets, understand how filming works and build confidence around the screen industry - but it is important to approach it with realistic expectations.

In this solo episode, I’m talking about supporting artist agencies: What they are, how they work, what parents should know before signing a young performer up, and why background work is different from acting roles through an agent.

This episode is especially useful if your child or teen is curious about screen work, wants to understand more about being on set, or is hoping to gain experience in film and TV.

In this episode, I cover:

• What supporting artist agencies actually do
• The difference between supporting artist work and acting roles
• Why background work can be valuable experience
• What parents need to check before signing up
• Chaperones, licences and safeguarding
• Why it is not usually a fast track to speaking roles
• How to manage expectations around availability, fees and last-minute bookings
• What young performers can learn from being on set
• Why professionalism matters, even in the background
• How supporting artist work can fit into a wider acting journey

This is not about putting pressure on young performers to “get discovered” in the background. It is about understanding the industry clearly, spotting useful opportunities and making informed choices as a family.

Listen to The Drama Coach Podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/show/2ki4LEKDnWmFTLzG7JXzGd

The Drama Coach:
https://www.thedramacoach.co.uk

Courses, Resources & More:
https://linktr.ee/TheDramaCoach

This season of The Drama Coach Podcast is sponsored by SceneTribe - a new platform for the creative industries, helping performers, creatives and industry professionals build profiles, connect through real work and discover opportunities.

Find out more at:
https://scenetribe.com

If this episode helps you understand supporting artist work a little more clearly, please follow the podcast, leave a review, or share it with a parent or young performer who might find it useful.

You can also follow me @TheDramaCoach for more acting tips, self-tape advice and honest conversations about the industry.

Music: Soft Music 495878 by nastelbom (Pixabay)

In this episode, I’m joined by Laura Graham-May, founder and Artistic Director of Rag and Bone Arts in Chippenham.

Laura has worked with young people for many years through drama, devising, ensemble work and creative projects. She has also taught post-16 performing arts students, giving her a brilliant perspective on what good drama training can offer at different stages.

This conversation is especially useful for teens, young adults and parents who are thinking about next steps in acting, training or the wider performing arts.

We talk about: What performing arts actually means - beyond just musicals Why process matters as much as performance How drama builds confidence, communication and self-awareness Supporting quieter students and those who love the spotlight Hobby vs career - and why both are valid Post-16 training and what changes at that stage Commitment, mindset and knowing yourself Other careers in theatre and the arts beyond performing Mental health, comparison and staying grounded in training

Find Laura and Rag and Bone Arts: Website: https://ragandbonearts.com Instagram: @ragandbonearts Adult provision: @ragandboneartscic Facebook: Rag and Bone Arts / Rag and Bone Arts CIC

Find me: Website: https://www.thedramacoach.co.uk Courses: https://courses.thedramacoach.co.uk Instagram/TikTok/YouTube: @TheDramaCoach Linktree: https://linktr.ee/TheDramaCoach

Music: Soft Music 495878 by nastelbom (Pixabay)

In this short intro episode, I’m introducing Series 2 of The Drama Coach Podcast - and this time, we’re shifting the focus slightly.

Series 1 was mainly for parents of young performers: The ones navigating auditions, agents, self-tapes, confidence, rejection and all the early questions that come with supporting a child in the industry.

Series 2 is for those young performers who are starting to take acting a bit more seriously - particularly teens, young adults and anyone beginning to think about drama school, training, agents, auditions and what a creative career might actually look like.

It’s also still very much for parents, teachers and anyone supporting young actors along the way.

This series will include conversations with actors, agents, coaches, theatre-makers, voice artists and industry professionals - all with the aim of offering honest, useful and grounded insight.

No hype. No false promises. Just real conversations about training, confidence, creativity and the industry.

Thanks so much for being here - I’m really excited for this next chapter.

You can find me here:

Instagram, TikTok and YouTube: @TheDramaCoach
Website: www.thedramacoach.co.uk
Courses and resources: courses.thedramacoach.co.uk
Linktree: linktr.ee/TheDramaCoach

Music credit: Soft Music 495878 by nastelbom from Pixabay