Show Notes
In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined by acting agent Ruth Hollyman, founder of Strange Town Agency, to talk about what it actually means to represent actors and build a career on the other side of the industry. Based in Edinburgh, Strange Town Agency represents some of the most exciting acting talent emerging from Scotland, with clients working across film, TV and theatre in the UK and internationally. The agency has strong links with casting directors and companies across the UK and the US, and works with standout talent including Lewis Gribben. Ruth launched the agency in 2011 alongside Strange Town Theatre Company, which she co-founded in 2008 to create opportunities for young people to develop their creative skills. Ruth opens up about: 🎭 What an acting agent actually does day-to-day 🎬 How she built Strange Town Agency from the ground up 🌍 Her early career as a theatre maker, including living and working in Japan 🤝 The reality of the actor-agent relationship 🎯 What she looks for in new talent 📉 The current state of the industry and how it’s changing 🧠 The challenges (and rewards) of working in talent representation A really insightful chat for actors, creatives, and anyone curious about how careers in the industry actually come together. 🎙️ EP.189 of Just Get A Real Job 🎧 Out now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 🔗 Check out Ruth’s work Strange Town Agency https://www.strangetownagency.org.uk/ All links https://linktr.ee/Justgetarealjobpodcast Support the podcast on Patreon 💙 https://www.patreon.com/justgetarealjob Instagram 📸 https://www.instagram.com/justgetarealjob TikTok 🎬 https://www.tiktok.com/@justgetarealjob X (Twitter) 🐦 https://twitter.com/justgetarealjob 🌍 Stay Connected With Just Get A Real Job
More from Just Get A Real Job
In this week’s episode, Jamie is joined once again by writer Philip Ralph for his fourth appearance on the podcast. After years of recording remotely, Jamie & Phil finally get to sit down together in real life following a busy week at the Edinburgh TV Festival to ask: where does the TV industry go from here? They reflect on the conversations happening at the festival, the reality facing freelancers, why class continues to shape who gets to stay in the industry and whether the current way of making television is sustainable. We got into everything from: 💼 The reality facing freelancers and why so many are struggling to stay in the industry 🚪 Class, opportunity and what needs to change 🎬 Why we need to get better at making lower budget television 📺 Why public service broadcasting still matters 🗣️ Why we need more honesty about what is really happening in the industry 🎭 Phil’s experience making Under Suspicion: Kate McCann for Channel 5 💡 What needs to change to create a more sustainable industry 🧠 Finding ways to keep going when work is increasingly uncertain A big thank you to Coffee Cabinet in Edinburgh for letting us record the episode in their café. If you want a nice coffee be sure to pop in:https://thecoffeecabinetedinburgh.com/
It’s been a while since I’ve done a solo episode, so this week I wanted to check in and have an honest chat about where I’m at and what’s been happening behind the scenes at Just Get A Real Job. I reflect on reaching 200 episodes, navigating freelance life after redundancy, why it’s such a difficult time for people working across the creative industries and a few reasons to still feel optimistic. I also chat about launching Screen Check, what that means for Just Get A Real Job and my plans for the podcast over the next few months. A slightly rambly but honest check-in.
In the final episode of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe series I’m joined by Justin Butcher live from Assembly Gardens.
Today on Just Get A Real Job, I’m joined by playwright Emery Schaffer, recorded live from Assembly Gardens at the Edinburgh Fringe.
This week I’m joined by the hilarious Susie McCabe for a brilliant conversation about comedy, class and being back at the Edinburgh Fringe with her latest show Coming of Rage. Live from the Assembly Gardens, Susie spoke to me about how a dare led her from working in construction to stand-up, why it took eight and a half years to go full-time and the reality of building a sustainable career in comedy. We also get into class and access in the creative industries, the state of Scotland’s creative scene, why we need to take more risks on underrepresented talent, imposter syndrome and Susie’s advice for anyone trying to build a creative career. 🤝 A big thank you to our sponsors, Assembly Festival, for supporting this episode. We recorded this conversation live from the Assembly Gardens during this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Find out more about Assembly Festival and everything happening across the Fringe at: https://assemblyfestival.com/ 🎟️ See Susie McCabe: Coming of Rage at the Edinburgh Fringe: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/susie-mccabe-coming-of-rage 🌐 Find out more about Susie: https://susiemccabe.com/ Podcast Links 💙 Support Just Get A Real Job on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/justgetarealjob 🌍 Stay connected with Just Get A Real Job 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justgetarealjob 🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@justgetarealjob 🐦 X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/justgetarealjob 🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/Justgetarealjobpodcast