Acting Student

Yvette Gilmore may have stars in her eyes but her feet are firmly planted on the ground.

A final-year acting student at the Queensland University of Technology, Gilmore, 21, of Ashgrove in Brisbane's inner west, is under no illusions that the film, television and theatre industry is an easy one to crack.

"The course is very useful but you have to remember it is one tool in your toolbox. It doesn't guarantee you a job at the end," she says.

A firm grasp of reality has helped Gilmore plan for the future as she follows her dream to work on the stage and screen.

As well as auditioning for roles when she graduates, Gilmore plans to look at working behind the scenes, editing for film and television or maybe doing a traineeship in forestry.

"We've been told to use our downtime effectively and do something artistic to keep your spirits up because it can be depressing not having work for so long," she says.

After performing in the final year showcase to agents across Australia in the hope of getting signed, Gilmore is to have a better idea of how she will progress.

As all professional actors need an agent to get auditions, Gilmore, along with 10 other graduating actors in her course, hopes to get signed as quickly as possible to one of few select agencies in the country.

From then it is likely to be a case of hitting audition after audition in the hope of scoring TV commercials and roles in TV shows and films.

Gilmore says the acting course has helped prepare her for the real world by conducting auditions for every show they have put on this year.

She was one of only 11 people chosen from 600 who auditioned for a coveted place in QUT's acting course.

She grew up in Mount Isa in northwestern Queensland where there were few opportunities for her to indulge her penchant for performing.

"I did drama and art at high school but it wasn't really encouraged. It wasn't a top priority where I grew up," she says. "Most girls wanted to be teachers or nurses."

After her father paid for her to do a short acting course on the Gold Coast run by the country's prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art, Gilmore's fondness for acting grew stronger.

"I love the thrill of being somebody else and making it real and telling a story," she says.

She decided to audition for acting courses around the country, travelling as far as Western Australia. The odds were against her, just as they are now as she prepares to break into the industry.

Spending eight hours a day, five days a week perfecting her craft over the three-year course, Gilmore feels ready.

She has done screen tests, voice and movement classes, studied Alexander Technique, method acting and even yoga. Compulsory academic subjects felt like an interruption but struck a balance between theory and practice.

If she fails to get signed to an agency, Gilmore plans to bypass America and the star-studded Hollywood hills and head to London.

"If I can't make it here first I want to go to the UK. If I go, I'm going to have to find an agent and an acting coach and get singing lessons. I'll need everything I can because it's a lot more competitive over there," she says.

Facts
Course: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Acting
Where: Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove
Duration: Three years, full-time
Process: Admission is based on audition and interview
Info: www.qut.edu.au