Getting Into Character with Anna Eadie (BA Screen Acting)

At MetFilm School, we love to see our students and graduates collaborating on projects outside of their curriculum, building both their portfolio, and their future professional network. And this is what Anna Eadie (BA Screen Acting) has been focused on since graduating in 2022.

Most recently, Anna has collaborated with MA Directing student Luigi Cogliani on his ‘Film A Month’ Challenge, starring as Nancy in his award-winning short film, Beyond the Final Line.

In today’s blog, we spoke to Anna about her passion for her craft, Beyond the Final Line, and of course, her top tips for networking as an actor…

When did you know you wanted to be an actor?

Since a very young age, I knew that acting was what I wanted to do with my life. But it was only in secondary school that I realised I could make a job out of acting.

I started in musical theatre, until I was about 18 – but as much as I love to dance and act, I cannot hold a note!

That was when I decided to put all my focus into acting, and I can say that it was the best decision I could have made. Without doing that, I never would have realised how much I love to escape into a character. It’s a feeling unlike any other.

And having completed your degree, how would you ‘define’ yourself as an actor?

I’ve definitely noticed a slight pattern in the roles I get cast in – which I guess is a good thing, because I know there are roles I can play that ‘suit’ me. But the roles I really love are the ones that take a bit of extra work.

For example, in August I’ll be playing a psychopath, and so what is needed from me is unlike anything I’ve done before. Playing a character like this is so exciting – my prep and my characterisation are so different, it’s a totally new challenge.

Earlier this year, you starred in Luigi Cogliani’s Beyond the Final Line. Can you tell us a little about your role?

Luigi is a fantastic director, and I’m so thankful that throughout the film, he always supported my process of getting into character.

My character, Nancy, has OCD, and I think it can be easy to fall into the ‘stereotypical idea’ of what OCD is. For me, I focused on learning more about OCD, and figuring out how it impacted Nancy personally. It was about finding the ‘why’ behind certain behaviours, and to understand how they contributed to who Nancy is during this ‘snippet’ of her life.

The film was part of Luigi’s Film A Month Challenge. What did it teach you about your craft?

In all honesty, it’s a lot of work!! Seeing the way that Luigi works, and his commitment to making the shoot as good as he can – while also having everything run smoothly – takes real dedication.

For me personally, it made me want to be the kind of character that always knows exactly what is going on, what’s expected of me, and to build a good relationship with everyone around me.

Being around people as dedicated as Luigi (and the other directors I’ve met along the way!) is what makes me want to work that extra bit harder.

Playing a ‘recently deceased girl’, how did you get into character as Nancy?

With every character I play, my approach changes, but what has always stuck with me is daydreaming and music – for me, those are the easiest ways to get into the mindset of a character. I mainly do this at the start of the process, to help shape out the character after reading the script.

For Nancy, Luigi and I worked on a lot of ‘As If’ prompts, to help me get an idea of the feeling each scene needed. Of course, I’ve never experienced ‘dying’, so this method helped me to channel the shock, anger, and pain that Nancy would be feeling.

Since graduating, you’ve continued to collaborate with other students and graduates. Do you have any tips for finding your film network?

In all honesty, it took my six or seven months after graduating to start collaborating again with students and other graduates. A lot of it was my mindset going into the new year – I guess you can call it my new years resolution, that I was going to change how I approach my career.

Don’t be afraid to talk to people would be my main advice. Most of the work and contacts I’ve gotten this year have been from random conversations! I find it really scary to put myself out there, but people need to know who you are and what you can do.

And finally, what advice would you give to students considering a career – or a degree – in acting?

Have fun! When I first started acting, I was so nervous and worried about making a fool of myself, I got so caught up in my own head. But once you just allow yourself to be in the moment, it’s such a great feeling.

Allow yourself to experiment, to see what suits and works for you – remember, there is no ‘right way’ to become an actor!

• Anna Eadie studied BA Screen Acting at MetFilm School London. This degree is also available at our Berlin campus.
• Find out more about our full range of BA Degrees at our London BA Open Day, September 7 2024.