Casting director Daniel Edwards, who is taking a master class as part of The Seagull Theatre's Vision Film Festival

Budding actors will have the rare opportunity to work with a professional casting director during a free master class being held at The Seagull Theatre in Pakefield.

Daniel Edwards will be offering insider tips on the industry during a session on March 3 from 3pm to 5pm.

The event, which is open to actors over the age of 18, has been organised as part of the Seagull’s Vision Film Festival.

Mr Edwards was a professional actor for 27 years and began working as a casting director in 2005. He has been a casting associate for episodes of BBC1’s Ripper Street and ITV’s Mr Selfridge, as well as working on films The Forgotten and Passengers, which was written by The Seagull’s director John Hales.

He is currently casting associate on the third series of BBC1’s Sherlock.

Mr Edwards said: “I will be teaching people the practicalities of the casting process and helping them to understand what casting directors actually do.

“There will be hints and tips on how actors should behave in the casting room. You would be surprised how many actors are appalling during the audition process because they get so nervous they forget to act

“I will also give a list of dos and don’t in the casting room for film and television. There is a big difference in how you should act for screen and theatre. A lot of young actors deliver a performance so big it is like pantomime. The camera will pick everything up so their performance needs to be brought down.”

Mr Edwards said there had never been a more exciting time to be part of the film and television industry, with British drama continuing to grow in popularity and a host of big shows being made in America.

He said people could be involved in the industry wherever they lived.

“It can sometimes feel like everything happens in London but I think it is important that people in small towns like Lowestoft don’t feel like they are on Mars,” he said. “It is much easier if you live where it is all happening but you don’t necessarily have to live in London to be involved in the industry.”

Schools in Lowestoft, Beccles and Gorleston taking part in this year’s Vision Film Festival have also been invited to take part in a series of private master classes at The Seagull on March 3.

They include sessions with author and script writer Carole Budgen, cinematographer Ernesto Hermann, Daniel Edwards, actors Danny Szam and Jack Derges and writer John Hales.

To sign up for the Daniel Edwards master class, contact the Seagull on 01502 589726 or email info@theseagull.co.uk putting ‘Daniel Edwards workshop’ in the subject line.

The film festival is being supported this year by Essex and Suffolk Water, Suffolk County Council, The Journal and MR King.