October 2025

The Actor’s Life
By George Bukhari

Being an actor is sometimes the best job in the world and sometimes the hardest. There are moments when we don’t get the chance to play, to be free, or to sustain ourselves without taking on other jobs. But even through those challenges, there’s something thrilling about living in the unknown. At any moment, a self-tape could land that changes everything. That sense of possibility, that spark of hope is something to hold onto as a working actor. I’ve also learned how important it is to find happiness in other places, to make sure life doesn’t pass you by whilst waiting for the next opportunity. This summer, I allowed myself to really live to find and feel love and in doing so, I was reminded of something the great Tim Sheader told me when I was 22:

“It’s a great privilege to put on a costume and tell stories. Not everybody has that ability.”

That truth stays with me.

Workshop Updates

Manchester

Sheraz Ahmed joined George in Manchester for both days in October and actors worked on a feature film script in development that Sheraz will be casting. For those who attended in September with Isher Sahota it was a chance to develop the work, alongside actors who were workshopping it for the first time. Self-tapes from other screen scripts were recorded ahead of Sunday and Sheraz gave his usual brilliantly honest, constructive feedback. We are all about giving our actors practical, ready-to-use advice and Sheraz encompasses this approach. 

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November in Manchester will be our last in-person workshop of 2025, before returning in January 2026 with another special guest (see below!).
Award-winning screen director Lloyd Eyre-Morgan has chosen a script for you to work from and will join George to guide you through screen acting technique, script analysis, listening/responding and improvisation around the text.
Drinks on us in the pub to celebrate (after the workshop of course!).

*MANCHESTER 8th/9th November 2025 - FOUR SPACES LEFT*

Book Manchester November Workshop

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Would you like to work with the producer of Ridley, After the Flood, Stay Close, Traces, Brassic, Happy Valley and Wolfblood? Then get booked on to our first workshop of 2026, where we will be joined by the indomitable Juliet Charlesworth.

*MANCHESTER 10th/11th January 2026*

Book Manchester January Workshop

London

I was absolutely buzzing to be back at Mountview to lead our October workshop alongside my brilliant camera assistant Bianca Jechianu. We explored the fundamentals of screen acting technique - the differences between stage and screen, how to adapt your performance to the size of shot, and the various technical requirements of being on set. We engaged in some practical movement exercises from the Suzuki Method to induce stillness (although it induced lots of shaky legs!), shot emotional speeches in big close up, non-verbal reactions, playing status, and the actors shared scenes on camera from The Devil Wears Prada and Heat. It was great to see some lovely new faces alongside our fantastic regulars. Thank you!

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Lloyd Eyre-Morgan will be joining me in London the weekend after Manchester to lead on Acting for the Screen. Same format, same content, same free drinks(!), different city. 2 places left.

*LONDON 15th/16th November 2025 - TWO SPACES LEFT*

Book London November Workshop

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You asked, we delivered. Just call us the post office! Sorry, terrible dad joke. Sheraz Ahmed will be BACK in London to lead our first workshop of 2026. You all know his credits by now.

*LONDON 17th/18th January 2026*

Book London January Workshop

Online

The CMA 360: From All Angles will be happening every Thursday evening in November on Zoom. One masterclass per week. Find out who the guests are and book below.

The CMA 360 Masterclasses

My Ideas

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Don’t look back on your life and regret the fact that you spent your whole time looking down. Put the fucking phone away!*

*I realize the irony of this if you are reading on your phone. Please keep reading.

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ChatGPT should be used like a PA. Don’t get it to do anything creative for you.

1) It is shit.

2) It will destroy your brain.

Watch my ChatGPT casting research hack here.

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Getting close to a role always hurts more than being nowhere near it. But…you’ve climbed further up the mountain. Painful progress.

Read my Journal piece on rejection here.

Insights

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Morgan Freeman on stillness:

“It’s what I learn from the great actors that I work with. Stillness. That’s all, and that’s the hardest thing.”

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Ralph Waldo Emerson on life:

“Only when we meet our brief life with wonder, does it become meaningful.”

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James Clear on the habits that have a high rate of return in life:

“- Sleeping 8+ hours each day
- Lifting weights 3x week
- Going for a walk each day
- Saving at least 10% of your income
- Reading every day
- Drinking more water and less of everything else
- Leaving your phone in another room while you work”

Stolen from the Modern Wisdom 3MM newsletter.

CMA Actor Spotlight

Manchester regular Eve Phillips is currently working with the director of Frantic Assembly with Thick Skin Theatre. It is on at The Engine Room in Wigan on 20th, 21st, and 22nd November. It was an open call out and they have selected just 10 actors from the North. Eve was one of them! Well done Eve. The link is below for more information and tickets.

https://www.thickskintheatre.co.uk/generator/

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London regular Grace Blackman is appearing in the season 2 Christmas special of the BBC Comedy Series Manmoth. Nice work Grace!

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Please keep us updated with what you are up to - we would love to shout about your work in the newsletter.

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Thanks for reading,

— Majid