A career in acting sounds glamorous but the reality is that it takes a lot of hard work to make it to the top. One Aberdonian who is not turned off by putting in the hours is Rachel Walker, 24, from the Bridge of Don.
She is fresh off the set of her latest film, the award-winning Beyond the Haar, which pays tribute to Aberdeen city.
Not content with that challenge, Rachel was also studying for a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English Literature at The Open University (OU) in Scotland in between filming scenes and learning her lines.
So, if anyone knows what it takes to juggle career success and academic achievement in equal measure, it’s Rachel.
She said: “Like with any job, when you’re in acting, you need to find ways to keep it fresh and ways to develop your art.
“I originally did an HND in acting and performing at Edinburgh’s Telford College (now Edinburgh College). This provided me with a really good grounding of what to expect from acting as a career.
“Since then, I have been working the audition circuit to get to grips with my acting niche in what is a very crowded market place.”
Rachel’s acting has taken her to Romania and New York, where she participated in workshops at the prestigious American Musical and Dramatic Academy.
Rachel, said: “When I was in New York I got to meet Stephen Sondheim, the well know American composer. Meeting people like him inspire you to think about the wider world of acting and what other opportunities are out there.
“Around three years ago, I knew that I wanted to study again but I knew I couldn’t afford to go back to studying full-time. I also didn’t want to give up what I loved most – acting and auditioning.
“I came across The Open University and realised that the OU would allow me to study via distance learning at my own pace so that it wouldn’t interfere with my day job.”
Rachel graduated from her course from The Open University in Scotland earlier this month, at a degree ceremony in Edinburgh.
Rachel continued: “The online study tools available at the OU gave me complete flexibility to study whenever or wherever I wanted.
“This meant I could do my tutorials over the phone with my lecturer, or tap in to chat rooms to discuss course work with other students studying my course.
“Studying while working was tough at times but the experience has helped me hugely in being able to juggle and manage my time effectively.”
Rachel’s latest film project, Beyond the Haar, has just picked up a prestigious Van Gogh Award at the Amsterdam Film Festival.
It will also feature as part of the Deep Fried Film Festival in North Lanarkshire later this summer, while discussions are also underway for it to appear in European festivals too.
“Despite the fact that I’ve now completed my degree, I’m still continuing to act and I’m also excited to see how things develop with Beyond the Harr as it is picked up by other festivals.
“I’m also exploring doing another OU degree in journalism or teaching. It’s always important to keep your options open and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Dr James Miller, director of The Open University in Scotland adds: “Since 1974, tens of thousands of people have taken advantage of the flexibility offered by The Open University in Scotland. It’s great to hear how this is working in real life for Rachel.”