Manchester is often the cheaper option for Midlands actors even though London is closer on the map — the session costs roughly half.
Midlands actors reach the Actors Reels studio in Manchester in 50 minutes from Stoke-on-Trent, an hour and a half from Birmingham and around two hours from Nottingham, Leicester or Coventry. Sessions are £195 and £295 — roughly half a comparable London rate.
The Midlands is the one region where the argument is almost entirely financial. London is closer on the map from most of it. It is not closer on the invoice — a comparable director-led session there typically starts around £450 and runs past £700.
Ours are £195 and £295, and the fare difference between going north and going south does not come close to closing that gap. For a Birmingham or Coventry actor paying for their own reel, that is usually the whole decision.
The region also trains superbly — the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, the Television Workshop in Nottingham, De Montfort in Leicester — and has surprisingly few studios doing nothing but filming actors. Good training, thin supply, and a cheaper option 90 minutes north.
Around 1 hour 30 minutes to the studio. Direct from New Street, frequent all day.
Around 2 hours to the studio. Direct on the cross-country route, or via Sheffield.
Around 2 hours to the studio. Via Birmingham or Sheffield, usually one change.
Around 1 hour 35 minutes to the studio. Direct on the cross-country route.
Around 2 hours to the studio. Via Birmingham New Street, one change.
Around 50 minutes to the studio. Direct on the West Coast Main Line — the quickest Midlands run to us.
Around 1 hour 45 minutes to the studio. Direct on the West Coast Main Line.
Session prices and everything that is included are on sessions & pricing, and monologue showreels covers what actually happens in the room. You can watch the standard on the reels gallery before committing to a train ticket.
Price, mainly. The session costs roughly half and the extra travel is marginal. You also arrive rested rather than after an early start into a city you then have to cross with a bag.
Stoke-on-Trent, at around 50 minutes on the West Coast Main Line — it has a Midlands postcode and a North West journey time. Derby is next at about an hour and 35.
Book a session or just ask us a question — we're always happy to talk through your reel.
