Wires

As promised, the piece on depression that I wrote for my personal blog:

Over the past few months it’s become apparent to me that very few people actually know what depression is. I mean, everyone knows the word but these days it’s gleefully chucked around like attention-seeking confetti – how else could you possibly feel when you run out of milk at 5pm on a Sunday or your favourite TV show gets cancelled? Under pressure at work? Cat scratched your sofa up? Got the flu? You must be depressed.

By contrast, when you’ve actually analysed your own mind and realised that yes, yes you really are quite depressed indeed, everyone seems to be incredibly keen to tell you that no, you’re not depressed – you’re just a bit sad. Some bad things have happened to you recently and of course that’d make you unhappy but all you’ve got to do is think positively and everything will be ok. Bizarrely, they’re partly right. But they’re mainly wrong.

So let me tell you what depression isn’t: It’s not being ‘a bit sad’. It’s not moaning about how crap life is and how so-and-so is a bitch and you’re SO unappreciated and listening to angsty music and wearing black clothes. It doesn’t raise its ugly head because of one specific dreadful thing that’s happened and fixing that thing won’t magic the depression away. Reminding a depressive of all the lovely and wonderful things in their life won’t make them suddenly leap up and go “You’re right! I AM lucky! What was I thinking?!” and start skipping through the tulips, singing a jaunty musical number. Depression has very little to do with reality, or rather… it has EVERYTHING to do with reality, just not the reality that other people see.

Depression’s like turning the TV to mute - you see the same things as everyone else but they don’t get in, either to your head or your heart. Nothing seems to mean anything any more. It’s not even really sadness or anger, it’s just… nothingness. Everything loses meaning and hope, conversations seem pointless and scripted, music that previously brought you joy is now just a collection of noises sent to taunt you with the existence of happiness. And nobody else GETS it. Everyone else still hears the music. You're alone. It’s like undergoing an emotional anaesthetic, or having your head wrapped in a thick duvet.

Depression is entirely to do with perspective. Yes, there are families living in shanty towns built on rubbish dumps who are pretty happy most of the time but, on the flipside, there are also millionaires with all the everything a person could ever want who are utterly, utterly depressed. Stephen Fry is the perfect example here – everyone loves him, he’s talented, wealthy, has an exciting life and could pretty much do whatever he wants at any time. Unfortunately, ‘what he wants’ is occasionally ‘to kill himself’.

I can only talk from personal experience here, but for me depression happened because I ignored the warning signs in my own psychology for far too long. Probably decades too long. I won’t go into the gory details right now, but looking back over my life I can clearly see indicators that I was going down the wrong road, not so much in the things I was doing, but the way I was thinking about them (the ‘doing things’ was more of a symptom than a cause). I can see every stupid coping mechanism that I allowed my brain to develop and every bad decision I made as a result that gave strength to them, causing the underlying problems to gain more and more power until I became unable to think in any other way. Re-wire your brain badly enough times and you’ll end up with a mess of cables and a device that just about functions but isn’t exactly efficient and certainly isn’t reliable.

Coming OUT of depression, by contrast, was like waking up from the anaesthetic. Actually, the closest thing I can liken it to is being a little kid lying in bed at night, the moonlight casting shadows across the darkened bedroom, and suddenly… there’s a monster in the room. You can SEE it. The shape of the body, the head, there are definitely eyes… is it MOVING? Yup, there’s definitely something in here. Then you flick on the light and realise that it was just a coat and a stack of CDs or something. That’s what coming out of depression feels like – everything’s exactly the same, you’re just seeing it differently.

It was quite a shock, but not a scary one. Suddenly I was flooded with positive emotions and all the niggly things that had been eating away at me for so long just didn’t have any power any more. They were still there, they just weren’t so important. I think it kind of bothers me that this all happened so quickly. Am I doing it wrong? Does this mean I’m heading for a relapse? Does this happen to other people? I’ve no idea. All I do know is that it’s a huge relief to feel anything at all, and that even if I do end up turning the light back out again, and being back in the room with that monster, at least I’ve had this comfort break in which to gain a little hope and perspective.

I think I know deep down that *I* did this. I made the decision to get better, figured out what the underlying problems were and I did what I needed to do to fix them (despite how pointless and crap it often felt). I re-wired my brain. Does that make me feel empowered? A bit, but it also makes me feel annoyed and a bit guilty that I let the wiring get into that state in the first place. I’m supposed to be clever. I should have known better. But fuck it, it’s done. Onwards and upwards. So long as I’m aware of the specific ways in which my wiring tends to tangle then I should be able to minimise the chances of it getting into too much of a state again in the future.

Oh, and I got that gig I auditioned for. And a few others, actually. Things are looking up, though I’m trying not to focus on that. The wiring’s what’s important.

Dropping the Mask

I’ve been debating whether or not to write this for quite some time now. In my line of work any sign of weakness is seen as a risk, so most actors steer clear of speaking their minds online for fear of losing work. Now, I’ve clearly never been one to shy away from voicing controversial opinions or engaging in public debate, but I also very rarely speak online about what’s really going on in my life – the things that are genuinely troubling me. I suppose it’s only sensible, really. That’s what friends are for, right? Airing your dirty laundry on Facebook or Twitter always seems like it should be accompanied by a flashing neon sign that screams “PAY ATTENTION TO ME!” to every poor sod on your friends list.

Turn that sign off, you dramamonger – it’s hurting our eyes. Oh look, a video of a kitten having a bath! Awwwww…

However, a few things have happened recently that have made me feel like I need to speak up, not for attention or to rock the boat but because there’s an underlying issue here that’s causing people genuine pain. It’s an issue that can only be eliminated by being addressed, and if I don’t speak out then I’m effectively contributing to the problem.

Today is World Mental Health Day. There’s a huge Godzilla-sized stigma attached to the issue of mental health and there’s also a huge amount of misunderstanding on the subject, as beautifully and facepalmingly illustrated by ASDA’s recent ‘Mental Patient’ Halloween costume. Despite having a degree in experimental psychology, I don’t feel qualified to speak on the issue as a whole, but I can speak about my own personal experiences. Too few people do this, I reckon, and it leaves sufferers feeling all isolated and guilty, as if they somehow willingly caused their illness. Enough of this nonsense.

Most of you will at least be vaguely aware that I haven’t been having the best time of things over the past couple of years, but only those closest to me will know what’s really been going on. So… here it is… *deep breath*

Last Easter my mum was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and from that point on everything just seemed to fall apart, not because of the diagnosis itself but because the resulting stresses brought to light problems that had been bubbling under the surface of my brainbox for years, possibly even decades. My work suffered, my personal life suffered and, as I struggled to cope, I slowly became a person that I didn’t recognise – I was shy, wrought with insecurities and eventually stopped feeling any emotions at all (aside from those constant dickhead companions Fear, Sadness and Anger). All of this, of course, was hidden under the mask of someone who appeared to the outside world to be confident and sorted and, apparently, rather threatening in her levels of self esteem. All lies. Filthy, filthy lies.

When you’re going through badness then the temptation to put on that ‘la-la-la, everything’s fine!’ mask is strong, and it can be a powerful, positive accessory at times. However, when it leads to you standing in the London Underground, seeing an approaching tube train as an entirely rational way of getting the hell out of this reality, perhaps it’s time to drop the mask and seek help. So I did.

I was diagnosed with Clinical Depression and offered pills. I refused them, saying I’d take them as a last resort but I’d much rather fix the underlying problem. Believe me, I had to REALLY push to not just be medicated and sent on my not-so-merry way but eventually I was referred to a therapist, at which point I then had to REALLY push for individual therapy, rather than just being lumped into a group for a short course. I know enough about my own psychology to realise that if I’m put in a room full of people I will instantly slip that actor’s mask back on.

Then began a mind-melting three months of waiting for a therapist to become available. This was the worst part. By the time I got to my first session I was a total mess and ‘Clinical Depression’ was quickly upped to ‘Severe Clinical Depression’. Then the work began. I won’t lie, it was a slog. It still is. I had to actually talk about my feelings and yes, occasionally I cried, and I had tonnes of homework to do… but I’m happy to say (yes, HAPPY! What is this strange new world?!) that the results began to show themselves more quickly than I could possibly have imagined. I’m finally me again and I can’t tell you how incredible that feels. I’m not depressed any more, far from it, but there’s still a long road ahead and it’s one I’m actually rather excited about exploring.

I won’t bore you any further about my stuff here, but I’ll post a link to a piece I wrote about depression for my personal blog, just in case it might help anyone who’s going through something similar. That blog’s a recent thing that I started penning as a way to purge my thoughts during therapy, so please forgive me if it’s a little long-winded and morbid!

Aaaaanyway, there it is. I’ve said it. Feels… good? Ish. Satisfying, at least. One less mask to wear.

In conclusion, try not to judge other people based on your own psychology, be compassionate, don't make assumptions until you've really talked to the person in question, and no matter how dire the situation is, it can be overcome. I know how scary it can be to admit that you need help with this sort of thing but please trust me when I say that it’s not half as scary as it seems. And none of this ‘well, I’m not as bad as so-and-so so I don’t really need to see a doctor’ bollocks. Mental health is all about perspective. If you’re going through a tough time then talk to someone – to a friend, a doctor… fight for your right to really live, not just exist. And for your own sake, don’t blame yourself, or feel guilty for feeling the way you feel. This is just a shit thing that happened – like getting the flu or breaking your leg – and it IS entirely rectifiable.

If you’re going through hell, keep going. But take weaponry. LOTS of weaponry.

I am... procrastinating about the housework again

In response to all these 'I AM AN ARTIST' posts that have been flying about Facebook recently, here's my take on the situation.

While I don't think anyone's ever very keen on the idea of working for free, I think just occasionally it's worth taking the hit, especially when it means that, in doing so, you support talented writers, producers, filmmakers and other actors who want the chance to prove themselves to the people with the dosh, and who will value your contribution to the project.

Also, making this meant that I learned how to write things in a pretty manner using Photoshop (instead of on scraps of paper which invariably get lost). Joys!

MUST TRY HARDER

I was never a massive fan of school. I don't think many kids are, really - that'd probably explain why they feel the desperate need to spend every lunchbreak screaming at the top of their tiny lungs as if a leopard's snuck through the gates and has just begun chowing down on class 5P. All that noise HAS to be a cry for help.

Alright, so the leopard population of most British educational facilities is likely to be pretty low*, but what most schools DO provide is boredom. Boredom in vast, unending quantities. I've yet to meet a single child who actually WANTED to attend a maths class and, given that kids seem to be on permanent fast-forward (meaning that time moves far slower for them than for us proper, fully-grown humans with full control of most of our limbs), those classes pass very, very slowly indeed.

*According to OFFSTED reports, anyway, but the teachers probably just lure any maneating fauna into an art cupboard until the inspectors have gone.

However, as we grow older, our brains decide that decluttering is the route to ultimate happiness and, with no warning at all, start merrily chucking out old memories like Anthea Turner on speed, making room for more sensible, grown-uppy type information like 'how to work the central heating' or 'de-icing a car windscreen using a credit card'. This leaves us with a somewhat rose-tinted view of our years in education based on the few most notably humorous/terrifying moments that have survived the deletion process. Remember that time Sam did that thing with the Pandapops? Remember Mrs. Graham and those awful jumpers? Ahhhh, good times.

But think back. All those countless hours of pencil-chewing... of staring at the (now apparently un-PC) blackboard and longing with every fibre of your hormone-drenched adolescent being for the day to be over... and not just for weeks or months, but for YEARS. You probably spent more time being bored at school than you'll spend on the toilet during your entire life! Given the astonishing number of 1s and 2s (and even cheeky 3s if the mood takes you, fellas) that you're likely to do during your years on this spinning ball of rock, doesn't that sound like the kind of cruel and unusual torture that even the US special forces would see as a bit dodgy?

It certainly did to me. Unlike most, I've never subscribed to the old 'happiest days of your life' adage - little Emily Morris was always painfully aware of every second of youth slipping through her ink-stained fingers and of the fact that she'd much rather be doing something, ANYTHING other than this godawful 'learning' thing all the grownups kept banging on about. It wasn't my teachers' fault, it's just that kids simply aren't programmed to enjoy sitting still, being quiet and listening. Learning was something that was being forced upon me - I wanted to play.

Now, I don't want you thinking I was one of those cool rebellious kids with artfully tousled hair who knew all the good bands. Far from it. Yes, I had a creative brain that tended to wander off if left unsupervised but I was also alarmingly lacking in anything remotely resembling social skills. I had braces. My mum cut my fringe. I liked Enya, for god's sake! Cool I was not. However, I was also lucky enough to go to an extremely good school and was therefore surrounded by peers with craniums so intimidatingly blessed that bad grades were one of the quickest routes to social disapproval. Add to that the fact that my dad was a teacher there (who I had to call 'Sir'. Oh, the humanity!) and it was obvious that failure was not an option. So what to do?

Well, I quickly decided that effective time-management was the solution. Rather than slave away for the entire year on every bit of work they chucked at us I'd coast along until I hit something that would actually affect my exam grades, then focus all my energy on that, leaving me free to spend the majority of my time reading fantasy fiction novels, wasting the art department's supplies on 'experiments' and futilely pursuing that 'cool' thing like Prof. Elemental on the hunt for the golden frog. I never quite found that elusive coolness but I did get through a lot of David Eddings and Terry Pratchett novels, discovered Star Wars and, against all the odds, my so-called work ethic actually... well, worked! As it turns out I do rather well under that kind of last-minute, 'pull an all-nighter' pressure and became that annoying child who seemingly put in zero effort, yet somehow strolled out with top grades. My teachers despaired. My parents wept. The Hermione Granger types fecking HATED me.

Yup, I was the 'could try harder' kid. Those early school reports were rather telling, really - THEY knew I could do better, I knew I could do better, I just didn't see the point**. This attitude continued through my university years.
Year 1: Work? Sod that, I'm playing Doom.
Year 2: Coast (while simultaneously working as a headmistress dancer for a school disco).
Year 3: Panic.
I vividly recall being in my final uni exam, setting my pen down and thinking "I never, ever have to do that again." The sense of relief was immense. My smile couldn't have been wider. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I'd willingly go back to school.

And yet... it happened.

At the start of 2011 I was at a theatre audition with a friend of mine - a chap who speaks his mind with the kind of brutal bluntness that would cause most actors to dissolve in the salty torrent of their own luvvietears. You know, one of those ones whose opinions I can actually trust? "You do this weird thing with your arm", was the first thing he said to me afterwards. You whatnow? I was totally oblivious to doing any such thing but it turns out he was right - three months in a sling following shoulder surgery had left me with a nasty habit of clutching my right arm like some kind of idiotic security blanket whenever I felt even remotely uncomfortable. This was a real bombshell. How on earth had I not noticed this before and, more to the point, if it took a passing comment from a friend at some random audition to point out something so glaringly obvious, what other dreadful habits had I accumulated that nobody had alerted me to yet?!

I resolved at that moment to go back to school, not in the traditional 9-5 manner but in a way that would be fun AND benefit my career. I wouldn't wait for criticism to come to me, I'd actively seek it out and then work my arse off to fix anything that needed fixing. I toyed briefly with the idea of packing work in for a couple of years and actually going to drama school full-time (24 months without having to do any invoicing? Score!), but was quickly reassured by folks in the industry that I was already working more than most graduates anyway and that my time would be much better spent identifying any areas that needed tweaking and focusing on those. I'll admit, I was slightly disappointed that this advice meant I couldn't just shake my life like an Etch-a-Sketch and start from scratch, but it did remind me to appreciate what I've already got, and just how far I've managed to get on my own.

** I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise to all my former teachers - you all deserve medals. Feel free to blame any hair loss/mental instability on me.

So... I'm going back to school, in fact I've already started, and I'll be using this blog to explore some of the weird and wonderful things I learn along the way. I can't promise that I wont pull the occasional all-nighter (I am still a gamer, after all, and if there's one thing a gamer knows it's greeting the sunrise from the wrong end of the day) but I will most definitely TRY HARDER. I shall also be buying lots of new stationary, because organising things makes me happy and allows me to procrastinate while still convincing myself that I'm doing work (even in the old days my revision folders were works of art that took far longer than the actual revision).

Like the geeky, bespectacled new kid I once was I'm pretty scared by this new chapter in my life, but this time around I don't have that sinking Monday morning feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why? Because this time what I'm learning IS playing. That alone is enough to make me remember why I love my job so much.

Wish me luck!

Milly x

Actress in 'actually writing a blog' shocker

Blimey. Yes. Hello! Why yes, it has been a while, hasn't it? Sorry! Sorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorrysorry!

Right *wipes remnants of humble pie from chin* I suppose I should fill you all in on what I've been up to, shouldn't I?

UPCOMING MOVIES
Well, I've had quite a bit of exciting news. Some of it, sadly, I can't yet talk about yet but what I can say is that I'm now cast in five (yes, FIVE!) features due to be filmed in the next twelve months, at least two of which will be shooting at the fabulous Pinewood Studios and one of which is a lead role! And a bunch of shorts too! Woo and indeed hoo.

First up will be 'Sure Fire Hit', starring Chris Noth (Sex and the City's Mr. Big), Jennifer Ellison, Rebecca Lock and the lovely and insanely talented Jay Sutherland, who played Arthur to my Lady of the Lake/Bath in Screen West Midlands short 'Arthur's Lore'. This is going to be a really cracking movie and just to give you a little taste for it, here's a bit of blurb:

Sure Fire Hit: A Love to Kill follows Kam, a hitwoman who's nearing her well-earned, if somewhat early, retirement. Before she leaves, however, she's asked to train up her replacement, Jane - a girl who seems to have a mysterious agenda of her own. To make matters worse Kam's Matrix-mad ex Warner and his comical friend Chris (who'd rather hit on a girl and the bottle than a target) are hot on her heels. But who will come out on top?

Sounds good, eh? I'll be off to the cast readthrough at Pinewood later this month and filming's due to begin in the autumn so... I'll keep you all posted! Exciting doesn't even begin to describe it.

Other movie roles may or may not include a guitar-wielding, chain-smoking rock chick, the ethereal mother of someone rather super indeed, a shy and retiring geek and one of the sole survivors of the zombie apocalypse. Just call me Mrs. Versatility *cheesy grin, wink, finger gun*

Or, you know, don't.

Please don't.

FINISHED FILMS
Ooh, it's always exciting when something you've worked on is finally ready to be screened and I'm very happy to announce that two films I appear in have finally been born this month. Firstly, 'Self Help', in which I play put-upon seminar announcer Natasha, screened to a packed theatre early this month and has had a huge amount of positive feedback since (more details on that coming soon), and secondly... dun-duh-duh-DUHHH! 'SatNav Lifestyle' is now finally finished! It'll be premiering on Entanglement Productions' new video blog show thingummy sometime next week, then heading out to festivals. Squeee! Wish our baby luck!

MUSIC VIDEOS
Having never done a music video before I've suddenly found myself involved with two, both on camera and on the production team!

The first was a dark and moody (not to mention slightly soggy) video for The Unknownn and their gorgeous new track 'The Inside'. I was really honoured when Huw and Chris of Entanglement Productions (who I first worked with back in 2008 on feature film 'Triple Hit') asked me to be Producer on this one, and between us we came up with a beautiful idea that would suit the track down to the ground. The only problem? This idea would involve totally soaking all three members of the band. Eek! Luckily the whole band were totally up for it and dealt with me regularly attacking them with watering can and sponge like true professionals. Troopers, the lot of 'em. The finished video will be available to view later this year - I'll let you know as soon as it's up online.

The second video was once again with the Entanglement boys, this time for pandapunk band The Benwahs for their track 'Come to Mine'. Once again they wanted me to be Producer (I really should try not to be so bloody efficient at things...) and also asked (or, rather, demanded!) that I appear in the video too. How very flattering! Well, until I realised my role would be as a hideous, enormously pregnant, smoking, boozing chav who attacks a man in a giant panda costume. Classy, eh? Luckily the shoot itself was brilliant fun and the finished video got lots of laughs and a massive round of applause when it premiered in Birmingham on Tuesday. Linky link coming soooon.

INTERVIEWS
I've also been interviewed twice in the past month. The first was your classic 'so, tell me about yourself' kind of thing for an article on international news site Newsblaze (many thanks to my interviewer Vincent Fox who seemed to somehow extricate my entire lifestory from me without me even realising!). Since the article went online I've received a lot of lovely messages about it from all sorts of people: makeup artists, art directors, fellow actors, even the National Youth Theatre! So hello, everyone! Thanks so much for getting in touch and I'm really glad you liked the interview. You can check out the full interview on the 'News' page of my website. If you manage to read to the end then you'll probably know more about me than I do.

The next interview was rather more informal, via the magiks of telephonery for the 'Rob and Jim's Excuse to be Stupid' radio show. I first met Jim back in 2008 when we were both guests on Stoney's Spread Radio show (on Dave Navarro's network) so it was great chatting to him on air again and discussing all sorts of thing, including acting, footwear and an unusual use I found for a Linkin Park album. I've since been invited onto the show again later this summer, properly in the studio this time and everything, so I'll be sure to let you know where and when you can listen in. Until then, here's a link. I'm on the show entitled 'Make Your Buns Tighter' (niiiiice) from around 50:20.

VOX 2010 AWARDS
And as if all that wasn't enough, last month I had the honour of being asked to present the 2010 VOX Awards ceremony, alongside the terribly wonderful Tony Aitken, a fellow actor and voiceover artist who you may recognise from a whole host of TV roles (my personal favourite being the Minstrel during the end credits of Blackadder II!).

VOX is the largest gathering of commercial radio industry movers and shakers in Europe and I first hosted the event back in 2007, again alongside Tony, so they clearly couldn't get enough of us, the lunatics. Suckers for punishment, that lot! Once we'd dished out the awards we headed to the celebratory dinner and afterparty, the highlight of which (for me, at least) was E4/XFactor/EveryOtherRuddyShowOnTV man Peter Dickson compering kareoke. I honestly never thought I'd see THAT little delight!

A grand time was had by all and I really enjoyed presenting the awards so many, many thanks to the whole team at LBS (who organised the event for the last time this year *sniffle*), Tony and all the VOs and producers I met. Here's to next year's bash!

AND IN MY SPARE TIME...
I've been decorating my house, searching for a kitten, soaking bogwood for my new fishtank (possibly THE most boring and overly-long task in the whole world) and writing a bunch of films. I'm also in talks with several production companies about a short I wrote last year which, fingers crossed, will be filming before 2011. Joy all round, really!

Ooh, and a special shout out to my dear friend and fellow actor Daniel Brocklebank who invited me to the world premier of his new movie 'Release' earlier this month. It's a fabulous movie - really touching and beautifully shot - so do check it out at festivals if you get the chance, or at cinemas when it's released this autumn. Oh look, a trailer...

IN SUMMARY... SORRY
Yup, that's about it. I really have been very, very busy indeed. Like, super, mega, CRAZY busy. Honest! Forgive me?

Milly x

PS - the cat I've been searching for isn't lost. It was never even found in the first place. I don't have it yet, you see, but I'd like to. It may or may not even exist. It's a sort of Schrodinger's Cat, if you will - until I observe it I don't know it's there.

PPS - I nearly wet myself with excitement when I saw the Portal 2 trailer yesterday. This will most certainly be a triumph. You monster. Come onnnnn 2011! Get here soooon!

At VOX with award-winner Howard Young.

Celebrating at the afterparty with my lovely mum, actress and voiceover artist Marian Kemmer.

NEWS - In-depth interview with Amelia on Newsblaze

Originally published on international news site Newsblaze. Also published on the official SyFy channel website.

Film 101 with... Amelia Tyler
By Vincent Fox

Amelia Tyler is a British actress and voiceover artist who had her first taste of fame at the tender age of five, voicing a national radio commercial. She was already a TV veteran, having appeared in both BBC and ITV dramas including 'Boon,' when she was accepted into the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain at just sixteen years old, and only a year later she became ITV's youngest ever continuity announcer, hosting their children's television slot CITV.

Since then she's worked in almost every area of the industry, from movies to cartoons, was the female voice of the UK's SyFy channel from 2005 until 2010, can currently be seen playing six roles in the "refreshingly different" British indie sci-fi film 'Triple Hit', and will soon begin shooting at Pinewood for her role in action/thriller 'Sure Fire Hit', starring Chris Noth, Jennifer Ellison and Rebecca Lock.

Described by directors as having "a sense of dedication bordering on obsessive" yet being "more fun than a frog on a trampoline", Amelia attributes her move into the 'acting life' to her mother. "She's an actress too so some of my most enduring memories of childhood are of being on theatre and TV sets with her, just soaking it all in. It was an awesome way to grow up and gave me a really early understanding of the whole acting process that's proved invaluable as my career has evolved.

"Acting totally lights my fire. Each role is utterly different so it's like letting a different side of yourself out to play every day! 'The actor's life' can be pretty damned unpredictable, though: one day I might be in a plush London studio recording a TV ad, the next running from zombies in a forest or sobbing my heart out in a hospital.

Luckily I live for that 'whatever next?!' feeling." She doesn't believe that a 'normal' life is for her and describes herself as "one of those bizarre people who actually enjoys long, arduous night shoots, speed-learning scripts, training for physical roles or having her face covered in prosthetics. I'm a big kid at heart so to me all that's just a different kind of fun."

So for an actress who got such an early start, how did it feel to be accepted into the National Youth Theatre? "Oh, it was a huge honour. The NYT is THE name for young talent here in the UK and many of our most famous names (Sir Ben Kingsley, Dame Helen Mirren and Timothy Dalton, for example) are alumini. When I applied I'd only just turned 16 (the minimum age for full training) so as the youngest person to be accepted onto the course I couldn't believe I'd been judged to be an equal to all these other people who just seemed impossibly grown-up and talented. I think that's part of what makes the NYT so successful, though - if you have raw talent they'll see it and nurture it.

"The course was my first real time away from home so I made a point of learning all I could. The training was insane - it really opened my eyes to what I could do, plus getting praise and trust from established directors boosted my confidence no end. I suppose that was the biggest part of the whole experience for me: making me believe I could accomplish anything if I set my mind to it.

"My early TV work was very different. There's a lot of waiting around on set, then suddenly there'll be this massive burst of activity so you have to really focus on getting the job done quickly and right. Luckily I'd always had quite an old head on my shoulders and had no trouble just chatting to the adults on set or taking direction. I've got very fond memories of filming 'Boon': eating biscuits with Michael Elphick in his trailer, watching all the behind-the-scenes stuff being done... Most importantly, though, it taught me the difference between acting for stage and acting for screen. On screen everything's far more subtle and I saw it as a wonderful challenge. "Hmm... ok, how can I take what I've learned for theatre and adapt it to work here?""

And how did she get into doing voiceovers? "Again, I blame my mum! I learned a lot from watching her working so I ended up doing my first paid voiceover gig when I was incredibly young, but making the switch between child voiceovers and teenage ones was a shock. Suddenly they didn't want a cute tot to charm the listeners, they wanted ALL these words read as quickly as possible, and in many different styles, so I quickly became very good at sight-reading and doing character voices."

Things began to really happen when Amelia turned 17 and ITV called, asking her to audition to be CITV's new continuity announcer. "I thought they were joking! Live continuity work can be incredibly demanding and I'd have to write my own scripts so I never thought they'd want someone as young as me, but I went along anyway and was amazed when I got the job, becoming ITV's youngest ever announcer! I remember my producer showed me into recording booth on the first day, handed me a little black box with a red lever on it and said "pull that switch towards you and you can say whatever you want, push it away from you and the whole of the UK can hear you." I'd imagine most kids that age might go to pieces in the same situation but I loved every minute of it."

When Amelia graduated from university she was signed by "a really fantastic agency, the aptly-titled 'Excellent' in London", and from there her career skyrocketed. "I've worked for some amazing companies like Disney, SyFy and the BBC. Acting's great fun but voiceovers open you up to a whole new way of working. You have to be able to adapt your voice, to shave a specific number of seconds off a read without the aid of a stopwatch, and to convey everything an on-screen character could without ever being visible. Also, on screen I'm unlikely to get cast as a fat, middle-aged northerner, a barmy granny or a giggling baby but in voiceovers I can be anyone. The anonymity is wonderfully freeing."

Amelia's acting credits include "ass kicking heroines to evil temptresses" in both modern and period productions, but what kind of role does she enjoy most? "I honestly don't think I could choose! I was trained from a very early age in classic stuff like Shakespeare and Chekhov so I grew up with a real understanding and love of period roles (and corsets!), but on the flipside of the coin I'm a total tomboy so running around fighting men twice my size and being a general badass is a huge amount of fun!

"I have to admit that I enjoy playing baddies but I suppose what I really relish is any well-written role I can get my teeth into. Whether I'm playing an all-action ass-kicker or a serious dramatic role I like to get into the character's head and make her believable. It's a great chance to explore different aspects of your personality, plus, my mum's thrilled that I'm finally putting my Psychology degree to good use!"
But until recently Amelia was unsure of her ability to 'do' comedy. "I just never thought I was a funny person, but as it turns out I was totally wrong!

In 2008 I starred in a lovely short film about vampires called 'Blood Actually' which was very subtly comedic, then last year I played the lead in a web series called 'SatNav Lifestyle' which was TOTALLY silly, real plastacine face stuff. It was so refreshing to cast off all those worries about looking good or being ladylike and just behave like a total idiot for a few days! A lot of people think comedy is easy but it's just not true - it takes just as much skill as a dramatic role, you're just using a different rulebook.

Amelia makes no secret of her love for all things sci-fi and horror. "My dad's a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy so I was brought up on a healthy diet of Star Wars, Bladerunner et al. - not a bad way to grow up, really! As a budding people-watcher I think it struck me at quite an early age how a well-made movie can really influence the way people think, and that sci-fi and horror are the main culprits for that.

Horror is a very primal feeling, taking us back to our fears and animal instincts, whereas sci-fi opens up our minds and gives us fresh perspectives on personal, national and even global issues. That ability can be incredibly powerful. They're an absolute hoot to make, too! I've had maggots on my face, operated a futuristic CGI floating computer screen... I suppose that's what attracts me the most - they really set your imagination free and as an actor you get to experience things you never would in a typical drama.

"Also, sci-fi really was the flag bearer for feminism and sexual equality in general. It's great to see so many strong female characters appearing in movies and on TV these days, but they've been in sci-fi for decades. Ellen Ripley, Lieutenant Uhura, even Maria in 'Metropolis' way back in 1927! These were independent women with authority and ability who gave new generations of young ladies the courage to stand up for what they believe in and forge their own paths. That's something I'm 100% behind. Who wants to see some wimpy, wishy-washy girl let a man sort out her problems for her anyway? I'd much rather save myself, ta!"

Amelia's first lead role was in the award winning feature 'Wasters', which she described as "an absolute ball to film". But it was also a real learning experience. "I'd played lead roles on stage many times but on screen it's a totally different ballgame!" Due for release next year, 'Wasters' is a comedy drama about four friends who work in a bar and follows their lives over a single night as secrets are revealed and friendships betrayed. "Oooh, the mystery!"

I played Sarah Smith, the baddie of the piece, and playing such a nasty piece of work was a real joy. It would have been easy to make Sarah all legs and cleavage but Luke (Rufo, the director) was keen to make her someone you could hate and sympathise with at the same time so we had a lot of interesting chats about her psychology and why she did what she did."

"I'm starting to wonder if my performance was a little TOO convincing, though - a few people I talked to after the premiere were really off with me until they realised I'm nothing like my on-screen character! I'm nice in real life, honest!"

Last summer 'Triple Hit' was screening at Comic Con in San Diego, and Amelia was asked to go along and speak on the panel. "I don't think I've ever been more excited, the whole thing just blew my mind! I also did a few interviews while I was there, plus covered the event for the SyFy Channel, so I wrote a daily blog and got to interview some wonderful people, like Richard Hatch and Virginia Hey.

It's incredible who you randomly bump into at that place. I was chatting to a lovely guy in a baseball cap for several minutes before he revealed himself to be Lenn Wein and did a little video interview with me! The whole trip was just madness from start to finish. As you can imagine, it was a huge deal for a geek like me and I adored chatting to fans of the genre about the movie and my other work (and spending far too much money on things like Lego and nerdy t-shirts). Sci-fi fans are brilliant beyond words - hands down some of the friendliest, most well-informed and generally ace people I've ever met."

Amelia is keeping quiet about her upcoming movie roles, however. "I'm afraid that's one of the most frustrating things about working in this industry: all the NDAs! However, I can say that I've got an incredibly busy 12 months ahead, I'm in at least one movie shooting at Pinewood this year, and that 'SatNav Lifestyle' will be hitting the internet very, very soon. I'm working on a whole bunch of other projects at the moment too, both short films and features, plus I'm currently writing my first solo feature film script, working on an awesome secret project with the lads from Entanglement Productions, and it looks like I'll be filming in the USA sometime next year so... exciting times! I update my blog (on www.ameliatyler.com) whenever there's news to tell and I'm pretty active on twitter (www.twitter.com/ameliatyler) so hit me up on there to find out all the latest goss."

But success has not changed Amelia. "God no! Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have my work praised by others but that's such a tiny part of the job. I love the actual process of making a movie so anything afterwards is just an added bonus. Besides, I'm far too much of an idiot to let success go to my head. I trip over. A LOT. There's nothing like a good solid faceplant to keep your feet (and the rest of you) on solid ground!"

So, what advice does Amelia have to anyone starting off? "Ooh, where to start? Ok, first off, immerse yourself in your craft. Watch movies, plays, drama, comedy, horror... learn from everything and everyone and never assume you've got it sussed. The second you think you've got nothing to learn you might as well pack up and go home! Never believe your own hype. If you get a bad review, especially from someone who really knows what they're talking about, then don't ignore it - learn from it and resolve to be better next time. That person has just made you aware of how you could improve your skills. Brilliant!"

"Always be on time, get a good night's sleep beforehand, and be sure to treat everyone on set as you'd like to be treated yourself. When you're busy preparing for a scene it might be easy to forget to give due credit and time to people like runners, lighting technicians and makeup artists but they're usually working far harder than the actors and have a huge amount of pressure on them. These are the people who make you look good and without them there'd be no production at all.

"Above all, don't forget to have fun and if you do make it big (or even just medium) try not to take yourself too seriously or be blinded by the praise people are throwing at you. You're just you, the same as you were before all this, no better or worse than anyone else in the world. You just happen to have an exceptionally weird job!"

'Wasters' and 'Triple Hit' screenings

I know what you're thinking. "Yes, Amelia, all these films sound fascinating but where can I SEE them?" OK, so you were probably thinking something totally different like "do I want a cup of tea?", "where did I leave my keys?" or "hmm, this rash looks a bit nasty..." but come on, doesn't it sounds like a more interesting thing to be thinking? Well, my thirsty, keyless, possibly-infectious friends, you're in luck because not one but two of the movies I'm in are screening at festivals in the next couple of months!

'Triple Hit' at Starfest

Those of you in the USA who didn't make it to last year's San Diego Comic Con have a second chance to see 'Triple Hit', my first feature which saw me take to the screen in a multitude of strange and wonderous guises, including a kindly waitress, a bald, bloodsoaked torture victim and a futuristic 3D computer-wrangling operative in a galaxy far far away (but not THAT one). This April Huw Bowen, director of the movie, will return to his old stomping ground of Denver, Colorado for a screening at the 2010 Starfest science-fiction and fantasy convention and if you're a fan of sci-fi it's definitely where you'll want to be. The lineup this year includes my personal girlcrush Summer Glau, Gary Lockwood (Frank Poole in 2001) and the lovely Marina Sirtis (Star Trek's Deanna Troi), plus Huw will be doing an hour long Q&A after the screening so feel free to chip in with your questions - trust me, that man knows his sci-fi! Just don't ask him about the dreaded Directing Stick...

'Wasters' nominated for Best Young Film Maker award

Here in Blighty, comedic drama 'Wasters' will not only be screening at this year's Swansea Bay Film Festival but has also been nominated for their coveted Best Young Filmmaker award! Likened in a recent review to the truly awesome 'Clerks', it's already won a Best British Film award and will be screening at festivals around the world during 2010 so... fingers crossed for another award to add to the stash! Check it out at the Dylan Thomas Centre on Friday the 14th of May and I guarantee you'll laugh a lot, see me being devious and evil in a VERY cleavagey dress, and learn how a striptease and lederhosen can make for a dangerous combination.

Thanks to everyone who got in touch after the last screening of 'Wasters' to say how much they enjoyed it, and to the one gentleman who expressed an interest in marrying my character in the movie, Sarah Smith... I'd definitely advise against it. Those dresses don't come cheap, you know, and she'd almost definitely cheat on you. It's not you, it's her. You know, being fictional?

I'll do my upmost to keep you all posted about further screenings throughout the year but for now clicky these links for more info:

'Triple Hit' at Starfest, April 2010

'Wasters' at Swansea Bay Film Festival, Friday May 14th, 2010

Milly x

PS - See the doctor about that rash, your keys are most likely 'on the side' (every home has a 'side' - scientific fact) and yes, you do want a cup of tea. White and one for me, please!