Akta
Who We Are
Akta is a career development company dedicated to making the creative industries fairer for all.
Our accessible prices and Pay What You Can initiatives break down financial barriers, helping talented performers from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds access the services they need to succeed.
Our
Story
Hey, I’m Charlie, the founder of Akta. It all started by accident after the December 2020 lockdown. My flatmates and I offered ten Pay What You Can headshot sessions to help performers whose careers were impacted by the pandemic. I created a simple website, a Twitter account, and reached out to casting directors. One of them shared our initiative with their 15k+ followers and by the following morning we had hundreds of applications.
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Instead of photographing ten, we ended up shooting one hundred beautiful faces in our tiny living room in West London!
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Fast forward three years: we now have three (soon four!) studios, a team of fifteen creatives, and shoot thousands of actors every year...
Our Mission
​​​​​​​​There must be greater diversity in the creative industries. Marginalised communities are overrepresented in the lowest economic group, so, in order for us to see great representation, we first have to make it more cost effective. Akta aims to break down the financial barriers that hinder talented individuals from marginalised communities, by offering high-quality headshot and showreel services on a pay-what-you-can basis. ​
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We are committed to amplifying diverse voices and challenging industry norms, ensuring that everyone can present themselves with professionalism and pride. By investing in authentic representation, we strive to create more inclusive and equitable industries where every talent is celebrated and every story is told. Together, we are transforming the narrative, one headshot and showreel at a time..
Meet the Team
Our People
Charlie
Founder, CEO, & Class Coach
Takunda
Content Writer
Emma
Class Coach
Sarah
Design Lead
Waverly
Programmes Manager: AktaClass
Maggie
Photographer
Lily
Photographer
Naomi
Operations Manager
Laura
Photographer
Monty
Photographer
Archie
Director & Recordist
Jenny
Director & Recordist
Harry
Photographer
Matty
Studio Manager
James
Compliance Manager
Yujin
Marketing Manager
Dan
Class Coach
Teyah
Social Impact & Partnerships Manager
Selorm
Director & Recordist