»Help! I’ve Been Cast For A Role In The Past. What Now?«
When you’re preparing for a historical role, or a biopic, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
Where do you even begin?
How much is enough?
And how do you avoid wasting days on details that don’t matter?
This self-guided challenge was created to solve exactly that.
Enter: A 3-Day Challenge To Build Your Own Research Plan — Without Getting Lost In The Process
In just three concise sessions (or one focused day), you’ll build the first version of a clear, actor-ready research plan — designed to help you understand your character’s world without drowning in context.
It’s time to challenge yourself.
Why This Works
Most prep advice starts too broad —
»Read everything about the 19th century«, »Watch these five documentaries«, »Talk to a professor«.
That’s a quick way to get lost in a sea of facts.
What you really need is a structure — a way to sort, select, and sharpen your focus.
This challenge gives you that structure.
It’s not about knowing everything.
It’s about knowing what matters — then you can find it, faster.
Here’s what you’ll do during the challenge.
Day 1 – Clarify What You Already Know
Before you search, you need to see what’s already in your head.
You’ll map out what you’ve picked up from the script, what you’ve assumed, and what you’ve already gathered online and offline. We collect and we sort — using simple, actor-tested tools like search timers, checklists, and tiered priorities.
✳️ Why this matters:
Actors often skip this step — but it’s the fastest way to spot blind spots and stop double-researching things you already know.
Day 2 – Identify What’s Missing
Using my research framework, you’ll pinpoint what you still need: cultural details, emotional cues, daily life context, or deeper historical dynamics.
✳️ Why this matters:
This step saves hours. Instead of vague searches in every direction, you’ll narrow down exactly what to look for. We’ll pause to identify what still feels unclear or missing.
It won’t replace the deeper research still ahead — but it gives you a clear, structured place to begin.
Day 3 – Build Your Research Plan
You’ve shaped your findings into a flexible plan. Now it’s time to expand. Let’s decide what further to explore. I’ll also show you how I can support you on the way — especially if you want to save time and work with sharper, original sources from the past.
✳️ Why this matters:
This is how you stay out of rabbit holes. You’ll move forward with confidence, not chaos — even under time pressure.
✨Bonus: Quarterly Live Webinars
Included with your challenge: free access to live Q&As and behind-the-scenes prep sessions.
We tackle real actor questions, share smart strategies, and explore emotional research for specific scenes and roles.
Who This Is For
- You’ve just been cast in a historical project — and the era is new to you
- You’ve done roles like this before, but want more structure and less overwhelm
- You’re looking for a prep method that respects both your time and your talent
- You’re between roles and want to practise smarter research habits
You Deserve Better Than Someone Else’s PDF
When research goes wrong, the role suffers. I’ve seen this countless times. Too many actors are left with secondhand prep — vague timelines, generic PDFs, or rushed Google Docs from someone else’s assistant.
That’s not enough.
You deserve prep that’s personal, clear, and creatively useful. Let’s build that — with a guided process.
Get the Challenge – Now: Introductory Pricing🔶👀
- Includes a printable and a fillable guidebook
- Structured, self-paced 3-day process
- and invitations to quarterly live how-to webinars
Designed For You — By Someone Who’s Done This Over 130 Times
Hi, I’m Dr. Barbara from Germany. I’m a historical consultant who works 1:1 with actors preparing for biopics, period pieces, and emotionally complex roles. I grew up in libraries — my mother was a librarian — so structure, sorting, and finding what matters have always come naturally. I’ve contributed to over 130 film and publishing projects across Europe, Australia and the US. With a photographic memory and speed-reading skills, I move swiftly through archives and databases to surface the one resonant detail that makes a role click into place.
Credit: Cover image CC0, Ziegfeld Follies girl Kathleen Ardelle on page 16 of the September 1921’s issue of the Magazin Photoplay.