Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Prepare a complete set or performance piece
4–12 weeks
Prepare a complete performance piece or set — a discrete piece of work that can be performed in front of an audience from beginning to end. For a musician, this is a set of songs (typically 20–45 minutes for an open mic or support slot). For an actor, it is a monologue or scene. For a comedian, it is a set. For a dancer, it is a choreographed piece. The preparation milestone is not a rehearsal note — it is a complete, rehearsed piece of material that is ready to perform. The proof is a video of a run-through.
Proof required
Share a video of a run-through of the complete performance piece (this can be a rehearsal video, not a public performance). State the performance type (music, acting, comedy, dance, or other) and the duration. Write one sentence on the largest technical or artistic challenge you faced in preparing this piece.
What gets checked
- Run-through video covers the complete piece from start to finish — not a highlight clip.
- Performance type and duration are stated.
- Largest challenge is specific — 'the transition between the third and fourth song' rather than 'nerves'.
Common mistakes
- Highlight clip only: 'here's a bit of the piece' — the complete run-through is required to demonstrate preparedness.
- Duration not stated: 'it's a few songs' — performance duration is a professional standard.
- Largest challenge is entirely psychological: 'I was nervous' — technical or artistic challenges are more useful at this stage.
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- The run-through should cover the full set or piece — ask whether the video shows everything that will be performed or only a portion.
- Duration: ask whether this duration is appropriate for the venue being targeted — an open mic set is typically 5–15 minutes, a support slot 20–30 minutes.
- Largest challenge: ask whether this challenge has been resolved or is still present in the run-through — it shapes what needs work before the live performance.
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Perform in front of a real audience — documented performance
1–4 weeks after M1
Perform in front of a real audience in a real setting — not in a private rehearsal, not for close friends in a living room, but in a public or semi-public setting with an audience that did not come specifically to support the performer. The setting can be modest: an open mic night, a school concert, an amateur theatre production, a busking session, a corporate team event. The audience does not need to be large — a genuine performance for 10 people in a real venue counts. The proof is a video of the performance.
Proof required
Share a video of the live performance (phone recording is fine). State the venue or event, the approximate audience size, and the date. Write one sentence on what happened differently in the live performance compared to your rehearsal run-through.
What gets checked
- Video of the live performance is shared — rehearsal footage does not count.
- Venue or event, audience size, and date are stated.
- What happened differently in the live performance compared to rehearsal — this is the most important creative data from a first performance.
Common mistakes
- Rehearsal video submitted instead of live performance: 'I recorded my practice session in front of family' — a real audience in a real setting is required.
- Video not provided: 'the venue didn't allow recording' — if recording was genuinely not possible, a programme, ticket, or venue confirmation is an acceptable alternative.
- What happened differently is absent: 'it went as planned' — something always happens differently in a live performance.
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- The video must show a live setting — audience noise, room acoustics, or stage lighting are all signals of a genuine live performance.
- Audience size: even 10 people in a real public setting counts — ask whether any audience members were strangers.
- What happened differently: the answer reveals how the performer handles live conditions — a technical failure handled gracefully is more impressive than a perfect performance.
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Book and complete a second performance — with reflection on growth
4–12 weeks after M2
Book and complete a second live performance. The second performance is the evidence of commitment: anyone can perform once as a one-off experience, but booking a second one demonstrates the decision to continue. The reflection asks what changed between the first and second performance — in the material, in the performance itself, and in how the performer handled the live moment.
Proof required
Share a video or documentation of the second live performance (venue, date, audience size). Write one paragraph comparing your first and second performance: what changed in the material, what changed in your performance, and what you will work on before the third.
What gets checked
- Second live performance is documented — video, venue confirmation, or programme.
- Venue, date, and audience size are stated.
- Comparison is specific — at least one change in material, one change in performance, and one thing to work on next.
Common mistakes
- Second performance not yet booked: 'I'm looking for opportunities' — the milestone requires a completed second performance.
- Comparison is generic: 'I was more confident' without specifying what changed in the material or performance.
- What to work on next is absent — the absence of a next goal suggests the performer views this as a terminal outcome rather than an ongoing practice.
Resources
What a verifier looks for
- The second performance should be in a different venue or event from the first — performing twice at the same open mic to the same audience is less challenging than finding a new setting.
- What changed in the material: ask whether the performer added, removed, or changed anything between the two performances — material adjustment shows artistic development.
- What to work on next: ask for a specific skill or element — 'stage presence' is a category; 'holding eye contact with the audience during the quiet parts' is a specific goal.
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