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Step four: casting websites
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For those of you who are pursuing a full time acting career in Los Angeles and are tech-savvy, rejoice: there are so many different ways that utilizing casting websites is going to be a huge boost to your career. And for those who are...not so comfortable with technology, the principles are simple, there are plenty of people to help walk you through what you need to do, and you really can't afford to not be using websites specifically designed for actors in this electronic age.
Let's pretend you're a casting director, looking to cast a hot new television show. You want name talent (actors who are already established in the business), you want new talent, you want extras, you want it all. How do you go about finding who's right for each of the roles you're trying to cast?
If you were a casting director in the 80's, you would go through a huge stack of 8 1/2 by 11 envelopes, all of which had an actor's headshot, resume, and maybe (if the actor was feeling ambitious) a cover letter. You would also have a fairly large pile of packages stuffed with actors' VHS tapes to go through, so you could see their performances.
This is 2009. Casting directors do not do these things (every once in a while, a casting director will specifically request headshots be mailed or ask an actor to read sides- also known as the script- from the project and put it on tape. It's not as common, though).
Instead, casting directors go to websites such as: LA Casting, Actors Access, IActor, and a few others. They post their projects on these websites, where managers, agents, and actors themselves can submit for roles, and after a few days a casting associate looks at everyone who has submitted and judges whether or not to call in an actor for an audition based on their headshot, resume, skills/talents, and the quality of the demo reel on the actor's profile, if a demo reel exists. If you are an actor, and you do not have headshots, a resume, a demo reel or even exist on these casting websites, guess what? You aren't called in for the project, and your representation has to figure out another way to submit you for that role which is perfect for you.
The good news is, all of these websites are fairly affordable, and quite easy to use. LA Casting can be as little as $5 a month, depending on what services you get, and Actors Access charges roughly $60 for a full year as well. If you don't wish to pay for a full year subscription to Actors Access, you can always pay a small charge for every time you submit for a role, but it adds up quickly if you are submitting for roles frequently. IActor is for SAG actors only, but the cost to put up your information and headshot is free. Also, keep in mind that both LA Casting and Actors Access charge you for how many headshots you upload to your personal profile, and there is usually an additional charge to have your demo reel available as well. However, despite these extra charges, it is still well worth it, as you will find these casting websites essential to your career, and knowing how to best utilize them will only end up aiding you career in the long run.
Once you are signed up for a casting website, you are usually taken step-by-step through a process of filling out your personal profile (everything from your contact information to what size shoe you are), and you are instructed where to go to add headshots (usually you have to go a physical location and hand over your headshots on a disk). You can also upload your reel in person too, and someone will help you get it onto your profile page. Once you have your headshots and reel online, and your personal profile is updated, all you need to do is remember to check each website daily for projects that are a good match for you and that you want to submit for - and you are one step closer to being in control of your acting career.
