How to get Cast
...Or ‘How to Get an Audition’, at least.
Pagelight is now on its second ACE funded project and casting for paid roles is a vital part of our job. How does an actor get their online profile to make us want to call them for an audition? There’s probably lots of different answers out there. So, all I can do is offer my own tips based on my limited experience:
1. HAVE A COLOUR HEADSHOT
Why does anyone post black & white pictures? Unless I’m casting a monochrome movie, it's no use to me. Your profile needs to give me a good sense of what you look like. Colour is no more expensive to take or post. So, drop the 1950s good taste and show me what you actually look like.
2. HAVE A RANGE OF LOOKS
Why would you only have one look in one picture from one angle? That immediately limits you. If the one look you’ve chosen isn’t exactly how I see the character, I’ve moved on. If you have six shots (in colour!) in different clothes with different looks, then you’ve got six times the chance of looking like the character I’m casting for. More than that, I’m beginning to see you as versatile and willing to adapt to the demands any role might make of you.
3. HAVE A GOOD FILM/AUDIO SHOWREEL
I don’t want to spend the first minute seeing ‘STEPHEN M HORNBY’ revolving in space whilst voiceless snippets of film montage play across my laptop to epic music. Open right away with your strongest performance, hook me straight in and then show me as much variety as you can and finish with a reminder as to who I have been watching. I really want to hear your voice. If you can’t afford a film showreel, or don't have enough clips, then record a voice one. Record excerpts from your favourite plays, on your phone if you have to. And, as much as I like watching/listening to showreels, we don't have that time. So I'd suggest limiting your showreel to two minutes.
4. COMMUNICATE
How will we communicate? Do you check the emails from this site? Is your agent’s phone number up to date? Do you check phone messages? I’m still amazed at the number of people that don’t get this basic right and lose work to others as a result.
5. INVITE US TO YOUR WORK.
Find out who the local production companies are in your area and invite them, and keep politely inviting them even if they don’t come to your first invitation. (If you're in Greater Manchester, you can invite Pagelight here). Send positive reviews of your performance with your invite. If I’ve already seen you be amazing in something, why wouldn’t I just offer you the part?
I hope that’s of some help to actors and casting directors and producers out there.
