Why Actors Need Websites – 6 Money Saving Tips

Imagine this: You are in your car (or walking to the subway) and you suddenly get a call from a casting director. They are interested in submitting you for an upcoming project, but need to forward your headshot & resume to the director within the next 30 minutes. You’re not at your computer, so you cannot email your materials to them. And you’re nowhere near their office, so you cannot just drop by with a physical copy of your headshot/resume. What can you do?

Or, imagine this: You are networking at an event (like the Tribeca Film Festival) and you have met so many people that you have handed out your last copy of your reel. You run into an agent who has seen you on stage, but comments that he would like to see your film work. He asks if you have a reel to give him. Sadly, you don’t, and it will be at least a week until you can get more duplicates made. What now?

If you are a business-minded actor, you would have a website and neither case would have been a problem! You could simply tell the casting director, “Drop by my website, where you can download a copy of my headshot and resume, both formatted for printing.” And for the agent, you would be able to say, “Here’s my website. Not only do I have my reel posted, but I also have clips from a few of the other projects I have done, including some singing and a few commercials.”

Having a website is one of the most important promotional tools an actor can have, second only to a good headshot. A website allows you to provide interested parties with a more full look at your body of work, your personality, and the way you run your business. And it allows them to do it in their own time, at their pace and leisure, which is vitally important in the larger, more competitive markets. The easier you can make it for a CD/agent to get to know you, the better chance you have of making an impact with them.

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Top 11 Reputable Casting Websites

One of the things that can get me incensed as a career coach is when casting websites pop up promising to give actors access to stardom. Some sites make it sounds like an actor’s big break is just around the corner, and all they need to do is pay a fee and they’re in! But most actors know that success comes with good training, strong relationship building, and the ability & wherewithal to seize an opportunity when it presents itself (also known as tenacity.) The trouble is, even the smartest actor has heard at least one rags-to-riches story, and the allure of a quick win sometimes overshadows common sense.

So, to combat the many unscrupulous characters baiting actors with empty promises, below you’ll find are 11 of my favorite reputable websites where casting notices can be found.

Actors Access
Backstage
Actors Equity Casting Call
Playbill
SAG Indie
Now Casting
Casting Networks/LACasting.com
Casting Networks/NYCasting.com
NYCastings.com
Mandy.com
Craigslist

Any of the others not listed here typically have the same notices that are on the above sites. If you are in LA or NY, I would caution you if paying to use any website other than these listed- it probably wouldn’t be worth the money. Of course, there are exceptions and I am sure a new website will come along and blow away the competition. But as of now, the above sites are the most reputable for those in the major markets.

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A Motivating Kick in the Pants

Just a few words of wisdom (stolen from a well known marketing campaign) … Just Do It. Put away the excuses. Put away the what-ifs. Put away the “when the weather is nicer and I have more energy.” The time is now. There will never be the perfect time, or the easy time, or the time when all of the pieces will line up exactly the way we want them to. So…

Just Do It.

So, I thought I would help address some of the common excuses we actors tell ourselves so I can help break that cycle:

Beware Unsolicited Offers of Stardom

This week, I have decided to tackle a very hot topic, which has spurned lots of debate by industry insiders and actors alike: Unsolicited Offers of Fame and Requests for Partnership.

To give you some background on this topic, I am going to start by sharing an email I recently received from a “manager.” (Note: All grammar and spelling has been included, as originally written.)

I was looking on IMDB and noticed you do not have a Talent Manager.  As you may  know we are doing Talent Management..  A manager is different from an agent but in a way better as I have more fields to get you work.  I feel I could be a great assett to you to help you not only get your more acting roles but we are doing something no other Management firm does.  We are also going to provide free to our clients our Publicity Services.  We are a NON-EXCLUSIVE company so if at anytime you want to end services with us that is ok.  I really hope you will give me a chance to further your career and make you more money.  If you are interested please let me know and I’ll send you my information packate. – Mike

File this one away into the “If it seems too good to be true, it is” mailbox. Of course, there are warning signs all over the above email that tell the actor that they should stay far away. So, how does an actor gauge the validity of these types of emails, which become numerous as the actor gets more and more well known?

1) Does the manager know the difference between managers and agents? (Do you?)

Agents and managers are very different from one another, primarily because it is illegal for managers to procure work for their clients. Agents are required to be on file with their state as a “licensed employment agent” and managers are not given this clearance. Thus, a manager’s job takes on a different form. Directly from the Talent Manager’s Association website: “A manager, by nature, does not seek employment for a client, but rather council, market and network on their behalf making it easier for the agent to secure employment. A client, manager and agent should function as a team.”

You can see by the email above that the manager is not accurately conveying his role. This should be a very big “red flag” to you.

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Send Your Stuff: Film “Yeah, Yeah, Whatever”

Dorian Frankel is casting the film, Yeah, Yeah, Whatever.

Info: An old con artist just released from prison tries to struggle to life on the outside.

Dorian Frankel
1617 N. EL CENTRO AVE. #14
LOS ANGELES CA 90028

You can find out more about Dorian here

Clip: ‘The Lovely Bones’

Here’s a clip from Peter Jackson‘s upcoming film, The Lovely Bones.

In this scene, Stanley Tucci has his first encounter with Michael Imperioli.

Synopsis: The Lovely Bones centers on a young girl who has been murdered and watches over her family – and her killer – from heaven. She must weigh her desire for vengeance against her desire for her family to heal.

Live in Iowa? Auditions for two features

1st Film

AriesWorks Entertainment is accepting  actor submissions for “Dylan’s Wake,” an LA-based SAG feature film. The film begins shooting in Iowa August 31. It is produced by Lucas Jarach and directed by Omar Naim. Six leading roles are TBA and not included in the regional casting call.

12 speaking roles (including supporting roles),15 featured extras and up to 150 extras are available for regional casting.

Story line: “Dylan’s Wake”(think: “Jacob’s Ladder” meets “Good Will Hunting”) is the story of a young man who fakes his own death to see if anyone will show up at his funeral. Two people show up– a street junkie who believes our protagonist is an angel who has come to save his life, and his High School sweetheart from ten years before. Their lives will be changed forever in this supernatural film about friendship, romance and redemption.

Submission Preference:
Please email file submission attachments labeled with your name – including resume and small JPEG photo file (no more than 100 KBs) to bobbusbee@aol.com.

Click here for all the breakdowns

2nd Film

“Blackbeard” story line: The much-anticipated school field trip to the museum’s pirate exhibit erupts into an adventure beyond Cole’s wildest fantasy.

Actors attached to the film include:
Steve Coogan – “Blackbeard”
Christopher Lloyd – “Gramps”
John Leguizamo – “Principle McKeever”
Jimmy Bennett – “Cole”
Connor Price – “Tyler”

Local casting begins immediately. Go to copelandcasting.com for complete information.

If you are not listed with an agent, e-mail a small JPG photo to copeland@dwx.com with resume and contact information. They will not open jpgs larger than 100 kb.

or

Submit hard copy of headshot and resumes to:
Copeland Creative Talent – Blackbeard
804 17th Street
Des Moines, IA 50314

Principal Photography begins: Sept 9, 2009
Location: Des Moines, Iowa

Click here for the breakdowns

Send Your Stuff! Film "Getting Back To Zero"

Getting Back To Zero is a SAG Ultra Low Budget comedy.

Synopsis: Two brothers reconcile their relationship over the death of their father when they inherit his craps table and his gambling debt.

Getting Back To Zero
1101 S. Orlando Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90035

Send Your Stuff! Indie Film "Leave"

Leave is a SAG Modified Low Budget film that stars Ron Livingston.

Synopsis: A novelist decides to rent a cabin in the woods to work on his next book. He eventually crosses paths with a drifter who confronts him with details that will turn his life and everything he knows to be true upside down.

Leave Productions
14761 Califia Street
Van Nuys, CA 91411

Send Your Stuff! Film "Underground"

Underground is a SAG feature that starts shooting in June.

Synopsis: When a rave party breaks up in violence, seven young people hide out in an abandoned underground military bunker but the bunker isn’t abandoned, it’s full of ravenous monsters.

JOEY PAUL JENSEN CASTING
1040 N Las Palmas
Bldg 33, 2nd Floor
Hollywood, CA 90038

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