4 Easy Ways to Spruce Up Your Profile on Casting Platforms
With the new SAG-AFTRA agreement ratified and the strike resolved, the entertainment industry is chomping at the bit to get actors back to work.
If you haven’t booked any new gigs in a while due to the strike or otherwise, it’s a good idea to refresh your profile on Casting Networks periodically to keep things fresh.
It’s best practice to have a fully optimized profile. However, a lack of updates will make it easier for casting directors and others viewing your page to visually tune it out.
Here are four easy ways you can shake things up on your Casting Networks profile.
1. Update Your Profile Information
The first thing you should do is check to see if all your information is current. It’s easy to let time slip by without realizing that your profile is outdated. Your size cards, contact info and résumé should all be up-to-date for quick and easy reference.
2. Add New Headshots
Keeping your headshots current is important. Especially if you have distinct changes in appearance from your previous headshots (eg: hair, weight, type).
Even if you look the same, getting new headshots every few years is a good idea.
However, if you can’t spring for new primary headshots or don’t currently need them but still want to mix things up, adding character shots is a good way to upkeep your profile. Character shots can be cost-effective and you can have more than two in your profile (they still need to be professional quality).
Try not to be in costume for your character shots as they should suggest a type. Stick to basic nuances instead.
For example, if you get cast as nerdy characters and you wear glasses, include them in a character shot. Or if you’re a shoo-in for procedurals, have a shot with a blazer or a more buttoned-down vibe.
This adds visual variety and gives your agent some options when submitting you to specific projects.
3. Change Up Your Media
One of the best ways to keep things fresh is to add new media clips. Updating your clips can also prevent viewers from getting bored with older material.
Reworking your reel can be time-consuming and pricey, but it’s a great way to be memorable and show growth. If you’re not ready to redo your whole reel, you can add media clips to your Casting Networks profile instead.
If you haven’t booked anything recently, it might be time to do a student film or film clips that show your strengths with fellow actors and entertainment industry professionals.
Before going this route, check with your agent about what’s appropriate for your target market.
Some markets don’t mind self tape clips or filmed content pulled from plays or original works, but it should still be high-quality.
You want your clips to look professional, but in a pinch, there may be creative options to get some new media clips up.
4. Don’t Forget Your Slate Shots
Filming new slate shots is one of the quickest and easiest ways to breathe some new life into your Casting Networks profile. These can be self-taped and are worth updating to give casting directors a few seconds of something new when they see your headshot.
Keeping your Casting Networks profile current gives the impression of a working actor. Plus, it’s eye-catching and professional.
This is just one of the many things about the business side of acting that requires maintenance, but the good news is that a lot of this is within your power to update and change yourself.
Set yourself up for success and update Casting Networks profile today!
Casting directors use Casting Networks every day to discover people like you. Sign up or log in today to get one step closer to your next role.
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- How Self-Confidence Helped Eve Hewson Land the Role of Flora in ‘Flora and Son’
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- What You Need to Know About the New SAG-AFTRA Agreement: Other Items (Part Two)
