Your project brief is your production’s calling card. The stronger your casting call, the better response you will get from the highest-quality actors. Below are the how-tos of creating a successful project on Casting Networks and some tips and tricks so you can find the best actors for your project.
From crafting the perfect casting call to managing auditions, casting a project is never as easy as it sounds. Navigating the Casting Networks platform, on the other hand, is a piece of cake with these tips designed to make this stressful process as easy as possible.
How Do I Create a Strong Casting Call?
When creating a casting call, it is essential to include specific and detailed requirements so that interested actors know if they are appropriate for the roles and you find the actors you are looking for. Great casting notices include:
- Type of project: Is your project a commercial? A student film? A low-budget waiver? Is it SAG/AFTRA or Non-Union? Choosing the correct project type is important so performers know what their footage will be used for and where it might be seen. If it’s a commercial, is it for the internet? Then choosing Internet Commercial as your project type shows that this is an advertisem*nt for a product that might be seen on social media platforms, YouTube or other websites.
- Compensation: Offering a monetary amount is a good start to attracting talent to submit. If you are working on a shoestring budget and are not able to offer pay, consider alternatives like a copy of the final project, meals, reimbursem*nt for gas or transportation and, if it will be listed on IMDb, offer a credit on the project’s page.
- Synopsis: Tell the actors what the story is about in a few short sentences. You could tell the actors in what period the story takes place, if the characters will be using accents and where the story takes place.
- Role Descriptions: Be specific when creating descriptions of your characters and include the age ranges. The more you narrow down what you want, the easier it will be to choose actors when you are making casting decisions. One additional tip to keep in mind is that the description should be about the character, not about who or what the talent should be.
- Inclusive pronouns and ethnicity: For example, Jo / Principal / 21 – 27 / Non-Binary Person / Multiple Ethnic Appearances. Specify the ethnicity of your characters and consider diversity in your production so you can get the most suitable, specific submissions from actors.
For more tips on writing an effective casting notice, check out How to Create a Casting Call for Actors That Gets Results.
How Do I Contact Talent on Casting Networks?
Once you have created a strong casting call and it has been posted, a project creator can contact talent when it starts receiving submissions using the Requests feature on the Casting Networks platform.
- Question Requests are great for requesting things like contact information or confirming availability or when booking talent for a role.
- Media requests are used when project creators want talent to send self-tapes or any video requesting a special skill. For example, if your project calls for an expert juggler, this is where a project creator can request that tape. Performers can attach their reels to their resumes in Casting Networks so you can view them. You also can request audio samples as well as photos.
How Do I Add Sides to a Role?
Adding audition sides is one of the essential components of your casting notice. When creating a new role on Casting Networks, look for a section titled Audition Information. This is where you can upload your sides. Don’t forget to add your sides during role creation. Sides cannot be added after the project is posted for submissions.
Once uploaded, sides will be visible to talent submitting to your project through Casting Billboard® and can be made available to talent when you send them a request.
You can learn more about how to add sides to your project in our Project Creator Support section.
Helpful tips for posting sides:
- When you post audition sides, make sure the scenes you give the actor make sense. Actors want to provide you with the best audition possible, so help them out with cohesive and coherent material.
- Actors are more likely to give a great audition with fewer pages to memorize. Save the 10-page scenes for the callbacks!
- If you have a “trigger warning” in your script, there is nothing wrong with offering the script to the actors to read with their audition sides to avoid any unpleasant surprises after you have offered them the role. Actors love to know what’s going on before and after their scenes and sometimes offering that info up front is the right thing to do.
What Should I Include in Self Tape Instructions?
As self tapes have become an industry norm and many performers already understand the general do’s and don’ts. But if you are looking for something specific, it’s beneficial to outline what your requirements are in the casting notice. Your list could include instructions for lighting, background, camera positioning and where/how to slate. The instruction documents can be uploaded along with your sides!
What Are the Guidelines for Working With Minors?
As a project creator, you are part of a team that is a gatekeeper of child safety on set. Underage performers must be protected at every stage of the production, from the first casting notice to the wrap.
- Be transparent about any adult themes in the project: When casting a film with a minor, every state has different guidelines regarding child labor in the arts. However, no matter what type of project you are creating, if you are casting a minor performer in a production with adult themes, it is essential to list the specifics in your project announcement. Additionally, minor performers must have work permits to work in many states, including California.
- Include permit requirements: It is the responsibility of the child’s parents to get these permits, but if the child works without a permit, the employer is in violation of the rules and the production can be shut down.Child labor guidelines and instructionsare always changing and some great resources are updated constantly. You can brush up on the most current child labor laws in all fifty states at DOL.gov.
Where Can I Submit Casting Calls for Free?
Project creators can post casting notices for free at Casting Networks. Sign up or log in here to get started.
The helpful advice doesn’t end here! If your question wasn’t answered above, check out our extensive collection of Project Creator Support resources.
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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