The single most important thing for getting acting & modeling opportunities is a fantastic profile. The better your profile, the more professional you look and the more casting directors will want to work with you. Packed with behind the scenes info, secret tips, and best practices, this article will tell you everything you need to know about how to create the perfect allcasting profile.
Here's what's about to happen: we're going to go through every section of your profile together. We'll address each part and explain what's the best approach to filling it out, and, better yet, we'll explain why.
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But first, here are 2 things you need to know:
- A complete profile is 14x more likely to get the gig when compared to an incomplete one
- The more complete your profile, the higher your profile rating. And the higher your profile rating, the more exposure you get, improving your chances of getting discovered
In other words, if you don't have a complete profile, you're shooting yourself in the foot. Let's not only make sure your profile is complete but also make it the best it can be.
Here we go!
0. How to Edit Your Profile
Let's start with the basics. The details you filled out during registration are the bare minimum and it's time to fill out the rest. To do that you need to first head over to (1) Your Profile page, and then click the (2) Edit Profile button.
It's even faster for mobile - just tap Menu in the bottom right corner and select “edit profile” right under your profile photo. You need to be logged in, of course.
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Once you've done that, you'll find yourself at the profile edit page. You'll notice 4 sections:
- Basic - this section is for basic info about you, such as name & location.
- Details - this section is for your interests, appearance, and skills.
- Media - this section is for photos and videos of yourself.
- Experience - this section is for your experience & credits.
Let's go through all of them!
1. Basic Information in Your allcasting Profile
This is hands down the easiest section. You've probably already completed it upon registration, but there are a few things to note.
1.1 Your Name
You already filled out your name when registering, so you don't have to do much here. Just make sure you've spelled it correctly & that you've capitalized your first and last names.
We strongly suggest that you use your real name. If you're more recognizable by a nickname or building a personal brand around a stage name, then you're welcome to use that instead.
1.2 Location
Location is another thing you already completed upon registration. This allows us to show you nearby casting calls & help you find the roles perfect for you.
Make sure you've added your real location. There are cases where talents put Los Angeles, or New York ZIP codes, despite living several hours away. They do this in the hopes of getting more roles, since those are showbiz hotspots, and think that they will travel if they get a nice opportunity. The reality is that they rarely travel - very few of us have the time & means to regularly make long-distance commutes. Plus, casting directors hate liars.
Read Also: How to Get Background Acting Work
So don't lie and put your real location. You can still apply to casting calls outside your immediate area anyway if you're truly willing to travel.
2. Fill out the Details in Your allcasting Profile
2.1 Interested In
Do you want to be an actor? A model? A Reality TV star? This is the section where you select your interests. Depending on what you select, you'll see relevant casting calls.
Here's a tip: even if you only want to be an actor, we recommend selecting more options. Why? Because getting any and every experience you can in the entertainment industry is super important. Meeting people, making connections, building a diverse portfolio, getting experience, better understanding the industry, getting to know the processes - all of these things will help you in making it big.
Of course, if you're a terrible singer, then don't select Singing as an interest of yours, but you could give Voice-Overs a shot? Or perhaps Theatre? But don't worry - you can always update your interests as your preferences and abilities evolve.
2.2 Ethnicity
Nothing complicated here, just select your ethnicity.
2.3 Appearance
Filling out all of the details will mean that a CD will take one look at your profile and immediately understand exactly what you look like and if you're who they need for their project. It's difficult to understand, for example, how tall a person is based on a picture.
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Occasionally, CDs will invite people who haven't filled out their details to an audition. Imagine this scenario: you get invited, you're excited, you make the trip, the CD sees you and goes “Oh, I thought you were taller. Sorry, you're not who we're looking for.”
To save you the hassle and disappointment - just fill out the details as accurately as possible. Also, make sure to update them regularly. We're people. It's natural for us to gain & lose weight, or to color our hair. If the casting director is expecting a blonde, but today you're a brunette, then it'll be an unwelcome surprise and a potential dealbreaker.
2.4 Contacts
Your contact information isn't publicly available. It will only appear to the casting director of a role you applied to. It will also appear on your Comp Card. More on that in Section 5 of this article. For now - know that it's important that it does. Plus, the more info you add, the higher your profile rating - so there's no reason not to.
2.5 Social Profile
Adding your social media profiles can give your profile a big boost. For one, it's one of your rare opportunities to showcase who you are as a person and connect with the casting director on a personal level. Maybe it turns out you're both Lakers fans and this could make the CD look at you in a favorable light. Or perhaps you have friends in common? Anything can happen.
Generally, CDs prefer people they know. Social media is the best way to allow them to get to know you a bit. On allcasting, you can connect all the most important social media for performers:
What's more, we live in the age of influencers. Casting directors frequently check out the social followings of the talents they hire favoring those with bigger audiences. You're likely to share your experience and details about the project on social media and producers see it as a great opportunity to spread the word about the project.
2.6 Skills
Your skills are such an important topic. In it we talk about what are skills, why are they important, what ones should you add, and what to do if you don't have any.
Read Also: Special Skills List for Actors
But here's a 5-point summary for your convenience:
- What are special skills? Skills are things you can do - accents, sports, languages, tricks, & more.
- Why are they important? A. They make you stand out; B. They could be useful for the project; C. They show what kind of person you are.
- What are the best skills? Things like accents & languages are always great. Also, any physical skills or abilities you have - particularly gun handling & combat.
- What to do if you don't have any? Go learn some, if you want to be an actor/model, you'll need skills. Check out the article for some ideas.
- Important to keep in mind: NEVER LIE - it's dangerous; BE SPECIFIC - don't just add “accent”. It doesn't tell the CD anything. Be specific - “Cockney Accent”.
Insider tip: add at least 4 skills to get the maximum points for your profile. The more skills you add, the better, but 4 is the magic number. If you have less, your profile rating will suffer.
2.7 Personal Web Address
This is a cool feature that lets you create a personal link to your profile that's easy to remember & share. You can easily tell friends & casting directors to just go to allcasting.com/example and they'll immediately find your profile.
NOTE: you can set this address only once, so think twice before choosing the text that will appear in the link. We recommend it's your name, or some variation of it.
3. Media
In this section, you need to add all your photos & videos. One thing to note is the technical 600x800 pixel image resolution requirement (your photos need to be at least 600px wide and 800px tall). Sometimes we receive complaints from talents saying they have a great photo but can't upload it due to the technical requirements.
Well, here's the deal - your photos are your most important asset. When the casting director opens your profile, what's the first thing they see? Your photos. When they're looking if you're right for the role, what's the main thing they consider? Your photos. In other words, it's super important to not only have fantastic photos, but they must also be of great quality and as high definition as possible.
Read Also: How to Become a Model for Clothing Brands?
So the 600x800 px requirement is our way of ensuring you upload good-quality photos.
3.1 Main Photos
There are 3 main photos - your headshot, your side-view, and your full-height photo. We cannot stress the importance of these photos enough. It's the first thing the casting director will see and first impressions matter.
Oftentimes CDs will need a lot of people, so they won't have time to go into the details of the individual profiles. They'll take one look at your photos and if you're a match, they'll invite you to audition. So the better your photos, the better your chance of getting a gig!
That means high-quality photos, no filters, no distracting backgrounds.
3.2 Additional Photos
In this section you can, you guessed it, upload additional photos. This is your chance to showcase what you look like beyond just your main photos, but keep it professional. That means don't post photos from parties, group photos, or anything inappropriate. The focus is on you and these photos should help the casting director better understand what you look like in different get-ups or settings.
But remember, this isn't a gallery for ALL your photos. The casting director isn't going to browse through 30+ pictures. 4 to 5 additional photos are more than enough - make them count! Once you've got more than 5 photos in this section, consider deleting your older ones.
3.3 Demo Reel
Chances are you don't have a demo reel yet. And that's fine. Demo reels are a short compilation video of your best on-camera performances. If you're just starting out, you won't have one. It's fine to skip it.
That being said, your demo reel doesn't necessarily need to be packed with huge blockbuster appearances. The main reason casting directors want to see demo reels is so they understand what you look like on camera.
While in the ideal scenario the clips would come from professional productions, it's not mandatory. Even homemade clips can work out fine. But you need to make sure they're in great quality. If they aren't, then it's better to upload your video in the “YOUTUBE VIDEOS” section.
3.4 Slate
A slate is a short 5-second clip of you introducing yourself to the camera - it's your talent video business card. Typically, actors are asked to slate when they're at on-camera auditions.
Here's how to slate - look confidently into the camera, say your name, your height, and where you're from. For example: “Hey, I'm Jessica Bartlett, I'm 5'4 and I'm from Los Angeles”. That's it.
The great thing about slates is that you can create one at home, even if you're just starting out. Just find a neutral background, put your phone on a solid foundation (no shaky hand-held footage!), and press record. It's a fantastic way to show casting directors your on-camera presence in just a few seconds.
Read Also: How to Become a Background Actor?
3.5 Youtube Videos
If you have any more videos you want to share, especially ones that showcase your talents, then this is the place to add them. Maybe a friend took a video of you modeling on the catwalk? Or perhaps you have some self-tapes? Somebody filmed you singing and you absolutely nailed it? Any videos that showcase your talents are welcome.
On the other hand, please avoid posting random videos, videos of others, general videos of you hanging out, and any other videos that are unrelated to your skills. Such videos won't help you get cast.
4. Experience
4.1 Credits
This is where you put ALL the experience you have. The bigger the roles, the better, but you should include everything relevant.
Even the smallest roles (e.g. an extra) are good to have because it shows the casting director that you have some practical experience on set. This is a strong advantage to have over somebody who doesn't have any such experience.
If you're part of a community theatre and played some roles there, that's also something to add. If you aren't - consider joining one! It's a fantastic way to build early experience, get some acting education, and meet like-minded people.
That being said, don't add performances from when you were in elementary school or ones that happened a long time ago (unless they were HUGE).
If you don't have any experience, the two things mentioned above - local theatre & gigs as an extra - are the best way to start building your credits list. Another option would be to find student projects in your area. Or just apply for roles that require no experience in allcasting and start building an epic portfolio.
5. Your Comp Card
Now that you've filled out your profile, you're ready to download your very own Comp Card - it's like an A4 business card or a mini portfolio. To do that - head over to your profile and click “Download PDF Comp Card” under the “Edit Profile” button. Here's an example of what you'll get:
It has all your most important info & photos together in one easy-to-review place. It's fantastic for when you apply to roles through email. A casting director can take one look at it and know - this is the right person for my project.
This is why we recommend dearly for you to bring your comp card with you to every audition you go to. Not only will it make you look professional, but it's the best way to stay on the casting director's mind. And when it comes to acting & modeling - getting noticed & remembered is half the battle.
6. About Profile Ratings
That little star & number next to your profile - those are profile ratings. Every profile has them, and we need to talk a bit about them because they're important.
Every piece of information you add to your profile adds to your total rating. Yes, even small things like eye & hair color, additional photos, and linking your social profiles. On top of that, you get points for activity. So it is in your interest to fill out your profile as thoroughly as possible and use allcasting frequently because your rating will go up.
Why is it important? Here's a sneak peek behind the scenes of what casting directors see when you apply to a casting call on allcasting:
As you can see, people with higher ratings appear first. This indicates to the casting director that you have a better profile and, hence, are more serious about acting/modeling, than other people. Statistically, people with higher ratings get invited to auditions more often. Simple as that.
There you have it - we've gone through every section of your profile, explained how best to approach it & why it's important. The key takeaway - fill out your profile as much and as well as possible. The better you do this, the more gigs you will get.
The time for words is over. Now's the time for (lights, camera,) ACTION!
Go fill out your profile now and get booked for your first audition today:
