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Net Casting

By Jill Waterman

Just as photographers now market their services directly via the Web, similar opportunities exist for subjects in front of the camera. New technology and expanding venues allow actors and models engaged as photographic talent to take a more direct role in seeking work. As talent agencies and acting community resources have established a presence on the Internet, overnighting headshots has become a thing of the past.

Robin Bobbe, a New York based casting director, and wife of ASMP member Leland Bobbe, has included online casting in her workflow for the past two years. She routinely sends notices to at least five different casting sites and estimates that about 20 percent of the models she uses originated through the Web. "If you're in a rush you send a message (to the on-line sources) and they send it out to their whole database," says Bobbe.

How she receives a reply from an online posting varies according to the service contacted and the respondent. Some sources contain a Web interface whereby responses are posted to a job folder for direct selection by the photographer or casting director. In other cases, models and agents respond directly via e-mail, sending headshots, web links, or a request for a mailing address to submit a hard copy zed. "I'd really rather have headshots appear right in an e-mail message," says Bobbe. "Clicking on Web links takes time I don't always have and I'm not totally comfortable with giving out my mailing address over the Internet."

For large casting calls, trade publications like Backstage have long been used when searching for models for photography projects. "We used to run a small ad and get two to three thousand people," says Karen D'Silva, Visual Leader at Photonica North America. "Now we receive fewer than 400 headshots. Actors are being advised not to respond by mail."

That's because printed zeds are an expensive undertaking, and with the Web, one can economize by posting headshots on-line. Similarly, it costs around $100 to place a casting notice in the print version of Backstage. Yet their on-line version, http://www.backstage.com, contains a database of models from ten regions nationwide. A password to access the database is supplied free of charge by written request on company letterhead. The database contains breakdowns for ethnicity, gender, age and geographic categories. Individual entries contain an option for posting headshots as well as contact information for prospective models or their agent.

Most of the talent selected from this site may be contacted directly to arrange for a go-see. This service, and others like it, can be a valuable first step for exploring options, especially when planning a shoot remotely, during late-night hours, or when faced with a sudden cancellation.

Another casting resource, Breakdown Services, has served theater and film communities since the mid 1970s. Their newest division, Breakdown Express, http://www.breakdownexpress.com posts headshots of represented talent on a central server. A link to the talent appropriate for a listing is transmitted directly to a casting directors job folder. Corbis uses this service extensively in casting stock shoots. "If I put in a call to them on Thursday I can have a complete casting by Tuesday of the next week" says Associate Producer Malika Ra.

There is no fee for submitting a casting notice, as the business earns income through services to agents and managers. In order to be most effective the casting request should include a comprehensive description of the project including: client, type of campaign, relevant dates, pay range (there must be pay to be acceptable for posting) as well as a full description of the model sought and details about activities, setting and wardrobe.

Two more online services that transmit casting notices to subscriber lists of over 10,000 models each are http://www.NYCastings.com and http://www.TheBuzzNYC.com. These services both receive between 100 - 200 casting requests per week and can get the information out within a very short timeframe. "Within 5 minutes if it's urgent" says NY Castings Aaron Seals.

While NYCastings concentrates on the local New York community, TheBuzz has recently expanded regionally and has a good reach to LA. These services also provide talent for films, television, model agencies, and the music industry. NYCastings sources talent for most of the reality TV shows, and they are also regularly used for casting by stock agencies. Neither of these services take a commission or get involved with pay rates, so the photographer is free to negotiate fees directly with models or agents.

TheBuzz has recently enhanced their site with Performers Pages containing on-line headshots to be e-mailed in response to a casting notice. NYCastings does not yet have viewable on-line headshots, however this enhancement is planned for the future.

Often the best places to find the right cast are rooted in the demographic, the environment, or the activity/interaction proposed by the shoot. One recommended source for demographic-based casting is the web-site http://www.hellohola.org. This New York based non-profit organization has a local membership of more 500 Hispanic actors, actresses, dancers, singers, specialty performers, as well as children and teens. Their web-site contains a database with pictures of close to 200 of their members readily available. A complete assortment of printed resumes and headshots are also viewable at their office location on the lower East Side.

Online communities and user groups can also be a good source related to certain subject areas or demographic needs. When working on production for a recent stock project about people and pets, we avoided the high fees charged by specialty pet agencies by posting a notice on the pets section of craigslist: http://www.craigslist.org, an on-line community for listings, jobs, events and more with customized sites for 23 different cities in the US, Canada and London. The specificity of the needed subject coupled with the demographic of people who frequent this web-site resulted in a casting of great looking people with diverse pets, from a chinchilla to a pair of ferrets. (It's also worth noting that casting notices are regularly posted at the media jobs section of craigs list as well.)

So, what does the talent have to say about their experiences with on-line casting? Jo Asker, a New York and London based actress and model pinpoints her use of on-line casting databases to the day she bought her own scanner. "It's all about having a computer" Asker says. "I didn't know much about on-line resources at first, but I've done a lot of research and now have a tremendous list of on-line casting sites." Currently she has her headshot posted on at least six sites and is optimistic about the response to her efforts. "It was a bit slow at first but I've recently been getting more casting auditions from the Web. I definitely think this is a growing trend."

Enhancements to most casting sites are currently underway, to take full advantage of new technologies and to better serve their respective communities. In the future one can expect to see increased functionality and greater choices in ethnic, age-based and regional talent categories. Yet, perhaps most important for photographers is the ever-expanding array of new talent posting headshots and going on-line in search of interesting projects.

Online Casting Sites - Web-based casting services mentioned in this article or recommended during interviews:

• http://www.backstage.com
  Based in New York, trade publication for the acting community.
  52,000 weekly subscribers
  Publishes fee based casting notices, also online headshot database free to approved casting professionals
  Models in database broken down into five regions - New York, LA, Florida, Chicago, Las Vegas
  Searchable breakdowns include ethnic and age ranges
  Planned upgrades to web-site include distribution of tapes and video clips
  
  
• http://breakdownservices.com
  Referral services for theater, film and media productions
  Based in New York, in operation since 1972 as a service to the theater community
  Offices on East Coast, West Coast and Vancouver, also serves clients in Florida, Chicago, etc.
  Client submits comprehensive job specs - type of campaign, the more exact a description the better, what kind of character, what type of activities, what type of setting, wardrobe, etc.
  Service submits to subscriber list, many 100's of agents and managers
  Query must include a pay range there has to be some pay to be acceptable
  Free service - organization earns income by charges to agents/managers
  Breakdown Express - went live 2 months ago - Agents/Managers have server pages with pictures of represented talent. They post appropriate headshots to a job folder on the web.
  Breakdown also manages the Players Guide - password protected database of theatrical talent
  
  
• http://NYCastings.com
  Online e-mail referral service
  No on-line headshot database currently, but is planned for the future
  Based in New York, in operation for 3 years.
  Local subscriber list of 12,000: actors, models, musicians, filmmakers, agents
  Currently receives 10-20 pieces of info a day
  Free service to photographers and models, revenue earned through banner ads
  Organization holds monthly networking parties
  
  
• http://www.TheBuzzNYC.com
  Subscription service for the acting community
  Based in New York, in operation for 8 years, online for 2 years
  15,000 people in database - expanding exponentially has a reach to LA, just started to expand regionally.
  Database is open to everyone, no editing, everyone is welcome.
  Receives 75-200 listings per week, casting notices uploaded within 6 hours, 24 hours maximum charges $4.95 / month for a performers page, site is free to anyone posting job notices.
  They do post listings for non-paying jobs
  Headshot database not accessible at this time
  Service may construct a viewable database of performer's pages in the future
  
  
• http://www.policeactors.com
  Networking organization for police actors based in New York and managed by former NYC policeman.
  On-line since 2002, currently has 32 active members in New York City and LA.
  Database is a free service and contains direct contact information for affiliated talent.
  Can also refer to talent outside of major markets.
  Talent categories include acting, modeling, stunts and some extra work.
  Can also provide leads/resources for other police equipment and services.
  Rate of pay starts at union level and works up from there
  
  
• http://www.hellohola.org
  Non-profit organization for Spanish language actors.
  Online e-mail referral service, viewable headshot database, print directory of talent
  Based in New York, in operation since 1974, on-line for 3 years.
  500 headshots and resumes in print, ~ 200 headshots on-line.
  No charge for submission of casting notices, charges an annual membership fee to actors
  
  
• http://www.craigslist.org
  Free on-line community for listings, jobs, events and more.
  Customized sites for 23 different cities in the US, Canada and London.
  Contains numerous categories for posting casting notices to job listings to which interested parties reply.
  Can provide responses via anonymous e-mail address for screening replies
  
  
• http://www.direct2models.com, http://direct2pro.com (formerly stockmodels.com, stockproduction.com)
  Model and production referral service with viewable headshot database
  Based in Los Angeles, in operation since 2001
  Database of 11,000 models, 85% Caucasian
  Cities with highest concentrations: LA 3-400 models, New York, 2-300, then Orlando, San Francisco.
  Service provides a go-between for on-line queries sent to 30,000 people
  With name change will upgrade to new search engine, will add features like ethnicity search
  provide a casting board web interface
  Queries forwarded by service to appropriate talent, interested respondents post a headshot to web. Response is edited by service, client can view results in 1-2 days
  Charges 20% commission to both model and client booking fees
  Direct2pro provides a one stop service - models/locations/crew
  
  
• http://therightcast.com
  Headshot database for actors and models.
  Free casting service for photographers and casting agents.
  Also hosts postings for photography services.
  Based in Los Angeles, on-line since 2001.
  Provides information to a network of 15,000  20,000 active actors/models who send headshot postcards in response to casting notices within their area. Strongest concentration in LA and New York but also has subscribers in regional markets such as Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and Canada. Will post notices for projects with no or deferred payment
  
  
• http://www.theactornetwork.com
  Free on-line casting resource operated by actor Aaron Fiore
  On-line since 2001. Based on the East coast
  Strongest representation of talent in following regions: Baltimore, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta, North Carolina
  Currently has headshots on-line for approximately 150 actors/actresses
  Site includes acting resources and links to headshots of male and female actors
  
  
• http://www.camone.com
  On-line casting service operated by photographers David Dale and Steven Boone
  Based in Las Vegas NV. On-line since 2000.
  Service designed for professional photographers, requires 3 industry references to join.
  1 month membership $10.00, $89.95 for 1 year. Membership benefits include 10 image portfolio. Talent list of 2,500 models. Broad regional representation, highest concentrations of models are in New York, Florida and California. Searchable headshot database is accessible to members with model types, geographic locations, etc.
  
  
• http://www.onemodelplace.com
  Public access, general purpose portfolio site for models and photographers
  Based in Fort Lauderdale, FL. On-line since 1996
  Over 30,000 models on-line with broad international reach
  Highest model concentrations are in New York, LA, Florida, Mid Atlantic, Chicago, Texas, London
  Photographers can send free casting notices via webmaster e-mail, distribution to models can take 3-4 days
  Five categories of portfolio memberships offered to models and photographers
  Annual/monthly cost breakdowns: Bronze (starter site) - $10.00 / year, silver (increased exposure) - $49.95 / year, Gold (for a growing career) - $99.95 / year, Platinum (for Professional Photographers who travel) - $149.95 / year, Platinum Plus (for agents/model managers) - $249.95 / year
  
  

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