Publication: The SAG New Mexico Actor Newsletter
Published: July 1999
Byline: Mel MacKaron, Editor

Are you still fretting because you haven`t worked recently? Worse yet, you have not had an audition in over half a year? Brace yourself. The situation could get worse. In an expanding technological community where actors from all over the country are seeking representation by agents in multiple branches, the competition for each job is growing. How can you improve your chances of being considered for parts? The answer may be as close as your computer.

In the past few years, you have probably heard much about how the Internet would be the "wave of the future" for actors to increase their visibility. The Academy Players Directory, in the past year, has expanded their listing service so that clients appear in the traditional books and also on CD-ROMs and the Internet (www.acadpd.org). This includes a copy of your resume that you can access and revise on the Internet. And surely individuals have approached you, wanting to feature you on their web pages. In past issues of The New Mexico Actor, we have discussed the pro`s aud con`s of getting on-line and finding a suitable vehicle for doing so. Fven the Screen Actors Guild considered expanding its membership services in this regard. In fact, as a result of research by SAG into this area, SAG is doing an extensive feasibility study of on-line services. This study is being funded by the Industry Advancement and Cooperative Fund. This is an acknowledgment of the predominance of new technology in our industry. But how could you choose which was the best option? Certainly, the Accademy Players Directory is a proven entity - It has the advantages of name recognition and respectability, and at $75.00 per year it is quite reasonable. But are there additional options? Read on.

Castnet.com is an on-line system designed to create bridges between actors, their agents, and casting directors. Located at 5757 Wilshire Boulevard, they are housed in the same building as SAG`s headquarters [However, they are not associated with any of the unions- SAG, AFTRA, or Equity ... - located in this building]. How does Castnet.com differ from other on-line casting services? It`s simple: they offer more than a simple venue for your headshots and resume. For $99.95 per year, the subscriber gets the following:

Publicity: Three photos and your resume; Free sides: Either the Castnet.com office will fax them to you. Or you may print them directly from the web site; Resume updates: As your credits or personal information change, you may either fax the information to Castnet.com and they will make the changes, or log on and make the changes yourself; Postcards: You can create a postcard that you will either print and send to casting directors who use Castnet.com or send them electronically; Participate in a professional actors` forum: This includes posting messages to other actors, agents, or directors, or reading casting notices; Portfolio submission to SAG-franchised talent agents: If you are interested in soliciting agents in other areas of the country to represent you, you may send your portfolio on-line to participating agents; Free mailing labels: If you want to do mass-mailings to casting directors or SAG-franchised agents in Los Angeles, Chicago, or New York, this option is available, too; Maps/Directions: Sometimes, the most difficult part of auditioning is finding your way there. If you enter your destination, Castnet.com will bring up a map for you to print. It will also provide point-to-point directions.

When I spoke with Bob Mohler, a regional sales manager of Castnet.com, he told me that they are trying to expand their services, and that, currently, not all services will benefit members outside the Los Angeles area. Nevertheless, he feels services like this will create more opportunities for actors outside the central hub of traditional work. Currently, by the way, he said they have 35,000 actors and 250 casting directors on-line.

Judy West of Voice Choice On Camera, a Denver-based Voice-over agency, has used Castnet.com for a few months and feels it is the "wave of the future." Currently, she acknowledges a weakness in Castnet.com not having full breakdowns, but she thinks that this will change as producers and casting directors become more accustomed to using Internet-based services. The biggest positive Judy has seen is that many actors have contacted her seeking representation; however, she still sees it as most useful for Los Angeles actors. As an agent, though, Judy said it was a way For her to "expand her reach."

Mary Ann Smith of Cimarron Talent Agency in Albuquerque said she was encouraging her actors to sign up. She feels that the more New Mexico actors are on-line, the more new job opportunities will be created.

Incidentally, talent agents and casting directors do not pay to use Castnet.com. Still, they have complete access to the actors who subscribe to this service. My evaluation is that Castnet.com and other, similar on-line services will help actors find new job opportunities. They will not supercede traditional casting methods, but a serious actor should probably consider signing up for this or a similar service. If you do not do everything you can to market vourself to increase your visibility to the people who have the power to hire you, then in the future you will find it increasingly difficult to get work in this highly competitive field.

I encourage you to further investigate Castnet.com, the Academy Players Directory or any other multimedia casting/electronic submission service. The costs are reasonable, and the possibilities are endless.