Back Stage 411 - Casting FAQ

Use the Online Submission System to Double Your Chances of Getting Cast

When you use Back Stage's online submission system to submit your Multimedia Resume to casting notices, four things automatically happen simultaneously:  

1) Your complete submission package — including your cover letter, the role(s) you're applying for, and your Multimedia Resume (featuring your photos, credits, reels, links, etc.) — is sent from Back Stage to the casting director as an HTML email. The submission package will arrive in the casting director's regular email inbox. And if the project has supplied Back Stage with multiple email addresses, then your submission package will automatically be sent to all of their inboxes at once.

2) Your complete submission package is also saved to the project's Résumé Inbox applicant-management system in the project's Casting Center Toolbox on BackStage.com, where casting directors can easily sort, filter, view, and respond to the submissions they receive.

This can double your chances of having your resume seen by the casting director, since it means that they'll see your application in their Back Stage inbox as well as in their regular email account. (Plus, it offers a great back-up solution: Even if the casting director doesn't have a Résumé Inbox on BackStage.com or they're not checking it very frequently, you can feel safe knowing that they'll still receive your resume via regular email. Or if the casting director's regular email inbox has filled up or has temporarily stopped working for some reason, you can still be assured that they'll find your resume in their Résumé Inbox on BackStage.com. Either way, you're covered!)

3) A copy of the casting notice is saved to your Casting Notices Inbox on BackStage.com, so you can quickly view it again later if you want to remind yourself about the project or check the script sides before auditioning.

4) A record of your submission is saved to your Resume Submissions Outbox, so you can keep track of the projects you've applied to.

See below for more info, including screenshots and important instructions for effectively using Back Stage's online submission system:

Promote Your Multimedia Resume - Marketing Your Resume Link

After you've created one or multiple Multimedia Resumes on BackStage.com, the next step is to make sure that people see your resume.

First, make sure to choose the Public or Confidential option as the Exposure Level for at least one of your resumes. Public and Confidential resumes are showcased in the Back Stage Talent Database, allowing casting directors, agents, and other industry professionals to discover you whenever they're searching for talent.

The second step is to submit your Multimedia Resume to projects by clicking on the "Submit Online" link or "Apply" button anytime these options are available on a casting notice that you're interested in.

Finally, create a customized quick-link pointing to the shareable version of your resume(s), and then come up with a marketing strategy to get your link out to as many people as possible.

The following are resume-link marketing tips to help get you started:

Showcase Your Multimedia Resume with a Custom URL Quick-Link

Creating a customized quick-link for your BackStage.com Multimedia Resume is a great way to promote yourself. After creating a short, easy-to-remember link for your resume, you can add the link to your business cards, include the link in your email-signature, and link to your resume from other websites. For instance, you could post the link on your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles, so your contacts will be able to easily view your resume, photos, and reels on Back Stage.

You can create a quick-link in a few simple steps: Just visit your "Manage My Resumes" page on BackStage.com; click on the "Promote My Resumes - Your Resume Page Link" option to find the link to the "shareable" versions of your resume; then paste the link(s) into the "URL to make tiny" field on a free link-shortening site like TinyURL.com; and choose the custom URL text you'd like to use in the link. Or you could even redirect your own website domain to point directly to your resumes on BackStage.com.

Examples: Actress Sri Gordon created this TinyURL link to showcase her full resume on BackStage.com: www.tinyurl.com/SriGordon. And I've used GoDaddy.com to redirect www.LukeCrowe.com to my profile on LinkedIn.com.

See below for detailed instructions:

Reality TV Casting - iPhone App FAQ

Back Stage's Reality TV Casting app provides you with access to casting notices for reality TV shows, game shows, talk shows, competitions, and more. The listings are updated daily, and the app is compatible with the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. You can download the app from the iTunes App Store at www.tinyurl.com/RealityCastingApp.

You can use the app to browse through casting notices for projects calling for submissions from real people, models, and performers  in Los Angeles, New York, and across the U.S. You can run keyword searches to narrow down the results; and quickly star the items you're interested in so you can find them again later in the app's Favorites screen. Plus, the app provides access to news articles and advice columns from Back Stage, and links to hundreds of additional casting notices via Back Stage's Twitter.com/Casting_Notice feed, so you'll always know about the latest auditions and casting opportunities available.

For more details, please see the FAQ below:

Call Sheet - iPhone App FAQ

Considered an invaluable resource for actors, models, and performers, Call Sheet is the most up-to-date and trustworthy entertainment-industry contact directory of it's kind.

Call Sheet is now available as an iPhone app, called Call Sheet: Casting & Agency Contacts by Back Stage. The app is available in Apple's iTunes store (www.tinyurl.com/CallSheetApp) and is compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The app includes contact details for casting directors, talent agents and agencies, talent managers, production companies, and acting schools.

iPhone App FAQ:

How to Protect Your Privacy - Multimedia Resume Exposure Options

When you create a Multimedia Resume on BackStage.com, you're given three "exposure level" options that determine who can see your resume, what contact info is visible, and whether or not your resume will appear in the Back Stage Talent Database. Understanding these options can you help you protect your online privacy.

The following article will assist you with deciding which option is best for you, while also providing additional tips that will help keep you safe. 

How to Embed Audio & Video Players on Your Multimedia Resume

You can add audio and video files to your Multimedia Resumes on BackStage.com.

Adding media files to your resume is great way to show off your talent and attract the attention of casting directors. And unlike other casting websites that nickel-and-dime actors by charging for every media file, Back Stage subscribers can include multiple media items on their resumes for no extra cost and no hidden fees.

There are three methods available for including audio and video on your resume: You can upload, embed, or link to the files. We highly recommend our "Embedded Media" option, because embedding your audio and video items provides the nicest presentation and greatest level of control.

See below for details on all three options, plus instructions for using the "embed" options from YouTube,  Video, and MySpace to easily add your media from those sites onto your Back Stage Multimedia Resume:

Jumpstart Your Acting Career - Get the most out of BackStage.com

10 Tips to Help You Get the Most out of Back Stage

The following 10 tips will help you unlock the full potential of BackStage.com and jumpstart your career in the performing arts. Find out how to get your resume more exposure; how to search for casting notices faster; where to find contact info for casting directors, agents, and major feature films; how to find insights from entertainment-industry professionals; how to receive casting notices by email; how to create your own projects; how to avoid scams; and more!

One-Click Searches - Quickly Browse Through Casting Notices

In the entertainment industry, actors rely on Back Stage for real-time casting and audition information, acting advice, job listings, and entertainment-industry news. From production listings of Hollywood films to auditions for Broadway theatre productions, BackStage.com is an invaluable actors' resource.

The following single-click quick searches will help you find all of the latest casting opportunities available in your area.

Browse Casting Notices: Use the Browse Casting page on Casting.BackStage.com to quickly see how many projects are currently seeking talent. The Browse Casting page is organized into sub-sections listing casting and job notices by categories, states, companies, and more, providing a convenient overview of who's hiring and what gigs are currently available. 

Saved Casting Searches: Visit your Saved Searches page to create, update, and run your own customized searches using personalized search criteria.

Additional one-click quick-searches can be found below:

Scam Alert: Beware of Casting Scams!

The Back Stage Casting Department puts great effort into stopping scams from being published in Back Stage; blocking spammers, scammers, and other bad guys from using the BackStage.com Multimedia Resume Talent Database for illegitimate purposes; stopping acting scams and modeling scams; and removing scams from Back Stage whenever a casting notice turns out to be bogus.

However, sometimes con artists still slip through the cracks — so we depend on our readers to let us know if they run into a problem. If you report a scam, we'll quickly investigate and remove any fake casting notices and scammers.

Here are five casting scams and suspicious situations to watch out for: