How To Optimize Your Actors Access Profile
Happy Tuesday! Last week I showed you everything you should be doing with your IMDb profile. This week we’re continuing our series on actors’ online presence by going over one of the most important tools an actors needs: An Actors Access profile!
When a Casting Director posts a role, they used Breakdown Services, and release it to Agents and Managers, and sometimes Actors. From there, your agent or manager submits you, but they use your Actors Access profile to do it! It is vital that you maintain and update your profile because this is the first thing Casting sees when they see your submission.
You want to make sure you have performance footage (clips or a reel), a SlateShot, an updated resume, and the right photos. I explain each and why you need them in the video, so be sure to watch below!
When Casting sees your (or your agent/manager’s) submission, there’s a system to when your submission shows up in the list. Remember there can be 1500 submissions for a one line co-star, so showing up towards the top of the list is huge! (Most casting directors I know are thorough and do check through every submission, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to be at the top!)
Now it’s your turn! Go grab your vanity URL and post your Actors Access profile in the comments below! Is your Actors Access profile fully optimized? Or did you have to add something? (Each comment enters you to win an exclusive Workshop Guru prize!)
I know that you have lots of questions, and I want to make it easy for you to get them answered. Do you have a burning question that you want me to answer in Guru Tips For Actors? Email us your questions and we’ll address it in a future #GuruTips episode!
Go update your resume!
April 5, 2016 @ 4:17 pm
Thanks again for the VERY helpful pointers, Ajarae!
I already had a vanity url :
http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/claytonbhodges
But I am going to get my SlateShots done when I re-do my head shots shortly. Thanks for the headsup!
April 5, 2016 @ 6:35 pm
http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/hilarygreer
thank you so much for all your helpful videos. Above is my profile. I always want to edit to be proficient & proactive. As for slate shots, I just heard from a very prominent casting director that if you have media, it is unnecessary to have slate shots. She said it could actually give someone a reason to say no. She said any media moves you up & that slate shots are for moving those without media up. I would like to poll those out there on the other side. Any thoughts on that?
April 6, 2016 @ 3:54 am
Hi, Ajarae! Thanks for the tips – I hadn’t known that key reason for doing a slate shot! I was just looking at examples yesterday, as a matter of fact. That will now be on my do-to list! (I love how many of the examples end up sort of matching their facial positions on the specific headshots — that might be difficult to replicate from a home set up. We shall see.) Meanwhile, here is a link to what I have so far. http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/juliemillett
April 6, 2016 @ 8:19 am
Hi Ajarae!
I am yet to do a slate shot and I have heard some differing opinions about them – do you think that having a slate is very important?
http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/esthereden
April 19, 2016 @ 3:21 pm
You got it, Clayton!
April 19, 2016 @ 3:24 pm
Hey, Hilary! Thanks for this! I would agree that given the choice, and CD would rather see performance video that a slate shot. It’s much more helpful for obvious reasons. But I don’t really see how a slate shot could HURT you… as long as you have your media on your profile as well, you should be all good. The fact is that the default order prioritizes actors with media AND a slate shot. That’s direct from the guy who owns and built Actors Access. 🙂
April 19, 2016 @ 3:24 pm
Awesome, Julie! Good luck!
April 19, 2016 @ 3:25 pm
Hey there, Esther! I think performance video is more important for sure… but a slate shot is helpful because of the default viewing order that I mention in the video. One is free, so why not?