Media Requests & Callbacks
Hi There! We are off to a busy and successful year, with many media requests and callbacks. The casting directors are scrambling to find the right actors for the roles, and we want as many opportunities as possible. We must follow a few steps to keep the flow running smoothly between talent - agents - and casting directors. We want to be sure we convey our interest in booking roles!
Here are a few tips for keeping up with media requests and callbacks. Casting Networks is known for sending emails in abundance, but it’s good to look at it at least once or twice a day to see if you have any requests. I will text or call you if you have a callback (audition). Here is a quick checklist of steps to help manage your acting/modeling career on top of everything on your daily to-do list.
Turn your email alerts on! I know it’s annoying with all of the Casting Networks emails.
Check your email several times daily, especially if your alerts are turned off.
If you have a media request, read all the details, including dates, times, and directions for taping and submitting.
Contact your agent (that would be me) if you have questions.
*Accept or Decline in CN. This shows me that you’ve seen the media request and lets the casting director know you will (or will not) be taping.
Save your tape using Jordan Woods-Robinson's recommendations (at 48:00) from Book From Tape. Upload to Casting Networks or, if specified, send it via WeTransfer or Dropbox.
I’m always here for feedback, support, and questions!
How to manage new storage limits on Casting Networks
In our last blog post we discussed self-tapes and mentioned the new storage limits on Casting Networks. I took some time to do my research. After a long conversation with my agency rep at Casting Networks, I feel confident this issue can be tackled. The rep provided information to share with P+C talent (below for reference). I read through it all to save you some time, and this is what it boils down to. For those with free accounts, you have 350 MB of free storage. After a file has been in CN for 21 days, you can archive media to make room for more. Click here for directions on archiving media. Here’s a link that is useful when it comes to media size.
If you’d like to read through everything they provided or you want more info on who to contact, please read below. I hope this is helpful!
From Casting Networks:
Talent Agents have the ability to upload self-tape auditions for their talent, but uploading for the talent is meant to be an option for extreme circumstances only, not the norm.
Our Customer Service team has many different options for Actors. Send all of your actors the information I sent to you. You can also have them contact talentsupport@castingnetworks.com or call 213-201-8100. Customer Service can help them.
If you would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting with our Client Success team to learn more about the new memberships, please click on the link to set up an appointment Casting Networks - Client Success Office Hours.
Should you prefer to watch a brief video about the overall changes, click here. Or for a more in-depth overview, here is a link to our recent webinar discussing the upcoming changes.
Additionally, click here for a side-by-side one sheet comparing the plans.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
Resources for Talent: Share with your talent to get the answers they need
Self-Tape Best Practice
The Peas and Carrots Agency provides best practices for performers and shares industry trends.
In the post-pandemic world of self-tape auditions, knowing what a casting director is looking for and the best way to navigate technology can be difficult. Have you noticed casting platforms (I won’t mention names) suddenly not allowing you to upload a callback video because you don’t have enough memory or castings that won’t allow you to submit unless you upgrade your account? Here are some tips to help you get noticed and avoid technical issues.
The Dreaded Self-Tape
Follow the directions! Be sure to read the directions several times before getting set up. So many people skim over the directions and miss the most critical pieces of information.
Use a neutral background, such as a light-colored blank wall or a backdrop if you have one. Set the camera up at a good angle - not too low or too high - level with your face, not your legs.
Take up the space in the frame! Don’t huddle in the corner of the frame. This is your time and your chance to make an impression.
Project your voice! Don’t be afraid to speak up. I’m not saying you should shout your introduction or lines, but speak clearly and loud enough so that no one has to mess with the volume.
Be aware of the length of your tape! Think about the hundreds of auditions the casting directors and clients are reviewing. The first 30 - 60 seconds are probably the most important.
Save your file with your name and the job in the title. This will make it easy for those reviewing to identify your audition.
Regarding the technical side of the self-tape, the size is vital when uploading to the casting platform. After the holidays, talent began to experience issues uploading their videos for callbacks. They were receiving a message that said they didn’t have enough memory and would need to upgrade their account. As the agent, I tried to upload and submit the videos on my end and got the same message. I then opened the video in iMovie, exported the file at the lowest quality and smallest size, and tried again. It worked! They can be sneaky when trying to get more money from their users. Take away - save your tape down to the smallest size!
Castings - I can’t submit, and neither can my agent!
Is there a casting that looks amazing, but you can’t submit unless you upgrade your account? Did you send it to your agent, but they aren’t able to view the casting? If you don’t want to upgrade, no worries! The past few of these castings were posted to agents within 24 hours.
Break a Leg!