6 Best Casting Websites for Filmmakers in Hollywood
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A film becomes a masterpiece because of the collaborating efforts of the director, producer, screenwriters, crew, and cast. Eliminating any collaborator can have disastrous results at the production and box office levels.
The primary and vital element of a film is its cast. A great cast consists of the perfect actors assigned to each of the roles. Thus, casting talented and excellent actors for a movie is essential.
The traditional process of finding actors through one-by-one auditions followed by different headshots is time-consuming. However, with the onset of the digital world, the casting process has evolved. The contemporary method of hiring new talents includes online websites and software for casting.
These paid/unpaid online websites allow directors and filmmakers to cast actors, voiceover artists, models, and influencers. The cutting-edge software within the websites allows casting directors to finalize the cast with virtual auditions.
How Do Casting Websites Work?
Casting websites help actors and actresses find auditions, connect with casting directors and producers, and build their portfolios.
These sites are where you can go to get your name out there—and not just your name. You can also post profiles of your past work and create a portfolio that showcases your talent. The more people who see it, the more likely it is that someone will want to work with you!
Casting websites are also great because they allow actors and actresses to connect with casting directors and producers. If a casting director is looking for someone who looks like a certain type of person or has a specific skill set, they might use these sites to find them.
This way, they don’t have to go through hundreds of resumes or callbacks—they can just browse through the profiles on these websites until they find someone who matches what they’re looking for.
Lastly, casting websites allow actors and actresses to build their portfolios. In order for an actor’s career to grow, he or she needs to have experience working on different projects over time (and ideally in different genres).
By building up a portfolio of past work on these sites, the actor has something solid that he or she can use during auditions or callbacks so that he or she doesn
This article aims to put a glance at the seven best casting websites for filmmakers in Hollywood. Let’s go through these top casting websites:
1. Backstage
Backstage is one of the top online casting websites that can be assessed worldwide. As a filmmaker, this can be the best website to search for talents for your upcoming project. You can find cast members on the website ranging from actors to voice artists.
Whether you are a filmmaker searching for new talents, or a performing arts enthusiast looking for a break, Backstage can be a true friend in your journey.
The membership subscription for Backstage varies according to the plan you choose.
- Yearly membership is $199.88
- The monthly membership is $19.95
This is a very popular website among artists looking for work. As a filmmaker, you can have ample options to explore. You can cast actors, models, and voiceover artists for film, TV, documentary, etc., from any part of the world.
The user-friendly website has vivid guidelines and offers advanced tools to manage applications. Its reputed website collaborates with media companies like Netflix, NBC, HBO, Disney, etc.
My review of Backstage.com has more details answering why you should be a member.
2. Breakdown Express
Breakdown Express is another reputed casting website that is a substitute for Breakdown Services. With a tender stature among actors and filmmakers, the website is one of the top and best. The website offers features to casting directors and casting agencies.
As a filmmaker or casting director, you can post breakdowns on the website, which is assessed to actors in Actors Access. The actors’ audition reels are reviewed and then submitted to the casting directors making the process much more comfortable.
Casting directors can use Breakdown Express free of cost to find potential actors for their projects. The breakdowns posted by casting directors can be accessed only by licensed casting agencies and members of Actors Access.
The breakdown reaches many suitors, and filtered audition reels come to you, saving you a lot of time.
3. Casting Networks
Casting Networks is a new horse in the race compared to the timeline. But a master player if talked about performance. This website is specially designed for casting directors and filmmakers.
The website offers sophisticated tools and insights that work efficiently to manage submissions.
In 2002, casting networks were initially created to cater to casting directors’ and casting agencies’ best solutions. The features for an aspiring actor using the website are no more than submitting an audition.
This is a free website. However, you can secure representation by paying an annual subscription fee of $25. The website listings are concentrated in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
The tools and features are firmly made for the casting directors and filmmakers making it a perfect website. Independent and student filmmakers can also post their casting roles and hire suitable actors.
Pricing: $25 is the Yearly Subscription Fee
4. Casting Calls America
This is a site for aspiring actors from the United States. The site is a substitute for different region-specific websites to make it easier for casting directors/producers and actors to interact. The various sites are listed on their mother website.
The website offers a robust software solution to the casting director/producers or filmmakers to manage their posted job roles, submissions, and actors’ auditions.
This is a legitimate site that only allows the directors/filmmakers to post a role directly.
Pricing: Free to use their services.
Neither the employer nor the employee is liable for any subscription charges. Once the role is posted, the website automatically suggests the suitable actors for your role.
The casting director or filmmakers can specifically ask for submissions from a registered actor. Once the actors make the submissions, you can filter those and directly download all the information from your dashboard.
5. Casting Frontier
Casting Frontier is also a new platform to connect casting directors to actors. However, it has been quite successful in gaining fame in the industry. The platform offers a good range of features to aspiring actors, like headshots and feature reels.
Casting Frontier’s basic plan is free for casting directors and filmmakers. However, the aspiring actors who list them under the website can either use them for free or upgrade to premium plans with more features and unlimited submissions.
As a casting director, you can post needed roles with a video introduction of your position and yourself. The website allows you to save, edit and share audition tapes with clients and collaborators using the iSession software.
All the audition tapes and portfolios are saved in an archive folder which can be accessed anytime. You can sum up the entire casting process, virtually saving time and expenses.
6. Now Casting
Now casting is not yet a very well-known website for casting websites, but it offers listings of reputed firms wanting to cast actors. The website is primarily made for Los Angeles and its citizens. However, members can access listings outside LA for free.
Pricing: With a premium plan of $11 per month, users can access roles listed inside Los Angeles.
With this plan, actors can submit their auditions to unlimited roles. A free platform for casting directors and filmmakers that allows casting directors to view actors by thumbnail, making shortlisting easy.
The website policies allow a casting director to ask for either an offline or an online audition from actors. The casting director can easily reject actors who do not match the criteria for their roles on the website.
Why Should a Casting Director Or an Actor Use These Sites?
Casting actors can use casting websites to find their next big role, whether they’re looking for a live-action or animated project. Casting directors also use these websites to find actors who are the perfect fit for their roles.
Casting websites provide an easy and effective way to connect with people in the industry. They allow users to upload their information, including their resume and headshot.
They also let you search for roles by location, type of project, or character description. You can set up alerts to notify you when new projects have been added that match your search criteria.
If you have an agent or manager, they can also manage your account on casting websites and add more information about you, like your union status or social media accounts, so that casting directors can know more about who they’re talking to before reaching out.
Casting websites offer great resources for those looking to break into the entertainment industry—both as actors and as casting directors themselves!
They are a great way to find auditions, build your portfolio, and connect with casting directors and other actors. You can use casting websites to find auditions for roles you’re interested in playing and ones you wouldn’t ordinarily have access to.
Casting websites allow you to build your portfolio by uploading videos of yourself acting out scenes from your favorite movies or plays. This will help you get noticed by casting directors and make sure that people know what kind of roles you’d like to play in the future!
Casting websites have become popular because they help actors quickly connect with producers and casting directors.
They can also be used as an educational tool: when someone uploads their resume onto a casting website, it will often contain links to other sites where the actor has worked or training that they’ve received.
This allows others to find out more about them without digging through old emails or files on your computer! It’s also easier for both parties: instead of sending attachments back and forth via email (which takes time), everything is kept in one place, so it’s easy for everyone involved!
This method of casting has been exceptionally effective during the pandemic. Instead of taking auditions face-to-face, these websites have simplified the casting procedure for actors and casting directors.
How Can These Sites Help Casting Directors?
Casting websites can help casting directors in a variety of ways. First and foremost, they can help casting directors find talent. Casting sites allow you to post your casting call for free and reach a wide audience. A casting website also lets you see who has viewed your casting call and how many times it has been viewed.
Casting websites are also great for reaching people who would otherwise be hard to reach. For example, if you’re casting for a local theater production in NYC, you may not have the budget to advertise on TV or radio stations.
However, if you post your casting call on a website that’s accessible from all over the world, then you’ll be able to reach actors living far away who might not otherwise be able to audition for your project.
Casting websites can be used to find actors and models, organize auditions, and even get feedback from the public on the actors they’ve cast.
Casting sites make it easier than ever for casting directors to find the right person for a role in their upcoming film or TV show. This is because they have access to thousands of profiles of actors and models—all of whom have submitted their work to be considered for roles in big-budget productions.
Casting websites also allow casting directors to organize auditions more efficiently than ever, which means they can save time and money by eliminating unnecessary meetings with candidates.
Instead of finding out about each possible candidate individually, casting directors can go online and quickly see the profiles of any actor or model submitted to them through the website’s database.
Finally, casting sites allow casting directors to get viewers’ feedback on whether someone should be cast in a particular role. This is especially helpful when there are many applicants who all seem equally qualified for a specific part.
A viewer can quickly check out an actor’s profile and leave comments about whether or not they think he/she would be good at portraying a character based on his/her previous
Can Casting Websites Help Actors Get More Casting Calls?
If you’re an actor, you probably know that it can be hard to get a casting call. After all, you’re competing with thousands of other actors for each role, and a lot of those roles are already filled before they’re ever posted.
But what if there was a way for you to get your name in front of more casting directors?
Casting sites can be a great way for actors to get more casting calls. They provide a space for actors to showcase their skills and talents, and also help them find auditions that are relevant to their interests.
Actors who want to use casting websites should make sure they have an updated headshot, resume, and demo reel before uploading them. This will help casting directors find the actor more easily when they search for them on these sites.
Casting sites are the best way of getting casting calls and building your acting career, especially if you’re looking for more than just one role.
There are a lot of free casting sites as well that you can use to apply for roles, and many of them will post your resume to their database so that producers can find you when they need an actor with your skillset.
This is a great way to get more auditions, because it means that producers don’t have to spend time searching through resumes or going through the trouble of finding good candidates themselves.
On top of that, there are also casting websites that allow you to apply for specific roles in certain projects. For instance, if you want to be in a movie about space travel and aliens, there might be a website where you can search for “space travel” and “aliens” together—and then submit your resume only if it matches those criteria!
You won’t have to spend time applying for roles that don’t suit your strengths or interests; the sites do all of that work for you so that you can focus on building up your acting career without worrying about any extra effort.
Can Casting Websites Help You Find Agents?
If you’re trying to find a role in a specific project, casting websites can help you find out about open auditions and get your name in front of the casting director. But if you’re looking for an agent or manager, casting websites may not be the best way to go.
The best way to find legitimate casting agencies or manager is by networking: meeting casting professionals and industry professionals in person and letting them know about your talents and goals.
Are Casting Websites Enough?
Casting websites can help you do that by putting your face in front of more people who might be able to help you find representation—but it’s still up to you to make those connections happen!
The weight of nailing your acting auditions and getting casting calls still rests on your shoulders. Agents and managers can only get you so far in your career.
If you are looking for your big break and awaiting that one great role that turns your life around, you may want to search casting calls and take up more efforts to boost your career.
One of the best things you can do is to take acting classes. This is a sure-fire way of upgrading your skills and boosting your resume. Taking up acting classes might also help you socialise and gain more connections.
When you’re trying to boost your acting career, it’s important to remember that it’s a marathon and not a sprint. You can’t expect to book an audition or get a job tomorrow—it takes time, effort, and patience.
To get more acting jobs, you need to be proactive. You can’t just wait around for jobs to come to you—you need to find out what they are and where the opportunities are. That way, when you get the call, you’re ready to take action right away.
You should always be prepared. Before you go on any audition or take on any role, it’s important to know what it is you’re getting into. You want to know what the director is looking for, how much time you’ll have for rehearsals, and if there will be a lot of other actors with whom you need to interact.
This information will help you prepare mentally and physically. You’ll also want to research the part itself so that you have some idea of what’s going on in the story, which will help you form an opinion about your character.
If possible, try out some new material while researching the part—this will give you practice at trying out different voices or accents and let you see how they feel in real life before an audition or performance day.
You might also want to try doing some research on your fellow cast members—if they’re local actors who’ve been around a long time then they probably know what they’re doing!
Conclusion
The above-discussed casting websites hold a good reputation in the industry. The websites are managed by a team of professionals who filter every role posted to ensure safe interaction.
This time and effort-saving formula has been a boon to the industry. However, one must be careful about the perils of the online world.
Whether casting an actor, getting your script recognized, learning filmmaking, or finding producers for your project, the digital universe has it covered.
With many online filmmaking courses, screenwriting courses, and casting websites, you can aim to project the story in your mind onto the screen.
