Back Stage 411 - Casting FAQ

Visit our all-new FAQ

Visit Backstage.com/Help to view the new FAQ for the all-new Backstage.com.

The following posts are from our old FAQ and may not always apply to the new Backstage.com/Casting site's tools and current functionality.

Cast Like a Pro - Find Amazing Talent for All of Your Projects

THE CASTING RESOURCE USED BY PROFESSIONALS

Back Stage is used by hundreds of professional casting directors every day — including members of the Casting Society of America (CSA) and the Commercial Casting Directors Association (CCDA) — in addition to filmmakers, theatre-makers, film students, talent scouts, comedy club bookers, agents, managers, HR reps, record producers, and more. Everyone that's in the know knows that when you need to find talent for your project, Back Stage is the best way to get the word out to an extraordinary pool of actors, models, and performers.

POST A NOTICE: CASTING MADE EASY

Simply use our online posting form at BackStage.com/FindTalent to quickly paste in your casting calls and character breakdowns, and then we'll take care of everything for you. Every breakdown is carefully reviewed, formatted, and proofread by Back Stage's casting editors before being published in print or online – so you can rest easy knowing that you'll receive a professional presentation.

To learn how to use Back Stage to cast your project, please check out this article: "How to Find Talent, Receive Submissions, Save Résumés, and Contact Applicants in Bulk."

How to Find Talent, Receive Submissions, Save Résumés, and Contact Applicants in Bulk

Casting directors, agents, and employers can use BackStage.com to find actors, models, performers (dancers, singers, comedians, musicians, and more); manage submissions; and then contact the job applicants individually or in bulk.

To start your talent search, visit the Casting Center Toolbox and then "Post a Notice" to call for cast and crew.

And to supplement your search, visit the Back Stage Multimedia Résumé Talent Database and use advanced search criteria (including gender, age ranges, skills, union status, geographic location, etc.) to find even more actors, models, and performers.

Plus, you can set up Saved Résumé Searches and Alerts to automatically search the Talent Database for you; your Resume Alert Agents will email you resumes that match your search criteria until you've finished casting.

Once you've received a ton of Multimedia Résumé submissions thanks to the Casting Notice you posted on BackStage.com – and/or after you've found some great actors in Back Stage's Talent Database yourself – visit your Résumé Inbox & Applicant Manager to view, organize, tag, sort, and filter through the submissions you've received and resumes you've found. (Quick tip: use the "Advanced Filter" option in your Inbox to manage the résumés more effectively.)

Then use the following options to contact the actors you'd like to audition:

Casting Discount Code for Film & Theatre Schools

 

Students & Faculty:

Receive a great discount off the price of posting a notice calling for cast and/or crew in BACK STAGE when you mention the name of your school in your notice and enter the secret promo code for your school during the online checkout process.

To discover the promo code for your school, check with your school's administrators. Most major film and theatre schools in the U.S. should have the current Back Stage Casting promo code on file. If they don't, then simply contact the Back Stage Casting Department from a .edu email address or on university letterhead, and we'll send the code to you and your school.

Contact the Back Stage Casting Department: http://backstage.com/castinghelp

To find talent and cast your project, visit http://BackStage.com/FindTalent.

Plus, receive the following benefits, FREE:

How to call for Union Members in Your Casting/Job Notice

Four Quick Tips:

Read below to find out how to call for only union performers, both union and nonunion performers, or only nonunion performers -- along with info on how to officially notate the status of your union contract or agreement.

Back Stage Casting/Job Notices: Help With Union Contracts

How Union Contracts Are Referenced in Back Stage Casting/Job Notices:

The following article is designed to help you understand how Back Stage verifies union information and the union-, union/nonunion-, and nonunion-specific language used by Back Stage in its casting and job notices.

For instance, read below to find out why phrases such as "pending" and "plans to apply for" are used in some union-contract descriptions, and view a comprehensive list of SAG, AFTRA, Equity (AEA), AGMA, AGVA, AFM, and ACTRA contracts and agreements, along with helpful union website links and other related info.

Creating a Notice: Various Casting, Job, Festival, and Competition Opportunities & Gigs

Various Casting, Job, Festival, and Competition Opportunities & Gigs

Back Stage's notices provide all possible critical information on a project in a clear, concise, and highly readable format so that ours readers can make an informed decision. Casting notices should follow the Back Stage style and format in regards to spelling, punctuation, and abbreviations, and so on.

Specifically:

1. The first paragraph lists the project details, including who’s casting, the name of the production, the personnel involved, and the approximate rehearsal and performance/shooting dates (if known).
   
2. The middle paragraph(s) contain the character/job breakdown, including exactly what type of performers and staff the production is looking for.
   
3. The final paragraph begins with the audition/submission info (dates, times, and location are in italics), followed by what performers must prepare/bring, contact info (phone, email, website), and ends with the pay/contract details, followed by the date the notice was first posted (in parentheses).

Creating a Casting/Job Notice: Theatre/Stage Casting

Theatre/Stage Casting & Job Notices

Back Stage casting and job notices provide all possible critical information on a project in a clear, concise, and highly readable format so that ours readers can make an informed decision. Casting notices should follow the Back Stage style and format in regards to spelling, punctuation, and abbreviations, and so on.

Specifically:

1. The first paragraph lists the project details, including who’s casting, the name of the production, the personnel involved, and the approximate rehearsal and performance/shooting dates (if known).
   
2. The middle paragraph(s) contain the character/job breakdown, including exactly what type of performers and staff the production is looking for.
   
3. The final paragraph begins with the audition/submission info (dates, times, and location are in italics), followed by what performers must prepare/bring, contact info (phone, email, website), and ends with the pay/contract details, followed by the date the notice was first posted (in parentheses).

Creating a Casting/Job Notice: Film & TV Casting

Film & TV Casting/Job Notices

Back Stage casting and job notices provide all possible critical information on a project in a clear, concise, and highly readable format so that ours readers can make an informed decision. Casting notices should follow the Back Stage style and format in regards to spelling, punctuation, and abbreviations, and so on.

Specifically:

1. The first paragraph lists the project details, including who’s casting, the name of the production, the personnel involved, and the approximate rehearsal and performance/shooting dates (if known).
   
2. The middle paragraph(s) contain the character/job breakdown, including exactly what type of performers and staff the production is looking for.
   
3. The final paragraph begins with the audition/submission info (dates, times, and location are in italics), followed by what performers must prepare/bring, contact info (phone, email, website), and ends with the pay/contract details, followed by the date the notice was first posted (in parentheses).

Attract Top Talent with Back Stage - Reach Thousands of Actors Across the World

Quickly reach thousands of actors, models, performers, and crew in your area with Back Stage, the industry’s #1 resource for finding talent and promoting auditions for nearly 50 years.

Back Stage's popular "Post a Notice" option allows industry professionals to reach top talent and generate buzz via Back Stage's network of websites, e-newsletters, and print publications. Find cast and crew for film, theatre, and commercial projects and call for submissions to film festivals, open mikes, entertainment-industry contests, workshops, and more.