Acting : IMDb, Backstage, or Actors access?? by Alessandro Fricano Gagliardo

Ideally you'd register with all three. If you're invested in those three sites you've got a much wider net of information to work with regarding what projects are shooting, who is casting them, what the character breakdown looks like etc. IMDB is perhaps the weakest of the three for casting purposes, but is also going to be one of the first things a casting director will google your name for, so it's still important to keep it up to date. Backstage is legendary for a reason: it is a fully developed trade magazine, so you will not only have casting information but a wealth of insider knowledge and articles available to you for personal research on acting classes, schools, wardrobe advice, or anything else under the sun. Actors Access is absolutely essential for discovering work in your area. Everything goes there immediately, and you'll know exactly what they're looking for -- there is no reason not to be on Actors Access and you're hurting your chances for work if you're not. Best of luck, and enjoy New York!

I'm in Los Angeles. As an actor... I use Actors Access and LAcasting to book gigs. As a casting director for some of my films in the past I've used Backstage and had very good results. As you can see I do acting and also make my own films. My advice is to get on at least 2 casting sites to get gigs. BREAK A LEG!

Thank you Andrea for your detailed explanation on the websites, very very useful!!! Thanks alot for your wishes too!! :) Thank you Mark the same for your advice!! All the best to you too! ;) Thank you Dan!! I will check it out! Sounds good idea! :)

I hate Backstage. At least in LA, most jobs didn't pay (though they said they did, but when you go on the audition you find they don't) or they fell through. I find much more value in Actors Access. As for IMDB, I would pass.

Thanks Suzanne for your opinion and feeling about them!

Alessandro, I'm a (sometimes!) working actor in NYC with an agent. Actors Access by a mile is where you want to focus. The agents-only section of Actors Access is actually the breakdowns which is where everything is cast. I would spend money putting video on Actors Access before I would pay for IMDBPro or putting anything on Backstage or anywhere else. The thing about actors access is that you have to respond right away to any new ads - i.e. within the first hour it's posted! - because otherwise you'll get passed over because they'll have 1,000 submissions for that role already. So try to be in the first page of headshots that the casting director sees - I believe that's the first 60 or so. When I was casting, these were the first impressions I got and I would keep seeing them every time I logged in. Also have different headshots and submit that particular one for the type of role - the more it stands out the better. Only submit color headshots that are 90% your face - otherwise your face won't be seen on the application in table view.

Many thanks Dave for your message and precious info! Will consider it! All the best, Al.

I was going to ask this question about Backstage and such. I am on IMDBPro already but considered Backstage and Have a profile on Actors Access but not paid member. Planning to relocate to LA in fall. Thanks for info. Anything further would be enlightening!

Thanks Andrew for joining this conversation. I am on Imdb pro too was wondering where else to be in my specific situation.

Get a good Coach. LA is all about who you hang with. I recommend Tom Todoroff when he is in town not juggling coasts. XoT

Thanks Talece! I am in NY.. Thanks Victor I am on Imdb already.

I do actorsaccess.com, theAgency.com and castingnetworks.com in addition to Imdb.pro. I get most auditions from actorsaccess.com - the other site I recommend is castingabout.com which tells you exactly which shows are being currently cast and by which casting agent, then you can take a class with them so you can meet them at Actors Connection or One on One.

also you can sign up for free advice on actoutsidethebox.com on how to get an agent... they usually want to see you're already working a lot and meeting casting directors you can name...

Relevant for my region (South/Southwest/Southeast USA) For film/television - actorsaccess.com and some CDs use NowCasting.com as well - in my region the agents also want talent on castingnetworks.com as local commercial CDs actively use them. You should have a presence on IMDb so interested parties can check out your work history but the casting sites above are all legit

I like Actors Access because you pay per submission and you don't have to pay to maintain my page too and I only submit to the ones that actually pay. What I found with backstage is jobs advertise as paid and then you show up to the audition and find that it's a Kickstarter campaign. Yeah it's paid if I'm willing to contribute and essentially by myself a role. At least in La backstage is a joke. People in other regions have said they loved it.

Anyone heard of Casting network?? What you think about that one? Thanks all.

I have heard of them, but I'm not on it. A lot depends on what region you're in so some are better than others so Casting Networks might work better for Los Angeles where is I think Actors Access works better for the rest of United States. It's just a matter of trial and error. You can always look and see what kind of casting notices they have without actually joining and that's what I do when I'm checking out a new site to see if it's worth paying the money

There this: http://www.centralcasting.com/

There is no one size fits all. Could an agency that covers the entire US/Canada/Mexico, possibly do a good job in all those areas? No. @VG Could care less what you write or think.

Central casting is extra work for NY and LA. And everyone hates them. I wouldn't even bother. And you don't put background work on resume. I would get in with AFI and volunteer on their shoots.

Hey Alessandro - For film/tv and commercial work both union and non union you will find that once you get an agent or manager you MUST be on actors access and LA Casting since this is the way THEY submit you for work themselves - via your profile on these 2 sites. So they are pretty essential and I would say offer the most comprehensive casting between them you will find. I'd ask an NYC actor about specifics for theatre - they do have theatre on these but I bet there's a favorite exclusively for theatre work. Some big CD offices weirdly only use NOW Casting - like Criminal Minds, I think, and April Webster, for example. So if you really want to cover all bases - all those 3 - if you can afford it. All of these you can self submit so i say get on the 1st 2 at least straight away - any rep you meet will ask if you are on them straight away. Good luck, Pippa

Alessandro, I see you have got lots of advice here. That is great. My advice, would be to not limit yourself. A lot of advice is spread around - all great -nothing wrong with different advice but one thing I do know to be very true in the acting field and that is - Acting is a business. And if you are going to succeed in business you need to not limit your exposure. Not to anyone who can either: get you a referral, bring you in for an audition, give you a job or give you a paycheck. This includes all avenues. The more you are seen and heard of, the more the right people are going to start hearing about you. So, sign up for everything. Send out your resumes to everyone. Do background work, do audience warm up work, just for the paycheck and the industry connections and relations. Not for your reel and not as an on going thing but for the paycheck and relationships. Speak to the directors and producer when it is appropriate on the sets, offer to help out - don't be pushy or nosey but when the time is right you can speak to them. Go to AFI, go to NYFA, get on IMDBpro, get the backstage west and east, go to central casting, and any other site or film commission - my point being no limits. The more you outflow in business the more you get inflow. Exposure is the key to getting work. When people say, "you shouldn't do this" and "never do that" when it comes to ligit getting out there things - these people say these things because don't really know. So don't listen. If they are saying something legit such as don't break into a casting director or producers office and put on a show - that would be a legit "Never do," but if it is simply never call a casting person and say, "hello, my name is so and so and I'm wondering if you are casting anything." because they don't like that don't listen. Every famous or successful working actor doesn't limit themselves. They get seen, they meet people, they get on sets, they do things other says, "don't do." This is why they are successful. They are smart about how they go about it - for example, when Adrien Brody was doing background acting - yes, he has done background acting, (it can be looked up) and so have other big stars - Dustin Hofman did a non-credited background Cameo - why did he do it? Only he can answer that but I can tell you at the time he wasn't working as much and afterwards he started working again. It put his face back in peoples minds. My point being use whatever medium you can to build relationships and get people to know who you are. No limits.

AFI is the American Film Institute.

Which site can you find really good casting calls on? Because I never seem to see castings for any major productions on these sites. Like how do I submit to American Horror Story Season 8, or one of the major Sci fi Channel shows?

Breakdown Services is the professional portal which requires accreditation, while Actors Access is the public portal.

Thanks Regina. So to clarify, is that service part of actors access which my agent looks at? Or is it a whole different site? I'm wondering if having an agent that only uses actors access and LA Casting is even seeing the castings that I want to audition for.

Just go to Breakdown Services, and you will see the different portals through which agents and casting directors may enter.