Spotlight

A Guide to the New Spotlight Profile

by Kristyn Coutts

Introducing your new-look Spotlight profile! A fresh, intuitive layout designed to put your talent centre stage.

In this guide, you’ll find:

Everything you need to know about our sleek profile redesign
Detailed breakdown of new navigation tools and features
Expert advice on optimising your profile’s highlights, media and skills sections
Direct links to upcoming workshops and our dedicated Help Centre

The industry is always evolving, and your Spotlight profile should too. Based on extensive feedback from our members, we’ve completely reimagined the Spotlight profile to be cleaner, faster, and more intuitive. While we’ve seamlessly migrated your existing details to the new layout, this redesign offers exciting new ways to showcase your range. Here is everything you need to know about navigating your new look profile, and making it work harder for you.

We’re excited to introduce you to your new Spotlight Profile. We listened to feedback from our members and have completely transformed the Spotlight profile. We’ve seamlessly transferred all your details to the brand-new design, meaning you don’t need to do a thing – simply log in to reveal your new look.

Quick Links:

Navigation

You have some new options available to help you edit, view and share your profile more easily:

‘Edit Profile’ Toggle: Switch between edit mode and how your profile will appear for casting directors.
Print Preview: We’ve made some adjustments to the layout of the print view, minimising your environmental footprint.
Email: Share your profile via email at the click of a button.
Profile Link Copy: Click the link button to get a direct link to your profile, making it easier than ever to share.
Dark/Light Mode Toggle: Easily switch between light and dark mode, depending on your preference.

Pronouns and Name Pronunciation

This is a new section designed to help casting professionals address you correctly from your first interaction.

Add your pronouns
Add the phonetic pronunciation of your name

These will appear next to your name on your profile allowing for smoother introductions.

Tips for using pronouns and pronunciations

The field is optional.
If you choose to use it, there’s a 50-100-character limit.

Highlights (Formerly ‘About Me’)

Highlights now appear directly underneath your name. It’s a great place for you to draw casting directors’ attention to:

Current productions you’re in and where to watch them
Reviews
Awards
Achievements
A particular niche skill
Passports, green cards or visas you hold
Additional languages you speak
If you have a strong ear for accents
Other unique selling points about yourself.

Tips for using the Highlights section

Start with your key highlights first: The first three lines of your highlights are visible initially so lead with the facts that will make a casting director stop scrolling.
Everything in your Highlights is searchable: What you choose to share has the potential to appear in a casting director’s search so think about things they’re likely to look for and ensure productions are spelt correctly.
Know when to move a production to your credits section: When a production is no longer available to watch, move the information to your credits section.
Use all the available profile sections: If you’re highlighting a language, accent or skill, make sure you also add it to the other relevant sections too to increase your chances of being discovered.
Think about what your highlights say about you as a performer: It’s okay to talk about yourself and your interests, but consider what’s relevant to your employability and how each bit of information will portray you as a professional performer.

Showreels and Voice Reels

In response to member requests for a more contemporary display for video and audio material, the media section has had a significant refresh. The new layout gives your showreels, voice reels and videos a clean, professional look, making it easier for casting directors to watch and listen to them.

We’ve improved the interface so that:

Your showreels and audio reels are now grouped together and much more prominent in a dedicated media section.
Videos and audio can be displayed in a grid view, full-screen or picture-in-picture with better volume controls.

Tips for using the Media section

Start with your strongest media first: Only six videos or audio clips are displayed with all other media shown when the ‘Show More’ button is clicked.
Make sure your showreel isn’t too long: It should be three to five minutes at a maximum. Ensure that the very first scene clearly includes you.
Singing reels: Choose contrasting pieces relevant to your voice range and type.
Accent clips: Record 30-60 seconds of you speaking in that accent. Really think about which accents you can do well – these are the ones you’ll want to demonstrate.
Specialist Reels: If you have specialisms in dance, comedy, a particular skill etc. then you should upload additional videos that showcase this. Ensure you use specific titles for these clips e.g ‘Stage Combat – Unarmed’ so casting directors know what to expect.
No professional footage? Read our advice for creating a showreel when you have no professional credits.

Headshots and Photos

Your headshots and photos are displayed with maximum impact, offering a seamless, intuitive way for casting directors to browse your range.

Photos now scroll through without a full-screen overlay appearing automatically
To enlarge the photo you can click on the image to expand.
A small gallery view appears underneath the main photo.
Photos maintain their original aspect ratios while main headshots expand to fill the available space.

Tips for headshots and photography

Quality over quantity: While you can upload up to 15 images, 4-6 high-quality headshots showing a range of looks is far more effective.
Authentic likeness: Ensure your headshot is a true reflection of your current look; accuracy saves vital time in the casting room
Photographer credits: Always credit your photographer to comply with copyright laws, but ensure the images themselves do not feature watermarks or embedded text.
Production stills: These are not essential but if you choose to include them, keep them to a minimum to ensure your headshots remain the focus.
Image Sizes: All photos should be a minimum of 500px x 500px and between 1 and 40MB.

Skills

Whilst the Skills section has a fresh new look, the information it contains remains the same. Skills are now displayed as pills (or labels) for a cleaner visual layout.

Skills Tips

Highlight your expertise: Use the star symbol (⭐) to indicate high-level proficiency or native ability in your strongest areas. Make sure your native language and accent are clearly marked on your profile.
Maximise discoverability: Skills are fully searchable; casting directors use these keywords to find performers who meet specific brief requirements.
Professional honesty: Only list skills you can confidently demonstrate at a professional level on set tomorrow.

Your Spotlight profile is your digital calling card – one of the most powerful tools in your professional arsenal. This redesign isn’t just about a fresh coat of paint; it’s about ensuring that when a casting director lands on your page, they see the very best version of your professional self.

Take a moment to log in, toggle into ‘Edit Mode’, and explore these new features. By keeping your highlights current, your media sharp, and your skills accurate, you’re ensuring you stay discoverable in an increasingly competitive industry.

Need Help?

Join a Spotlight Success Session

If you’d like a guided walkthrough of these new features, join our next Success Session at 1pm on Wednesday 22 April. Members of the Spotlight team will be live to demonstrate the latest updates and answer your questions, including:

A full tour of the redesigned Spotlight profile
Best practices for Spotlight Self-Tape
How to integrate your Instagram profile seamlessly

Get in Touch

If you notice anything that doesn’t look right or isn’t functioning as expected, please get in touch with our Support team at questions@spotlight.com. For further technical guidance and FAQs, you can also visit our help centre.

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