From searching for performers to making connections, industry professionals shed some light on how they use Spotlight.
If you’re a performer, you’re probably aware of how Spotlight can be used to promote your acting career. Your Spotlight profile is the perfect place to display all the useful information that will make casting directors want to work with you, such as previous credits, skills, showreels and headshots.
In addition, casting directors can find you in the searches they do for the roles they’re casting and agents can put their clients forward for available work. However, the way that casting directors and agents go about this and use Spotlight as part of their daily routine can be a bit of a mystery to performers.
At the Spotlight Prize, we asked some of the guests working in the arts and entertainment industry what they use Spotlight for and how they use the platform.
Here’s what they had to say:
Putting Out Breakdowns
“I use Spotlight to put out breakdowns when we’re looking for suggestions,” said Rachel Freck, the casting director behind That Christmas and The Office.
Every day, casting directors post breakdowns (otherwise known as casting briefs) on Spotlight. These breakdowns detail the project, the role(s) available, character descriptions, production information, pay rates and any other details that a performer needs to know about a job.
Suggestions For Roles
Depending on the settings a casting director uses, breakdowns can be seen by agents who can suggest clients for parts.
Sarah Hjort from Michelle Braidman Associates says, “We get breakdowns every day and we submit our clients for it. We can write notes saying in particular why our client is perfect for this role.” She continues, “We have all their CVs on there and we frequently send their CVs off to casting directors.”
If a performer is self-represented or has full access granted to them by their agent, they can also see breakdowns and put themselves forward for consideration by the casting director.
Searching for Performers
As well as sending out breakdowns, casting directors can use Spotlight to search for performers who have profiles on the platform. Rachel Freck is one of many casting directors who uses this functionality and said, “I use Spotlight to do searches if we’re looking for specific briefs.”
Casting director Tree Petts (The Covenant, various commercials) continues on the theme: “I search for actors and, because Spotlight has evolved now [with] all the different criteria that you can search, you can get your 5,000 responses [and then] do a filter within those responses…It’s great.”
Because everything on your Spotlight profile is searchable, it’s worth taking the time to make sure your location and skills, such as accents, dialects, voice type, etc., are all up-to-date. You never know what a casting director may be searching for.
Finding Contacts
If a casting director has seen you in something and they think that you might be right for a part, they can use Spotlight to find out how to contact you. Rachel Freck said: “I use Spotlight to find out who represents somebody when I need to ring that person’s agent and I’ve forgotten who it is, or I need to know who it is.”
Your agent details are listed on your profile for easy discoverability. If you’re self-represented, this will be stated on your profile and if a casting director is logged in, they can send you a direct message from their account.
Scouting New Talent
Casting directors and agents are always on the lookout for new performers, or performers who they may not be familiar with and the Spotlight website can help facilitate that.
Phil Mennell at Gavin Barker Associates, “Spotlight’s imperative in terms of submissions and scouting new talent.” He continues: “The way it’s all laid out makes it really streamlined for me to quickly get a good snapshot of what I need and what the person can do.”
If an industry professional comes across your profile and they’re not familiar with your work, having showreels and voice clips on your Spotlight profile can really help show off what you’re all about.
If you’re self-represented and looking for an agent, you can use our ‘Talent Scout’ feature to help signify to agents that you’re seeking representation.
Getting to Know More About Performers
“From a casting perspective, if I’m needing to know more, the CVs and the way that the information is held on [Spotlight] is helpful to really get into knowing a little bit more about people,” commented Matt Wilde from LAMDA.
Aside from displaying your headshot, showreel, credits and any essential information about yourself and your skills and training, your Spotlight profile allows you to add a personal touch.
Using the ‘About Me’ section allows you to communicate directly with any industry professionals viewing your profile. It’s a way to tell people a bit more about yourself and you could use the space to highlight a specific skill, any awards you’ve won, or a recent credit you want to draw attention to.
By understanding the various ways that industry professionals use Spotlight, you will, in turn, understand what information needs to be included and kept up-to-date on your profile to help casting professionals find you.
Whether you’re hoping to appear in a casting director’s search or have an agent reach out with an offer of representation, we hope this insight proves valuable during your time as a Spotlight member and performer.
Take a look at our website for more tips and interviews from casting directors.
Find out more about Spotlight’s membership options and start looking for auditions today!
