Spotlight
Moderator: busybusybusy
Spotlight
I've just recently got an agent and they created a spotlight account for me. I'm very new at this and I've never been to a casting before. I was just wondering a few things. How long will it take me to get an audition? Do all castings go through spotlight or are there other ways? Any hints and tips would be greatly appreciated! x
Re: Spotlight
Hello there. that's great news that you have an agent.
It's impossible to say how long it will be before you get an audition as it depends on so many variables. You could get 4 calls in a week or none for 6 months. It also depends what kind of work you are after. Castings for commercials come up relatively frequently - but whether or not you will be called in is likely to depend on your "look". Auditions for drama are less common. There needs to be something you would be suitable for, first of all and then the agent will submit your details. Being suitable is not just about being the right age/look/height - it can also be about having the right experience. Bear in mind that agents all across the UK will also be submitting details of those that are suitable - so there is no guarantee that a CD will call you in. CDs will look at all submissions and then draw up a short list (or a long list). Most agents are unlikely to be be able to insist that you are seen - it is therefore not necessarily a sign that your agent is not working hard for you if you don't get auditions. If you are not paying any kind of upfront fee then the agent only gets paid when you do - so it is in your agent's best interest to do what they can to get you seen for work. Some agents have more influence than others - and the suggestions that come from influential agents will be taken more seriously. Sometimes the details of jobs only go to certain favoured agents - not to all agents - so it is possible that your agent might not even get to hear about some jobs.
Spotlight is not the only route - but it's an important one. It's used extensively by CDs and agents because it makes life easier for them. Once actors become "known" to a CD (either because they have already seen them in audition or they have seen their work) then they may go directly to the agent and ask for that actor directly - bypassing Spotlight.
It's impossible to say how long it will be before you get an audition as it depends on so many variables. You could get 4 calls in a week or none for 6 months. It also depends what kind of work you are after. Castings for commercials come up relatively frequently - but whether or not you will be called in is likely to depend on your "look". Auditions for drama are less common. There needs to be something you would be suitable for, first of all and then the agent will submit your details. Being suitable is not just about being the right age/look/height - it can also be about having the right experience. Bear in mind that agents all across the UK will also be submitting details of those that are suitable - so there is no guarantee that a CD will call you in. CDs will look at all submissions and then draw up a short list (or a long list). Most agents are unlikely to be be able to insist that you are seen - it is therefore not necessarily a sign that your agent is not working hard for you if you don't get auditions. If you are not paying any kind of upfront fee then the agent only gets paid when you do - so it is in your agent's best interest to do what they can to get you seen for work. Some agents have more influence than others - and the suggestions that come from influential agents will be taken more seriously. Sometimes the details of jobs only go to certain favoured agents - not to all agents - so it is possible that your agent might not even get to hear about some jobs.
Spotlight is not the only route - but it's an important one. It's used extensively by CDs and agents because it makes life easier for them. Once actors become "known" to a CD (either because they have already seen them in audition or they have seen their work) then they may go directly to the agent and ask for that actor directly - bypassing Spotlight.