What is self-submitting? Why should I do it?
Basically, self-submitting is the process of using various websites (more on those below) to submit your headshot, resume, and (ideally) demo reel footage for roles posted on said sites.
This is often an early step in building your resume as a working actor. Any number of short films, independent films, web series, and other projects post their breakdowns on these self-submission sites which you are then able to submit to.
For various prices, you can have different numbers of headshots and media clips on your profile for use in submissions.
Shouldn't I get an agent first?
This is a bit of a chicken-and-egg type of situation. However, self-submitting is often a great way to start getting auditions which will eventually lead to bookings, which helps you build a resume that an agent will take notice of.
Theatrical agents especially, are very unlikely to sign you without at least a number of credits already on your resume.
Do I still self-submit even when I have an agent?
This simply depends on where you are in your career. Many actors continue to submit themselves for "smaller" projects to continue building credits and footage while your reps focus on getting you auditions for bigger projects.
When you have reached the stage in your career where you are only willing to do larger television and film jobs, then you can cease your self-submission efforts.
Further along in your career but feeling a bit rusty on your audition skills? Fire up those self-submission sites and generate some auditions to practice your skills on.
How to Think About Self-Submissions: Click-and-Submit is Not a Long-Term Career Plan
There is absolutely nothing wrong with self-submitting, and in fact it's often the starting point to getting auditions and booking jobs.
It is not, though, the only way to move your career forward.
Do not get stuck in the trap of thinking that you will click-and-submit your way to working actor status. It is but one tool in your Working.Actor toolbox.
You absolutely want to be auditioning, getting opportunities to book jobs, and at the very least practicing those audition skills.
If you are regularly auditioning, even for smaller-budget jobs, then when that big audition comes through you're already in the flow and habit of auditioning.
We urge you to think of self-submissions as just one element of your career, and not the panacea of career momentum.
If you are spending more than an hour/day on self-submitting then there are probably more effective ways to spend your time.
Increase Your Odds of Success
There are typically thousands of submissions per role. Thankfully, there are myriad things you can do to have your submission stand out.
From stellar marketing materials to an optimized profile, small adjustments can make a big difference.
Casting is a time-sensitive endeavor. The faster you submit to a project the more likely you are to be seen by casting. After 24-48 hours casting has probably already made their selects.
Optimize Your Profile!
There are a number of minor tweaks to your profile that will have you stand out:
Include a reasonable number of headshots on your profileAs few as 3-4 headshots can work, and more than 9 starts to be excessive
Add a description to the title of any videos you uploadRather than the name of the project (unless it's highly recognizable), include a description of the kind of character you're playing
Fully complete your profileBe sure to fill out the entire profile—missing resume sections, special skills, or other information that is lacking looks unprofessional
Optimize your resume content and formatting
REVIEW the tips on the Resume page, and incorporate those into all of your online resumes.
Have Stellar Marketing Materials
It should come as no surprise that having exceptional marketing materials is going to lead to more auditions.
Headshots that stand out in a sea of thumbnails matter more here than anywhere else.
By the same token, a properly formatted resume and a clean profile could be the difference between you and someone else getting the last audition slot.
Include Video
You are getting hired to act on camera, so what better way to get an audition than by showing the production you acting on camera! Video submissions go a long way towards generating more auditions.
If you include a video on your submission on Actors Access it will move your submission to the top of the pile.
Utilize Submission Notes
On Actors Access you can include a short note along with your submission.
Include a short, relevant note on your submissions in Actors Access.
We recommend you include any or all of the following (but keep it brief!):
Link to downloadable version of your demo reel
Highlight recent booking(s)
Any special skills relevant to character or project
Casting will very often look at submission notes, and this is a great way to stand out.
Target the Best Role for You
You will often come across projects where you are a decent fit for more than one role. You can submit to multiple roles, though in general we recommend picking the role that is the best fit and just submitting for that one.
Pay particular attention to the essence of the characters in the breakdown, and focus on the character that best fits your type.
If you're not entirely sure that you'd be a good fit for a project submit anyway—if casting doesn't think you're a good fit they simply won't bring you in.
Follow Up with Self-Pitching
If you come across a role that is a slam dunk for you, who says your effort has to stop once you click submit?!
If you're perfect for the role, do some research on the people involved in the project (casting director, producers, etc.) and submit a self-pitch expressing your interest, why you're a perfect fit, and include your relevant marketing materials.
Remember that there are thousands of actors submitting for the same roles you are. The steps outlined on this page dramatically increase your odds of generating auditions for yourself.
Self-Submission Success Checklist
SUBMIT an appropriate headshot for the role
INCLUDE a submission note
INCLUDE video with your submissionMajor bonus points for video footage that matches the role
ENSURE your resume is up to date
SEND a self-pitch email or message for roles you're especially passionate about
Self-Submission Sites
There are many different websites and apps you can use to submit yourself for projects. We have listed the top sites below, but absolutely recommend that you test them and measure your results.
TEST various self-submission sites to see which ones are most effective for you.
Further, give any site you're testing at least a couple months to ensure you have enough data to decide if you want to keep putting energy there.
Who knows, one month may just not have projects that match your type, but the following month might.
Think like a business person. Test any strategy and use the data—not just opinions of friends (or even this site!)—to ascertain what sites are most worth your time.
You likely don't have unlimited funds, so work through which sites bring you the best results so that you don't end up paying for any unnecessary services.
Actors Access/Breakdown Services
Visit: actorsaccess.com
Cost: $68/year for Actors Access Plus (unlimited submissions)
Additional costs for uploading video footage and more than 2 headshots.
SAG-AFTRA members, enter your SAG-AFTRA ID during checkout for 20% off.
Actors Access is the portal you have access to. Breakdown Services is the "other side" of that site, that agents and managers use to submit on bigger projects. Same website, different access levels.
If you are only going to focus on one site, make it Actors Access. They have been the industry leader for decades, and remain the go-to site for self-submissions.
In general we find that highest concentration of worthwhile and paying projects listed on Actors Access compared to the other sites.
On the casting side, casting directors have a number of capabilities with the submissions they get. For example, casting can:
Filter people by locatione.g. decide to only see actors within 5 miles of a certain zip code or address
Filter by union status
See the race/ethnicity you list
Filter a list alphabetically
View submissions from only particular agents or managers of their choosing
Actors Access also just recently launched an iPhone app that allows you to submit and manage your audition invitations.
SlateShots
Cost: $5/SlateShot
There is much debate over SlateShots and their effectiveness (or not). For starters, a SlateShot is basically a 5-second video you can attach to each of your headshots that is basically a video version of your headshot. Just you saying hi and your name kind of thing.
We find that almost all casting directors say they don't like or look at them. One could argue they are just another way for the site to get more money from actors.
The flip side, is that SlateShots move your submission to the front depending on how casting has opted to sort submissions.
If you want to give yourself every possible advantage in your submissions, then SlateShots may further prioritize your submissions.
SlateShots put you at the top of Actors Access piles, but only if you have attached a slate shot to the picture you used to submit.
SlateShots only work on a per-headshot basis. In order for your submission to move higher up in the list, the headshot you submit must have a SlateShot attached to it.
LA Casting/Casting Networks
Visit: LACasting.com / Casting Networks
Cost: Basic page free if you have representation. Then an additional $10.95/month for submissions. Without representation, $16.95 per month w/ $25.00 Initial setup fee.
Casting Networks is simply the version of LA Casting that is used outside of LA. Same website, different name.
For years LA Casting was the primary site used in the commercial world. Accordingly, there tend to be far more commercial-type projects on the site.
However, in late 2017 Fox moved all of their shows away from Actors Access/Breakdown Services and over to LA Casting/Casting Networks for submissions. Since then we have seen a mild increase in the number of theatrical projects listed on their site.
On LA Casting/Casting Networks you can attach specific video clips to individual items on your resume.
Casting Frontier
Visit: castingfrontier.com
Cost: $8 - $20/month depending on level of membership and whether you pay annually or monthly
Similar to LA Casting/Casting Networks, Casting Frontier has been used primarily in the commercial world in Los Angeles.
In other cities outside of LA, Casting Frontier has a stronger foothold on other, theatrical projects.
Once again, do your research and test different sites. If you are seeing numerous projects you're interested in on any particular site, then it's definitely worth investing some energy there to see what results you can generate.
Hollywood Casting and Film
Visit: hollywoodcastingandfilm.com
Cost: $12.95/month (With a free one-month trial)
This is one of our favorite self-submission sites, and not just because a picture of Ben looking like he's mid-sneeze is on their homepage.
Projects are able to use the HCandF facilities for free if they agree to call in a certain number of actors for the project directly from the HCandF platform.
We have found an especially large number of solid short film projects on their site.
IMDb Pro (Casting Notices Section)
Visit: pro.imdb.com/jobs/notices
Cost: $149.99 per year or $19.99 per month (not including 30% off for SAG-AFTRA members)
While IMDb Pro is the go-to resource for research, we have had a lot less luck actually submitting for projects through their Casting Notices section.
Again, test it out but we haven't seen as much success from ourselves or others when it comes to self-submitting on IMDb Pro.
Cast It
Visit: castittalent.com
Cost: A Basic (free) membership allows an actor to submit a headshot, resume, and video to any of the roles on our website under the Roles Tab - this may be subject to a video submission fee of $5. A full Cast It Talent Pro membership costs $19 per month (or $180 per year)
Cast It has been used by some bigger projects, particularly as a way to collect self-tape submissions from agents. Our agent and casting friends have said that some of the studios and bigger productions like the way that auditions are presented to them on the back end of the site.
All of this to say that Cast It sometimes has larger-budget projects which you are able to submit to.
UpCast
Visit: getupcast.com
Cost: $14/month (with 7-day free trial)
UpCast is an app on iPhone and Android with various acting and modeling jobs. A relative newcomer to the self-submission world, but worth testing to see if you find it effective.
Given its modern technological focus, we suspect that you will find a higher concentration of new media and online projects listed.
Now Casting
Visit: nowcasting.com
Cost: Free - $21/month. (Must pay at least the $11/month to submit to LA projects.)
While Now Casting used to have a variety of projects listed, they have since shifted their business model to focus more on workshops and classes.
If you're going to skip one site, probably skip this one.
Backstage
Visit: backstage.com/casting
Cost: $9.99 - $19.95/month
Backstage used to be the leader in finding out about jobs. Alas, that is no longer the case. If you are looking for actual theatre then Backstage is still a great resource, but we have found little success in getting auditions for on-camera work in Los Angeles from Backstage.
Backstage is, however, a tremendous resource for information.
CAZT (RIP)
Cost: 1 time machine
For those of you who remember CAZT, it was another physical building that held auditions which you could also submit for online. For better or worse, they have since gone out of business. 😵
Others
Cost: Varies
There are various other sites one might find projects to submit to. Some film schools have their own process, there are myriad Facebook groups, Craigslist, Mandy.com and others could possibly have roles to submit to.
We recommend starting with the bigger, more reputable sites before focusing on those. But as with any business, test, test, test! If you find that a particular site has plenty of legitimate projects then submit away!
BLOCK OFF 25 minutes in the morning and 25 minutes in the evening for your self-submissions.
Prices and site descriptions above date from when this guide was written and several have since changed. Check each site before paying for anything.