WebModels Forum is a message board for models, photographers, agents, managers, and others associated with the modeling industry.

Posted by: Cami (66.75.179.9) on November 01, 2002 at 16:43:12

Location: Los Angeles, CA

In Reply to: Quite Correct... posted by SteveD on November 01, 2002 at 11:34:11:

This is to everyone, not particularly to you Steve, I am just putting my message here.

Online vs. Offline is an ongoing debate.

I've been modeling for 5 years and singing/acting for 15 years. I have to say that I have gotten GREAT jobs from both online and offline castings.

Examples:
From online casting notices (such as posted at Backstage.com, Buzz-LA Yahoo Group, LA Film Casting Yahoo Group, or my own www.californiacasting.com): Cover of Coast Magazine, lead singer of the all-girl punk band I am in, doing singing work for a new musical demo CD "The Tart," four indie films, PSAs, informercials, you name it. Most were paid, some paid well!

Offline (such as print edition of Backstage West, land-based agencies, friends and acquaintances): A lot of theater, more infomercials, indies films, fashion shows.

Basically, here in LA at least, one can utilize BOTH online services and offline, to increase jobs. Granted, when one is repped by a SAG agency or a top offline print agency, it helps immensely, but some of us are not that lucky all the time. I have been with several SAG agents who got me a ton of top auditions (feature films, primetime TV auditions, national commercial auditions) but I did not book them or my agency went out of business. So I often turn to additional areas of obtaining casting calls, i.e. sites such as OMP, Webmodels, Backstage.com, or certain Yahoo Groups.

I find that a lot of younger people who are starting to cast for smaller jobs use the net as much as offline.

True, it is NOT AT ALL LIKELY that one will get a high-paid feature film or prime time TV job from being online: THAT is reserved for real-world agents and casting directors, for actors who have training and experience and who paid their dues.

However, I strongly feel that the net is a great place to get casting calls for smaller-paid jobs, or jobs to get experience, i.e. student films, indies, PSAs, etc.

Also since I run www.californiacasting.com, a small SoCal-based mailing list that sends casting calls to a list of actors and models, I sort of get to see the other side of things. I get castings for things such as talk shows, game shows, music videos, indies, student films, fashion shows, and once in a blue moon the larger casting for a feature film or print job. Most of these are smaller-budget jobs, most are in LA, and most want local people with training who can get to auditions on time, etc. But they are great for building experience and making a little extra money.

On the side of OWNING a casting site (California Casting is NOT an agency or management company, we just post castings and let actors post their links on our site for free or nominal fee if they want to add pics - think of us as similar to the classifieds) no, there is not a lot of money to be made there right now. Right now it is really a labor of love, which we hope to increase into something additional soon, i.e. location scouting, or something. But right now, our site makes a few buck from advertisers, etc.

If someone really wants to get into managing or being a casting director or agent, producing an online company is NOT the way to do it. We started CalCasting to help local people get their smaller jobs cast quickly, and to help local people find smaller jobs to add to their resume, not because we wanted to get into managing, etc. If one does want to get into casting or managing, yes, the way to go is intern with a REAL land-based company (NOT a modeling school or scam like Options either), and get to know the world from that side.

It is a tough business, but for the actor/model, utilizing all areas can lead to more jobs. But sticking to the Net 100% is not going to help most people, it is true actors/models must have connections on the "real world" too.

Cami
www.californiacasting.com
www.camio.net

• California Casting

Follow Ups:

• Re: Easy Answer - Use the web AND land-based - Layla 11:10:55 11/02/02 (7)
  • Verification - Roger 00:29:29 11/03/02 (6)
    • Re: Verification - MSIModels 00:50:09 11/05/02 (4)
      • Re: Verification - Steve Souza / West-World 06:41:15 11/05/02 (3)
        • Re: Verification - MSIModels 17:57:51 11/05/02 (2)
          • California, central coast... - Steve Souza / West-World 03:20:05 11/06/02 (1)
            • Nude above ... (N) - -s2- 03:55:07 11/06/02 (0)
    • Re: Verification - Layla 11:12:39 11/03/02 (0)
• To clarify - Roger 17:20:03 11/01/02 (0)

Do Not Reply to Archived Messages

Name    : 
E-Mail  : 
Password:  A password is required to post messages. If you do not have one, pleaseregister now!
Subject : 

Location: 

Comments:
: This is to everyone, not particularly to you Steve, I am just putting my message here.

: Online vs. Offline is an ongoing debate.

: I've been modeling for 5 years and singing/acting for 15 years.  I have to say that I have gotten GREAT jobs from both online and offline castings.

: Examples:
: From online casting notices (such as posted at Backstage.com, Buzz-LA Yahoo Group, LA Film Casting Yahoo Group, or my own www.californiacasting.com): Cover of Coast Magazine, lead singer of the all-girl punk band I am in, doing singing work for a new musical demo CD "The Tart," four indie films, PSAs, informercials, you name it.  Most were paid, some paid well!

: Offline (such as print edition of Backstage West, land-based agencies, friends and acquaintances):  A lot of theater, more infomercials, indies films, fashion shows.

: Basically, here in LA at least, one can utilize BOTH online services and offline, to increase jobs.  Granted, when one is repped by a SAG agency or a top offline print agency, it helps immensely, but some of us are not that lucky all the time.  I have been with several SAG agents who got me a ton of top auditions (feature films, primetime TV auditions, national commercial auditions) but I did not book them or my agency went out of business.  So I often turn to additional areas of obtaining casting calls, i.e. sites such as OMP, Webmodels, Backstage.com, or certain Yahoo Groups.

: I find that a lot of younger people who are starting to cast for smaller jobs use the net as much as offline.  

: True, it is NOT AT ALL LIKELY that one will get a high-paid feature film or prime time TV job from being online: THAT is reserved for real-world agents and casting directors, for actors who have training and experience and who paid their dues.

: However, I strongly feel that the net is a great place to get casting calls for smaller-paid jobs, or jobs to get experience, i.e. student films, indies, PSAs, etc.

: Also since I run www.californiacasting.com, a small SoCal-based mailing list that sends casting calls to a list of actors and models, I sort of get to see the other side of things.  I get castings for things such as talk shows, game shows, music videos, indies, student films, fashion shows, and once in a blue moon the larger casting for a feature film or print job.  Most of these are smaller-budget jobs, most are in LA, and most want local people with training who can get to auditions on time, etc.  But they are great for building experience and making a little extra money.

: On the side of OWNING a casting site (California Casting is NOT an agency or management company, we just post castings and let actors post their links on our site for free or nominal fee if they want to add pics - think of us as similar to the classifieds) no, there is not a lot of money to be made there right now.  Right now it is really a labor of love, which we hope to increase into something additional soon, i.e. location scouting, or something.  But right now, our site makes a few buck from advertisers, etc.

: If someone really wants to get into managing or being a casting director or agent, producing an online company is NOT the way to do it.  We started CalCasting to help local people get their smaller jobs cast quickly, and to help local people find smaller jobs to add to their resume, not because we wanted to get into managing, etc.  If one does want to get into casting or managing, yes, the way to go is intern with a REAL land-based company (NOT a modeling school or scam like Options either), and get to know the world from that side.

: It is a tough business, but for the actor/model, utilizing all areas can lead to more jobs.  But sticking to the Net 100% is not going to help most people, it is true actors/models must have connections on the "real world" too.

: Cami
: www.californiacasting.com
: www.camio.net


Optional Link URL:  
Example: http://www.webmodels.com
Link Title:         
Example: WebModels - Information and Resources
Optional Image URL: 
Example: http://www.webmodels.com/images/webmodels.jpg

Do Not Reply to Archived Messages