Casting Director Renee Godbout gives your profiles a polished, professional edge

As you know, InstantCast is making strides in attracting professional casting directors! With more casting directors looking to cast you in new projects, it’s very important to have a profile that’s easy to read and catches the eye of whoever is looking. Your profile is the only thing casting directors have to go by when they are scanning the site.

To improve your chances of getting cast, I’m going to take a few different people’s profiles and offer suggestions from a professional casting director's point of view!

My next lovely volunteer is Layne Moore. She has included a lot of the details I have suggested to everyone. She’s put down her age, weight, dress size, as well as her location, which is the information I always look for first. I’m familiar with Rochester, NY, so I know it’s upstate. However, it would be helpful for to include "(upstate NY)" right after it. That way, casting directors won’t assume you live in the New York City area and expect you to be at audition later that afternoon in the city.

Layne's profile info is well written. There are still some grammatical errors, but most of it flows very nicely. It’s great that she is emphasized her theater experience, while letting her audience know she’s also interested in film and television. When mentioning those actors she would love to work with, she should make sure to include last names.

There are only a few minor grammatical changes for Layne: Instead of the quote she has currently, I would change edit it to say: “I first started acting when I was 16 years old and have performed many different roles, from an old lady to a teenager. I'm exciting, young at heart, and love to entertain. I'm also a singer/storyteller/songwriter/poet. I have performed in musical theatre and will do so again this summer season at _________, a premiere music and performance school in Rochester. I learn fast and follow instructions well. I work hard at developing a character and love to bring a written piece to life."

I took out the small piece about loving people and entertaining because Layne has already mentioned she loves to entertain. I would add, however, the name of the school she will be performing at and have left a blank for her to do that.

The main problem I have with Layne's page is her photos, which as a whole aren’t of a great quality. Her default photo shows her with white hair, which appears to be a wig since her other photos show her with dark brown hair. This photo also shows her wearing a lot of make-up. While that’s fine if you're aiming for a character portrait, the first photo a casting director sees should be a simple close up of you, looking natural and at your best. The photo of Layne in red with pearls would be a much better choice. These photos showcase her beautiful smile, but Layne is missing a full-body shot, which would be a helpful addition to her photo collection.

As a whole I really enjoyed Layne's profile and feel like I got a good look at her as an actor. My biggest problem is with her photos and I suggestion having a few more taken. It’s the only visual I have of her and would love a few more quality photos to showcase her beautiful face and spirit!

Renee Godbout - Freelance Casting Director. Renee Godbout recently worked on the first season of The CW's popular teen show Gossip Girl at Grant Wilfey Casting. Some past projects include 2 seasons of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, the pilot for Dirty Sexy Money, and the upcoming Jonathan Demme-directed Dancing with Shiva.

Have a question? Ask our experts!