Q: I've been hearing a lot about local casting events and small open auditions. I think it would be a lot of fun to attend, but I'm not sure if they are worth my time and money. Do actors or models ever really get discovered there?

A: One thing you need to consider is this: If you are not out at open auditions and events learning and networking with professionals in the business, what are you doing to promote your career? This question also ties into a topic we recently covered in an Ask InstantCast article. Events and auditions, big or small, are incredible avenues to explore when trying to get your name out there and get discovered.

At the most recent InstantCast LIVE! event, for example, attendees heard success stories from an actual casting director, talent agent, and a talent manager. Vickie Frankmano, talent manager at V & M Talent Management spoke to the audience about meeting a future young star at a small event in Texas. Five years later and under her wing, he's now selling double platinum in Europe. John Shea, talent agent at Frontier Booking International, also expressed his frequent involvement with small events where he has found a number of future clients. They both left InstantCast LIVE! with folders of headshots and comp cards of potential clients they had met during the evening.

So to answer your question, yes, events and auditions can be great ways to be seen by the professionals who can get you work and launch your career. You could meet talent agents like Shea whose job it is to get you hired. You can meet talent managers like Frankmano who can help you make day-to-day decisions and guide your career in the right direction. You may even meet casting directors like Renee Godbout from Grant Wilfley Casting - she also spoke at InstantCast LIVE! - who is the person who decides if you fit the part.

Events and open auditions are just some of the ways to get your career moving. The important thing is that you are taking steps to network and involve yourself in the industry. So take a chance, invest a few dollars in your future, do whatever it takes to make your dream of stardom a reality. You just never know who you'll meet and who is just waiting to discover you.

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