5 Steps to Set Up Role Preferences for Casting

Want to save time and land the right acting roles? Setting up role preferences ensures you focus on opportunities that match your skills and interests. Here's a quick guide to help you get started:

1. Review Your Acting Profile: List your skills, training, and experience. Highlight what makes you unique, like accents or special abilities.
2. Choose Role Types: Pick genres (film, TV, theater, voice acting) and define ideal roles, such as lead, comedic, or action-focused.
3. Enter Physical Details: Add accurate info like height, weight, and playing age for better role matching.
4. Set Location Preferences: Specify where you’re willing to work, from local to remote opportunities.
5. Adjust Alert Settings: Control notifications to stay updated on relevant roles without being overwhelmed.

How to Nail your Casting Networks Profile

Step 1: Review Your Current Acting Profile

Before focusing on role preferences, take a detailed look at your acting background. Reviewing your profile thoroughly ensures that your automated submissions are targeting roles that align with your abilities and strengths. Let’s break down how to organize your skills and experience for better role matching.

List Your Skills and Experience

Start by documenting your performance abilities, training, and notable roles. This information helps platforms like CastmeNow score your fit for roles more accurately.

Organize your experience into these categories:

• Performance Training: Include conservatory programs, workshops, or specialized coaching you’ve completed.
• Technical Skills: Highlight abilities like stage combat, dance styles, or playing musical instruments.
• Industry Experience: List professional credits in theater, film, TV, or voiceover work.

Highlight What Makes You Stand Out

Beyond your core skills, identify the traits that make you unique. These details can have a big impact on how well you're matched to roles.

Specialized Performance Skills

• Accents or dialects you’ve mastered.
• Special abilities like gymnastics, martial arts, or other physical skills.
• Expertise in areas like period acting or improvisation.

Industry-Specific Qualities

• Your vocal range or singing abilities.
• Movement skills or specialties.
• Character types you’re particularly skilled at portraying.

When adding this information to your profile, ensure it’s accurate and detailed. The more precise you are, the better systems like CastmeNow can match you to roles that suit your actual strengths, increasing your chances of success.

Step 2: Choose Your Role Types

Now that you’ve refined your profile, it’s time to focus on roles that align with your strengths. Start by identifying the genres that best fit your skills and interests.

Pick Your Preferred Genres

Here are some categories to consider:

• Film: Includes feature films, short films, student projects, and indie productions.
• Television: Covers network shows, streaming series, commercials, and reality TV.
• Theater: Think Broadway, regional productions, experimental plays, and musicals.
• Voice Acting: Opportunities in animation, video games, audiobooks, and ads.
• Commercial: Includes print ads, TV spots, and industrial videos.

Once you’ve picked your genres, narrow down to specific roles that suit you.

List Your Ideal Roles

After selecting genres, define the types of characters and roles that align with your strengths:

• Character Types: Lead roles, supporting characters, or featured extras.
• Role Categories: Dramatic, comedic, action-focused, or character-driven parts.
• Special Skills: Roles requiring abilities like singing, dancing, or stage combat.
• Production Scale: From big-budget studio projects to indie films and student productions.

When finalizing your choices, keep these tips in mind:

• Be Realistic: Focus on roles that fit your current skills and experience.
• Think About Growth: Include roles that push your boundaries but are still achievable.
• Stay Focused: Limit your list to roles you’re genuinely passionate about.
• Keep It Current: Update your preferences as you build experience and learn new skills.

These decisions will help fine-tune the matching process as you move forward.

Step 3: Enter Your Physical Details

After defining your role types, adding accurate physical details helps refine the casting process. These details ensure you're matched with roles that suit you best.

Set Your Playing Age

Consider the following factors when determining your playing age:

• How your facial features appear on camera and influence perceived age
• The natural energy and presence you project
• The way your voice conveys age
• Your movement style and how it aligns with certain age groups

Choose an age range you can portray convincingly without heavy reliance on makeup or special effects.

Add Physical Characteristics

Providing precise measurements and features can significantly enhance role matching. Here's what to include:

Make sure to keep these details up to date for accurate role matching.

You should also include any temporary modifications, such as:

• Current hair color if it differs from your natural shade
• Facial hair
• Recent physical changes
• Extensions or colored contacts

Once your physical profile is updated, you're ready to move on to setting location preferences in the next step.

Step 4: Set Location Requirements

Defining clear location preferences helps match you with roles that align with your availability and travel limits. This makes the process more efficient and ensures you only see opportunities that fit your needs.

Choose Your Work Areas

Once you've outlined your profile and preferred role types, it's time to specify where you're willing to work.

Your choice of work area will determine how you approach tasks like:

• In-person auditions
• Self-tape submissions
• Virtual callbacks
• On-location filming

Set Travel Boundaries

Be specific about your travel limits to avoid unnecessary complications. Consider factors like:

• Transportation costs
• Lodging needs
• Schedule flexibility
• Family or personal commitments

When defining your travel boundaries, include details like:

1. Maximum travel distance
   State how far you're willing to go for:
   • Daily shoots
   • Weekly productions
   • Long-term or extended projects
2. Relocation preferences
   Be clear about whether you're open to:
   • Temporary relocation for specific projects
   • Permanent moves for long-term roles
   • Accepting housing stipends or per diems
3. Transportation needs
   Let potential employers know if you:
   • Have reliable personal transportation
   • Require production-provided transport
   • Need travel expenses to be covered

Step 5: Adjust Your Alert Settings

Tailor your alerts to match your career goals and the roles you're interested in.

Set Alert Frequency

Control how often you receive notifications to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. CastmeNow offers flexible alert options to fit your application strategy:

Tips for getting the most out of your alerts:

• Pick notification times that fit your daily routine.
• Assign priority levels to different types of roles.
• Decide how you want to receive alerts (email, mobile, or both) to ensure you never miss an update.

Once your alerts are set, focus on refining role matches for even better opportunities.

Fine-tune Role Matching

Adjusting your role matching settings helps narrow down casting opportunities to those that suit you best. You can customize by selecting specific role types, applying union filters, adding personal notes, and specifying preferences like size card and media.

Use CastmeNow's analytics tools to see which settings lead to the best matches. Regularly update your preferences to ensure the roles you receive continue to align with your evolving goals.

Regular Updates: Keeping Your Profile Current

To stay competitive in the casting world, it's important to keep your profile updated with your latest skills and experiences. Regular updates help align your profile with current industry trends and your professional growth.

Here are some practical ways to maintain your profile:

Monthly Skills Check

• Add any new skills or training you’ve completed.
• Include recent production credits or experiences.
• Adjust your playing age range if needed.
• Update physical measurements to ensure accuracy.

Quarterly Career Review

• Look at which roles have brought you the most callbacks or interest.
• Revisit and revise your location or travel preferences.
• Adjust your genre preferences based on recent projects or interests.

Related Blog Posts

• 7 Time-Saving Tips for Submitting Acting Role Applications
• 8 Common Acting Application Mistakes to Avoid
• Actor's Checklist: Optimizing Your Casting Profile
• How to Use Casting Networks for Role Matching