FAQ
ABOUT CASTINGVILLE
What is Castingville?
Castingville is a pure talent search engine for professionals pursuing a career in the theatre, film, television and video industries. It is NOT a social networking site. Castingville is designed to break down barriers of cost, time and geography between actors (in all genres) and casting decision-makers. Castingville provides a single source of access to the wealth of available talent for any type of acting opportunity, anywhere, at any time.
Will Actors get hired directly if they are selected through a Castingville search by casting agents?
Nothing can or will ever replace the personal contact of the hiring process. What Castingville can do is widen the field for Actors and Agents in an efficient, cost-effective manner. It enables Actors to showcase themselves 24/7 for every available opportunity whether it is extra work, commercials, regional theatre, Broadway, independent films, major motion pictures, music videos, etc. For Agents, it is a fast, efficient means to manage information, preview potentially new star-quality talent, keep abreast of the progress of actors who they've had interest in the past and target unique qualities based on casting opportunities having specific needs. When the casting offices close for the day, Castingville is still open and available for Users at their convenience.
Does Castingville negate the need for a Talent Agent or Manager?
Quite the contrary. In fact, Castingville encourages talent agents and managers to use Castingville for the same reasons as Actors and Agents and specifically asks Actors to identify their representatives in the contact section of their account profile. Actors are seeking representation and agents/managers are seeking qualified talent. Castingville is all about managing information, cost and time regardless of what function someone has in the audition and casting process.
CHARGES
What is the charge to become an Actor Member?
There are two account options for Actors:
Basic Account - FREE. Enables the Actor to enter a complete, detailed profile into the Universal Talent Database® with any combination of two media uploads (headshot, audio, video) at absolutely no charge.
Premium Account - ANNUAL FEE of $300. Includes all of the features of the Basic Account plus an additional 6 media uploads (8 total), complete portability of your eProfile and a unique URL for linking with networking sites. There are no additional charges.
Why is there any charge for Actors?
Castingville was created with the intent of partnering with Actors to assist in getting exposure for as many available opportunities as possible. This is accomplished with the Basic Account which allows every Actor to own a presence in the Universal Talent Database® that includes a detailed showcase of themselves and an exhibit of their attributes and skill-set at no charge. Hosting media files is a costly process. Other sites offer increased levels of service at incremental costs which can be expensive to the Actor both in time and money. Castingville chose to keep it simple. Castingville's Premium Account offers a state-of-the-art, dynamic, cost-effective option with maximum flexibility that enables proactive and maximum marketing exposure. For an investment of 82 cents per day in one's career (less when discounts apply), Actors have the ability of representing and transmitting, not just an electronic version of a picture and resume, but an effective one-to-one visual representation in response to any casting need. Additionally, through the unique URL that comes with the Premium Account, Actors can link their profile to networking sites or immediately respond to opportunities even through an iPhone or similar device.
What if I register for a Premium Account and decide later to cancel?
The Premium Account will remain in effect for the Term. If a Premium Account User chooses not to renew, the account will automatically convert to a Basic Account to ensure that the profile remains in the Universal Talent Database®. Users can cancel their account completely and remove their profile from the database by clicking "Cancel My Account" in the Account Preferences section of the Member Home Page. Refer to the Terms and Conditions for the Cancellation/Refund policy.
What is the charge to have an Agent account?
There are two account options for Agents to accommodate the frequency of their needs:
Monthly: Agents pay $299 per month for unlimited searches in any one-month period.
Annually: Agents pay $2,400 per year for unlimited searches in any twelve-month period.
ACCOUNT INFORMATION
What type of account do I open?
Castingville accounts fall into one of only two categories: ACTORS or AGENTS.
ACTOR Account: this account is for individuals pursuing a professional acting career. The term "Actor" is used as a catch-all for all genres of the performing arts including actors, dancers, singers, voice artists and others with professional training and/or credentials.
AGENT Account: this account is for all professional individuals and entities that influence the casting decision-making processes as well as professional talent agents and managers. Agents search for performers to fill opportunities in theatre, film, television, industrials, videos, music videos, commercials and infomercials, PSAs, print advertising, tradeshows and live entertainment events.
REGISTRATION
How soon after I submit my registration can I develop a profile?
When a registration is properly submitted the account is immediately active. New Users can login with the User Name and Password that they selected. A confirmation will also be sent with this information to the email address on record.
Do I need to re-register in order to update my profile?
No. Users can change, add or delete information, including any media uploads, at any time by logging in with their User Name and Password. On the Member Home Page simply click "Edit Profile". NOTE: Users must click "Submit Profile Updates" at the bottom of the Edit Profile page whenever there is a change of information.
If I forget my user name and password how can I find them?
Click "Need Help Logging In" under the login button. Input the email address with which you originally registered and the information will be emailed to you. If you do not receive the email write to us at support@castingville.com. You will be asked to properly identify yourself for security purposes.
How do I change my user name and/or password?
To change an Actor user name or password simply log in and click on the Account Preferences button on the tool bar. Click on "Edit" and make any desired changes. Be sure to click "Update" when complete so the changes are saved. Agents follow the same procedure by clicking Manage Account on the tool bar from their Home Page. If the problem still exists, contact us at support@castingville.com with your old user name and password along with the new user name and password you would like. Please make sure to send us the email from the email address with which you registered so we can verify that you are the account owner. You will receive an email response when the change has been completed.
What if I change my email address and forget my user name and password?
To change an Actor email address simply log in and click on "Account Preferences". Click on "Edit" and make any desired changes. Be sure to click "Update" when complete so the changes are saved. Agents follow the same procedure by clicking "Manage Account" from their Home Page. If a User forgets the user name and password click on "Need Help Logging In". If the problem continues, contact us at support@castingville.com with a description of the problem. Please include the old email address so we can verify the account owner. An email response will be sent when the problem has been corrected.
ACTOR PROFILE
Is it necessary to update my profile frequently?
It is in all Actors best interests to update their profile any time there is new information available.
What exactly is a media upload?
Media upload refers to a photo, audio or video that you upload from a digital file. All Actor accounts allow for media uploads. The number of media uploads depends on the type of account. A Basic Account allows two uploads; A Premium Account allows eight uploads. Actors can combine any type of uploads to the maximum their account permits.
What is the acceptable length of an audio or video upload?
Audio and video uploads should not exceed 250 megabytes which is approximately 3 minutes.
What type of audio and video file formats does Castingville accept?
Castingville has been designed to accept upload files in different formats. Here are some examples of the most commonly used formats:
Headshots - JPG, GIF, PNG
Video - MPEG, AVI, MOV, FLV
Audio - WAV, MP3
Note: Your browser must remain open until upload is completed.
What should I represent in an audio or video upload?
Based on feedback that Castingville has received, Actors may want to consider the following in the preparation of audio and video uploads.
Audio - audio files should convey the primary selling point of the skill that is to be conveyed: diction, clarity, articulation, emotion and range are elements of voice. A professional coach can recommend an effective audio exhibit. The file name should represent what the recipient will be hearing.
Video - Casting decision-makers want to understand what you bring to their projects. There are multiple options to create an effective video but two, in particular, stand out based on feedback that Castingville has received: 1) a slideshow that shows different looks; 2) a dialogue that conveys a uniqueness about yourself; something that shows the depth of who you are in addition to simply the skills developed through formal training. What is not recommended by itself is simply a clip from a show, film or commercial in which you have worked.
Will my information be shared without my permission?
By registering with Castingville you are granting permission for your profile to be viewed by qualified Agents. Premium Account Users can control whether they want others to view their profile.
ADVERTISING ON CASTINGVILLE
What is Castingville's Advertising Policy?
Castingville does not burden its site with advertising. We selectively choose products and services that are relevant to the entertainment industry and offer a benefit to Castingville Users. Castingville is very interested in feedback regarding advertisers and welcome any comments to info@castingville.com.
How do I advertise products or services to Castingville Users?
Advertisers can email advertising@castingville.com and a salesperson will be in contact to explain the process, charges and other necessary details.
BROWSER ISSUES
Castingville is optimized for which browser?
Castingville is optimized for Microsoft Internet Explorer and Firefox Mozilla. If you are having Browser issues, email us at support@castingville.com.
YOU CAN ALWAYS WRITE TO US AT INFO@CASTINGVILLE.COM IF THERE ARE ISSUES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN COVERED IN THE FAQ SECTION.
