Category: Being a Film Actor

Articles and ideas and help on how to be a successful and effective film actor.

Kissing on screen. It happens often enough but for new actors it can’t often be quite traumatic and nerve-racking when...
This article is for actors who need to spend short periods of times in other countries for work - shooting film, etc....
How many languages can you act in? When you make a profile on enCAST, you need to set your acting...
You can show several pictures on your profile. For actors these will be your headshots. This article explains how to...
These days more and more auditions/castings are self-taped. This means the actor films themself performing a scene and sends the...
To see how to use this page, click here. This page has links to IMDB Pro where you can find...
When you add a CV to your profile, the following users will be able to open and see it: the...
The first thing a casting agent sees is your submission email (sometimes called a cover email or casting email). What...
A lot of enCAST actors are on IMDb Pro and it can be a great resource to find work if...
A headshot is a photograph which tells the casting director what you look like. Suppose the casting director (or CD)...
This webinar deals with the ins and outs of making that perfect self-tape. Our guest panellists - Anthony Skordi and...
You will often here the word types when people in the industry talk about actors. This page explains what a type is, and helps...
Acting scams are not common and you'll find the 99.9% of casting notices are perfectly fine. However very occasionally you...
One of the most important sides to being an actor is finding work. And unfortunately, it’s also one of the...
Generally speaking, it’s easy to become an actor. Almost anyone can do it! The difficulty is when someone wants to...
If you’re an actor looking for work you might be tempted to get in touch with a Talent Agent or...
After your headshots and showreel, your CV (curriculum or résumé) is the most important document you send a casting agent. It...
Not all emails are right for actors. And here’s why you should think carefully about the email you use when...
Nudity in a film is fine as long as everyone knows all about it - and agrees with it -...
Your playing age is not your real but how old you look. For example, you might be 20 years old...
All too often we hear of tragic accidents on set where someone is killed or injured by a gun on...
The truth is that the more casting calls you submit to, the higher the chances of finding work as an...
Generally speaking it will be the film production who sort out visas, work permits, and the necessary paperwork for an...
We do not host videos directly on our site, but instead you can embed your video from YouTube or Vimeo...
The simple answer is, it depends. It depends on where the tattoo is; the size of the tattoo and its...
Experienced actors often say that there’s a difference between acting on film and acting in theatre. Famously Michael Caine said...
Without extras, films are simply unrealistic. Extras – or Background or Supporting artists as they’re sometimes called – add realism to a scene. They are...
A lot of new actors have a problem – they don’t have a showreel. It’s a Catch-22 situation: they can’t...
Every actor, if they want to take their career to the next level, will need a Talent Agent (or TA)....
A good showreel can get you work. And a bad showreel can lose you work. It is your calling card...
Casting notices come in all shapes and sizes. There’s no set pattern and you’ll see everything from a detailed character...
Sometimes a production will ask you to send them a scan of your passport or id card so they can...
At the top of your profile is your Calling Card and all users have this. As you can see above,...
Your CV (or résumé) should be in PDF format, about 1 or 2 pages long. When you submit for a...
Here's a super easy tip to make you look better on screen and to improve your acting, too when the...
When you have a showreel, there are usually just 2 places you can put it online: Vimeo or YouTube. Both...
This article explains how you can write an effective cover email when you are looking to find a new Talent...
Just as a showreel shows video clips of you in action, a language reel (aka soundfile or voicereel) is a...
Let’s talk a moment about your name. If you’re new to acting then the chances are that you won’t have...
For those on the outside, Hollywood seems to be a world of glitz, glamour, and endless success. However, behind the...
A good actor watches films and learns how other actors do their job. If they are impressed enough, a good...
For actors, the CASTING DIRECTOR (or CD) is one of the most important people out there. The CD is the...
The dop (pronounced as letters: DOP or sometimes just dp) – director of photography – is responsible for the overall...
enCAST recently helped pre-cast a political thriller film in Europe and received over 100 submissions for self-tapes. While some were...
Once the decision has been made to make the film, the next step is pre-production which is where various people will go...
You want to be an actor. You see a job you like. But you don’t have any experience to put...
Every so often a casting will ask for an "about me" self-tape introduction where you talk about yourself for the...
We're going to talk about a small thing that makes a big difference. It's about the emails you send when...
99.9% of castings and auditions are perfectly safe. But very occasionally you might come across a casting or a situation...
enCAST actor Leo Saint Thomas is only 19 years old but he's already been a professional actor for over 10...
Did you know that on average, a casting director will watch only the first 10 seconds of your showreel? That...
First impressions count. When a casting director (or CD) opens up your application the very first thing they will look at are...
The very best kind of acting always means being in the moment, but what exactly is that and how do...
Too many actors get this wrong. They give off the wrong message to casting directors and lose work. But follow...
You should always try to keep each showreel in one language only. If you have a single showreel with clips...
Making your own films is simple to do, effective, fun, and guaranteed to improve your acting. Here’s where we offer a...
When you visit your profile you'll see an item, PROFILE VIEWS. This shows how many people - guests, CDs, other...
Obviously no two days are alike in the world of extras, but this will give you a good idea of...
Generally speaking actors can be divided into 3 groups (although obviously there is some degree of overlap): First come LEAD...
https://youtu.be/NkkhLPgGx-U Crying on cue can be challenging for many actors. This article provides some ideas to help you cry at...
Most actors put their showreel up on YouTube or Vimeo for the world to see and then spread the link...
As we often say, 99.9% of castings and auditions are perfectly legitimate and safe. In fact, a lot of actors...
When you’re on set there’s often a lot of down time. You might be sitting in your trailer for hours...
The languages we show on enCAST are fairly general and we do not tend to sub-divide them much. For example,...
After the director comes the camera crew. Depending on the production this can be one person or a team of...
Having credits on  IMDb is important for actors as this tells Casting Directors and others about your official experience. In simple terms,...
A while back we got a couple of messages from enCAST actors asking for our help. They’d received a random...
How important is a showreel for actors? Here professional actor and acting coach Raquel Gardner offers some excellent advice on...
When you are first starting out as an actor, most jobs you get will be through word of mouth or...
On a very large production there may also be a second-unit director. The second-unit is a small crew which often...
Every set is different. You might find yourself in the middle of a field with nothing but a flimsy tent...
Here they are then, 15 of the most important tips you'll ever hear about to help you nail that audition....
In the beginning a writer will sit down at their computer and from their blood, sweat, and tears, produce a screenplay....
Once the money is in place, the roles have been cast, the crew (all those working behind the camera, from...
To see how to use this page, click here. You can use this as a template for writing to film...
If you want to submit to a casting call, but you don't have a showreel on your profile yet, there...
In the world of acting, active listening can greatly enhance performances and leave a lasting impression. Let's explore how this...
Sooner or later – it could be next week, or next month, or in five minutes time – you are...
It might seem like a small subject, but it’s important. So you’re on set, dressed up, made up and ready...
Online auditions are becoming more common these days, especially in times of pandemic! Often, to save time & money, and...
Acting is an art that requires talent, dedication, and the ability to handle emotions. As actors, your behaviour on set...
enCAST actor Leo Saint Thomas is only 19 years old but he's already been a professional actor for over 10...
Would you like a quick boost to your profile on the enCAST social media? Simply put, a boost is when...
In film making, actors are only one part of a very long and intense process. They are important because without actors...
It sometimes happen. You get a request for a self-tape with 3 or 4 pages of dialogue and just a...
The person most actors will deal with on set is the AD or Assistant Director. Big sets will have several...
You have a scene in a film. You know your lines, you know the action. But do you know your...
The wardrobe department dresses you. Hair does your hair. Make-up does your make-up. Fairly obvious really! Gossip wise, they are...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFuu5ksDQbo So… you’ve seen the casting notice, you’ve sent your application, you’ve gone in for the casting audition… What now?...
You’re on set. The lights are up. The sound is rolling. The camera is rolling. There is expectancy and tension...
Let's suppose you are an actor with a special skill. Perhaps you surf really well, or can ride a horse,...
As actors, we all attend hundreds of auditions and perhaps book just a handful of them. Here professional actor and...
It's rare to get in-depth feedback on your audition, but we were lucky enough to get just that for this...
Sometimes when you upload a picture to your profile you will see that it appears upside down. The reason this...
No one ever says becoming a successful actor is easy. You might have the looks, the talent, the ability, and...
We have been working with actors for many years. Together we’ve help make feature films and short films, TV series...
For actors, the casting director – or CD – is one of the most important people out there. Essentially the CD is the...
And making sure everything looks good on film is the lighting crew. As you might expect they will light the...
Being an actor is, by definition, a public affair. But that doesn't mean every part of your life is open...
The morning after the final day of shooting, while the crew are working on a new project and the actors...
Look at these few lines of dialogue: A: I came round but- B: I know, I know, I should have-...
As an actor, it's not uncommon to come across opportunities for roles in films that may seem silly or even...
As an actor, finding work can be a daunting and time-consuming process. However, using enCAST can make the process a...
At the top of the whole pile is the director. Quite possibly they are the only person who doesn’t seem...
You and your name are your brand. And like all brands, you need to let people know about it. One...
Colour-Blind vs Colour-Conscious Colour-blind casting is a casting method that promotes diversity and inclusivity in the entertainment industry by casting...
When it comes to the world of acting, one burning question often arises: Do actors need training? And the answer...
Naturalistic Acting is about making the characters on stage or screen feel real, like people you might meet in your...
NUOVOIMAIE, which stands for Nuova Istituzione per la gestione collettiva dei diritti di esecuzione degli artisti interpreti o esecutori, [New...
Meisner training, named after Sanford Meisner, an influential American acting teacher, emerged in the 20th century as a significant departure...
Method Acting, an influential approach in the world of acting, has had a lasting impact on the craft. To truly...
Acting, an art form as old as the hills, has seen the rise and fall of numerous techniques over the...
As actors we often plateau; this means we reach a certain level and find ourselves doing the same type of...
Casting or Audition Workshops are a valuable resource in the world of acting, offering aspiring actors the opportunity to hone...