Could You Be The Next Ryan Seacrest Or Kelly Ripa?

If you’re a fan of reality television, then you’ve probably noticed that quite a few actors, singers, dancers and models are jumping on the bandwagon and taking jobs as on-air personalities and television show hosts. These jobs offer great opportunities for visibility and exposure, and can help make actors household names.

To land a job as a television host or on-air personality, you have to be charismatic, engaging and be able to get people excited about the information you’re presenting or the show you’re hosting. If you consider yourself to be well spoken, articulate and confident then you would probably make a great host or on-air personality. Some well-known on-air personalities and television hosts include Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) and Sugar Ray lead singer, Mark McGrath (Extra). Another great example is Kelly Ripa. She started in the business as a soap opera actress, and now she’s the host of one of the most successful television morning shows, Live with Regis and Kelly.

Carmen Cecilia Limardo, known more fondly as “CC” is a Star Search Casting member and an experienced television host. She’s worked in the industry since 1993 and has been an on-air correspondent on shows appearing on Univision and Telemundo as well as the host of the sports, music and comedy show, Thunderbox. CC has a dynamic voice, and this attribute has largely contributed to her success. In addition to helping her land great jobs as a television host, she’s also done voiceovers for commercials for Marshall’s, Burger King, US Airways, Disney, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald’s and tons of other popular U.S. brands.

We’ve had lots of casting calls on our websites for on-air personalities and hosts. When casting directors post these auditions, they often use words like charming, dashing and confident to describe the type of talent they are looking for. Does that sound like you? If so, you could be well on your way to launching a career as a successful television host!

So what are you waiting for? Visit www.StarSearchCasting.com today to search for casting calls for television hosts and on-air personalities. And in the meantime, if you want to get experience as a television host, public access channels are a great way to get your feet wet. Contact your local cable company to learn more about hosting opportunities on existing shows or starting your own show. Good luck!

Make The Most Of Your Callback

You recently auditioned for a role and the casting director was so impressed that they want to see you again! Congrats! Getting a callback is great validation for a performer. It means that out of the hundreds of people that the casting director initially auditioned, you were among a small few that really stood out.

While the casting director typically selects a handful of people out of hundreds that he or she thinks would be most suitable for lead and supporting roles – it’s rare that the casting director gets the final say. When you go to your callback, you’ll most likely audition in front of high powered decision makers such as network executives if you’re auditioning for a role on a television show, advertising executives if you’re auditioning for a commercial, or the director if you’re auditioning for a film. Additionally, you may even have more than one callback.

This is your shot to land the role, so make sure you take the opportunity seriously. In order to make the most of your callback:

• Arrive early and ask if there have been any changes to the script. Unfortunately actors can spend hours practicing material they’ve received in advance, only to get to an audition and learn that the material has been revised. If you arrive early, you give yourself an opportunity to prepare for issues like this.

• Don’t alter your look. You don’t have to wear the same thing you wore to the initial audition (though many people do), but you want to ensure the casting director remembers you, and that you reflect the same image that you did initially because based on the fact that you’ve been called back, that’s what the casting staff is looking for.

• Try to get a copy of the entire script so that you have a better understanding of who the character is.

• Be friendly, upbeat, positive and professional. If you’re auditioning in front of the director, he or she will not only be evaluating your talent, but also if you’re the type of performer they will want to work with for the duration of the project.

If you don’t land the job, take it all in stride. By securing a callback you’ve proved that you have something really special and others are sure to see it as you continue auditioning for other roles. Additionally, the influential industry executives who you auditioned for during your callback may be interested in calling you in for upcoming projects.

Curious how other performers have handled the pressure of callbacks? Log in to http://www.EliteCastingNetwork.com and connect with other members in our community forum.

Make Your Hollywood Dreams Come True In 2008

HOLLYWOOD - In 2007, Star Search Casting ( www.StarSearchCasting.com ) helped thousands of aspiring actors, dancers, singers and models launch careers in the entertainment industry. Now as 2008 approaches, Star Search Casting is prepared to help even more aspiring performers pursue entertainment careers in acting, modeling, dancing and singing and make their Hollywood dreams come true.

Star Search Casting helps aspiring entertainers all over the globe pursue careers in the entertainment industry. The website's members range in age, location, ethnicity, level of experience and skill set and are determined to do what it takes to become a successful actor, model, dancer or singer. They choose Star Search Casting because they know that they will get invaluable exposure, access to thousands of talent resources and opportunities and the benefits of online casting without the danger of Internet scams.

Star Search Casting was established nearly a decade ago and has since become one of the most popular tools entertainment industry professionals use to search for the next top models, singers, dancers and actors. Nearly a half million contacts were made in 2007 on Star Search Casting resulting in jobs in film, television, theatre, recording arts and the fashion industry. Just this week MTV, Court TV, ABC, NBC and Lifetime used Star Search Casting to post casting notices for opportunities on their networks.

In addition to the large number of entertainment industry professionals that use Star Search Casting to scout for new talent & entertainers, the website also features thousands of auditions & casting calls daily. There are sixteen categories listed on the auditions page including, film, television, kids & teens, modeling, singing, dance, theatre and music videos.

SSC's reputation is not just built on the invaluable exposure that the website provides for aspiring dancers, singers, models and actors or the number of opportunities posted on the website. Star Search Casting also meets all of the standards of the Better Business Bureau and is a hacker safe certified website. The staff at Star Search Casting also monitors the website regularly to prevent online fraud and Internet scams.

Star Search Casting has so much to offer actors, dancers, models and singers who have made it their New Year's resolution to pursue successful careers in the entertainment industry. SSC is the only website that provides aspiring performers with the exposure, support and resources they need to secure the job of a lifetime.

For more information on joining Star Search Casting in 2008, visit http://www.StarSearchCasting.com.

Tips for Creating a Great Composite Card

If you’ve decided to have composite cards (also referred to as comp cards, model cards, or zed cards) made to showcase just how great of a model you really are then we’ve got some great tips for you. Clients hire models to successfully market and sell a variety of products. Therefore it’s important to keep in mind that your composite card is one of the tools you’ll be using to successfully market and sell yourself to the client.

When you’re having your composite cards made, it’s important to remember:

Your composite card should reflect the type of work you’re seeking. So if you’re interested in high fashion modeling, then those are the types of shots that you should include on your comp card.

Use technology to your advantage. If you’re interested in more than one type of modeling, then you should have more than one comp card. With advances in technology it’s easy and affordable to create multiple comp cards, and it will also make you competitive when you’re going after jobs.

Make sure you use a variety of shots. A good comp card features three or more photos and should include at least a strong headshot, body shot and an action shot.

Quality is key. Make sure that you use high quality images on your comp card. A professionally produced card also lets clients know that you’re serious about your career.

Don’t forget your stats! Your comp card should also include:

Contact information

Height

Weight

Bust size / Cup size

Waist size

Hip size

Dress size

Shoe size

Hair color

Hair length (short, shoulder length, long)

Eye color

Type(s) of modeling jobs preferred (i.e. commercial, fashion shows, runway, glamour, artistic, promotional, etc.)

Many Elite Casting Network members have their comp cards on their profile pages. Visit http://www.EliteCastingNetwork.com to see what some of our members’ comp cards look like or to get helpful advice and referrals from our members in our online forums.