Spotlight experts share their top tips for what casting directors want to see in your ‘About Me’ and ‘Training’ sections and the most useful information to include.
The ‘About Me’ section is a small area on your profile, but it can be mighty when used correctly. If your Spotlight profile is your acting CV, consider this section your personal statement – a chance to mention useful and relevant information showing casting professionals that you’re the right person for the job.
If you want your ‘About Me’ to really get you noticed, here are some tips and suggestions to ensure you’re making the most of that 600-character limit:
Everything is Searchable
The ‘About Me’ section is one of only two free-text areas on your Spotlight profile. The other is your ‘Training’ section, which has a 1,500-character limit but isn’t as immediately visible as ‘About Me’.
It’s important to remember that both sections are searchable to casting professionals. The information you write in them has the potential to bring you up in the results during a casting director’s search via free text criteria, so make sure you’re thinking about the information they’re likely to search for.
Keep It Up to Date
Did you know that the ‘About Me’ section used to be called ‘Currently Appearing’ and its most common use was to highlight the productions you were currently working in?
Your ‘About Me’ can still be used for this purpose, but remember to keep the information up to date and move the productions to the ‘Credits’ section once you no longer appear in them. If the first thing a casting professional sees is, ‘Currently appearing in Romeo & Juliet, March-April 2022’, for example, they’ll assume your whole profile is out of date and won’t look any further.
Highlight Key Information
If you have a skill or credit you’re particularly proud of, use ‘About Me’ to highlight and elaborate on it. Maybe you’re the master of a niche skill, or you’ve worked with a high-profile director or on a big production? Try to make the most of your 600-character allowance with unique information that amplifies your profile.
You could also draw attention to information like having a valid passport or speaking a second language. Anything you think would be a unique selling point for yourself.
Put Information in the Right Section
If you’re mentioning particular details with their section elsewhere, such as height, skills, or ethnicity, make sure you’ve added it to those sections. Casting professionals are more likely to look for someone with a specific skill using the skill search than the free-text one.
Also, it’s best to keep information about your training, courses and exam results in your profile’s ‘Training’ section, not the ‘About Me’ section. Think of your ‘About Me’ as an area that needs constant editing and refreshing to keep it relevant and up to date – while ‘Training’ highlights and informs the casting professionals about your acting education, which will never be out of date. It can also be added to over time with new training accomplishments.
Take Advantage of Hyperlinks
Any link entered into the ‘About Me’ or ‘Training’ sections will automatically become a hyperlink. Take advantage of this by adding your professional social media links, personal acting website and places where they can get tickets to see you in action.
If your sibling, partner or parents are also on Spotlight, you could also include a link to their Spotlight profile. This is particularly useful if you hope to get jobs requiring family members to work together.
Useful Information to Include
If you’re unsure what information to include in your ‘About Me’ section, here are a few ideas:
- If you have a visa, work permit, green card or right to work in another country, ensure that you provide details about it – especially if it’s for a country you’d like to do acting work in.
- Any information that doesn’t fit elsewhere – such as skills or hair colours that aren’t on our list – can be mentioned here.
- Include any awards, reviews or achievements you are proud of. If you run out of space for reviews, you can also use the ‘Training’ section.
- If a TV series or commercial you worked on will soon be aired, feel free to add the time, day and channel to ‘About Me’. These are all opportunities for casting professionals to see you in action.
Keep It Professional
Above all else, keep your ‘About Me’ section professional.
It’s okay to talk about yourself and your interests, but don’t start listing your pets, every hobby you have and your favourite food. Consider what’s relevant and how each bit of information will portray you as a professional actor.
Whatever you write, ensure it’s clear and concise and remember: if you’re ever unsure about any changes you’re making, run them past your agent first. They’ll know how best to present you and stop you from accidentally turning your ‘About Me’ into a social media bio.
Take a look at our website for more tips and advice from Spotlight experts
