| Total Views: 650 - Total Replies: 6 |
|
Greetings, A few years ago I decided to get a personal website to help my acting career and other things. It proved to be relatively expensive and even now I can not control the content. So I decided to create a different website offering inexpensive and easy to manage sites for actors, with the added benefit that ti would link the actors together and arouse the interest of casting directors. It has been live for six months now and is going well. But I would still be interested in views of others as to how it could be improved. And of course, I would welcome new registrations. Happy to give FTS members a 50% discount. The site is www.actors-on-tap.com, Best, Terence Doyle
|
|
|
TerenceDoyle wrote:
Greetings,
A few years ago I decided to get a personal website to help my acting career and other things. It proved to be relatively expensive and even now I can not control the content.
So I decided to create a different website offering inexpensive and easy to manage sites for actors, with the added benefit that ti would link the actors together and arouse the interest of casting directors. It has been live for six months now and is going well.
But I would still be interested in views of others as to how it could be improved. And of course, I would welcome new registrations. Happy to give FTS members a 50% discount. The site is www.actors-on-tap.com,
Best, Terence Doyle
|
Why do you charge? What would your service offer me different to the others? I am not being rude, I am simply being frank. If I decided to join, I would need to know the benefit of paying money. There are numerous services out there that don't charge, so I am just wondering what the fee gives me.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Actress and Singer/songwriter
|
| Back To Top |
|
|
Hi to both Pepper and Nancy, Thanks for your posts. Both really helpful to me in assessing my own site. I fully understand that some actors will preferr a more flashy site and they can get that in many places. But will casting directors ever find it if not directed to it by the actor? I don't think so. And many of them take too long to navigate. Actors-on-Tap is meant to give actors an easy clear profile that casting directors can understand in the blink of an eye. Of course, Shooting People has more members. But I think their site is less flexible and offers fewer features and less space. Would say more but have to go back to the refer to your posts. Will try to do better later. Best for now, Terence
|
| Back To Top |
|
|
Pepper,
Thanks again for your comments. I entirely agree that everyone who might join has to look at alternative services. No one service offers every possible feature and every actor should be careful to choose the one that best suits them.
1. You ask about charges. I am not aware of any sites that offer profiles without charging. I would be interested in hearing about any if they exist.
AOT charges for at least two clear reasons. One, because it costs money to maintain and tow, because ti cost money to promote the site to casting directors for the benefit of the actors on it.
2. As for value for money, AOT offers one of the most flexible arrangements on the internet, with limitless space for photos, show reels, voice clips and other information. Also, unlike some sites, AOT is open to all actors, without false restrictions like Equity membership. And all this is not only inexpensive, but the actor can cancel at any time.
I hope this information helps you and other actors looking for a viable online presence. If you have any other questions, do ask. Best for now, Terence
|
| Back To Top |
|
|
Hi Nancy,
Thanks again for your comments. Just to clarify. I like the Shooting People site and use it myself, but I don’t think it offers anything like the space for photos and showreels that there is on AOT.
As for fancy designs, I would repeat that the goal of AOT is to make it easy for casting directors to see the pertinent details fast. Busy casting directors do NOT want to spend a long time sorting through individually designed, fancy sites.
Also a profile on Myspace is fine if you tell casting directors to look there but they are not going to find such profiles in normal search circumstances.
Hope this helps, Terence
1. I think you charge roughly the same as Shooting People, which is a much bigger site.
2. Also I didnt really like not being able to design a flashy profile, On myspace some people have flashy profiles, some just take it as it is and add their info.
|
| Back To Top |
|
|
For Nancy's parent/manager:
Re: Fancy/Flashy pages/cards/letterhead etc
There is one simple rule that will always work in the business world and that covers all genres of life whether you are an actor or a road sweeper. Keep it simple and don't 'major' on the minor's! We are approached by hundreds of people wanting advice/help or representation and to be frank, if things are too fussy, we don't even entertain them.
Don't re-invent the wheel. Simplicity is both classy and effective and as a general rule black and white is always a great chioce.
Please view www.christophernicholson.com this will put things more into perspective.
Good luck
Pepper Rutter
--------------------------------------------------------------
Actress and Singer/songwriter
|
| Back To Top |
|
ACTORS-ON-TAP certainly works for me and has been doing so extremely well since I joined soon after it was set up.
It's fast, stable, easy to navigate, credits updating is a doddle - and the Sounds and Moving Images section is the best place I've found for quick and easy viewings of examples of my recent film acting and voiceover work. As it's so affordable and efficient, I'd suggest actors have an A-O-T profile as well as, not instead of, any other profile web site/pages.
--------------------------------------------------------------
FREDERICK ROLL
|
| Back To Top |
|
|
