Casting directors filter through hundreds, if not thousands, of headshots and resumes every day. So how do you effectively stand out from the crowd, and not have your submission thrown in the trash? Here is a list of helpful tips on how to successfully submit for roles and grab the casting director’s attention.\r\n\r\nTake your time: Avoid sending a blank email with just an attached headshot and a resume. Take your time and make each email seem like it took some effort to compose before you press send on your computer. Something as simple as addressing the casting director by their name can go a long way. Be professional and polite in your email. Don’t forget to spell check!!\r\n\r\nAsk questions: If you have any questions or concerns, address them in your email. It is often considered rude to quit a project later because you failed to ask the casting director earlier for more information. There is usually no such thing as a dumb question… unless the information has already been provided to you. Make sure you review all the given information before you ask.\r\n\r\nSubmit wisely: Do not submit to something that you do not fit the description for. Casting directors must filter through thousands of headshots and resumes every day, and by submitting your information to something that does not apply to you just makes their job more difficult, which could possibly affect hiring you in the future. Make sure you read through the character breakdowns carefully and submit wisely.\r\n\r\nKeep your acting resume current: Your professional resume should stand along from your acting resume. They are considered two different things in the entertainment industry. Your acting resume should list your acting experience and training only; do not list any modeling work you have done. As you book more acting work, keep your acting resume up to date so you can easily submit for short notice castings.\r\n\r\nSubmit authentic pictures: Do not submit old pictures of yourself. You want your headshots to resemble what you look like on a normal basis now, not five years ago. Also make sure that your images look presentable and do not have anything distracting in the background of your photo. Your headshot is the first impression you will make with the casting director, so make sure you are sending the right message!\r\n\r\nDo NOT procrastinate: (This is an important one!) Typically, the sooner you send your submission, the higher your chances are for booking the job. Do not wait until the last minute to submit to an opportunity. Most of the time, people who wait miss their chance because the casting director has already made their selection.\r\n\r\nOverall, take your time and take pride in the email that you are sending out to casting directors. Attention to detail in the entertainment industry can go a long way!