How to Create Your Best Spotlight Profile
Spotlight's top tips for making your profile the very best it can be!
By Christina Care
At our latest Open House, Spotlight’s own Emma Dyson gave her feedback on member profiles and offered up her advice on how you can make the most of your Spotlight profile. Here are the takeaway tips:
A good first photo is everything
So make it as great as it can be! It’s worth investing in some quality photographs, as Emma says, “The photo is the most important thing for any performer.” It should be natural, representative of you as an actor, and accurate to how you actually look.
Make sure your photos show contrast
This is a tricky balancing act, because it's important to show range but not confuse the casting director. There’s not much point having duplicated images, so if you’re planning on including several photos, make sure they show a little contrast without seeming like a completely different person in each image. It’s common in the US to include a full body photo, though ¾ is more common in the UK. Of course, if you are a dancer, it’s a good idea to show your physique. Emma notes there’s really no need to include more than 4-5 photos, so no need to dig up more if you don’t have them!
Your first showreel scene should clearly include you
Make sure that your showreel isn’t too long, and that the very first scene very clearly includes you. Be careful of using anything theatre-based to record - it should only include dialogue and scenes written for the screen. We have a tonne of great information about putting together your own showreel, so take a look at:
How to Make Your Own Showreel
Everything You Need to Know About Showreels
Make use of the tabs
Break up the different kinds of credits you have into appropriate tabs. If you don’t have a lot of work yet, that’s okay - you probably don’t have to use the tabs yet. But as the list starts to get a little longer, make sure it’s clear what kind of work you’ve done. Include your most-populated tab first.
Don't forget to include a voicereel
You have the option to include both a voicereel and a showreel - so why not! “The voice is the main tool for actors,” says Emma. This is especially helpful for international actors to include. This reel can also include singing, if you are a singer. So don’t neglect to show off your voice!
Keep things consistent
Make sure you take a step back and look at your profile: does it give a consistent idea of who you are as a performer? It can be tempting to include anything and everything you’ve ever done that you feel might help you as an actor, but make sure the look and feel makes sense - you’re recognisable, your training is concise, and it’s clear what your native and proficient accents are. If you have lots of skills, by all means, include them! Just ensure that a clear idea of you as a performer can be captured in a scroll through your profile.
Want more advice from Emma or the Spotlight team? See more great advice from our latest Open House.
