Actor Websites
Are you hearing that nagging voice asking if it's time to get your own actor website? What could be better than having your own little acre of cyberspace with your name on it, where your image rules supreme? (Why else do you think they call it a domain?) But once the frisson of being accessible to anyone on the globe who can click a mouse wears off, the question becomes: Do I need a website for my entertainment career?
An actress and actor website is the one-stop place for people to find just about anything related to your personal life or your career. For actors, it's particularly helpful, since it's a place for casting directors, agents and other industry types to easily access your headshots, r?sum?, audio and video reels — even a weblog. They can get a sense about you and your abilities before you crack open the door at the audition.
Creating an actor website from scratch involves outlays of cash — you have to register a domain name, find a hosting service, design it, and keep it updated. But there are alternatives. Services like BackStage.com's Headshot/Demo Reel Database allow you to store your headshot, resume and reel on our site as a part of membership. In addition, some websites allow you to create a personal space within their website (usually with your name at the end of a long URL) for a reasonable fee. However, to keep costs down, these services may stack your webspace with pop-up ads — a major turn-off to anyone suddenly faced with 22 of them.
You can also work out a personal connection. The creative community is crawling with artists who have learned to build websites as an alternative means of income. Arrange a barter — help them on a film project in exchange for creating a website for you.
The important thing to remember about websites is keeping it simple. People who are looking to offer you work don't want to wade through shots of your vacation or your puppy. Also, as fun as Flash animation is, if a website takes too long to load, people aren't going to bother.
LINKS
Site Scene
Is your own Web site a necessary tool?
The Wonderful World of the Web
The sooner you learn, the sooner you'll find out how much of a great equalizer the Web can be.
In Praise of Electronic Self-Promotion
Launching a website is a bit of a project. The first order of business was tracking down the right website designer.
Promoting Yourself on Video, CD & the Internet
Actors needn't be computer geeks to understand the upside of a website. Indeed, many actors rely on friendships, bartering, or hiring others to build them.
Writer-Director Surfs His Plays on the Internet
"For me, the Internet has been the perfect opening. I post a couple of notices and people who are actually interested in what I'm doing will contact me."
Currently Confused, Postcard P.S.
Does anyone these days ever submit a postcard with an URL to his or her Web page instead of sending a headshot and résumé?
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