Welcome to the best Backstage.com Review. Is Backstage.com legit? Well, for a long time, I avoided it. Not because it raised red flags, but because I didn’t think I would actually get auditions or that it would be worth the cost.
Coming from Los Angeles, there are a few other casting sites that seem to dominate that game, so to be honest, it never really felt like a priority to me. Especially, since that meant another casting website I was going to have to pay for. Unfortunately, none of them are free.
It wasn’t till I moved to a new market that I needed to explore other opportunities to find auditions. Enter, Backstage.com. I figured I would sign up for a few months to see if anything would come from it.
Here’s how it went.
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Let’s begin our Backstage.com Review. WHAT is it?
First of all, what exactly is Backstage.com? Well, it’s another casting website where actors across the country can go to find auditions.
In fact, they have castings for all sorts of projects including VO’s, live events, trade shows, brand ambassador work, print, podcasts, you name it.
Actors who are represented can make an account as well, but where it’s most beneficial is for those in smaller markets and also for those at the beginning of their careers looking to build their reels and resume.
Backstage.com also provides plenty of articles on the “how-to’s” of your career.
Do you actually get auditions?
Short answer, yes! It’s important to note that you’re not going to get auditions for Disney channel’s latest and greatest or any big-name union project. You may see some background work for those productions here and there, but I’ve found that it’s mostly nonunion projects. It’s the place where smaller budget productions go to look for talent.
Since you’re not going to find those big Blockbuster acting auditions on Backstage.com, it’s not really recognized as a “go-to source” in larger markets. Not to knock it, but that space is pretty much dominated by the more popular, “Actors’ Access” and “Casting Networks”.
However, upon moving to Las Vegas and giving it a try, I found plenty of casting notices fit for me. Sometimes, even the exact SAME casting notices that were posted on the other, above-mentioned sites.
So who knows, maybe it is beneficial to have it in LA, I just didn’t.
I want to make it clear, that ANYBODY can post a casting notice looking for talent. That includes sites like Actors Access and Casting Networks as well.
Is Backstage.com free? What does Backstage.com Cost?
Browsing casting notices and articles on Backstage.com is free, but submitting for work will cost you. They have 3 separate plans, a yearly- $199.95/year, 6-month- $119.94, and a monthly plan $24.95.
So is it worth it? It all depends on how committed you are to auditioning for paying jobs, and how often you book. While $199.95 does feel like a lot, one job booking can pay for the entire year. No, you won’t profit until you book another gig, but if you break even, make new connections, gain more experience, and add new material to your resume and reel, it’s a win.
Backstage.com Review – Is it user-friendly?
Getting started with anything new will require a minor learning curve. However, getting started on Backstage.com is quite simple.
All you really need to do is have a folder ready with your marketing material. In other words, your headshots, or some photos, maybe a body shots and some demo footage if you have any. If you don’t have a lot yet, this is a great website to get you going.
Browse their monologue section, set up your camera, and press record. Remember, those specialty skills are an incredible asset to your career as well. Don’t sell yourself short, those bilingual skills, horseback riding, combat, ETC are valuable in getting you opportunities.
Building your profile make take a little bit of time, but once you’ve signed up, and selected whatever plan you’d like, you can begin to submit yourself for work ASAP.
Is Backstage.com legit?
Ok, time for the burning question, is Backstage.com legit?
As a website with casting notices, it is 100% legit. You can and will find auditions. Are all of the projects you find on Backstage.com legit, I’m not 100% sure. I have received messages where projects were removed due to a lack of verification or other unknown circumstances I’m not aware of.
*I want to make it clear, that ANYBODY can post a casting notice looking for talent. That includes sites like Actors Access and Casting Networks. In fact, I have even posted casting notices looking for guests to be on “Always Acting Up” podcast and even for the web series (12 TeEn) I was producing back in the day.
It is always best to use your best judgment and learn as much as possible about your industry.
Fun Fact on the Best Backstage.com Review
To further answer your question if Backstage.com is legit or not, I am here to tell you that it is legit. In fact, I use to go to the library every other week to find casting notices when it was still in paper form.
Yes, it use to be just “Backstage”, where you could have it delivered to your house if you had a subscription. Casting notices tended to learn more towards theater or stage events, but it’s definitely been around for a while.
Conclusion
Acting is a difficult career to break into. There are many actors who are unable to find work, and when they do, they are often not paid what they deserve or sometimes not at all. Casting websites offer actors the opportunity to audition for roles without having representation.
To sum up the “Best Backstage.com review” and answer the question of “is Backstage.com legit?”, my answer is YES. Like any other casting website, it is a career investment. Once you create your talent profile, you’ll be able to start submitting your self for work in no time.
Did this article help answer any reservations you may have on the legitimacy of Backstage.com?
*I have no affiliation with Backstage.com nor are they paying me to write this. Just my general opinions and experience 🙂
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