How to Make Your Performers Profile Stand Out on Mandy

For over 15 years we at Mandy.com have been helping actors and performers like yourself find great jobs with reputable employers across the world. The jobs are out there and our talented community are on hand to offer vital collaboration, but is your Profile up to scratch?

Headshot

A picture tells a thousand words, and so does your headshot. It will most likely be the first thing a casting director will look at when sifting through submissions for a role, and it can be an instant indicator as to whether the performer is suitable for the job. Here are some tips for having the perfect headshot:

Don’t compromise on quality. Professional photographers know how to stage a shoot and are on the pulse with trends within the industry. If you are going to invest in your career, having decent headshots is a good place to start.
Filters or lots of touch-ups can be tempting, but your headshot must be a true reflection of you. Advise your headshot photographer that you still want a natural look, otherwise you are potentially missing out on roles you may have been a perfect fit for.
While there can be a lot of creativity with headshots, a loose set of industry standards are in place for a reason. Make sure your headshot is in colour and don’t go crazy with lighting and props. It’s important to note that outdoor shoots often work better and look more natural.

Gallery

Your Gallery is a space for you to display your range. Here are a few ways to maximise this section:

Ensure you have uploaded as many images as possible. With a Standard Membership you can upload one image, but with Premium you can have more. As an actor, we would recommend you upload a minimum of six photos to show your versatility.
Uploading several headshots that are similar in style will not showcase your versatility. Choose shots with a range of looks, clothing styles and facial expressions. You should also include an image that shows your build (i.e. ¾ length).
Ensure you have headshots that illustrate the upper and lower end of your playing age.

Showreel

Casting directors no longer look for just strong experience and headshots when hiring performers, including actors, singers and dancers. Nowadays they like to see visual proof of your skills before inviting you to audition. A good showreel allows you to demonstrate your skills and set you apart from the competition.

Make sure that your showreel:

Is marked as ‘public’ in The Studio - this ensures visitors to your profile can see your reel
Is no longer than 3.5 minutes
Showcases your strongest footage first
Includes three contrasting scenes or performances to demonstrate your versatility (for an actor, these should not be commercials or music videos)
Includes scenes where you are the focus and, for actors, ensure you are speaking

If you don’t have a showreel, we would suggest including self-tapes or clips from short films or performances you have appeared in - ensure they are professionally shot and edited to demonstrate your performing.

Credits

In addition to looking and sounding the part, employers want to see you have professional experience. Here are some tips on adding professional credits:

With the employer’s permission, use our verification feature to have your credits verified. If you don’t have the employer’s details or are unable to have your credits verified, contact us.
Include all credits individually, do not group them together. Casting directors will sift through countless applications, so your credits need to make logical sense.
Check that all details within each credit are spelt correctly, complete and legitimate - fabricating credits will only harm your application.
Keep your credits up to date!

Training

If you have trained professionally as a performer at a university, specialised school or similar, now is the time to illustrate your qualifications.

This is a great space to showcase your training to employers and even other Mandy Members. Our community often finds jobs through networking on the site, and what better ice-breaker than having attended the same training institution?

About Me

This section is a useful space to quickly outline who you are as a performer. Remember, employers already have access to your credits and showreels, so make this punchy.

Here are a few points we suggest you cover:

Include your professional training
Basic information, such as what your area of expertise is e.g. theatre, comedy
Some of your most notable professional highlights

Cover Note

When applying for a job on Mandy.com you are able to attach a cover note. Don’t overlook this, as employers do read them! Writing a strong cover note can help you stand out and be seen favourably by casting directors.

Before applying to any job, read the listing carefully. Do you fit the role requirements? If not, do not apply! It is important to ensure your cover note:

Responds directly to the job description
Is not generic and the same template used for other applications
Is short, to the point and spelling and grammar are correct

If you still have questions about optimising your profile, our team is here to give you tailored advice. You can contact us on 020 7288 7404 or via email at emails@mandy.com.

Now that your Mandy profile is complete, you can start applying for jobs! Carefully reading through these points and applying them to your profile will put you in the best possible position of getting hired.