How to Set Up Your Actors Access Profile — Step by Step

Actors Access is run by Breakdown Services — the same company that distributes casting breakdowns to agents and managers across the United States. When you submit on Actors Access, your submission enters the same ecosystem your agent uses. That matters.

Actors Access is essential alongside Casting Networks. Between the two platforms, you are covering the vast majority of professional casting in the US. You need both. This guide walks you through setting up Actors Access from scratch.

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Step 1: Create Your Account

1. Go to actorsaccess.com
2. Click "Register" (top of the page)
3. Select the appropriate option:
   • Actors 13 years of age or older — standard registration
   • Parents/legal guardians — for registering a minor under 13
4. Enter your name, email, and create a password
5. Confirm your email through the verification link

Your account is free to create and maintain. You now have a basic profile that agents can see and use to submit you.

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Step 2: Understand the Cost Structure

Actors Access works differently from Casting Networks. Instead of a monthly subscription for access, AA uses a hybrid model:

Should You Get Actors Access Plus?

Yes. If you plan to submit more than 15-20 times per year (and you should be submitting far more than that), the $68 annual membership pays for itself almost immediately. Without Plus, every single submission costs $2-$4, which adds up fast and makes you hesitate to submit — which is the worst thing you can do.

To upgrade to Plus:

1. Log in to your account
2. Go to Account → Membership
3. Select Actors Access Plus
4. Enter payment — $68/year ($54.40 for SAG-AFTRA members)

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Step 3: Upload Your Headshots

Your headshots are the single most important element of your profile. Casting directors see them as tiny thumbnails in a grid — if yours does not stop the scroll, they never see anything else about you.

1. From your dashboard, go to the purple PHOTOS & SLATESHOTS section
2. Click "Upload"
3. Upload your primary theatrical headshot first
4. Upload your commercial headshot as your second look
5. Add additional character looks if you have them

Photo requirements:

• JPEG format preferred
• At least 1200 pixels on the longest side
• Portrait orientation (vertical)
• Professional headshot photographer — not a selfie, not a ring-light iPhone shot

You get 2 free headshot slots. Additional slots cost $10 each. Most actors need at least 2 (theatrical + commercial), and 3-4 is ideal if you have distinct character looks.

Choosing your primary headshot: The first headshot in your gallery is what casting directors see by default in the submission grid. Make it your strongest, most versatile look — usually your theatrical headshot with a specific, alive expression and eyes in sharp focus.

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Step 4: Build Your Resume

Your resume on Actors Access is your digital acting resume. Casting directors and agents can view it directly from your profile.

1. From your dashboard, go to the blue RESUME section
2. Click "Edit"

Credits

Add each credit individually:

• Project title
• Your role
• Role type (Lead, Supporting, Co-Star, Guest Star, Under 5, etc.)
• Category (Film, Television, Theater, Commercial, New Media, etc.)
• Production company or network if known
• Director and/or Casting Director

Order your credits strategically. Television and film first, then theater, then new media/web. Within each category, put your most recognizable or impressive credits at the top.

Training

Add all relevant training:

• School or program name
• Teacher name (this matters — CDs recognize respected teachers)
• Technique or focus (Meisner, Scene Study, On-Camera, Improv, etc.)
• Dates attended

Special Skills

List every legitimate skill. "Legitimate" means you can perform it on set, on the day, without prep time.

Common skills CDs search for:

• Languages and dialects (specify fluency level)
• Sports and athletics
• Dance styles
• Musical instruments
• Combat/weapons
• Driving (motorcycle, manual, CDL)
• Technical expertise (medical, legal, military)

Do not pad your skills. If a casting director books you for horseback riding because you listed it, and you show up unable to ride, you will never work with that office again. List what you can actually do.

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Step 5: Upload Your Demo Reel

Your reel is your portfolio. It shows casting directors what you look and sound like on camera — something a headshot alone cannot do.

1. From your dashboard, go to the orange VIDEO & AUDIO section
2. Click "Upload"
3. Upload your general demo reel first
4. Upload individual scene clips if you have them

Reel guidelines:

• 2 minutes maximum for a general reel
• Lead with your strongest, most castable material
• 3-4 scenes, each under 45 seconds
• Your face must be visible and well-lit in every frame
• Clean audio — if the sound is bad, the reel hurts more than helps
• MP4 or MOV format, 1080p minimum

The cost: Video uploads run $22 per minute. A 2-minute reel costs $44 to upload. This is a one-time cost per file — you are not charged again unless you replace it with new footage.

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Step 6: Complete Your Profile Details

Go through every section of your profile and fill out every field:

Physical Attributes

• Height — exact measurement
• Weight — be honest
• Eye color, hair color — as you currently appear
• Body type

Representation

• If you have an agent or manager, link them to your profile
• Your agent can also connect to your account from their end through Breakdown Services

Location

• Set your primary market
• Indicate if you are willing to travel or work as local hire in other markets

Custom Link

Set up your Actors Access custom link — this is a shareable URL you can put on your website, email signature, or social media:

1. Go to About Me → My Profile
2. Select "Actors Access Custom Link" under Share My Profile
3. Choose your custom URL (usually your name)

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Step 7: Set Up Notifications

Do not rely on remembering to check the platform. Set up alerts so you know when relevant roles are posted.

1. Go to Account Settings → Notifications
2. Set up role match alerts based on your type — gender, age range, ethnicity, location
3. Choose email notifications for new breakdowns matching your profile

Check your email and the platform daily. Breakdowns move fast — a casting director might open submissions in the morning and make selects by afternoon. Early submissions get more attention.

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Step 8: Start Submitting

1. Browse available breakdowns through the Submissions section
2. Read the full breakdown carefully — role description, project details, submission requirements
3. If you match, click "Submit"
4. Choose which headshot to attach — match the headshot to the character's energy
5. Attach your reel if relevant and allowed
6. Write a brief cover note if the option is available (1-2 sentences max)
7. Submit

Eco Cast (Self-Tape Submissions)

When a role requires a self-tape audition, you will submit through Eco Cast — the self-tape portal built into Actors Access.

• Your agent may forward you an Eco Cast link directly
• Or you may access it through the submission page for a breakdown that requires a tape
• Upload your self-tape as MP4 or MOV
• Follow any specific instructions in the breakdown (slate format, scene requirements, max length)

Submission Strategy

• Submit daily. This is not a once-a-week activity. Check breakdowns every morning alongside Casting Networks.
• Be selective but consistent. Submit for roles where your headshot genuinely reads as the character. Do not blast every breakdown — casting directors notice and it trains them to skip your name.
• Match your headshot to the role. Your intense theatrical headshot is wrong for a bright comedy. Your commercial smile is wrong for a crime drama. Select the appropriate look for every submission.
• Keep cover notes minimal. "Recent co-star on [Show]. Local hire NYC. Available immediately." That is enough. Do not write a paragraph.

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Maintaining Your Profile

• Update headshots every 18-24 months or after any significant appearance change
• Add new credits within a week of wrapping each project
• Replace your reel when you get stronger footage
• Check that your reel link works — broken links are more common than you think and they silently kill your chances
• Review your skills list annually — add new ones, remove any you have let lapse

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

"I'm submitting but not hearing anything back." This is normal — casting directors receive hundreds of submissions per role and respond to a small fraction. Focus on volume and quality of submissions. If you are getting zero callbacks over 2-3 months of daily submissions, audit your headshot (is it professional and current?), your type targeting (are you submitting for roles you are actually right for?), and your profile completeness.

"Should I use Actors Access if my agent already submits me through Breakdown Services?" Absolutely. Agent submissions and self-submissions are separate pools. Casting directors review both. Your self-submission does not compete with your agent's submission — it is additional visibility. Some CDs review the self-submission stack specifically looking for faces their regular agents did not send.

"I'm also on Casting Networks — is Actors Access redundant?" No. Different casting directors prefer different platforms. Some use only Casting Networks, some use only Actors Access, many use both. Breakdowns that appear on one may not appear on the other. You need both platforms active and current to cover the full casting landscape.

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Video Walkthroughs and Additional Resources

These external resources provide visual guides and deeper dives:

• Actors Access Official: How to Register — official registration walkthrough
• Actors Access: Setting Up Your Custom Link — shareable profile URL setup
• Stage Milk: Complete Guide to Actors Access — comprehensive written walkthrough with screenshots
• WorkOnFILM: Actors Access Guide for 2025 — detailed guide covering profile, submissions, and strategy

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Next Steps

1. Create your account and upgrade to Plus today. The $68/year ($54.40 for SAG-AFTRA members) removes the per-submission friction that stops actors from submitting enough. Do it now.

2. Complete your entire profile in one sitting. Block 45-60 minutes. Headshots uploaded, resume entered, skills listed, reel or SlateShot uploaded. Do not leave this half-done.

3. Set up your daily submission routine. Every morning: check Casting Networks, check Actors Access, submit for every role where your headshot reads as the character. This is your job. Treat it like one.