If you’re anything like me you’ve done a few Google searches trying to find open casting calls in the Houston area only to wind up feeling more confused than before. A great open casting call is hard to come by and the odds are usually stacked against you if you haven’t had any previous work. Fortunately, there are some great resources out there to help you find acting jobs without an agent and without previous experience.
Now don’t get me wrong, most of the time you will still have to go through an audition process and you should probably have a headshot/resume handy to submit to casting directors. However, the services below are easy to use and will most likely land you some starting jobs to build your resume.
Southwest Casting is a free service run by Joe Grisaffi that allows anyone to sign up for casting notices for film, television, and commercials. You can choose to receive casting notices through their main website, Twitter, or Facebook. Some of their projects include Lars the Emo Kid, American Express commercials, and Friday Night Lights. Personally, I’ve had good experiences when using SWC, so before you use any of the other resources listed below SIGN UP FOR THIS. Typically, there are a lot of opportunities for child actors (including toddlers and infants), so it’s a great resource to find open casting calls for kids in Houston, TX as well.
2. Houston Production Hotline
The Houston Production Hotline is run by the Houston Film Commission to provide actors, crew members, and casting directors a means of contacting one another. Like Southwest Casting, you can also sign up to receive email updates about casting calls in the area. From my experience, many of these roles are unpaid and the listings for this resource are not as consistently updated as the others either. That said, it is still a great way to find open casting calls and even acting classes if you need them.
3. Short Film Texas
Short Film Texas is a website that allows users to view and post casting and crew calls for short films. The site covers a range of cities in Texas, but has a specific section allotted to the Houston Area. This resource is updated almost everyday (depending on the time of year) and provides actors with plenty of opportunities to audition. If you’re willing to travel, you can check out the sections for other cities and try your luck in those areas. In my experience, roles come and go quickly on this website, so you have to check it consistently or you might miss a chance to play a role that suits you well. If you explore their links, you will find information on talent agencies (that are well-known and trusted) as well as rental information on video equipment in case you want to make your own short film.
UPDATE 7/13: I came across a forum for actors to share local casting calls they’ve come across. I still need to try it out for myself, but I thought I’d share with you guys.
Hopefully you haven’t heard of at least one of these links, but if you have feel free to share your knowledge in the comments. I will update this post as often as I can because I feel like trying to find open casting calls online is like a shot in the dark.
On a side note, remember to always bring a friend or parent with you to any and all auditions. If your gut says something is fishy, go with it, don’t let a casting director make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with. Usually, the postings on all of these links are 100% safe, but there is the occasional bad apple, so use your head when submitting to a casting notice.
Good Luck!
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