Whether a casting director finds you in a private search or through an application, your Fishpond profile is often their first impression of you. Your profile helps them understand who you are, what you can do, and whether you’re right for their project. Taking some time to complete it properly makes a real difference.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through every section of your profile, explain why it matters, and share practical tips to help you present yourself at your very best.
MEDIA
• 5 Photos (1 primary headshot plus 4 additional photos)
Your main profile image and first impression – your primary headshot is gold. This primary photograph is your calling card and will be the first thing a casting director looks at when they’re searching Fishpond or when you apply for a role.
Tips for a great headshot
A current, professional headshot helps casting directors quickly assess your suitability for a role. Choose a clear, natural headshot that looks like you today. Remember that your eyes are your most important feature, so make sure they are visible and full of light; face the camera straight on. Consider the background; some photographers like to do outdoor shots. A contrast between background and hair colour works well, whereas dark backgrounds work less well with dark hair, and the same goes for light hair on light backgrounds.
Which photo to choose as your primary headshot on Fishpond
For your primary headshot, make sure you choose a photo that looks like you – not how you would like to look. If you are unsure, ask friends or your agent for an honest opinion. Remember, you will be asked to attend meetings and auditions on the basis of your photograph, so if you turn up looking completely different you will be wasting everybody’s time.
When choosing a main photo for your Fishpond profile, it’s worth choosing a head and shoulders shot, and never add a selfie to your professional profile. A thumbnail pic will appear in the casting director’s account after you apply for a role, so head and shoulders shots tend to pop out more as they view them.
Space for 4 more
Additional photos showcase your range, current appearance, and versatility, helping casting directors visualise you in different roles. It’s worth having a variety of shots where possible – some where you are more serious and some more smiley shots. In all of them you want to look as relaxed and natural as possible and it’s a good idea to have one full length photo so casters can see what you look like from the shoulders down – it will help them to imagine you in the world they’re trying to create.
• Introduction Voice Note (30 seconds)
Gives casting professionals an immediate sense of your natural speaking voice and personality. Also helps them pronounce your name correctly. Introduce yourself naturally, state your name clearly, and let your personality come through. Record in a quiet space with good sound quality. Remember that you don’t need to perform here – this isn’t an audition. Casting directors are simply getting a sense of your voice and personality.
As an example, you might simply say “Hi, I’m Sarah Murphy and I’m an Irish actor based in Galway. I have been acting professionally for ten years and am particularly interested in voiceover, comedy and performance through Irish language. Go raibh maith agat.”
• 5 Showreels / Video Clips
Demonstrate your acting ability, allowing casting professionals to assess your performance, presence, and experience.
That little digital gem
A strong showreel is your greatest asset. Once you’ve built up an archive of work you’d be proud to show off, it’s time to get a showreel made. These will include short clips of scenes from the various productions you’ve been involved in. Choosing the right scenes to showcase the spectrum of your ability is your goal. Always make sure you put your strongest performance first and leave out the montage.
If you don’t currently have anything on film
It’s a good idea to build up a body of work with your showreel in mind. Take a look at Stepping Stones projects on your Projects Board for low / unpaid work which is a great way to gather material for your reel.
You can also film a scene yourself while you’re building up a body of work. You can film this with a friend using a smart phone or camera at home. Stand or sit against a plain background and talk about your experience, training and a bit about what you like to do outside of acting. If you’ve recently returned to the business, mention that here.
You can also record a monologue or a duologue with a reader. Choose a scene for camera rather than stage and try to work with another actor if your scene requires a reader. Take your time preparing, be off book and use the best quality take. Don’t upload it until you are really happy.
Showreel length
We would recommend no more than two to four minutes. Casting professionals receive thousands of CVs and showreels and usually don’t have time to watch every actor for 10 minutes each. Start strong – remember they may not watch the full reel so the first 30 seconds are very important.
Show off your skills
As you have space for 5 videos, it’s a good idea to show off other skills that you possess. For example, if you can sing, upload a video of you singing. Likewise if you’re good with comedy – put together a specific video showing your talent for that. If you speak another language, are good at accents, impressions etc, the same applies. Anything you state that you can do on your profile, prove it and make it easy for casters to believe in you.
Videos for younger actors
If you’re the guardian of a young actor and you yet have a showreel or clips of their work, we strongly recommend that you add an introduction video to their profile. This really increases their chances of being called to audition. You can film this at home against a plain background on a smart phone. It should be 20 seconds to a minute of them talking directly to camera.
They can start by talking about any acting experience they have. They can talk about things like a favourite role they played, why they love acting and what they like to do outside of acting. This last bit is important as an interesting hobby can help them to stand out from the crowd. For very small children who need a little more help, you can ask them the questions to help them along with this.
It’s important that this feels natural and doesn’t seem rehearsed. Casting directors want to see them being themselves in front of a camera so don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
In addition to the introduction video, younger kids might also like to add a poem or song and older kids can add a scene. Choose a scene for camera (not stage). Take your time preparing it, learn it off by heart and only add it when you’re really happy with the result. Feel free to ask us what we think when it’s done.
If you have a little baby, you can film them simply doing things that babies do. This will help casting users get a better sense of them (and how cute they are). Don’t worry – it’s easy. But if you’re having any trouble just get in touch and a member of our team will be happy to advise.
• 5 Voice Reels / Clips
Showcase your vocal performance, making it easier to assess your suitability for voice-over, animation, radio, and audio projects. When putting together a reel, this is your chance to show off your unique skillset. Much of what applies to showreels above also applies here.
If you have yet to record professional work, you can use work already out in the public domain. For example, for a commercial reel, listen to ads that seem aimed at your demographic that you feel you can bring something to. Add accents or voices if they are a true strength of yours. Leave off if in any doubt. An intro to a documentary or a page from a book can round it out.
Record on a professional mic and have it mastered. You can learn how to do this yourself or barter skills with a friend who can. Remove breaths and add some music where appropriate.
PERSONAL INFO AND BIO
First Name
Helps casting professionals identify you and ensures your profile is correctly referenced throughout the casting process.
Last Name
Completes your professional identity and allows casting teams to accurately search for and recognise your profile.
Location (Country)
Helps productions determine whether you’re based in a suitable location and assess travel or work eligibility.
Experience Level
Gives casting teams a quick understanding of your professional experience and suitability for different types of roles. The options are Starting Out, Working Actor or Seasoned Pro. if you’ve been acting professionally for less than two years, choose Starting Out. If you’ve been working steadily as an actor for the past five years or so, choose Working Actor. If you’re in the business longer than that, choose Seasoned Pro.
Training Level
Highlights your acting training and helps casting professionals assess your skills and development.
Tagline
Provides a brief, memorable summary that helps communicate your unique strengths or professional identity at a glance.
Agency
Lets casting directors know if you’re independent or represented, and provides the appropriate contact route for professional enquiries.
Gender
Assists casting teams in searching for performers that match the creative requirements of a role.
Pronouns
Helps productions address you respectfully and accurately throughout the casting process.
Nationality
May be relevant for roles requiring specific nationalities or for determining work eligibility on international productions.
Native Accent
Helps casting identify performers whose natural speech matches a character without requiring accent coaching.
PHYSICAL INFO
Playing Age
Indicates the age range you can convincingly portray, making casting searches more accurate. Choose a maximum age span of ten years for adults, and three for under 18s.
Ethnicity
Supports authentic and inclusive casting where ethnicity is relevant to the story or production requirements.
Height
Can be an important consideration for character requirements, costume fitting, and working alongside other performers.
Body Type
Helps casting visualise suitability for specific characters while supporting accurate production planning.
Hair Colour
Enables casting teams to assess your current look and determine suitability for visual requirements.
Hair Length
Provides up-to-date information about your appearance, which can influence casting decisions.
Facial Hair
Helps productions understand your current appearance and whether additional styling may be required.
Eye Colour
Supports accurate visual matching where a character’s appearance is an important consideration.
Tattoos
Allows productions to identify visible tattoos that may affect costume, makeup, or character continuity. Or, a production may specifically be looking for someone with tattoos. It’s important that they can find you.
Piercings
Informs productions of visible piercings that may need to be accommodated or removed for a role. As with tattoos, a production may specifically be looking for someone with piercings. It’s important that they can find you.
TRAINING AND AWARDS
Training
Showcases your acting education, workshops, and specialist training, helping demonstrate your skills and commitment.
Awards & Recognition
Highlights professional achievements that can strengthen your profile and showcase recognised talent.
CREDITS
Previous Credits
Demonstrates your experience and gives casting directors confidence in your professional background.
Upcoming Work
Keeps your profile current and shows ongoing professional activity within the industry.
SKILLS AND LANGUAGES
Accents
Lists accents you can perform convincingly, helping you appear in more targeted casting searches.
Languages
Expands the range of roles you’re eligible for by showcasing your language abilities.
Fluent Irish Speaker
Identifies fluency in Irish, helping productions find performers for Irish-language projects.
Dance
Highlights dance abilities that may be required for musical theatre, screen, or stage productions.
Additional Performances
Showcases complementary performance skills such as singing, comedy, circus, or other disciplines.
Sport
Lists sporting abilities that may be required for specific roles or reduce the need for stunt doubles.
Other Skills
Highlights practical or specialist skills that could make you suitable for unique or hard-to-cast roles.
PRACTICAL INFO
Counties I have a base in
Helps productions identify performers with local accommodation, reducing travel and accommodation costs.
Vehicle Licences
Shows which vehicles you can legally operate, supporting roles involving driving or specialist vehicles.
Valid Passport
Indicates your ability to travel internationally for productions without unnecessary delays.
Over 25
Helps identify eligibility for productions where minimum age is a legality – eg insurance, driving requirements or participation in an alcohol commercial.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Home Recording Studio
Shows if you’re equipped to record professional voice work from home when required.
Remote Equipment List
Details your recording equipment so productions can assess the quality of your remote setup.
Accessibility
Allows you to share any accessibility requirements, helping productions create an inclusive and supportive working environment.
Website
Provides casting professionals with access to your personal website or portfolio for additional information and further examples of your work.
Mobile Number
Your number is not shown on profile but entering it enables casters to SMS you through the platform.
YOUR PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
When you’ve completed your profile, you can check to see what it looks like to over 1200 casters using Fishpond across Ireland and further afield. Anytime casters find your profile in their private searches, or you apply for a role, this is what they’ll see. Simply click Public Profile on your side menu to view.
Sharing Your Talent with the World
While your profile is not automatically visible outside of Fishpond.ie in general online searches, you can choose to share it online if you wish, using your very own personalised Fishpond link. Add it to your email signature, your Instagram bio etc.
Simply click Share Profile on the public view.
Keep Your Profile Working for You
Your Fishpond profile should evolve as your career does. Every new credit, skill, headshot, showreel or achievement is another reason to log in and keep it up to date.
Take a few minutes now to view your Public Profile and look at it through the eyes of a casting director. Does it accurately reflect who you are today? Are your headshots current? Is your strongest showreel first? Have you added any new skills, training or credits?
As a guide, we recommend reviewing your profile every three to six months, or sooner if anything changes. A fresh headshot, a new credit, an updated showreel or even a recently learned skill could be the thing that helps you appear in the right search or stand out to a casting director.
Your profile is much more than just a record of your career so far. It’s a tool that helps casting professionals imagine you in their next project. So keep it current, keep it professional, and let it do the hard work for you.