FAQ

Are there any criteria for becoming a talent?: Whatever your ambitions, we’ll welcome you into the Starburst Talent Agency. Most of our jobs are for those aged newborn and up. If you want to become a talent on behalf of your child, you will be able to apply for it.
How much commission is deducted from my payment?: We may take a commission from all payments made to us for shoots that you attend via Starburst Talent Agency. Each job that you apply for will state the payment amount before commission is taken. It will also state what our commission is and unless otherwise stated the commission is set out as this: i) If you are a Union Talent (SAG/AFTRA Member ) our commission against the payment we receive is 10%. ii) If you are a Non-Union Member (by which we class as a 'non-paying' member) our commission against the payment we receive is 20% . Occasionally, the commission may deviate from this, however if it does, it will be clearly explained on the job description. The commission is non-refundable and will be deducted from the payment when it is received in our bank account by the Production Company, Client or whom we are working with. When doing your annual tax return, you should be able to deduct commission; your monthly, 6 monthly or annual book fees on both commission and book fees as a business expenses, meaning effectively you are reclaiming it. We advise that you for the time being request, and then once the development is complete, download, print and keep your remittances for your annual tax returns. We advise that you discuss this aspect with your accountant.
How do I create a profile?: It is important to fill out your profile as best as you can. This also includes all the information. By omitting information or not completing all fields, we may see you as ‘lazy’, which of course you don’t want. It is hugely important that your contact number and email are correct and up-to-date, as without these we can’t contact you. Your sizes and measurements are also important as we often look for people with particular sizes. If you don’t add and update your sizes in the correct fields on your profile, we can’t contact you about size related jobs.
Which headshots should I put on my profile?: The headshots and information you add to your profile are hugely important. After all, unless you are needed to attend a casting, your profile is what will determine whether or not you are successful in being invited for an audition and booked for a job. This is where you need to promote yourself as best you can. You can add up to 5 headshots. These headshots should be a mix of headshots and will ideally show you in the different looks that you can pull off. Your headshots should be of just you (so we know which one you are), be clear, not blurry. Also, this isn’t a headshot competition, so please don’t Instagram your headshots, add filters, take selfies or make collages of yourself, we don’t need to know how handy you are with jazzing up your headshots. They need to look professional with a high resolution.
Which headshot should be my main profile picture?: Your main profile headshot is THE most important headshot on your profile? Why? Because it pulls through on to our submission document which we submit to clients. This means if your main profile picture is upside down, blurry or you are standing 50 yards away next to the Statue of Liberty we aren’t going to be able to tell what you look like, and therefore you won’t be submitted or booked. Even if the rest of your headshots are good, your main profile picture will be the one that encourages producers and directors to view your full profile - first impressions and all that!
How do I upload a Show Reel or a YouTube video to my profile?: You have the option of adding up to 3 Videos on your profile. If the clip you are trying to add is on YouTube, simply copy the url of the video and paste it in the field on your profile.
What is a 'playing age range'?: A playing age is an age, or range of ages, that you can add to your profile. It is not a claim to an actual chronological age, but a suggestion as to what age or ages you feel you can be considered for and are capable of credibly portraying. Please remember to update these as your age increases and your look changes. Also, make sure that you are realistic. If you are aged 40, all the Oil of Olay in the world can’t pass you off as a 20 year old. You don’t want to be booked based on the fact that you have said you can portray a certain age and then when on set be asked to leave as you clearly can’t. It won’t look good on us and rather embarrassing for you.
Who can see my profile?: The only people who can access your profile are you and us, the staff at Starburst Talent Agency. You can of course send your profile to anyone you want, or add it to your email signature. Your profile link can be found on your Starburst Talent Agency profile. The other people who see your profile are our clients. Your profile link is either sent to the client for them to view or it is attached to your main profile picture in the presentation PDF that we show clients. Our clients and the general public cannot access the Starburst Talent Agency database and no one except Starburst Talent Agency staff has open access to our base.
Are my contact details displayed?: Your email address is always displayed when your profile is sent to anyone. However, your contact number is hidden. If you want people who see your profile to also see your contact number, we advise that you do so by writing it in text application form.
What if I forget my user email or password or wish to change my email address.: Your user email will be the email that you originally used to set up during your registration. If you have a Google Mail account, the domain might be @gmail.com or @googlemail.com so try both. If you have created a profile and realized that you have entered the wrong email, or wish to change the email address, again email us and we can assist you.
How do people contact me?: If we are booking you, we will generally contact you by email with all the details of the shoot. When we send out confirmation emails, we will ask you to reply with a YES. This is so that we know you have all the information about the shoot. This also gives you the opportunity to ask any questions. If we don't get a reply from you, we might use any means possible to contact you. On your profile is your main contact number, so we'll use whatever means we can to contact you if booked on a project.
How are people selected for a shoot?: Knowing and understanding the selection process solves a lot of questions, so taking time to read this is a good idea. Remember WE are the agency, so more often than not, it's not down to us who is selected. We provide our clients with a selection of options and they tell us who they want to be confirmed for their shoot. Below is an example of how the selection process operates. The Production Company will then tell us who they want through an audition request and we will email those people. We will ask you to confirm your interest and availability still and then we will regularly be in touch and hopefully confirm you for the audition. If we do end up confirming you, you will be requested to 'accept' the audition over email. If you are wanted, don't worry we will email / text / call you until we get hold of you. This procedure highlights the necessity to have the best profile possible, as it is your profile which determines how successful you will be in being invited for auditions and booked for shoots. Your profile needs to be the best it can be.
Why am I unsuccessful in my applications?: The hardest question of all to answer is when people ask why they aren’t being successful or ‘why we aren’t selecting them for any auditions’. Firstly, we need to make it clear that it isn’t us (Starburst Talent Agency) who select people for auditions or shoots, it is the Casting Directors, Producers and relevant people on the Production. If Starburst Talent Agency does choose who is selected, we’ll select those who best suit the casting brief. More often than not, all applicants are presented to the client who decides who to invite for an audition. Their decision is based on your profiles, which is why it is essential to keep them up-to-date, fresh and varied. Whilst we cannot guarantee you’ll be selected for auditions, we can give advice, and if you read and abide by the following, you’ll be giving yourself every chance of being selected.
Is every field on your profile full and complete?
Are all your stats and measurements up-to-date and accurate?
Does your main profile picture follow the recommended criteria?
Is your playing age realistic? Does your profile display a variety of pictures showing the different looks and styles you have?
Are your headshots up-to-date? If not, keep an eye out for Photograph Sessions,with a photographer of your preference. Ladies this particularly concerns you if you change your style / hair regularly.
If you apply yourself, you only apply for breakdowns that you genuinely want to do and can attend, bearing in mind location, hours and payment amount. You don’t want to be known as someone who literally applies for everything, and then when asked to do it, turns the job down.
Similar to point 6, please only apply for breakdowns that are for your gender, age and type. For example, if you are a 20 year old Caucasian female, please don’t apply for a job asking for a 40 year old Chinese speaking male. Again, it happens a lot and by doing so just shows that you aren’t reading the breakdowns correctly.
Are you supplying the correct information in the additional information box? If you are asked to detail something specific you must ensure you do.
Are you readily available? The people who are the most successful in this industry are those who are willing to travel (within reason), are available at short notice and who prove themselves to be reliable.
If you follow these guidelines, you won't go too far wrong!
What happens if I need to cancel my booking?: You don’t have to accept any audition request when offered to you, it is completely up to you to accept them. However, once you are confirmed you are expected to turn up. We are aware that from time to time, emergencies occur and that you need to cancel. All that we ask is that you tell us as soon as possible so we can advise the Casting Director.
We’ll be able to tell the genuine reasons to the made up ones and you wouldn’t want to be known as someone who has a ‘family emergency’ every other week or whose grandparent has died, but then is out the next morning at the gym and out drinking the following evening! (This is a real example – remember Facebook tells people what you are really doing!)
What if I don’t turn up to the shoot?: Not turning up to a booking really is shooting yourself in the foot. If you simply don’t turn up, there are a number of issues here. Firstly, you are dropping us in it with one of our clients, meaning they aren’t going to be very happy with us, so we won’t be very happy with you. Secondly, the client is likely to request that we never book you for one of their Productions ever again. We don't want to have you in a list of people who can’t be booked for certain Production Companies - you don’t want to be added to it. Thirdly, your no show has taken the place of someone else having that opportunity.
Basically, not showing up is going to put you so far in the bad books that you probably won’t be booked again. It’s common courtesy to let us know if you need to cancel. You wouldn’t not turn up to a full time job on a Monday morning and expect to be allowed to come back on Tuesday, and it’s the same here. We take no shows seriously, afterall it’s our reputation that is damaged with clients, so in such circumstances you can expect to be removed from our agency and your profile deleted.
How can I get selected for auditions more often?: People often make the following statements ….
“I'm expecting auditions and aren’t selected regularly enough”
“Why do you have ‘favorite’ people who seem to always be selected” (We don’t)"
“My friends seem to be booked more than me even though we have the same look”
“Why does it seem to be the same people saying on Social Media saying they are booked all the time”
“I fit this shoot perfectly. Why aren’t I selected?”
“I live round the corner from the location”
We have decided to dedicate a whole section on here to giving you as much advice as we can about how to increase your chances of being selected as well as busting the myths around selection and Starburst Talent Agency role in it.
Who selects talent for auditions?: Firstly, it is important that you understand that 99% of the time, it is not Starburst Talent Agency staff who select people for auditions or shoots – this can’t be stressed enough. We simply present the applicants to our client and it is usually the Casting Director of the project who tells us the names of the people they would like to confirm for an audition. Please don’t hate on us if you aren’t selected, almost all the time this decision is out of our control. The only time we might have any influence is when someone cancels on us last minute and we need to urgently replace them. In this instance you might read us looking for a like for like replacement. We might confirm someone who we know is reliable and can get to the location at short notice.
Only you will know if any of the below truly relate to you and your Starburst Talent Agency. Only you can make the call on whether you are doing everything you can to help yourself. Answer them honestly and if there is anything you can change after taking it all on board, you should start to see the benefits by doing so.
Is my profile as strong as it can be?: Your profile sells you and is what Casting Directors and Producers look at when deciding who they want to confirm. Your profile really does need to be good. If you haven’t already, make sure it is ALL filled out. This includes your sizes, your ‘About Me’, your nationality, ethnicity, age, hair color – everything. Have you got a showreel on your profile? If you haven’t or don’t have one, you need to provide.
Do you have the correct style headshot as your main picture? Have you maximised the image count and added 5 headshots? Do you have a mix of looks on your profile? For example, if you are a middle-aged guy, do you have a headshot of you looking like a homeless person where you could be booked for a high class royal wedding shoot for example? On the flip side, do you also have a headshot of you looking tough and nasty where you might get booked as a football hooligan? Make yourself adaptable to the various types of projects we have. Similarly, if you are an older lady, have a headshot of you looking ultra-glamorous, but also have a headshot of you with no make-up on, where you look as old as you can. We regularly change people’s headshots depending on the project that we have submitted for, so we change the main profile picture to reflect the project. If you only have one style of headshot, obviously we can’t help you by switching headshots to fit in the project that we are submitting you for. Without that choice, we might be putting you forward as a hooligan role for example, but the only headshots you have are of you in a suit and tie. It’s obvious to see where the problem is here.
Do you have talent "favorites"?: Occasionally people ask us if we have ‘favorites’ as they believe it’s the same people are being booked. This is categorically untrue. Understanding the selection process as outlined previously tells you that it isn’t Starburst Talent Agency who selects people, so even if we did have favored people, it’s not Starburst Talent Agency that makes the selects anyway. Secondly, think of it from a business perspective. If we had favorites (we don’t) and we picked the same people time and time again, anyone else wouldn’t bother staying with us. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that and this is all because we don’t have a say in who is selected and who isn’t.
As previously mentioned on this topic, we might be able to select the odd person here or there to replace someone who has dropped out, but who is selected will be a like for like replacement in terms of age / gender / look to the person who dropped out.
Have I been blacklisted?: We do get asked if people have been blacklisted or have they done something to upset us. Firstly, we don’t even have a blacklisting system so impossible for anyone to be on it. Perish the thought, but if you have done something a bit naughty (tut tut) or there is an issue somewhere, we will address it directly with you and appropriate steps taken if required, but you will be aware if this is the case. If your behavior is deemed so unacceptable that Starburst Talent Agency won’t be booking you for future projects, your Starburst Talent Agency profile will be removed from the website and you will cease to be contacted, terminating with your contract.
I fit this project perfectly, why aren’t I being selected for this project?: This very well might be the case, however it is the Casting Directors and Producers of the projects that decide whether they think this is the case. Your profile needs to show this. For example, if there is a project looking for a guy with a big bushy beard and you currently have a big bushy beard, it is only worth submitting you if there is a headshot of you on your profile with your impressive beard. Even if you write in your application “I have a mega cool beard, the kind a bird would live in” it’s pointless unless you back it up with a headshot on your profile. You very well might be the most perfect applicant for the project , but you need the ideal headshot on your profile to prove to those that select people that you are.
I live near the location, why wasn't I selected for the audition?: Whilst this is great if you are selected, or a huge benefit if we need to replace someone last minute, generally unless the shoot is in a remote location and we are looking for local people, living near to the shoot usually isn’t something that directors consider when selecting people. If it is, a key factor they will state on the project post. The look or skill of the persons being considered for selection will normally all be favoured instead of where someone lives. If you do live near the location, make sure you write it in your application , but it’s not something you should assume as a reason to get you confirmed.
How do I know how to get to the audition?: It is your responsibility to get yourself to the audition on time. This means checking your journey to make sure you can make the audition time BEFORE you confirm.
If you can't make the audition time, please do not confirm the request . Find out what time you can arrive and let us know; we might be able to make the odd exception.
Working out how to get to the location should be made days in advance, then if there are any issues, they can be thrashed out earlier.
What we can't have is people checking their route on the morning of the audition, realizing they won't make it, then cancelling. Yes, some delays and traffic can't be helped, but knowing in advance means that some problems can be avoided.
Where can I park?: If you are driving to an audition, you'll want to check out where to park. If you are intent on driving to the location, you may want to use drive directions . You can input the audition location, and the nearest available drives, garages and parking spaces are displayed, and how far it is from the location.
What do I wear to the Audition?: If you are being asked to style yourself, we will always put the styling brief on the confirmation of audition email to you. Please stick as closely to this as possible. If you are unsure, there are a few general rules. Unless you are asked specifically, try to avoid the following:
1. Fluorescent or bright colours.
2. Large Brand Names or Logos, so no big lettering on your clothes or recognisable logos, ie the Nike Swoosh Tick.
3. Try to avoid stripey items of clothing.
What if I need to cancel a shoot or audition?: Before the day of the audition or shoot we will send you all the information you'll need to know, including the call time, location and styling brief. Once you confirm, you are booked on the shoot and you are expected to be punctual and attend.
Not turning up to an audition or shoot and not telling us is unacceptable and inconsiderate. This will certainly give you a 'strike' under the 3 Strike Rule. However a 'no show' will more than likely end in your profile and account being terminated. You are booked for a reason and by doing a no show and not telling us doesn't give us a chance to replace you.
If you need to cancel your place on the shoot, please immediately contact whoever booked you. If you give us enough notice, hopefully we can replace you. Please don't leave it to the last minute, or the early hours of the morning, as this doesn't help us. If we can't replace you, you can expect to receive a 'strike' under the 3 Strike Rule.
Cancelling jobs or not turning up is unprofessional and leaves us in a very difficult position, with the client having booked you in good faith. We aren't interested in booking people who let us down, and we're sure the last thing you want is to be 'known for it'.
What if I'm under the influence of drugs or alcohol on set?: Under NO circumstances should you be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when on set. Anyone believed to have taken drugs or consumed alcohol will immediately be removed from the shoot. They will also be removed from Starburst Talent Agency's book, the account suspended , the profile deleted and the contract broke.
Further, if for example you are taking part in a 3-day shoot, and have already worked days 1 and 2, you WILL NOT be paid for any completed days as it will be considered that you have not fulfilled the booking.
What if I'm late to a shoot?: When booked on a shoot you will be given a call time. It is hugely important that you are on set for your call time. If you are late, you may find that your payment is reduced accordingly or you may even be sent home without pay.
Call times can often be early, so please check travel and public transport before confirming your place. If public transport can't get you on set for the call time, inform us and we'll see what we can arrange.
It is unacceptable to turn up late without informing us beforehand. As a matter of principle it is common for Production Companies to turn people away who are considerably late without telling anyone. Again, it's just about doing the right thing. If a Production Company has selected and booked you and is ultimately paying you, you need to be on time.
Failure to be on time will result in a strike against your name and, in some cases, may amount to you being removed from Starburst Talent Agency.
How must I behave on set?: Although we shouldn't need to have a FAQ for 'behaviour', as it should be quite obvious what you should / shouldn't do on set, by stating it, there can be absolutely no confusion.
When you attend a shoot, you represent Starburst Talent Agency, so therefore you need to act in a professional manner.
This means you are punctual, so you turn up on time, you leave when you are told and you take direction when you are there.
This means you don't bring or consume alcohol or drugs. You don't pester the crew, in particular the artists, actors, Casting Directors, Directors or Producers.
If you are on set and there is an issue, please contact Starburst Talent Agency and we will deal with it. You can do this anonymously if you would prefer.
Failure to adhere to these basic rules will result in a strike against your name and, in some cases, may amount to you being removed from Starburst Talent Agency.
What is the "3 Strike Rule"?: Unfortunately this has been forced upon us due to people being late or pulling out so near to the shoot that we can't replace them.
When Starburst Talent Agent takes on a job we are expected to provide ALL the cast that is needed. Often, the client handpicks the cast based on who has applied. After all, if you booked a job, we expect you to be available. Once you accept the job, we don't expect you to then cancel.
It is important that we fill the job to the standards expected by the client. If we don't, the client is unlikely to use us again, meaning less work for you guys and your fellow Starburst Talent Agency Talents - something no one wants.
Therefore, if you don't turn up for a shoot; if you are late for a shoot; if you pull out of a shoot late in the day or your behaviour on set is deemed unacceptable, you'll be given a 'strike'. If you accumulate three strikes within 1 calendar year, your account will be suspended indefinitely and any money that you are owed will be retained. Of course, there are always genuine reasons to pull out of shoots and if you do have a genuine reason, you are unlikely to accumulate three strikes anyway.
Also, cancellations and unprofessionalism means we at Starburst Talent Agency have to work at the last minute/nights/weekends to find replacements for you. Obviously we don't want to do that, so it's never appreciated when we have to.
Just to reiterate, we don't want to suspend anyone’s account - but above all, doing a professional job for the client is of the highest importance and this involves our cast being on time and in their full numbers. Impressing the client brings more work. Letting our clients down results in less work.
How can I avoid a 'strike'?: Follow these few rules and you'll be fine....
a) Only accept auditions requests when you know you'll be available. Remember your profile often goes to the client. If you get picked and then can't do the audition, there was no point except in the first place.
b) Check travel, call times BEFORE accepting the audition request .
c) Make sure you aren't working BEFORE accepting the job and check your diary for anything that you've got booked in.
d) Only GENUINE emergencies should make you cancel after you've confirmed your place on the audition or shoot.
When and how do I get paid?: Starburst Talent Agency invoice the client, on your behalf, the next working day after the shoot or as soon as possible. Sometimes we need to wait for AD Reports which have details of any overtime on, so therefore sometimes there is a delay in the invoice going to Production. Ultimately though, the invoice goes to the client ASAP. If you haven't been on a shoot with us before, we need your bank details (sort code and account number). You can add these to your profile under 'My Account'. Once you have entered and saved them, you won't need to do it again. As soon as we are paid by the Client, we will transfer the amount owed to you via Bank Transfer. Included with the payment will be a reference to the shoot that you've been on. Once payment is made, a payment remittance will be added to your profile in the form of a PDF. This will detail the shoot you have been paid on and the breakdown of the payment which you may find useful for your personal tax returns (see separate FAQ). This will help you track which payments you have received. Please note, payments can take up to 24 hours to clear into your bank, and payment remittances may take up to 7 days from payment to be added to your profile. Please only contact us 7 days after receiving payment if your remittance isn't added to your profile. It is a legal requirement for us to pay cast within ten days after receiving the money, however more often than not payment is made from us to you, the very same day that we receive payment from the client. This obviously only works though if you have entered the correct bank details to your profile. Please see a separate FAQ about bank details and what you need to do if you change bank details after we've paid you at least once. With regards to when you are paid; Talent Talks will pay you once the Production Company has paid us which is common practice throughout the industry. This is a rule we stick to, so everyone knows the situation on payments. If you haven't been paid, it will be because we haven't been paid. Probably 90% of the time this is around 45 days after the shoot. Occasionally, we get paid quicker, and if we are paid sooner we will pay you sooner. Similarly however, if the Production Company takes longer than 45 days, again you'll be paid as soon as we are. If the outstanding payment goes longer than 45 days we will be in regular contact with them to find out when it will be paid, so don't feel you need to remind us about overdue payments. Occasionally payments can take longer as Production Companies pay us when they are good and ready, not unfortunately when we ask for it. Obviously we want you guys paid as quickly as possible so it's in our best interests to receive due payment as quickly as possible. If payments do take longer than anticipated, please bear with us, be patient and sit tight. We DO know when payments are due and we will already be in contact with the Production Company about it. If there is any significant info that you need to know about payments, we will be in touch. On your profile, there is a specific area to enter your bank details. This can be found under the My Account section of your profile. Please ensure that you enter your details in this specific area rather than writing them on your profile. We need your account number, which is 8 digits and your sort code which is 6 digits. Please do not enter your long card number. When it comes to paying you for the first time, we will pay the bank details on your profile. If you ever change your bank details, you must contact us via email on info@starbursttalentagency.com to inform us otherwise we will continue to pay into the existing details that we have. Even if you change them on your profile, you must alert us. Don't worry too much if you forget; if we are ready to pay you and your bank details aren't on your profile, we will contact you to remind you to add them.
Is Insurance and Tax taken from my payments?: By joining Starburst Talent Agency , you are not considered to be an 'Employee' of the Company. Therefore Starburst Talent Agency is not responsible for making Tax or Insurance deductions. Paying your Tax and Insurance is up to you and is your own responsibility. Starburst Talent Agency is not responsible for ensuring you complete your tax returns in full and on time. Subsequently Starburst Talent Agency is not liable for any financial penalties that are enforced upon you.
Who is responsible for declaring my payments to IRS?: This is down to you and is your own responsibility. Starburst Talent Agency is not responsible for ensuring you complete your tax returns in full and on time. Consequently, Starburst TalentAgency are not liable for any financial penalties that IRS enforce on you.
Can I put pictures on Social Media?: You need to be extremely careful about what you put on Social Media. If you are in any doubt please contact us, or to stay completely safe, simply DO NOT post it. You may be asked to sign an NDA or Release Form on set. However, even if you aren't asked, we suggest you always follow these guidelines:
As a general rule, you CANNOT put on any Social Media any information that may compromise the shoot. This includes what is being filmed, where you are shooting, or anything that suggests this information, or gives away what you are doing. This could include 'checking in' on Facebook, 'mentioning actors/artists etc' on Twitter.
Basically, you don't want to be the individual who gives away the secret location of a TV Series that you are attending, or the person who reveals your costume in a high Profile Artist's Music Video. Production Companies, Record Labels and TV Companies have many lawyers and you don't want to be on the end of their letters having compromised your agreement. Once the shoot is released into the Public Domain (for example if the Music Video is released or the Ad is on TV), then feel free to post wherever you want.
How do I remove my profile from Starburst Talent Agency?: If you cease to be a Starburst Talent Agency talent, your profile still remains with us. This means you can still log in, edit your profile. Similarly, we can still contact you about auditions which we think may be of interest to you. If however, you don't want to be contacted at all and you want your profile removed altogether, drop us an email toinfo@sturbursttalentagency.com requesting that your profile is completely removed from our servers.

APPLYING FOR CASTINGS, AUDITIONS

THE 'NEXT DAY AVAILABILITY' TICK BOX

ON SET INFORMATION AND CONDUCT

BEHAVIOR, PUNCTUALITY & The 3 STRIKE RULE

PAYMENT AND POST SHOOT INFORMATION