Have dreams of becoming an actor or actress and being in the limelight? Thanks to castonly.com, you can sort that out yourself without having to depend on the connections and help of shady agents. Created for both production houses and actor wannabes, Cast Only is an online database where users can be ultra-specific in order to find the perfect face or role. The recently launched website was created by three founders, all whom have worked in production before as film directors or other professional crew members.
Apichate Taninratapat, a TV-commercial director, says that one of the main problems he encounters in Thailand is seeing the same faces with little variety. With this creation, he hopes production houses will reach talent easier, while also providing a gateway for acting novices to find their footing in the industry. The middle person and commissions are removed with Cast Only, as there is no service charge (for now).
Dubbed a "marketplace for talent", the website's matching algorithm ensures that users will only see the type of talent or gigs they are interested in, so they do not have read through all the listings. Safety is ensured, with all information kept confidential. Actors and actresses can only sign up for one account per person, while production houses that apply for a membership (which entails other services) will have to confirm their identity with ID or passport numbers. There's also a report button and all projects will get a background check before they are posted online.
The community is slowly growing, with around 650 talents, 70 production houses and 125 job listings. Currently, all users must be over 18 years old, but there may be a possibility for parents to sign up their child actors in the future. It doesn't promise that you'll become famous, but if anything it's an increase in opportunity. You may just land your dream role by simply uploading your profile, so acting-hopefuls should get to it now before they start charging money.
