When some of my students, who are working New York actors ask me “ya think I should have a website?’ My answer is this: “You of all people should know the answer to that!” Get with the times!

I mean, how often do you find yourself Googling someone? Now, in most cases, my New York working-actor-students can be either found on IMDB (if you don’t know what that is, look it up – one day you want to see your name/bio listed there) or written up for some play, movie, TV show, etc. So, yeah! Show your wares, peeps! Put your acting/voice-over reels on them, headshot, bio, and contact info on them. Anything you can think of that makes you accessible, noticed, known. Don’t make agents, casting directors, and producers hunt you down. Cause you know what? They’ll stop looking, and find someone else who’s easier to find, and who might have more credits, thus being easier to find.

So really, it’s a win-win situation for the lesser-known (or not known at all) actor, just so he/she can be reached. (Start off with just your headshot, resume, and contact info, and add as you go. Again - clips, reels, whatever you start collecting that shows off your talents. Just be professional.) And for the actor with more credits, stockpile, man! Just make it look great, and easy to get around. Don’t fill it up with so much stuff that it’s hard to navigate.

The guy who did my site - and my husband’s for that matter  - was not only BEYOND reasonable, but AWESOME to work with. His name is Wade Smith. In fact, I’m meeting with him shortly to update my site. Wade says about having your own website: “At its simplest, a basic website listing your contact info is essential to doing business today. If a name/business search on Google can't find you then you're invisible to your audience. A strong website will offer increased exposure and further your brand. It's a no brainer that a professional website should be the foundation of any venture.” To learn more about Wade, check out his website at: www.yeswade.com. And while you’re at it, check out his awesome work at my website, www.dorianeelliott.com. There, you’ll see a lot of the National TV and radio commercials that I have cast – as well as promos and industrials, my coaching services, demo reels that I have produced, and believe it or not, my own voice-over reel, jingle reel, and songs that I have written and sung on that are currently in rotation on “All My Children”. You can also check out my husband’ site, www.stevenogg.com. There, you’ll see all of the commercials, promos, etc. that my husband’s voice is on. It’s an easy-to-get-around, fun fantastic site that Wade put his magic touch on. You can also go to our resident photographer’s sites (Wade did no do these sites, but they’re also terrific) www.timothiphoto.com, and her voice-over website www.timothijanegraham.com.
Happy hunting. Happy creating!!!

Over an’ out,

Doriane
http://www.dorianeelliott.com