GotCast (Beta) Is Looking For Talent

With the Hollywood writer’ strike in full swing, the TV networks are about to green light a lot more reality TV shows and other non-scripted programs. Wil Schroter, a serial entrepreneur in Columbus, Ohio wants to help fill those shows through GotCast. GotCast launched quietly in beta on October 1, and is built specifically for online casting calls. Schroter estimates there are 15,000 roles being cast at any given time by about 400 studios and networks, and 85 percent of those are for non-scripted parts. Yet the casting industry today, says Schroter, “is built for scripted talent,” not the everyday. “Casting directors are going to YouTube and MySpace to find this talent,” says Schroter, “but there is not an organized way to do it.” That’s why he built GotCast specifically to find and surface talent for shows, both on TV and in emerging mediums like cell phones and the Web. Casting directors and talent agents can set up casting calls, and aspiring actors can upload images and videos of themselves onto a profile page, along with a bio and crucial stats like age, height, and weight. Anyone who visits the site can sign up to vote other members up or down. The top ten for each casting then go to a group of judges made up of real talent agents and casting directors. The finalist is flown to Hollywood for a shot at the part. The site is all about self-promotion. You are encouraged to recruit your friends to vote for you through blast e-mails, and posting GotCast widgets on your MySpace or Facebook pages, or uploading your video to YouTube.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/11/08/gotcast-beta-is-looking-for-talent/