• A 60 second, edited general interview. 60 seconds of you.
• Available on demand on Breakdown Services and Actors Access™ networks.
• Can be submitted to Casting Directors for role consideration.
• Can be submitted to Agents and Managers for representation consideration.
• Readily available by easy search to casting professionals
• Basic cost is $175.00. Includes production, editing and hosting.

Q. Do I need an Actor Slate?

A. If you have a strong, current reel of recent, professional (movies, TV, commercials) performances, then you probably do not need an Actor Slate. You should always use your Actors Access Performance Video to submit. In our experience, however, an old reel or one with below professional level content (student films, home made videos, etc.) will never serve you well. Better to meet you as a person as in a general interview. As general interviews are rapidly becoming a thing of the past, an Actor Slate to submit is your best option.

Q. How much does it cost?

A. The 60 second Actor Slate is the one that goes exclusively on Breakdown Services and Actors Access for you and your agent and manager to submit and for casting directors to watch to get to meet you. That's $175. to shoot, edit and host. Everything. For an additional $25. you can include a Quicktime copy of the 60 second version for your own use on your website, YouTube, Facebook, wherever. For an additional $40., you can include the Deluxe version for your own use. This is a longer cut of between 2 and 4 minutes. This is for your own use only. It will not appear on Breakdown or Actors Access. We have found that frequently casting directors want to see more of you. This way they can with another click or two. You can decide about the personal versions after your shoot or at the approval stage after you have seen them.

Q. What is your editing policy?

A. We send you a preview of our edit based on our experience and knowledge of how casting directors use an Actor Slate to look for a range of qualities to match the diverse roles they need to cast. We include one re-edit based on your comments in the $175.00 price. Beyond that, we reserve the right to charge for additional editing at the rate of $100.00 per hour. If it just an additional minor tweak, we will often waive the fee and make the change but if you request substantial additional changes, we do need to charge for that.

Q. Can I make my own Actor Slate? Who needs you?

A. Actor Slate is a registered trademarked product and is produced exclusively by Chelsea Studios. Only Actor Slates produced by us will appear on the Breakdown Services and Actors Access systems. Of course, you can shoot and edit your own slate and put it up on your own website or YouTube if you wish to do so. But since the professional talent industry uses Breakdown Services nearly exclusively when casting their shows, hardly anyone occupied in the business of casting professional work will ever see it.

Q. How long does it take to do?

A. The appointments are for 30 minutes in the studio. From the footage we shooot, we edit down to the finished 60 second Actor Slate. It takes 3 - 4 weeks to edit. We send you a preview copy of your Actor Slate for your approval prior to posting on the Breakdown Services and Actors Access worldwide networks.

Q. Will I get the questions that will be asked to me ahead of time?

A. We do provide a prep document with everything you need to prepare when you book, including some sample questions we draw from in the interview. An Actor Slate is not an audition. It works best as a general interview would, that is, more casual and spontaneous. It's just you being the different sides of you, so preparation, other than being camera ready is minimal. You just have to bring yourself.

Q. If I stumble at any point, will that section be re-shot?

A. Since we shoot so much footage to edit down to one minute, there is never any pressure to re-shoot anything. So yes, it is likely that during the interview you will stop yourself and re-start something you are saying to improve it on the spot. Or we will do the same because we know the best way to edit that particular story.

Q. Do you have any suggestions on appropriate attire based on the lighting/setting?

A. The background is a medium blue so you should wear a top that works well with your hair, eye and skin shades. The bottom is important for when we show a full shot, which is briefly and the rest of the Actor Slate is in medium and medium-closeup shots. It's always a good idea to bring a few different tops. It just takes a minute to see it on our set under the lights and we can decide then.

Q. How do I use my completed Actor Slate?

A. You and your agent and/or manager can submit your Actor Slate to casting for consideration in roles that are on active breakdowns on the Breakdown Services and Actors Access systems. You can submit your Actor Slate to agents and managers if you are seeking representation. And talent professionals using the Breakdown Services systems can view your Actor Slate at any time on their own by easy search.

Q. Is an Actor Slate the same as a Performance Video?

A. No. A “Performance Video” is in essence, one minute of your demo reel and is material that you have appeared in – movies, television shows, commercials, etc. An Actor Slate is just the real you in our studio talking to camera. No acting. Just you.

Q. What is the difference between the 60 second Actor Slate and the Actor Slate Deluxe?

A. The 60 second Actor Slate is the one that goes exclusively on Breakdown Services and Actors Access for you and your agent and manager to submit and for casting directors to watch to get to meet you. That's $175. to shoot, edit and host. Everything. For an additional $25. you can include a copy of the Quicktime file for your own use on your website, YouTube, Facebook, wherever. We are hearing from actors that casting directors are saying to them, "I liked your Actor Slate. Is there more?" Thus, the Actor Slate Deluxe. This is a longer cut of between 2 and 4 minutes with all that good stuff we had to cut out to get down to 60 seconds. For an additional $40., you can include the Deluxe version for your own use. This is for your own use only. It will not appear on Breakdown or Actors Access. You can decide about the personal versions after your shoot or at the approval stage after you have seen them.