Do Actors need Social Media?

Social Media, the New Frontier

Movies are being cast based on an actors social media activity.
Why is that? Well, Actors bring personal value to a production. Social media allow those in casting to see that value.

Consider, The Backstage article by Benjamin Lindsay

“Social media is so important,” says Backstage Expert and casting director Benton Whitley. “When an actor comes across my plate, and I’ve never heard of them, the first thing I do is Google them, for sure. I Google you, I go on Facebook and type in your name and see what I can learn about you from there. I look you up on Twitter; I look you up on Instagram. I use everything,because I need to learn everything about you…. [Social media] is what sells you. I see you way more online than I ever see you in person, so that online presence is so important [today].” (2)

Even if you’re naturally opposed to putting your name online and your life on display, social media is something you should consider in a professional sense because, Whitley says, a lack of it will automatically set you a few paces behind the competition. (2)

Consider also the Telegraph article “Hollywood movies are being cast based on how many social media followers actors have”

“Hollywood movies are being cast based on how many social media followers actors have” -Gemma Arterton (1)
“We’re casting actors who’ve got big followings because they’ve got big followings, So the studios can use their followings to sell the movies.” – Emma Thompson (1)

Reasons Actors need Social Media

We see then that social media is a way for casting to get to know an actor. Social media is also a gauge on how they act publicly with their followers. Casting can see if there is a demand for the brand that actor projects.
This is why new actors need Social Media.

As Stated by Maggie Bera, in the Article “Why Social Media Is So Important For Actors”

You want your social media accounts to act as a representation of the overall vibe, voice and personality of your brand.

When a casting director, producer, or investor considers you for a project, they do what everyone does. They go to Google and type in your name. They see the actors vibe.

That vibe must be something the those in a production consider when they are looking at an actor. If an actor does not have a vibe they can see, then they just may pass till they find one that does.

Social media also has a marketing aspect to it.

Basically, The larger your social media the more marketable you are to a production.
The actor will bring FREE fans to a project. However, An actor should not go out and buy followers, casting the followers vs interaction rate. For example, if an actor has 50k followers yet only gets 1 comment and 10 likes on their posts, then something does not add up. Thus, Actors need to look at more natural ways to gain fans, engage those fans, and keep those fans.

It would be wise to say, new actors need to develop an effective use of social media.
They need to do that early in their career.

Sources:
(1) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/18/films-are-being-cast-on-how-many-social-media-followers-actors-h/

(2) https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/social-media-actor-need-3993/

(3) https://www.actoraesthetic.com/blog/social-media

Actor: Anastasia Potapov
Facebook: www.facebook.com/anastasiapotapovofficial/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/anastasia_marie_potapov/ @anastasia_marie_potapov
Imdb: www.imdb.com/name/nm11401563/