We get asked the following questions quite frequently. Before you reach out, see if you can find answers to some of your questions here!

I hear there's a shortage of trans actors. Where do I sign up?

You may have heard that there aren't enough trans actors to fill trans roles, but media reports rarely clarify that the shortage is in trained, experienced actors that would be a good draw at the box office (also known as star power). If you have good training, good experience, good credits, and are in a union (ie. SAG, AEA, etc.), then you can definitely help meet the demand. If you're still a beginner, there's a lot of work to do before you can easily book, but in our opinion, it will be worth it in the long run.

I'm just starting out.  What do I do?

Get training and experience. To train, take acting lessons or classes, like at a local community college. By taking classes, you'll learn crucial terminology and acting techniques. You'll also learn to be directed in what you do and how to work with other actors in developing your skills. To get experience, join a local theater group, improv group, or comedy group. You can also create and film/present your own content.

I live outside the USA.  What can I do?

At this time, Transgender Talent is focused exclusively on USA-based casting calls. If you live outside of the USA, you will need an O-1 visa or another form of permission to work here. Because the process to obtain an O-1 visa and travel is neither fast nor inexpensive, we recommend waiting until you have the skills and experience to land good roles before coming here to perform. The US Department of State evaluates a person applying to work here based on evidence of existing success through reputable sources in places like the country you reside in or international festivals. If you don't have that yet and it's impossible for you to do so, you'd have to try coming here another way, such as applying for political asylum. You should seek legal advice on this, if that is the case.

How Do I list with Transgender Talent?

First, have your resume ready. List only things pertinent to your career. Use the fairly standard format for your resume, which is different than a typical business resume. Examples can be found here, here, and here.

Next, have professional headshots done. A headshot is exactly just that—your head, and a little bit of neck and shoulders. You should have multiple photos on hand with different facial expressions and outfit looks. In a pinch, you can take them with the best camera available to you against a solid colored wall in a well-lit location. Selfies are not acceptable in most circumstances.

Next write to us through our Contact Us page and we'll get you directed to the correct email address that you can email that info to.

I'm under 18 years old.  What can I do?

Transgender Talent will list child actors. However, once a child comes out as trans in film, television, or new media, they're out for life, so we require the child to already be out before we will list them. We usually expect to be referred to published videos or articles about them speaking on the subject. After they’ve listed with us, we can start submitting the child actor for casting calls.

Once they get a role, certain things have to be done before they can come on set and perform. The child actor needs to have a Coogan account to save their funds for when they turn 18. They also usually need some type of permit from the government. Allow plenty of time for these to be set up before their first shoot. On set, there will be special rules limiting how long the child can be on set and how much time they must spend in school each shoot day, so keep that in mind.

I don't live near where the auditions are being held. What do I do?

If you can't be at an audition in person, you may have the opportunity to instead submit a taped audition. Be prepared if you land the role and it's not being shot near you; you could lose money on the trip, but the exposure and experience can be worth it. Read this downloadble PDF for more details: Self-Taped Auditions v2.1

I want to do behind the scenes work. What do I do?

We are beginning to see more and more opportunities for those behind the camera.  This could be for crew, for producers, directors, and so on.  Use the Contact Me pages to reach us for details.

Do you list people who do not identify as transgender?

We list performers who are gender expansive in some way, regardless of the label they use to describe themselves. We do not list cisgender people. The only exception is the partners of qualified people already listed with us, especially if they perform together as a couple. This is handled on a case by case basis, so please inquire before assuming we'll list someone.