Building an Acting Website

After almost two years of having an acting website I built myself from a simple Yahoo template, I’m finally working with a web designer to construct a custom site and very excited at the prospect. First, of course, I had to find the designer, a task that not only involves searching for someone who has talent and is priced within your budget but also a person who has a personality and sense of design that complements your own.  An effective working relationship is all about chemistry.

Happily, I belong to two online acting forums so getting recommendations was as simple as shooting out an email saying, “Hey, I need a web designer!”   Some of those recommended were commercial design firms, others were individuals doing it as a side business.  (Those designers below marked with an asterisk were recommended by more than one actor, so if you’re considering a custom site their samples may give you some design ideas.)

I then sent all of the designers a mock-up of what I kind of had in mind (above) and a detailed description of how I wanted each tab to function.  I used to think with vendors that if I really “spelled it out” I’d be limiting the person’s creativity and insulting them as a professional, but that thought only led me and the respective vendor down many a blind alley.  So I now go in with a core idea of what I want, but remain open to suggestions.

After I heard back from everyone (noting how long it took each to respond) I looked at all of the samples and finally decided on Los Angeles web designer Shannon MacMillan.   Being an actress herself she seemed attuned to what an acting website should look and feel like.  In terms of pricing, she was about in the middle.  She also understood my desire to keep the site (as she puts it on one of her own samples) “minimalist, hip, and inviting.”  Looking at her samples I had additional thoughts on the design, so by the end of the year everyone will see how it actually turned out.

One final thought: be sure than any animation programs used on your site are viewable on IPads and other Apple products.  You don't want to build a fancy site and then find that half your casting people can't view it.   Also, if you're not yet ready for a custom site, you can build a fairly sophisticated site for free by using the templates at WIX.  An actress friend used it to create her site and it's really quite good. Check it out at www.allisonjhoward.com.

Web Designers:

Shannon MacMillan: shannon@maxsitedesign.com
http://www.bluestormcreative.com

Dennis Baker: dennis@websiteforactors.com
http://www.websiteforactors.com

Nate Barlow: nate@natebarlow.com
Samples at:
http://www.natebarlow.com
http://www.deepintosports.com
http://www.lookingglasswars.com
http://www.daleobert.com
http://www.ingezrameau.com

Natasha Chernyavskaya
http://www.PixelsMania.com

*Enci: Enci@illuminatela.com
Samples:
http://enciperforms.com
http://lucychambers.com
http://courtneygains.net
http://eileendietz.com
http://dinamorrone.com
http://teddyvincent.com
http://markwithers.net
http://gailsilver.com

T.C. Gunter: Dabeka Inc.
http://www.dabekaink.com

Derek Houck: https://twitter.com/derekhouck
Samples at:
http://jaimiepaulson.com/
http://www.myacceptance.org/
http://luckymarketingfirm.com/

Justin Kropp: justin@thesojk.com
The SoJK Design Studio
http://www.thesojk.com

Jordan Callier:  jordan.callier@me.com
Samples:
http://www.bouldertamales.com/
http://oldwestdailyreader.com/
http://www.shelleyvalentine.net/
http://www.imageandstyleguru.com/

*Clay Teunis: info@tunarelli.com
Tunarelli Sound and Design
Samples at:
http://www.tunarelli.com/Tunarelli%20websites%20designed.shtml

Tim Kenney Marketing
http://www.tkm2.com

Swood Media: mail@SwoodMedia.com
http://www.swoodmedia.com/websites.php