The Long Tail
The long tail phenomenon denotes the idea that there are a few "hits" and a disproportionately large number of non-hits. This had first been pointed out in music sales - conventional thinking states that 80% of sales come from 20% of the albums. But for an online vendor it was noticed that almost half of the sales came from a very large number of non-hits.
Entertainment Talent
Entertainment talent has an identical pattern. There are a minuscule number of "super stars" who are loaded with offers, followed by a few B-grade stars and then there is a huge number of artistes who are essentially unrecognized - from minor supporting roles to completely fresh aspirants looking for a break.
The plight of the unrecognized aspirants is very similar to the plight of a music CD published by an unknown band. They are both invisible. The CD is invisible because no music store wants to store it because of its low sale potential. And the unrecognized artist is invisible for the same reason - she has no way to project her visibility to those who matter.
Presently, the only way for an actor to be noticed by the casting people is to follow the long winded route of connections which may or may not result in a break. In fact, for most people, a huge effort is expended in getting the break which finally doesnt pay off.
An Inefficient Market
This happens because there is no convenient marketplace in which to trade the acting potential of the artistes. There is no convenient way for a casting director to review all the talent available and pick the ones he likes. Also there is no convenient mechanism for an aspiring artiste to know what opportunities exist. And the only way is through middlemen who bridge this gap between those who want talent and those who have it.
The Online Market
The internet provides an opportunity for a marketplace for entertainment talent. Consider a web site that allows unrecognized artistes to register themselves as members (like on facebook) and upload their portfolios. Models could upload photographs representing their portfolios; actors could upload video clips; and music artistes could upload soundtracks or videos. Scriptwriters could put up some of their script outlines; camera workers could put up samples of their work and so on.
There is no limit on how much content is uploaded. So, every artiste gets a chance to showcase himself or herself. The internet and all the current digital technologies provide a convenient medium for this market.
The Challenges
Having said that, the problem is not completely solved. In fact a new problem arises due to the showcasing of this vast pool of talent. There is so much information, that it is difficult to sift and sort through the pool and find the right artistes.
For example, if 3000 artistes meet the criteria of female aged between 21 and 26 years, it is going to be difficult to go through all the portfolios and come up with the right choice. But that is the situation.
The Solutions
The first solution is a high quality search function. A search function that will be able to go through the background of each artiste and find relevant experience. For example, if the role is that of a young female TV journalist, the relevant experience may be that of a journalist, or that of a fighter for a social cause, etc. It would eliminate those who have played parts in soap operas or those in comic roles. This should reduce the search to a few relevant artistes from which the calls for auditions can be made.
Another solution is user ratings. If the people who employ the talents of an artiste are persuaded to give their ratings for artistes, then these become recommendations and help selectors to make their choice. Those artistes with lots of good recommendations get better offers and generally make their way up in life. But there are many selectors who are willing to work with fresh and cheap talent, so opportunities exist for the entire spectrum.
Other Benefits
Apart from cast selectors being able to find talent easily, there are other benefits and new markets. There is scope for an acting academy to promote their services and for actors with experience to teach in such academies.
This platform provides the potential for making new contacts in the same field; for exchanging notes; forming groups and exchanging views on common topics of interest, to pick up new techniques and share one's own expertise with others.
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