People (including myself!) initially get attracted to the entertainment industry because it seems so glamorous.

But I was so happy to be there because I wanted it so badly and I knew that this was my first step. I would go back to my college and to my hometown in New Jersey and tell everyone about my MTV internship: they all automatically thought I was working with celebrities, hearing all the gossip, and living an almost famous lifestyle. When in reality I felt like I was commuting to New York for an unpaid job similar to my experience working at Hollywood Video when I was 16!

The point to my story is that not everything is what it seems. It may sound good on paper, but that doesn’t mean it will be what you’re looking for. However, if you make the most out of whatever you can get, it may lead you to whatever is glamorous in your eyes.

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

Though the the US version will be ultimately set in Baltimore (ahem!), casting calls—specifically aimed at those without acting experience—have been announced only for NYC and Toronto so far. Click here to get all the audition information on InstantCast right now!

By: Isabelle Dungan, InstantCast Editor

Casting Bravo’s “Thintervention with Jackie Warner!”
MTV’s TR3S Channel Seeks Latina Host!
Become an “Entertainment Insider” and Meet a Disney Channel Star!
Join Sterling Knight in Disney’s “Starstruck!”
Queen Latifah Wants to Take YOU on Tour!
Get Fit on “Losing It with Jillian Michaels!”
Star in Your Own Photoshoot… With Adam Lambert!
Act with Natalie Portman & Mila Kunis in “Black Swan!”
Teens & Parents: Star on New MTV Show!
Win $1,000,000 on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire!”

By Alisha, InstantCast assistant editor

The Real World, one of the first and most popular reality shows of all time, brings together a group of sexy young adults to live together in one house in an exotic locale. This could be the experience of a lifetime…

…Not to mention an opportunity for international TV exposure. Click here to apply online to our Real World casting call now!

Who’s your favorite Real World cast member? Which was your favorite season? Tell us in the comments!

By Molly, InstantCast staff writer

1. Get cast on NBC’s Law & Order: SVU!
2. Land a lead role in a FOX comedy TV pilot!
3. Be on the 2nd season of MTV’s Silent Library!
4. Laguna Beach Jean Co. needs models!
5. Get cast as an extra on ABC’s The Deep End!
6. Star in the Footloose remake with Chace Crawford!
7. Models needed on ABC’s game show Wipeout!
8. Get cast in a lead role on Disney’s new show Smart Alec!
9. Musicians wanted to Battle the Bands!
10. Make your dreams come true with Johnny Depp this fall!

…click here for a full listing of all our latest casting calls!

By: Isabelle Dungan, InstantCast Editor

…click here for a full listing of all our hot casting calls…break a leg!

By: Isabelle Dungan, InstantCast Editor

You’d be crazy to miss out on these opportunities…be sure to click above and apply away!

By: Isabelle Dungan, InstantCast Editor

By: Isabelle Dungan, InstantCast Editor

Beyoncé Shares VMA with Taylor Swift

By Alisha, InstantCast assistant editor

…click here to access a full listing of all our casting calls. Break a leg!

By: Isabelle Dungan, InstantCast Editor

Get this Twilight tote bag for FREE by entering this Fantasy Casting contest: Who Should Win Tickets to the MTV VMAs to Preview Scenes from New Moon?

Click here for a preview of the full-size totebag…

Don’t forget: You can vote for yourself 100 times every single day. Click here to nominate yourself for a chance to win a free Twilight tote bag!

By Alisha, InstantCast assistant editor

In many ways, this experience was a lot more exciting than being an attendee of the show. My job was to escort Shakira’s band through Radio City Music Hall for rehearsal and the live event. In this role, I saw some of my favorite artists rehearse for their performances including Christina Aguilera, The Killers, and of course Justin Timberlake! On top of that, I made a ton of new friends that were passionate about the entertainment industry whether they were actors, production assistants, or in a totally unrelated field.I even ended up helping a recent college grad get her first production assistant job after working with her as a talent escort.

There are ways to be part of the glamour and get cool experience to build your resume and meet new people. Just be sure to do your research and take every opportunity that comes your way. You never know how it will pay off… don’t forget to tune into MTV this Sunday for the annual VMAs!

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

Who will get cast on The CW’s new drama Vampire Diaries?
Who will co-star with Anna Paquin on season 2 of HBO’s True Blood?
Who should win tickets to the MTV VMAs & see the exclusive New Moon trailer?

…click here for a full listing of all our contests and stayed tuned to hear the winners & prizes announced soon!

By: Isabelle Dungan, InstantCast Editor

Because you’ll get 1) the season premiere of The CW’s new show Vampire Diaries, 2) the season finale of HBO’s sexy drama True Blood, and 3) an exclusive New Moon trailer airing at the MTV VMAs on Sunday!

And the best part is that we’re giving away awesome free Twilight swag every day next week! Stay tuned to find out what you could win…

Travis Barker, DJ AM’s Family Attend Funeral

By Alisha, InstantCast assistant editor

In the past I have done several castings at schools, which has given me the opportunity to meet large amounts of people in the MTV demographic at once.

This is great for students because they don’t have  to miss their classes or travel to auditions since the casting directors are coming to you! I’ve traveled to schools and done this kind of casting at the high school and college level for TRL.

For example, we did a geeks vs. jocks segment on TRL a couple years ago to promote the Amanda Bynes movie Sydney White. What better way to cast groups of “geeks” and “jocks” then to go to a High School and do an open call and meet students first hand?!

I’ve also traveled to many colleges to recruit new personalities for reality segments and Spring Break programming as well as participants for studio audiences.  As a matter of fact, all of our postings for TRL were on an NYU website since we wanted people who were local to have access to short-notice casting calls we would announce.

Going back to school is also a great opportunity to get involved in school productions and build your resume. So lose the negative attitude about going back to school. There may be more opportunities there then you expect!

By Casting Director Courtney Maglione

Talk shows and news programs are always promoting back to school fashion. This means they’re looking to cast models of all ages for runway segments.

When I worked at MTV we did this every year for TRL. We always wanted new faces to showcase the hottest looks.

If you have ever seen these segments, you will notice that similarly to TRL, casting directors tend to cast amateur/fresh models rather than the famous faces we recognize on bigger runway shows.

Especially if you stick to your local news shows, they will most likely want beginner models who are trying to build their resumes and who are happy for the exposure rather than doing it for the money. So start looking for these castings now so you can be involved in the back to school bandwagon!

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

During one open call, I met a young, new actor who did just that: He didn’t have a unique look, but his personality was so great that he stayed on my mind.

We ended up casting him for a contest on TRL where he did a great job on-air. He also expressed interest in learning how production works on the other side of the camera. Like many ambitious new actors, he said he would love to work at MTV.

However, A LOT of people want to work for MTV and it is a hard company to get a foot in the door with. You really have to know someone or have worked up the ranks from a college internship.

So, there was nothing I could do for him right away and I knew the chances were very rare that I would ever be able to help him beyond what he was already cast for. I was totally honest with him about the reality of getting into production without any experience, but he continued to stay in touch and showed a strong interest in learning about my experience working in casting. This actor’s drive, persistence, and passion impressed me.

One day I needed a casting PA for a TRL show and he was the first person I thought of. Regardless of his lack of experience, I knew he could do it. He did an excellent job and we continued to hire him for big MTV events including the TRL Finale. Not only was he now getting paid for work in the industry he wanted to be in, but he built a closer relationship with me. He started to come to me for advice as an actor and as a casting assistant. I became his mentor and referred him for jobs outside of MTV.

And he never disappoints. He has probably learned more about this business in a year and made more contacts than he ever imagined after staying connected with me in the right way. I’m so proud of him as he successfully continues to find opportunities in casting and acting. To this day he is still pursuing both dreams and kicking butt at it! Everyone I refer him too has positive feedback on his performance.

If there is someone out there doing what you aspire to do, don’t be afraid to reach out to them and learning from their advice. They will appreciate your interest and could help you get on the right path to what you want to be doing!

Click here to get career advice over the phone from me today!

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

As a Casting Director, I am constantly trying to complete a vision that is given to me by producers.

Producers are very clear about what they want and they hire me to find that.  Since this is my job and my passion, I have that imagined talent drilled into my mind until I find an appropriate amount of solid options to present to them.  Some of my best discoveries have been people who never even thought about being on TV!

I love to use this one example from TRL last year.  We were promoting the movie Fred Claus and needed a professional gift wrapper who was spunky, outgoing, and comfortable on camera to compete in gift wrapping contest with Vince Vaughn. Aside from doing all of my usual New York City postings, I was going on foot for this one.

I went to every store that did gift wrapping and approached people who didn’t want to give me the time of day.  And it didn’t help that I was looking for women 60 years old and up who did not know what TRL or MTV was (in some cases)!

However, it suddenly came to me when I was speaking to a trainer at my gym who had a friend of friend who was in that business.  I met this woman and she was a little younger than what I was looking for and didn’t have any TV experience.  But she was perfect!  And I knew once my producer met her, he would agree.

Out of the 10 gift wrapping pros I found, he went with her and this woman was on national television the next day.  Just think about all of the people who would have killed for this opportunity and a random person gets cast just like that!

This is just one of many cases like this and I know I am not the only Casting Director who does it.  So, keep your hopes high because random casting is out there and this can happen to you too!

Click here to talk to casting director Courtney on the phone today!

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione