IDRA the Agency: Auditioning for HGTV: Insider Tips for Becoming a Star

HGTV Audtions: Video Tips & Instructions

1. Keep videos under 5 minutes. Don’t make the tape any longer than that. Casting directors want to see your personality from the moment the video starts rolling.

2. Attire: Do not wear clothing with any visible trademarks, logos or other copyrighted material that you don’t own and control.

3. Be sure no photographs or other artwork is in the background of your shots.

4. Have someone other than yourself run the camera. Make sure it’s someone with whom you feel very comfortable and who knows how to run a video.

5. Try not to be more than 10 feet from the camera if you're not using a microphone as the sound will be too faint.

6. Turn off the TV, radio, air conditioning, ceiling fans or heating units. This will reduce the hum of additional electronic that could distract casting directors from your talent and personality.

7. Do not chew gum or have candy in your mouth.

8. Avoid sitting in front of a window or lamp as this will create a silhouette.

9. Show your personality! This is the key to having a great video. Emotions – both happy and sad – make for a compelling video. Have fun with it!

10. Introduce yourself (name, age, hometown, etc.)

11. Talk about your design background (How long have you been a designer? How did you get started? What other fields have you worked in? What inspired you to become a designer? Schooling?)

12. Sum up your design style in one sentence and elaborate on what it means to you.

13. Tell what do you love about designing? Why is it your passion?

14. Show off and talk about one of your favorite designs.

15. Tell why you want to be on HGTV and why you should be chosen.

16. Show HGTV casting directors part of your life. Introduce them to your home, your family, something important in your life. They want insight into your life!

17. If you are mailing in a video, use only mini DVD and/or DVD. Make sure your dvd plays in your DVD player. Even though a DVD video plays on the computer, it may not play in the DVD player.

Have a Press Kit
(More info on Press Kits Here)

HGTV in the past has required the followwing addtional documents:

1. Include two recent photographs of yourself. Clearly labeled the back of each with your name clearly printed, in the following format:

John Doe (1)

John Doe (2).

2. Include three examples of your work or a link to your website. If you are mailing your submission, ensure that photos of your work are clearly labeled.

3. Include proper identification. One legible photocopy of either of the following documents will suffice:

► your passport

► your driver’s license

► your state ID card, clearly labeled.

4. Complete your participant application and save as a PDF. Upload with your video to the designated web or email address or print out and mail with your video submission. If you are not applying for a particular show

How to Submit Videos

Each HGTV casting director generally has a unique email for their shows which they make public during casting season. Design Star's casting team, for example, created addresses for each city they held open casting calls in to help identify candidates by city. A few examples of the addresses they provided are DesignStar7NYC@gmail.com, DesignStar7Miami@gmail.com and DesignStar7Charlotte@gmail.com.

Casting directors also create general mailboxes like designstar7application@gmail.com, in which to recieve submissions for applicants applying without being linked to a particular city holding a casting call.

The above guidelines can serve to set you on your way to stardom. Good Luck!