CHENNAI: Life wasn’t easy for Yugan Dhanashekar who came to Chennai looking for opportunities in the film industry ten years back. After countless auditions and a dejected heart, he moved back to his hometown Salem. In 2017, he decided to create an app after observing similar struggles faced by other aspiring artistes. His app titled Star NXT aims to ease the process of casting for films by bridging the gap between a director looking for an actor and an actor who would fit the profile.
“There is so much miscommunication in the industry. We’ve all heard more failure stories than success tales of those who came to make it big in cinema. Finding the right audition is not an easy task. Often we get the notification for audition after the last date. With so many middlemen involved, we wouldn’t know whom to contact or where to apply. Many people randomly share information on WhatsApp and other social media websites. It’s all the more difficult for people like me who come from rural areas with no money but a lot of passion. I desperately needed a job. It was a task despite pursuing diploma courses in cinematography and visual effects. Likewise, assistant directors are also bombarded with calls after seeing their advertisement,” rues Yugan who is working as a graphic designer in a city-based company.
It took two years for him to complete the app. “Two people are involved in the app — director and actor. Both parties need to register and create a profile. For an actor, basic information, demographics, preferred language for acting and languages known, and a picture has to be uploaded. The most important thing for an actor to mention is the audition preference — feature films, web series, serials, short films, advertisements, modelling, stage plays and events. One can add their work experience, previous projects and skills to make the screening easier. The process is likewise for a director,” explains Yugan. Once the director puts out a notice, members suitable for that role will be updated. This prevents chaos and the deserving artiste gets a platform. “Privacy will be maintained. Fake profiles can be identified easily since all the directors and their assistants are experienced,” he says.