Backstage

Photo Source: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures/A24/Sony Pictures Releasing/IFC Films To echo the “Barbie” movie’s superb marketing: Greta Gerwig? She’s everything. Thanks to the success of the film, she’s now one of the most in-demand directors of her generation. "Barbie" surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, making Gerwig the first solo female director to achieve this feat.

Photo Source: Lysenko Andrii/Shutterstock A skin-care testimonial filmed at 7 a.m., trimmed during a lunch break, and delivered before dinner can pay better than a day of background work. While a UGC side gig does require planning, pitching, filming, editing, and communicating with clients, setting realistic boundaries and building an efficient workflow makes it possible to pursue the work without letting it consume every free moment (or take over your day job). Here’s how.

Photo Source: Chay_Tee/Shutterstock Ayomi Samaraweera had roughly 2,000 followers on TikTok when workplace-networking app Fishbowl agreed to pay her $450 for three videos—her first brand deal. If you’re a creator with hopes of landing a brand sponsorship like Ayomi’s, here’s everything you need to know to get sponsored on TikTok. What counts as a TikTok sponsorship?

EXPIRES: Seeking talent from United States (Nationwide) Roles paying up to US$7,000 PROJECT DESCRIPTION Casting for a national photo and motion campaign for a men's wellness/telehealth brand. The imagery is described as elevated fashion-editorial, warm, romantic and tasteful with no nudity or suggestive content. ACTORS & PERFORMERS The Radiant and Creative Lead. Female. 35-45 The Classic Lead. Female. 20-35 The Free Spirit Lead. Female. 20-35 The Leading Man Lead. Male. 25-40 The Charmer Lead. Male.

Photo Source: Mladen Mitrinovic/Shutterstock Laura LeBoutillier posts garden tours and DIY landscaping projects on her Instagram account, and plant brand Proven Winners has sponsored her content for nearly a decade. If you’re a creator who finds this kind of brand partnership appealing, here’s how to get sponsored on Instagram. What is a sponsored post on Instagram? A sponsored post is any content that features or promotes a brand in exchange for monetary pay or product.

Photo Source: Studio Romantic/Shutterstock Why does every YouTube channel—cooking, camping, car repair, and beyond—seem to be sponsored by HelloFresh, Ridge, or NordVPN? Consumers often trust the creators they watch, and many brands build partnerships around that trust through sponsorships. If you’re a creator hoping to land a sponsorship, you need to know how to find, pitch, and wow brands—here’s how to do it. What is a YouTube sponsorship, and how does it work?

Photo Source: Matt Crossick/Alamy In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast features in-depth conversations with today’s most noteworthy actors and creators. Join host and senior editor Vinnie Mancuso for this guide to living the creative life from those who are doing it every day. Riz Ahmed likes to get personal. You learn that from talking to him (as we did on the latest episode of In the Envelope: The Actor’s Podcast), but it’s also readily apparent in his work.

Photo Source: Forewer/Shutterstock With only a small social media following and no prior brand deals, Marissa Ruth Mayer landed her first paid user-generated content (UGC) gig making testimonial ads for Flo Vitamins—proof that you don’t need a huge following or robust portfolio to gain admission to this corner of the creator economy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to how to start in UGC, build a portfolio from scratch, and land your first paying client.

Photo Source: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock If you want to be the next UGC creator for Gymshark or Glossier, you’ll need videos that capture attention—and beyond recording your swolest workout routine or most sizzling GRWM, capturing attention means effective editing. Here are six apps that can help you stand out and get paid. What is UGC video editing?

Photo Source: Samuel Boivin/Shutterstock If you’re actively searching for auditions and open roles, we've got you covered. Each week, we compile the top gigs trending on our site that are currently seeking talent. From a psychological family horror short to a lifestyle tech commercial, here are the hottest gigs casting now. Alchemist Productions is seeking talent for “Family Dinner,” a psychological supernatural horror short film exploring inherited abuse, family obligation, and more.