How to import cast from Backstage

Once an actor is booked, you can bring their Backstage profile into the story instead of typing them in. Storiara reads the public profile page and pre-fills the add form. It works for one person at a time.

What gets filled in

First name, last name, the profile photo (cropped to a square around the face), and union affiliation if the profile lists one. Email, phone, and rates don't come across, so have them from the actor or their rep before you start.

Steps

1. Open Cast & Crew and click the Cast tab.
2. Next to Add Cast Member, click the button with a plus sign and the Backstage logo (Import from Backstage).
3. Copy the actor's profile address from your browser. It looks like https://www.backstage.com/tal/FirstLast/.
4. Paste it into Backstage Profile URL and click Import.
5. After Profile Imported, the Add New Cast Member form opens with the name, photo, and Union Affiliation filled in.
6. Add Email and Phone. For a union actor, choose the Contract Type. Fill in the rate fields under Rate Estimation if you have the deal.
7. Click Add Cast Member.
8. Assign the actor to their role: on the Characters tab, edit the character and pick them under Assign Cast Member (Optional).

If the production schedule is set and you entered an email, an availability request goes out as soon as you save. The Crew tab has the same Backstage button for crew with profiles.

Before the actor is on the call sheet

Imported union status is whatever the profile page showed. Confirm it with the actor or their agent, and check SAG-AFTRA signatory paperwork separately. The Day Out of Days only picks up an actor once they're assigned to a character with scheduled scenes, so step 8 matters.

If it doesn't work

• "Profile Not Found" means the link is wrong or the profile was removed. Open it in a browser tab to check.
• "Access Denied" means the profile isn't public. Add the actor by hand with Add Cast Member.
• "Profile Imported (Partial)" means the name came through without the photo. Upload a headshot in the form.
• A garbled name, like the first and last name run together, means Backstage blocked the page request and the name was guessed from the link. Correct it before saving.
• "Request timed out" is on Backstage's side. Try again in a minute.

More detail on what the import reads is on the Backstage integration page, and the Cast & Crew guide covers the rest of the page.