representing Austin
CW Austin begins the search for the next CW Star, shy personalities need notapply
Oct 20, 2011 | 11:15 am
- CW Star Mandy Dugan
- Mandy interviewing Jodie Foster during SXSW for CW Austin.
- Strutting her stuff down the cat walk at Austin Fashion Week 2011.
If your ultimate goal is to one day star on the Silver Screen, the CW Austin might be your first stop. Next Tuesday, the CW Austin is holding its fourth annual audition for the CW Star at the Paramount Theatre, downtown. The winner, selected by a panel of judges and a public vote, will then take over the reins of the current CW Star, Mandy Dugan.
The winner of the CW Star search receives a one-year contract at the CW Austin in the form of a paid, part time position as the voice and face of the station. The CW star will film commercial spots, cover major events in the city (with a prime spot on all red carpets) and interview local and national celebrities. Though the bulk of the CW Star's work will take place on camera or in front of very large audiences, he or she will also take stock in the website, writing and promoting a variety of stories.
So how does one get to the point of sitting pretty at the CW Austin office? To begin, contestants will take the stage between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday to tell the judges, in just a few minutes, why they are the best candidate. At the end of the week, four finalists will be selected from the open auditions, as well as one finalist selected from online submissions. The five finalists will then have to complete a variety of obstacles: a man on the street interview, a celebrity interview, a makeover session and a test in front of a greenscreen. Lastly, the public will vote on their top choice for CW Star, helping the committee determine the overall winner.
If you're curious about the judges, the details of who they will be are still under wraps. But you should certainly trust the panel's judgement seeing as how, last year, they selected Dugan as a finalist. Dugan, 25, is a girl who embodies exactly what the CW Star should be. She effortlessly blends offhand candidness with professionalism, causing those she interviews to fall in love with her in an instant. Her yearlong stint as the CW star comes to an end in December, but she will be on hand to train the up-and-comer on everything they need to know.
"We're looking for somebody with that effervescent quality," Dugan explains. "Someone who likes being out there, on camera, interacting with people. We need a big sparkly personality and someone who is going to spend a lot of time promoting the station."
It is a job, after all. But Dugan says the biggest benefit to the responsibility of being the CW Star is the visibility that comes with it. "This field is very saturated with a lot of people who want to be on air, but [the CW Star] is a foot in the door, where you learn so much every day," she says.
If this sounds like a dream gig to you, Dugan says to come prepared with something to say. And if you can't make it to the open call on Tuesday, take advantage of the online submission opportunity. Visit Dugan's blog for her personal tips and more information on the contest. Last but certainly not least, break a leg!
So how does one get to the point of sitting pretty at the CW Austin office? To begin, contestants will take the stage between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday to tell the judges, in just a few minutes, why they are the best candidate. At the end of the week, four finalists will be selected from the open auditions, as well as one finalist selected from online submissions. The five finalists will then have to complete a variety of obstacles: a man on the street interview, a celebrity interview, a makeover session and a test in front of a greenscreen. Lastly, the public will vote on their top choice for CW Star, helping the committee determine the overall winner.
If you're curious about the judges, the details of who they will be are still under wraps. But you should certainly trust the panel's judgement seeing as how, last year, they selected Dugan as a finalist. Dugan, 25, is a girl who embodies exactly what the CW Star should be. She effortlessly blends offhand candidness with professionalism, causing those she interviews to fall in love with her in an instant. Her yearlong stint as the CW star comes to an end in December, but she will be on hand to train the up-and-comer on everything they need to know.
"We're looking for somebody with that effervescent quality," Dugan explains. "Someone who likes being out there, on camera, interacting with people. We need a big sparkly personality and someone who is going to spend a lot of time promoting the station."
It is a job, after all. But Dugan says the biggest benefit to the responsibility of being the CW Star is the visibility that comes with it. "This field is very saturated with a lot of people who want to be on air, but [the CW Star] is a foot in the door, where you learn so much every day," she says.
If this sounds like a dream gig to you, Dugan says to come prepared with something to say. And if you can't make it to the open call on Tuesday, take advantage of the online submission opportunity. Visit Dugan's blog for her personal tips and more information on the contest. Last but certainly not least, break a leg!