CHICAGO TALENT DIRECTORY®
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED BY THE ILLINOIS FILM OFFICE -- 1991
Talent-Related Businesses & Professional Resources
Second Planned Phase
Planned additions include:
• Expanded, verified talent agency, modeling agency, and voiceover agency listings
— informational listings for these already exist today here: Talent Agencies
• Expanded, verified casting director and casting office listings
— informational listings for these already exist today here: Casting Resources
• Photographers and headshot services • Acting, voiceover, and performance coaches
• Classes, schools, and training programs • Makeup artists and stylists
• Demo reel and audition-preparation services • Talent marketing and promotional resources
• Talent and industry organizations • Expanded verified business listings
• Additional advertising opportunities
Goal: Connect talent with trusted Chicago and Illinois businesses and services that support
professional growth, visibility, and career development.
Learn More at the 'TALENT-RELATED BUSINESSES & PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES FAQ'
© 2026 Chicago Talent Directory®. All rights reserved.
Chicago Talent Directory® is a publication of Chicago Talent Enterprises Inc.
Chicago Talent Directory® is a federally registered trademark owned by Nanci T. Ponne'
Published by Nanci T. Ponné, Founder / Publisher.
Verified Talent Profiles
First Planned Functional Phase
Planned additions include:
• FREE basic talent profiles — permanently free, no paid tiers, no paid priority placement, ever
• Simple profile submission form to start
• Name, category, location/region, contact method, basic professional information
• Headshot or representative image where appropriate
• Resume, credits, training, or work samples where relevant
• Location verification before public activation
• Searchable profiles, with location as a driving search factor
• Additional profile fields and media options added over time
• Optional advertising may become available alongside talent profiles over time
— separate from the profile itself, and never affecting profile eligibility, placement, or search results
Goal: Begin with a simple, useful, free, location-driven talent profile system that makes Chicago and Illinois talent visible and discoverable — with search results always based on best fit, never on payment.
Learn More at the 'VERIFIED TALENT PROFILES FAQ'
Roadmap
The first planned functional feature is a
FREE, LOCATION-DRIVEN TALENT PROFILE SYSTEM.
Marketplace listings, auditions, events, education, and expanded professional tools are planned to follow in later phases.
TALENT PROFILES ARE, AND WILL ALWAYS BE, FREE.
There are no paid profile levels and no paid priority placement — ever.
Search results are based on fit, qualifications, location, and relevance only.
Roadmap
Where We've Been • Where We Are • What's Coming
Chicago Talent Directory® is returning in carefully planned phases as a modern resource
dedicated EXCLUSIVELY to Chicago and Illinois talent,
casting professionals, producers, agencies, theatres, and talent-related businesses and services.
For those looking to produce projects in Chicago and Illinois
Chicago Talent Directory® is being developed as a local-first directory for discovering the talent, opportunities,
and professional resources that support Chicago and Illinois talent, film, theatre, and media production.
THE GOAL remains the same as when Chicago Talent Directory® began in 1985:
Making local talent, opportunities, and industry resources
more visible, searchable, connected, and useful.
This roadmap provides general direction and may evolve as development continues and industry feedback is received.
Foundation Work
Completed / Ongoing Behind the Scenes
• Industry research, archive preservation, historical documentation, technology evaluation, planning, and development.
Goal: Build a strong foundation for the modern Chicago Talent Directory® while preserving its history and purpose.
Learn More at the 'FOUNDATION WORK FAQ'
Reintroducing Chicago Talent Directory®
Current Phase
Current efforts include:
• Chicago Talent Directory® history and archives
• Press and recognition • Industry information and resources
• Project updates • Future development plans
Goal: Re-establish Chicago Talent Directory® as a trusted Chicago and Illinois talent, film, theatre, and media-industry resource.
Learn More at the 'REINTRODUCING CHICAGO TALENT DIRECTORY® FAQ'
Auditions, Events & Industry Resources
Third Planned Phase
Planned additions include:
• Audition listings and casting notices • Industry event listings
• Workshop and educational event announcements
• Search and filtering tools • Moderated submissions
Goal: Make Chicago and Illinois opportunities and industry resources easier to discover, explore, and follow.
Learn More at the 'AUDITIONS, EVENTS & INDUSTRY RESOURCES FAQ'
Education & Professional Development
Future Phase
Potential additions include:
• Talent-marketing seminars • Professional-development workshops
• Industry panels and discussions • Educational resources
• Career-development guidance • Special presentations and events
• Chicago Talent Directory® Talent Profile Launch Event
• Annual Chicago Talent Directory® Profile & Professional Development Day
Goal: Continue the Chicago Talent Directory® tradition of helping talent better understand
the business side of professional careers while improving professional presentation and visibility.
Learn More at the 'EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FAQ'
Casting & Production Tools
Future Phase
Potential future additions may include enhanced search tools, saved searches, organizational tools,
and other features designed to support professional talent discovery.
Goal: Help verified industry professionals work more efficiently with local talent and resources.
Learn More at the 'CASTING & PRODUCTION TOOLS FAQ'
#OnSetChicago • #OnSetIllinois
Future Exploration
Potential future additions include:
• Industry news • Interviews • Talent features
• Production highlights • Community updates • Professional-development articles
• A digital continuation of historic Chicago Talent Directory® features and departments,
including Curtain Call, SRO, InFocus, and other recurring editorial content
Goal: Celebrate, document, and promote the people, projects, accomplishments, and contributions
that help shape Chicago and Illinois talent, film, theatre, and media production.
Learn More at the '#ONSETCHICAGO • #ONSETILLINOIS FAQ'