How To Get Cameo On Snapchat

A grid of celebrities offering video messages on Cameo.

I grew upwards watching Star Expedition: The Next Generation. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve being sabbatum cross-legged before a cathode ray tube, where I'd watch Picard and the coiffure relieve the galaxy from Borg and Romulan hordes. It was—and remains—my favorite Television evidence. Two decades later on, I met my wife.

You share a lot in wedlock, and one thing I passed on was my love of all things Roddenberry. As a clinical social worker, my wife developed something of an analogousness for the character of Counsellor Troi, who is portrayed by the British actress Marina Sirtis. And and so, when her altogether came up, I didn't hesitate to spend about $100 on a personalized video greeting from Sirtis, using the website Cameo.

Celebrity on Tap

Marina Sirtis on Cameo

The Internet has made glory (and celebrities) more than attainable than ever, thanks to sites similar Facebook and Twitter. Cameo feels like the logical decision to that tendency, assuasive anyone to commission a short message from those celebrities and athletes they most admire.

This opens a window to a earth that was previously closed off to those working beyond the limits of showbiz. And Cameo feels particularly relevant inside the context of the ongoing Covid-xix pandemic. With theatrical and Tv set releases on hold, and musicians facing canceled tours, these videos take become nonetheless another part of the entertainment business organisation model.

Since information technology launched in 2017, the site has clustered a veritable army of actors, musicians, athletes, and online celebrities. The lineup includes NBA icon Dennis Rodman, Shark Tank panelist Kevin O'Leary, and even the Insane Clown Posse, who demand no introduction.

For performers and entertainers, the site offers yet another way to monetize their fame. This is especially helpful for those whose star may accept waned some time ago, or are otherwise working in sectors of the amusement industry that take struggled to adapt to the 21st century. With CD sales at an best rock bottom, and streaming royalties declining to fill the gap, these short personalized messages tin assistance keep artists remain financially afloat.

And some are doing improve than just "afloat." In an interview with NPR's The Indicator podcast, comedian Gilbert Gottfried claims he tin can easily make $one,000 in a single day, for what amounts to less than an hour'south worth of work. And that's taking into account Cameo'south 25 pct cut.

Possibly surprisingly, Cameo also boasts a stable of political figures, including former Trump Administration counselor Sebastian Gorka, one-time White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and a smattering of Trump and Obama impersonators.

To be listed on Cameo, individuals must have a measure out of notability. They can prepare their ain prices, with some videos costing only $1, with others measuring in thousands. A video from Caitlyn Jenner, for example, costs $2,500.

Creating Your Own Cameos

It'southward extremely straightforward to commission your ain custom celebrity shoutout. The platform works much like whatsoever e-commerce site. You select the performer from a catalog and pay your fee.

The only real "curveball" is you've got to tell the performer what you desire from your video. Here, information technology helps to exist specific—specially given yous've merely got a limited number of characters to make your request. 250, to be precise. Of form, given your video will last be less than a infinitesimal, you don't really demand to write an opus.

Your request and so gets sent to the performer. Performers have the right to refuse a asking, upon which your coin gets refunded. If you've paid with credits, you lot tin re-use them to make another video.

It might take several days for a performer to create your video. Once they've uploaded information technology, you lot'll go an email notification. Y'all tin likewise download it to share elsewhere, similar Facebook or Twitter.

New: Zoom Calls With Celebrities

Celebrities offering Zoom calls on Cameo

Starting June 15, 2020, Cameo is for more than just video messages. Y'all tin now book 10-minute Zoom calls with celebrities.

RELATED: Cameo Will Let Y'all Zoom With the Stars for Lots of Money

These calls can cost upwards to $15,000—the celebrities ready the rates. At launch, player Jeremy Piven charged $15,000 for x minutes. Not everyone charges and so much, though—comedian Gilbert Gottfried charges just $150.

Promotional Videos

Interestingly, y'all tin too use Cameo to commission celebrities to endorse your product. For obvious reasons, not all personalities are willing to practise this. That said, many are. The listing includes Jordan "Wolf of Wall Street" Belfort, Motley Crue's Tommy Lee, and Gary Busey.

Promotional videos come with their ain rules. You can't edit them. Yous can't remove the watermark. And you lot tin only use them for three months later their creation. After that signal, you demand to negotiate with Cameo to extend your rights to the footage.

Cameo as well limits where you tin can use them: namely, for social media and visitor websites. Y'all can't, for instance, committee a promotional Cameo and so use information technology as a Tv advert.

More Than Simply a Shoutout

Cameo has allowed personalities to go on making money during a seriously challenging flow when most in-person performances are canceled and TV and moving picture productions are on agree. And, for the general public, information technology's created a new category of gift that'due south fundamentally unique and personalized.

Some, like Gilbert Gottfried, admit they worry about the concept of celebrity being devalued by the site.

"Like, years ago, people couldn't make it bear upon with Humphrey Bogart and say, hey, we thought Casablanca sucked," said Gilbert in his Planet Money interview.

Nevertheless, while the amusement industry remains in a country of turmoil, services like Cameo will remain vitally important.