“A LinkedIn for creatives,” is how the Onset app was described in an email to the Daily Lobo from the app’s founder Inès Bensalem.
Bensalem, a French film producer in fiction and documentary, started the app to take an industry that operates largely on word-of-mouth and put it into a more social media-like platform.
“In the creative industry today, there is no way to connect in a free, efficient and easy way, especially for young artists and technicians, without a network. Most of the jobs and opportunities are known through word of mouth or social networks. We don't use LinkedIn. There is no reference in an industry where artists and technicians are constantly looking for jobs and creators are constantly looking for talent,” Bensalem wrote.
Bensalem is starting the rollout of the app in the United States at the University of New Mexico: it’s the first location in the U.S. to be added to the app’s database, according to Bensalem.
“UNM is a fantastic place to discover new talents, committed and inspiring artists, which makes it the ideal spot to create our first database in the U.S.,” Bensalem wrote.
The app seeks to help make the process of finding collaborators easier, connecting directors to actors, photographers to models, choreographers to dancers, etc.
“Thanks to a smart-matching technology, Onset helps you target jobs that match your profile and talents that match your search in real time,” Bensalem wrote.
Along with this, the app also seeks to make the creative industry more accessible, not only by being free to download, but also by connecting people across state and international borders.
“Onset allows creators access to a network, information and employment opportunities in the industry in a free, efficient, and easy way to make culture accessible to all and to connect creators beyond borders,” Bensalem wrote.
The app is currently available as a web-based application, with iOS and Android versions coming soon. Those interested in registering can do so on the app’s website. Those interested in keeping up with the app can do so by following it on Instagram.
John Scott is the editor-in-chief at the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @JohnSnott
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