Identify which reality TV show you would like to appear on. Networks that air reality television shows, including Fox, ABC, MTV, Vh1 and Bravo, announce casting calls for their upcoming shows online with specific guidelines and instructions on how to apply.
Create a casting tape. Each show calls for different information in prospective stars' casting tapes. Each tape should include an introduction, a body and a conclusion, though it should seem natural and not appear scripted. The purpose of your casting tape is to give the show's director a first glimpse of you as a character; it should be short, memorable and full of personality.
Commit to the show. Be prepared to travel. Many shows have long periods of filming in remote areas. Once selected for one, you may be asked to put your previous life on pause, whether it be quitting a job, subletting or cancelling a lease, or taking a break from school. The type of show dictates the commitment. For example, documentary shows such as "True Life," "Intervention" and Bridezillas" bring cameras into a subject's home, while others such as "The Real World" and "Celebrity Rehab" require participants to relocate, and sometimes even give up their cell phones.
Play your character. Through planning and editing, reality TV directors develop each star into a specific character as the season unfolds, and many maximize their popularity by embracing the role to which they are assigned. For example, villains such as Omarosa from "The Apprentice" and Spencer Pratt from "The Hills" have become notorious for the manipulative qualities they displayed in their respective seasons.
Create a brand of your own. Many reality television stars have used the popularity they've gained from national exposure to pursue other projects. Bravo's "Real Housewives" Luann de Lesseps and Theresa Giudice have written novels, and MTV's "The Hills" star Audrina Patridge moved on to star in her own show, "Audrina," on Vh1.