| Star Material | Choosing an Agent | Training | Headshots | Self Promotion |
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| When
a casting director is looking to hire actors, they will
contact Talent Agents and let them know what they are looking for. It's
then the Agents job to go through who they represent and submit those
kinds of
people for the job. The Casting Directors will then go through the list
of people who have been submitted and let the Agents know who they
would like to see. If you were one of the chosen ones, your agent will
then call you and let you know you have an audition. It's their job to
set up a time, get you any sides and let you know any other important
details. If you get the job, it's their job to negotiate a rate for
you. There are many "casting boards" out there that let you submit yourself your auditions. Many people are not realistic in what they submit for, so for bigger productions, they will only hire people through an agent. If you do use a casting board from the internet, be realistic about what your submit yourself for. If they're looking for a tall, skinny blonde, and you're a short chunky brunette, don't send in your info "just in case". All you will do is irritate the person receiving the submissions. That's why they use an agent, to filter down to what they're looking for. So how do you find an agent? There are several ways to find an agent. You will want someone local to your area. There's no point having an agent who's too far away. When they call you for an audition, your normally only get a few hours notice. If you can't get there, what's the point in them submitting you? Try to get one within an hours drive. Then when they call you, you'll be able to attend. Search the internet for local talent agencies.  Custom
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Most agents now have an internet presence. You can look through their site, see who they represent, see how many people are on their books. Check to see how many people they have that look like you. If there's too many, you'll get lost in the crowd. Ask your fellow acting buddies who represents them. They'll be able to tell you how often they go on auditions and whether the agency is professional or not. If you're taking lessons, ask your teacher. They will probably know some local agents who they can recommend. Attend a Showcase. There's always talent agents there looking for new talent. If you're working as an extra on a set, ask the other actors who they work with. Check the IMDB database. They list all the agents and who they represent. You can also see on there how much work their talent is really getting. How do I contact an agent to ask for representation? Write a cover letter to them telling then you'd like them to represent you. Tell them about yourself. Don't forget to include a resume and headshot. If you don't have these yet, then at least include a photo. Don't call an agency looking for representation. They are very busy taking calls from casting directors and calling working talent. Some agents will have an email address set up just for new talent. Again, write a letter letting them know all about you. Attach a photo. Agents get hundreds of actors contacting them a day looking for representation. So be patient. Submit to several agencies. Don't call them asking if they received your submission. How do I avoid getting scammed? If a "scout" finds you in a mall and tells you that you have "the Look" and wants you to attend a meeting so they can represent you, then you need to do some research. There are legitimate agents who do this. They're not all scams. If there's a big movie shooting in town and they need a lot of people, they may be out looking for something in particular. Ask them who they are, if you need to have experience and how much they charge. If they're asking everyone and everyone to attend some showcase where they then sit you down and tell you that for $$$ they will get you trained and take your photo and then put you in some database, then walk away. A legitimate agent makes their money from a commission on work that you've done. They shouldn't need to charge your thousands of dollars up front to represent you. There are some companies that will train you, line you up with headshot photographers and set up workshops with LA agents and casting directors. Many of these companies may be worth the money if you're outside of LA or NY. As long as they don't represent themselves as an agency and they're charging you for the workshops. If you live in the midwest, there's not a lot of ways to meet LA Casting Directors or Agents without going out to LA, so these can be very beneficial. If they demand that you spend several thousand dollars in order to meet people, do a little more research. Ask other parents in the area. Did they really get to meet the people, or did they take their money and run? Do lots of research before signing any cheques. Remember to take each posting with a grain of salt. If there's several sites saying they don't like a particular agent, is it different people, or one unhappy person posting on every site they can find? An agency may be legit, but one disgruntled actor who never got any work may think it's the agent's fault and is posting their dissatisfaction. (When in reality they might just be a bad actor) Also check your local BBB or the SAG website. |