How To Get A Good Acting Agent

Step 1

I would call it an accomplishment list. Getting an agent, getting a manager, You cannot just walk into some place and say, "I want you. You are going to rep me." Here you go. They have to like you. The have to love your resume. They have to love your demo reel. They have to love you as a person as well. They are not going to go just off your looks. So, having said that, you have to have a lot of work put into it.

Step 2

My experience with all this, for me, every day goes by like that. You are constantly running around. Constantly moving. You are constantly meeting people and before you know it, you could have an agent and a manager, whatever. You could get into SAG.

Step 3

You just don't know when its going to happen or how its going to happen. I got my agent from a referral, so I am in my acting class at he studio and this guy says to me, "Hey I just signed up with this agency. maybe you should check them out and see what happens."

Step 4

I said, OK. They didn't call me. But I went in there, You know, they liked my look. I was different from the other people and said I was good. But then, they auditioned me and they liked what I brought to the table. So, that's why my agent signed me.

Step 5

I do not have a manager. They are not required. They do help, but then at the end of the day, you might have to pay them, out of your commissions. You do not pay them up front. You pay them as you get paid. But they are not necessary. Not everybody has them, but a lot of people do. to help you get work. Agents kinds of do, but agents are your lawyers, where as managers will actually help you find more work. Having said that, you just don't know how it is going to happen. There have been times when I am working on a set, and I will meet somebody and they go, "You know, I'd like to manage you." Well, I did not go to the set that day thinking I was going to find somebody who wants to manage me.

Step 6

And if you only have one agency that is interested in you, don't just join them because they are the only one. Talk to other people they are repped by. You can go on blogs. There are blogs that talk about representation and they rep by other actors. So, you have to do your homework. You have to - just because someone wants you, Hey, its a big city, there are a lot of people who take stuff from you that is not their's. A lot of people that con you. You have to do your homework.

Step 7

And its exciting. Its exciting to be wanted. Its exciting for an agent to say I want to rep you." It is! But at the end of the day, you have to make sure it is right. Don't just do it. just to do it and say "Hey, I have an agent now." Just so you can put their logo on your resume or on the front of your headshot. Because it might not be the right place and you could be signed into a contract where you have no flexibility and they may not help you at all. Then you might land something big on your own and they take ten percent for doing nothing.