How does one get an agent?

Question

I've read a million questions about how to break into acting, and all the answers say to get an agent, but how does one do that? and how do i ask my parents (i'm 14 and a half and have been in many shows)? they are supportive of me doing theatre for now, but i go to a really good school and they want me to be all academic. i kind of want to do it with my friend, but i don't know how to ask her either.

Answer 1

Hi there,

There are several different resources you could use to get in touch with agents. Rather than talking about how to get in touch, I would rather talk to about what your strategy could be.

First of all, you need to consider the following:

What kind of acting are you interested in primarily? (Film, televison, industrials, commercials, voice-over, commercial print) You can find agents that specialize in many different areas, but big agencies will have different people within their agencies handle different areas.

Get a copy of the Ross Reports, Show Business weekly, New York or LA Agencies or something similar in your area (that last one is a resource by Sue Porter Henderson and her website address is www.hendersonenterprises.com). I don’t know what city you are in, but even if these publications don’t have addresses of agents in your city, it will give you some ideas as to the kinds of publications and information that exists.
Sue’s agencies booklet which is updated quarterly shows what kind of actors agencies are looking for (what kind of talent in that particular period).

Do you know your type? If you don't, find out. And then find out which agents cater to your type.

Goes without say that you need a headshot and résumé. But find out first how to put together your résumé. There is a standard industry format with three columns and usually the eyes go immediately to the third column, because that’s where the credibility lies. It's not always about what you've done, but rather with whom you've done it. Also besides your acting experience, agents will also look at your training, where you train, the frequency and consistency with which you train and with whom you train.

Carefully select the agents you want to target and do a mass mailing, that is TARGETED to specific agents that cater to your type. Send out a headshot and résumé and don't forget a cover letter, which must be very brief and to the point and state why you are looking for that agency to represent you and what you have to offer. Remember that there are thousands of actors who are sending mail to that agent so anything you can do and say that will make you stand out from the rest is a good thing. Just keep it within the realm of what’s “acceptable”. Another thing you might want to consider using to do your first mailings with your headshots are envelopes with a big window, so that whoever receives your envelope sees your picture right away even before they open it. Those envelopes cost a little more, but they are still not used by the majority of actors from what I know, so you could still obtain a slight advantage by doing that.

You will need to find out how to write a good cover letter. It's crucial! There are lots of books about it. One good one is by a guy named Brian O’Neil and it’s called Acting As A Business: Strategies For Success. I think it’s a must read for any new actor.

It’s a numbers game, so send out a lot of packages, but expect to get back a low number of responses: anywhere from 5 – 10%. Even if you don't get any response, follow up anyway with a phone call and/or a series of postcards.
Once you have made initial contact and have a response, you will need to follow up. Timing is important as is the way you follow up. Don't badger the people. They hate that and that's one way to get on their black list. Also, a rule of thumb is not to stop by or call unexpectedly. The phone call that I mentioned above should be announced in your cover letter, but I strongly advise you to find out how to word it so that your call will be more readily accepted.

Back to post cards: One way is to use post cards with your headshot on it. Use the postcards about once every three months to report what you’re doing and to keep in touch. Don’t send them to say hi or to say have a good summer. Report what you are doing, your work, that you have just finished an important class, just been cast in a show, a movie or whatever. Even report close calls, meaning call backs or on-holds even if you didn’t get the job. It means that you got close and agents and casting directors like to hear that as well.

Once you get that far, you should start getting some responses and some meetings. Before you go into the meeting, find out what they are expecting when they meet with you. They might want a monologue or something. Find out and be prepared.
Like I said, it’s a numbers game though, but be focused and don't think that if you just send out mass mailings to anyone and everyone that you will be successful. Target your mailings and you will have greater success.

This is just part of your strategy though. There’s got to be more, but that's another answer!

I hope this was helpful to you.

If you have more questions about starting your acting career. I personally have two resources. One is my recently published book that you can find on Amazon or Barnes and Nobles.com: Acting Career Start-Up: Four Key Factors For Success. You can find more information about it at http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/start_acting_career.html. There's even an audio message for you to listen to. It might be worth your while. While there, please stop and fill out the actor quiz. http://www.actingcareerstartup.com/actor_quiz.html. It will help you to see what you know and what you don't know and what you should know about your acting career. And it will help me in the gathering of information for young and aspiring actors, so that I can give them good-quality information to help them be successful.

Hope that helps. Good luck in finding an agent.

Live your dreams!

Tony
http://www.actingcareerstartup.com

Answer 2

If you are very serious about acting then just go ahead and ask for an agent. If you have an acting class then ask you acting teacher about it, if not then get an acting class. I am eleven and a half and I have an agent they really help you! I have all these auditions for commercials. Its a really hard and complicated process but I love it!

Answer 3

Well, of direction. Just be sufferer. Assuming it is a thoroughly reliable agent and you may have performed a history verify on them and you may have visible his/her consumers record and recognize that he has located books with one of the vital tremendous publishing residences. Usually, an agent will ship you a record of steered alterations. Be sufferer, for the reason that his different consumers come earlier than you and he might be busy - if he is a reliable agent. You can ship him an e-mail and allow him recognize that you just desire to grasp time expectancies so you do not force your self loopy ready at your e-mail all day for his steered alterations, and in addition for the reason that you do not desire to nag him each 2 mins. I've heard from a few released writers that it took them a couple of weeks to get a record of steered alterations from their marketers. So that is traditional and also you''ll simply have got to hurry up and wait. It's traditional that he may not deliver you special main points on the assembly. He'll write up a letter or e-mail with all of the steered alterations and ship it to you, and this might take greater than per week, despite the fact that for all we all know, he might have talked with you 3 days in the past and you are simply being unreasonably impatient. Now, you probably did receive his present of illustration, proper? Just making definite, for the reason that there are plenty of scammers in the market that appear reliable if you do not' fully verify them out. You did signal an company contract OR he made it transparent that he desires to rep you AND you agreed? - there are nonetheless a couple of reliable company that do not paintings with a agreement. I'm simply asking for the reason that you are making it appear like he met with you, did not present to symbolize you, however rather stated he'd ship your manuscript off, regularly to "experiment the waters," earlier than signing you. This is a signal of a rip-off and there is a very recognized scammer who does this. But, I'm definite you are a capable author who has performed her homework. Congrats at the presents of illustration. I'm jealous. :D desire to alternate me locations? You could have all my badly written manuscripts. Hahah.

Answer 4

It depends on where in the USA you live.

You must have performed in plays and write the names of those plays and the roles you played on your résumé.

Each Talent Agency determines the method by which they want to be contacted by actors. Most legitimate Talent Agencies DO NOT work with children!

Answer 5

Don't be afraid to ask her. When you guys go to a movie together, be something like "Aw I wish i could act like them" or something. Then your friend will probably say "yeah. me too." or something along those lines. Then say "I wonder how they got started" or something. Get the INTEREST rolling between both of you....build it up until you can finally say "We should go to an acting school together. That'd be fun!!"