please help.?

Question

how and where do you get an acting agent?
also if your gonna audition where do you get the script so you could learn it?
oh AND when you audition what do you do?
thank you!

im gonna thank you!
when i can!

Answer 1

If you want to find a legitimate agent to represent you for commercials, TV & film go to Sag.org. Use the dropdown menu on the right labeled 'resources' and choose 'agent information'. On the next screen, on the left choose 'Find a SAG franchised agent' and follow the directions. You can look up agents all over the US, but there are higher concentrations where the work is (Los Angeles, NY, IL, FL, GA etc.)

Then you can send them your headshot, resume, and a cover letter stating that you are seeking representation and wait to see if they call you in for an interview.

For the script, usually for auditions you get what's called sides which is usually 1-3 pages or so from the script. When you have an audition, they let you know if the sides are available from a service called Showfax. If they are, you can get them faxed to you through this service for a fee of course, but it's cheaper and more convenient than driving all over town.

You can submit yourself for auditions on actorsaccess.com, getthe sides from showfax and go from there. I still recommend getting an agent so that you have someone on your side to negotiate your contract though. You can also look for auditions on backstage.com, mostly for theatre, students films, etc.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Hi there!

I take the agent question and leave the others to someone else. Not because I don't want to answer them, but because I would rather be thorough on one. So here goes.

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 encourage you to think about what your strategy could be.

Consider the following when it comes to getting an agent. First of all, I would ask you a question: Are you ready to get an agent? What is your acting skill level? Do you have a solid base to make agents want to represent you? If not, that should be your first priority. Remember that agents want to work with people who they think will be able to get work. Once you get an agent, he can get you submitted for auditions. Then it's up to you. You have to audition well and you have to be right for the part. Then the client has to like you. An agent will choose to work with you only if he sees potential. A look could be important as well as something interesting about you that you bring to the table, but one important piece is your ability to act.

Agents work with actors. That's what they do for a living and they can tell a seasoned actor or an experienced actor from someone who believes that they can act, but who really hasn't had any or very little training.

So if you are training and have been for some time and are ready, then the rest of this information you might find interesting to be able to do right away.

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 that handle different areas.

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

To find out who are the agents that cater to your type, 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).

It 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 only about what you’ve done, but also about with whom you’ve done it! Also besides your acting experience, agents and casting directors will also look at your training, where you train, the frequency and consistency with which you train and with whom you train. There are many professional services that can help you if you need help.

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. 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”. You might want to think of using envelopes with a big window, so that the agents’ offices that receive your packet see your picture even before they open it. From what I gather, still the majority of actors still don’t use those kinds of envelopes. It could provide you with a slight advantage. Maybe. Every little thing you can do differently than the rest could be of help.

You will need to find out how to write a good cover letter. Like I said, short, sweet and to the point. 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. He also has examples of résumés depending on what kind of credits you have. And he also tells you how to build the résumé, which is very important.

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%. It really depends on a lot of things; how good your headshot is, how good your cover letter is, whether you targeted the right agent, whether your agent is looking for your type in that moment, etc. If you don’t hear anything back, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not interested. It could just mean that they’re not interested in that moment.

So once you have made initial contact, you will need to follow up. Timing is important as is the way you follow up. 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 or even more often if you have something to report, like a show you’ve been in, movie and industrial, commercial or whatever. Don’t send them to say hi or have a good summer. Report what you are doing. 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. Like I said, it’s a numbers game though, but be focused and don't think that if you just send out mass mailings 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…

The comment about meet and greets is definitely valid. Some people don’t believe in paying, but I look at it this way. If you don’t have an agent and don’t know how to get one and if that has been your situation for awhile now, you have two choices. You can either continue doing what you’ve been doing and hope that something will change. Or you can pay to audition. At the beginning I did that and it worked out for me.

There are also schools like Actors Connection (www.actorsconnection.com) where you can go and meet casting directors, agents and personal managers. It will cost you a small fee to audition for them and sit through a most of the time valuable Q & A session, but it can be worth it. I have gotten agents and auditions through them. It is also a place to go and take classes with casting directors and agents, which gives you the chance to not only meet them, but also to work together with them for anywhere from a few hours to an entire day or more. That in itself can be very valuable. More on that another time.

If you have a reel and a website, that would also be a plus.

Lastly, you can submit yourself for jobs online: Here is a list of websites through which you can submit yourself. It's not as good as having an agent, but I have gotten some audtions and jobs this way. I use nycastings and actorsaccess mostly. I have found that with two or three of these sites, I'm pretty much covered with regard to the important auditions that are out there. Once you start checking too many different sites, you find that there is a lot of repetition.

www.actingdepot.com

www.exploretalent.com

www.actorsaccess.com

www.backtoholding.com

www.bigbreakny.com

www.castingnewyork.com

www.easycasting.com

www.actormarketing.biz

www.nycastings.com

www.backstage.com

Hope that helps. Good luck!

Tony
http://www.actingcareerstartup.com