Can I get an agent in L.A ?

Question

Can I get an agent in L.A,even though I live in the UK,because i would really like to start doing some film work L.A instead doing work in the UK,and can an english agent get you work in America?and do you need like a visa card or something to work aboard in America?,and do I have to live there as well?

Answer 1

Getting an agent doesn't cost you anything up front. Agents here get 10% AFTER they help get you a job. They get paid after! People need to know what the heck they're talking about before they answer.

Please correct me if I'm wrong (Fixing-uh-hole may know better about the particulars in this department), but I believe you don't need to live here to have an agent here however you would need to fly in for auditions upone request or have a great reel that CD's would be willing to go from initially. It could really be expensive and inconvenient if you have to travel for auditions if you're not already well off. Also, usually you need to have an impressive body of work before an agent here can do anything for someone who lives abroad. If you have an agent in the UK, perhaps they have a satellite office in LA or a relationship with a particular agency here. Why don't you ask them? Maybe you could just come for pilot season like so many others do every year?

An English accent is sometimes specifically called for, but otherwise it just depends on the role. Sometimes it doesn't matter if the character has a accent or not and sometimes they would prefer the character be American in which case you should work on your accent.

One example I can give you for a British actress with multiple agents is Emma Thompson. She's with Hamilton Hodell in London, but WIlliam Morris in the states.

Good luck

Answer 2

You will need a Visa to work in the States or on a US production. One of the first quesitons CD's ask is whether you have papers. it is not worth their while arranging a visa for you if you are only doing one or two episodes. If you are to be the lead, excellent, but unless you are well know, the chances of you getting that far in the audition process without papers is virtually nil.

Check out makeitamerica.com for info on Visas and how and why you need them, it's a site specifically for UK actors who want to work in the US. Also, keep an eye out for seminars in London on this very subject, Judy Shekoni and Richard Burke both do them every few months.

Good luck.

Answer 3

You NEVER pay a Talent Agent. If you want to work in both countries, get a UK agent and tell him you also want to work in the USA.

That way he can call the Los Angeles Talent Agents that he knows and get you started working in LA and the UK.

Answer 4

you can hire an agent but it will cost you... and i think you need a visa to come but i think your passport will do for short term visits with your agent... go on aol yellow pages and look up agents in the la area. you wont have to live here but if your career picks up it would probibly be a good idea = {()