Do we need to be into Acting school to get an agent?

Question

Do we have to BE into acting school to get an agent? Cause one day, a person came up to me and said taht they wanted me to audition for a commericial, without an agent. Then book it.
Is it possible?

Answer 1

Not only is it possible, but it happens every day. Unfortunately people are also taken in scams every day as well. You have to understand that when an agent decides to take you on as a client, they are putting a tremendous amount of faith in you that you will be able to sell yourself to casting directors and producers, which in turn makes them money.

Agents love to see clients and perspective clients that are actively involved in taking classes and perfecting their craft as opposed to sitting around waiting for calls for auditions. This is a profession in which you need to be proactive and opposed to reactive.

Commercials are often times all about "the look" they need to sell a product. Maybe you have it and it's exactly what they are looking for. Go to the audition, but go in with open eyes. If they ask you for money up front, tell you that you need to work with a particular photographer to get headshots or a particular agent for representation, then run don't walk out of there. On the flip side of that coin, if they are legit and they want to book you for a gig than congratulations! All the best!

Answer 2

That does NOT usually happen. Chances are a 'scout' from a scam place such as John Robert Powers was aproaching you and in the end all they want would be large sums of your money. if you ever follow through with one of these people who approches you in this way, make sure you investigate it fully before you sign anything. They always tell you that it doesn't cost you anything , yet you always end up writing them a check... hmmmm.

If you have the name of the company, go to http://ripoffreport.com/ and type in the name to see if anything comes up. This site is not the end all be all of complaints, but it's something.

You don't need to be in acting school, but you need to have some credibility. Actors who take classes and have a resume have credibility and show a track record of working hard towards the dream they claim they want so bad. If you had 1000 people sending you pictures and half had no experience and took no classes but the other half did, which ones would you take another look at? Then out of that 500, would you look at the ones who have been taking class longer and have more credits on their resume or the ones who have only just begun and say by the way I really only want to be on Disney!

Just think about it. Agents have actors throwing themselves at them every day. They don't need to go looking for them at the mall or place ads in the paper or on TV or on the radio, etc. BUT places hoping to make tons of money from unsuspecting newbies with stars in their eyes have every reason to do that. They make $3000-10000 and more on people who think they're going to a free audition for Hannah Montana and Zoey 101.

I just wouldn't want you to get ripped off.

Answer 3

NO, but you have to have a lot of experience as an actor. People who come you and want you to audition for a commercial are swindlers who are selling acting classes.

Answer 4

do you live in la or in kansas? if something like the latter, it's probably not legit. unless it is a local commercial. in this case, it is entirely possible. either way tho it could happen, but it probably wouldn't.

they might just want you standing in the back or people that look like you laughing or smiling using their product.