With depth research, our team has framed up an excellent answer for your query “how to get an agent for acting”, We advise you to read the article thoroughly. Might this article be a game-changer for your acting career?
What does an agent do for an actor?
An acting agent plays a vital role to uphold the graph of an actor career with new and trending opportunities, apart of this agent is also responsible for seeing the clauses of the contract and negotiating the project fees,
And most important, an acting agent also provides suggestions regarding the adaption of new marketing trends, which includes headshots and training skills, as agents work closely with the casting director, which makes them know about new demand of industry.
Type of Acting Agents
You might be amazed to know, as per specialization, acting agent have subtypes which includes –
Theatrical Agent – they only deal in getting the project related to the movies, theater and T.V. etc.
Commercial Agent – they only deal in getting the project related to T.V. commercials, industrial and commercial print.
Are you ready to find a talent agent?
Do you have the latest and professional headshot, edited reel?
if your answer is NO, then before looking for talent agent, prepare all the below-listed entities, as all these entities will help you to enact your professionalism towards your career and fulfill the necessities of an acting agent as well –
1. Headshot
It acts as your brochure in the acting industry, so you should have an updated headshot (less than two years old) from a professional photographer, and it’s our advice don’t use photoshop in your image.
Remember, it is the first appearance to get noticed by talent scouts.
* You have to give at least three hard copies of the headshot to agents
2. Resume
It will ensure talent agent regarding your work experience and training you have if you are a beginner so enlist acting performance of the high school as well,
Most important, if you have got training from renowned faculty or acting school, you should mention it in bold characters.
3. Cover Letter
It is the best answer for your query, “how to write to an agent for representation?”
This letter will help you to convivence the acting agent, below we have listed the key points you should consider while writing the cover letter –
- Use Dear with agent name; it will make personalization.
- Mention the reason to work with the agent; this content will be a game-changer for you, so do the research and frame it in a good manner.
- Mention the type of acting you are interested in; it will help the acting agent to simulate from other actors.
- Mention the name of the acting coach; you have got training.
- And if you have worked with any renowned actor, so mention it.
4. Acting Reel
It is the best way to impress an agent, as reel showcase your talent more peculiarly, so keep your reel small with the best video shots.
*It is optional for beginners.
5. Website
Nowadays, it’s the best medium to showcase your work anytime, anywhere and in one place. If you prepare one and update it regularly, it will be enacted as one plus point of professionalism, as some agents looking for actors websites to contact.
6. Update Profile of Social Media and Content Creation Platforms
Update your social media profiles, and it will best if you start sharing your work, building small bases of fans and making connections with industry people,
Acting Agents will definitely check this and mention your usernames in your resume as well.
It’s our advice to prepare all the above entities very well, as it will help to convince the acting agent to contact and invite you for a meetup or interview.
How to find a good acting agent?
After intense research and talking with working actors, we have enlisted the methods along with the platforms which will help you to find the right acting agent –
1. IMDB Platform
The best answer for query “how to find celebrity agents” is here
As an actor, you should make the profile in IMDB, and if you have IMDB pro, it will help you to connect with the agents who are working with present time actors, make the list of agents along with its contact details.
2. Invite Acting Agent
Under this method, you need to send the show ticket or invitation to the agent and request them to see your role in a play,
As many agents looking for young actors, so they usually attend plays, and if they see you performing on stage, it is deliberately helpful for agents to make a decision to work with you or not.
3. Take help from your acting school faculty.
If you are new to an acting career, you should join an acting school to learn skills, and it also helps you to build a network. Moreover, faculties of schools have a good connection with industry people,
Referrals are the best option to get an acting agent for beginners.
4. Become a member of acting association
If you’re are a member of an acting association such as SAG AFTRA or equity, you will get the full list of sag agents to contact with them, and most importantly, the commission percentage of associated talent agencies is 10 percent.
5. Social Media Platforms
I suggest you network with actors who are presently working on the projects; you don’t need to be shy; some of them will help you and make you connect with top acting agents,
You can also join the Facebook groups related to acting niches.
Start Contacting Agent
After making a list, do not start contacting all agents in a single day. Make a target of contacting 15 agents in a single day, along with this try to make the first impression good, from below mediums; you will be able to contact the acting agent –
- Some talent agencies that take online submissions have a website with separate contact forms for actors to contact them; you can use that and submit your documents in that particular forum.
- While majority agents, you need to send the cold email, and many actors do not know “how to email an agent for representation?”
For your convenience, we have listed some of the best tips which compel acting agents to reply to your email and invite you for a meetup-
a. Keep your email simple, research about the agent persona via social media, which helps try to build a special connection with them,
for example- while checking agent profile in IMDb, you seek their major client gets work in action, you can show your interest,
In conclusion, try to find commonalities.
b. Showcase your credibility,
Even if you are in starting phase of your career and have worked only in student drama, you can showcase that and, most importantly, explain the skills you gain in acting school,
For example – Booked a role in student short film, see how I work in this film (mention the link of video)
With this type of sentence, the agent will engage in your mail and show more interest
If you have any referrals, mention in starting of the mail, not at the bottom.
c. Try to straight forward about your questions regarding the meeting,
For example – Hey, it will be great if you schedule one of the meetups to discuss working together.
d. Explain your type of acting to the talent agent, It helps agents to differentiate you from others.
e. Include your marketing materials, three headshots, reel, resume and most importantly, if you have any got reviews from industry people, include it, or if you have a list of connections you can mention it ( don’t explore all names, rest I will know you in the meetup, it will create enthusiasm)
f. Mention the statement, which includes permission of follow up if the acting agent doesn’t reply.
At last, I recommend framing the email in bold letters and highlighting the key points with underline or italic, and making a section in the mail; it will help the acting agent get the exact miniature of your mail.
Do not do the mass emailing; treat the acting agent like a human, not a robot, it might take some time to crack a good acting agent, but it will be worthy.
Prepare for Meetup with an Acting Agent
After doing intense hard work, you will get the opportunity to meet up with an acting agent, so prepare it well; as per our advice, consider this meetup as an interview.
What are talent agencies looking for?
As acting agent will be going to analyse you in different prospects including your looks, gesture and communication,
We have listed some checkpoints you should consider before meetup –
- Prepare at least three monologues; the agent can ask you to act.
- Carry hard copy of resume, headshot, cover letter, even you send in email.
- Don’t try to exaggerate more than your calibre, and talent agents have a good experience; they can easily catch your lies.
- Dress well, which showcase your personality and confidence.
- Ask the sensible question from an acting agent, which includes –
- Share your view regarding me
- Number of clients you represent
- Recommend training
How to avoid scam acting agents
Scam Acting Agents are one of the biggest problems in the acting industry; you need to be aware of them. We have enlisted the red flags which help you to detect the scam acting agents –
1. Never pay upfront for representation.
You will get into the situation where scam acting agent haul and thinking to sign you or not, then after a moment, they ask for signing fee or offer you a package of a headshot of worth $ 2500, to get signed with them, it’s a complete crap do not buy such packages or give any money to them.
Remember, legit talent agencies do not offer these packages and ask for the upfront money for signing.
You might be thinking, how does an acting agent earn? Acting agents earn 10 percent commission on each project in which the actor works.
2. Never give any money, else than the commission.
Sometimes acting agents demand money in the form of -reimbursement for travel expenses or wardrobe, or you are getting a per diem; if there are penalties that you have earned for late meals, these items are not commissionable.
No legit acting agent can ask for such form of money, and while signing the contract, kindly check not above entities included in your contract apart of commission on the project in which you have worked ( only top agents ask for 15 percent commission, while other conclude with 10 percent commission)
If you have any questions related to commissionable, you can email agency@sagaftra.org they will help you.
3. What do they “promise” you?
Scam Agents will attract you to achieve stardom in a short period, and it’s not true; each career takes time to reach the sore heights.
Kindly avoid such scam talent agents who guarantee success within months; acting career is not a fluke.
4. How long they sign the contract?
In the starting phase, 12 to 18 months is enough, as you didn’t know how well the relationship will pursue between you and the agent,
Later on, if the relationship goes well, you can renew the contract or extend it, but in the beginning, 12 to 18 months is enough.
5. Please validate the profile of agents
You can see reviews of a talent agent on google or talk with actors who have worked with them, or you can also check the list of SAG AFTRA franchises (some agents do not work with SAG AFTRA); doing these things help you to detect scam agents.
6. Take some time to read the contract; time can be 2 to 3 days. In that duration, you can consult your legal advisor to understand the contract closures, which will help you keep on the safer side. (Do this with both legit and scam agent)
Remember, you are an asset to the acting agent; when you will earn, then the agent will earn, so make the relation of working with an agent nor for the agent.
I think now you are fully prepared to get a talent agent for your acting career; if you have any addon related to the article, kindly suggest our team.
