Do people ever tell you that you look like an actor? Okay, but do
you wish that they did? Do you think you've got some talent,
or at least a great look? Do you have self-esteem coming out every
imaginable orifice? If endless rejection, years of waiting tables,
and the chance at absurdly high pay for work that requires absolutely
no education sounds good to you, then by golly it's time
you got an agent.
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Why
do you even need an agent? Because agents are the gatekeepers to the
people who hire you for TV, film, and commercials the casting
directors (CDs) and producers. In return for helping you find work,
your agent will receive 10% of your paychecks (at least, 10% is the
industry standard. Beware of deviant contracts).
There
are different types of agents for different types of talent. The
main types are theatrical (TV and film) and commercial (for commercials
only). There are also dance, print (photos only), voice-over (voice
only for TV, film, radio), and legitimate (theater) agents. Your
agent may represent you for one or more of these categories. Being
with the same agency for everything is called being "signed
across the board." Some actors prefer to have different agents
for different types of work since certain agencies specialize in
certain types of casting, while other actors prefer to have centralized
representation.
Agents
get information about auditions for roles, either directly from
CDs and producers or from an insiders-only fax service called "the
breakdowns." The breakdowns is a daily faxed list of roles
being cast, and they are available only to agents and managers.
There are those enterprising actors who get together in groups and
outfox breakdowns into giving them a subscription, but actors are
technically not allowed to get breakdowns. But we have no qualms
about giving you the website: http://www.breakdownservices.com.
For
each role, a CD will receive hundreds to thousands of résumés
and headshots, from which they will narrow the field to the amount
that they have the time and/or need to audition. There are so many
actors vying for so few roles that talent agents act as the first
step in the weeding-out process. In this field, where the supply
so greatly exceeds the demand, just getting an audition is quite
an accomplishment. And to get the audition, you need an agent. Get
it? Got it? Good.
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