What Does An Agent Do?
It is so important to realize agents work long hours, our days start early and end very late! It is imperative for talent to be pro-active and use Google to research their booking location and be prepared and arrive early to their booking. Agents do not need the added stress from a client or casting director calling and asking where is ” John Smith”.
Agents work very hard submitting their talent for castings, reading castings, looking at scripts and roles to see who would fit the part, and negotiate contracts to get the best rates for our talent. It is an agents job to assist the casting directors and clients with selecting the right talent who are professional and responsible and have a good personality, there is no time for negative attitudes and tardiness.
Agents want you to succeed in the industry as your success is their success.
When an agent tells their talent they need to update their resume, skills or photos it is very important talent trust their agent.
Remember many agents have been doing this for years and they know and understand the business inside and out. First rule in the industry TRUST YOUR AGENT!
An agent works very hard for you behind the scenes. You won’t always hear from them on a daily basis, they will email or call you when you have an audition or booking.
Remember they deal with many talent and many clients and casting directors on a daily basis. Every minute of an agents day is filled with concentrating, submitting on rush castings and submitting packages to their clients in a timely fashion!
Don’t take up their time wanting to chat or have an attitude with your agent! Remember casting directors and agents like to work with people with great attitudes who are grateful and polite!
We can’t express this enough…there is no time for tardiness! Agents will not put up with it. How you treat your agent, will reflect on how you are when you go for a casting. It is an agents job to submit the best talent to their clients. Remember when you get an audition you are representing your agent and agency, as well as yourself.
Your attitude can affect everyone. There is no tolerance for negative and entitled attitudes!
Castings and client requirements change daily. We are not magicians and cannot make auditions magically appear, if that were true it would be great. Clients are spending millions of dollars on commercials, movies and print ads, and they want to find the best talent for their brand.
Agents are constantly working around the clock. Why do they do this? Because, they LOVE their job, they are passionate and determined and very driven to find their talent work and help get them auditions!
Remember your photo is a representation of you. A client or casting director has a second to look at your photo and slate shot, and decide if you would be the right person to bring in to audition.
If your photo is not up to date or of professional quality done to industry standards, don’t expect much to happen! If you change agencies – get new photos. Don’t bring old photos that you have been using for years, selfies, or your photos done by a friend! Professional industry photographers are your best bet. Your agent will provide you with recommendations, please listen to their advice. Don’t ask an agent what look we want. A professional industry photographer knows the looks. Don’t send an agent a 1000 photos and tell them to pick what they like!
Your agent will give you the best advice possible to help you along the way, you must take their advice as they have the experience and the knowledge in the industry, not your friends or family. Times change, and the industry changes.
Don’t compare yourself to other talent! Don’t ask your agent why your neighbour gets lot of auditions and you don’t. Take an honest look at yourself, resume, photos, ATTITUDE and experience; because these are the things that casting directors and clients are looking at and could be the reason why they are not asking to see you for an audition.
Agents love what they do, they rarely take holidays, rarely go out for lunch and don’t have time to chat, so be grateful and respectful of your agent, they work very hard for you!
If you have a question for agent email them and they will email you back; however it might not be right away as they are dealing with many different things on a daily basis. Enjoy the ride to success, sometimes it is a bumpy road or a slow road, but with determination and drive you can achieve as much as you want to achieve. Stay humble, grateful and appreciative. Great things will happen!
(Feature photo credit: ABC News)
