Posts

iDalis Hosting

How to Find a Talent Agent, Part 1

/in /by

By iDalis De Leon
How to Get a Talent Agent

  1. First and foremost ask yourself AM I READY FOR A TALENT AGENT?

    *Here is a guideline to determining if you are ready for an agent:

    A) If you have demo reel footage of you speaking five lines or less, you are not ready.
    B) If you don’t have great headshots, you are not ready.
    C) If you don’t have a reel with evidence of your insanely unique, fantastic talent brand abilities, then you are not ready.
    D) If you are not excited about your own talent brand, then you are not ready.
    E) If you have no idea how to sell yourself as an ACTOR or TV HOST..then you are not ready

    If you are not ready for an agent according to the criteria above then…proceed to tip #2.

  2. DO THE WORK- Do enough work that they come looking for you. The biggest misconception about agents is that they are the answer to getting you auditions and ultimately work. Actors and TV hosts get the auditions through a great presentation of marketing materials they’ve passed on to their agent. Namely your headshot, reel and resume. Securing an Agent is not a magic pill. Although talent is indeed submitted by the agent, in the end, the partnership of your great talent brand, marketing materials and your agents longstanding relationships with casting directors and producers gets the auditions. They have relationships with casting they’ve built for years. Yes they can help but the talents headshot, their acting abilities and tv host brand, the quality of their work, and reputation in the end really gets the audition. The truth is agents want you to book your 10 percent, to pull your 10 percent of weight- from the 100 percent of talents they have on their roster.

*Agents are praying that you will:

a) Be a great actor but more importantly be a great AUDITIONER.
b) Be a great actor but more importantly have great HEADSHOTS that get you in the room.
c) Be a great actor but more importantly have killer REEL that closes deals.
d) Be a great actor but more importantly have a real grasp of yourself as a HUMAN BEING & be easy to work with.

Agents need all the help they can get. Agents won’t and are not expected to do ALL THE WORK for 10% of your little paycheck. Do the work, show up and the agent will show up.

An agent wants someone who is booking. Get the work done ANY WAY YOU CAN. Do WHAT EVER IT TAKES to get it on screen. Get credits and get seen. Then and only then are you ready for an agent. When you show evidence that you are ready to go on auditions that are at a higher level then you are ready for an agent.

So if you are ready for an agent, proceed to Part 11 in the next blog- if not- get to work!

How to Select Your Best Teacher

/in /by

or waste time and money

by: Carolyne Barry

The teachers you choose to train with will be a major influence in the development of your craft and thus will have a strong impact on your career. But so many actors choose teachers for the wrong reasons: either they select one who is less expensive, offering some kind of deal, located close to where they live, recommended by unqualified sources, they know actors in the class or ONLY because the teacher is or has been a casting director. These are not good reasons for such an important decision. Don’t be one of those reckless actors who wastes money and time going in the wrong direction. Be in control of your career and those you are assembling for your team.

To make your best choice(s), I suggest this plan:

  1. Research
  2. Audit
  3. Ask Questions
  4. Consider your Chemistry with the Teacher

Audit at least three candidates then make your selection of the teacher who can help make you the best you can be and the one you can see yourself staying with till you get everything you need- before moving on. For commercial classes it can be a few months and for acting it can be several years. CHOOSE WISELY.

DO YOU KNOW YOUR TYPE?
I believe one of the big mistakes many actors make is not being clear on their type (or as often referred to as a brand). Most believe that they “are actors and can play many roles”. In a majority of theatre productions, you can because of the distance between the actor and audience. But on-camera, which is more intimate, who you really are and what your look represents is obvious and there is usually no hiding behind character make-up and wardrobe.

Although it can be vital to your success, for booking commercials as well as theatrical work (especially when first starting a career), most don’t give determining their type the time needed to figure it out. When you know your type/brand: you can shoot headshots that better serve you, intelligently describe yourself to your representation, and submit yourself for roles that you have a better chance at getting. Knowing your type can be very important, but how do you determine what it is? It is not easy for most. You may need help from others because it is difficult to be objective about ourselves. Most actors tend to label themselves as more or less than how they choose to see themselves. That is why it is important to investigate.

During your investigation, you must honestly look at your:

  • Age
  • Physical Appearance
  • Personality Type
  • Essence

You might need assistance in labeling your type, so I suggest you put together a concise questionnaire using those four factors. Then question teachers, friends and some strangers. Strangers can often be more objective. Be sure them know that you need honesty. And you must accept what they say (with no comments from you) so they can be truthful.

It will probably take more than what I prescribe here but this is a good beginning. What you learn about yourself during this investigation into typing should be of great benefit to you personally and to your career. Have fun learning how others perceive you.