One of the biggest questions students ask is “How do I get an agent.” Some of these people have coached with me for awhile, have credits and are truly ready for representation but many are just starting off and need to get a few more ducks in a row before seeking representation.
Here are 5 ducks you need to have lined up before you ever contact an agent!
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1. Training
In no other profession would you advertise your services for hire without being trained to provide that service. I’d like to be a doctor but I know before I start performing surgery I should probably go to medical school. Yet “actors” think they’re ready for an agent just because they want to be an actor. To be an actor you need to learn your craft. Start by reading books. For a list of great suggestions, click here. Take an acting class and work on your auditions with a coach to maximize your audition conversion rate.
2. Headshots & Resume
You will need professional headshots before submitting for an agent. Make sure they are current and look like you! Make sure your resume is also current and formatted correctly.
3. Professional Website / Social Media Accounts
Set up a professional website with links to social media accounts for your acting. Do not list accounts that you have not optimized for professional use. Please don’t send agents or casting people to a twitter profile that has no headshot and hundreds of pictures of your cat and the bar hopping you do with your friends. You can also set up an IMDB profile and link your social media accounts to it. If you need help with optimizing your social media accounts for your career check out www.Marketing4Actors.com! It’s a fantastic resource with tons of free information for actors.
4. Experience
You should have some sort of acting experience before approaching an agent. How do you get experience without an agent? Check out these sites to self-submit for projects (and follow them on twitter as well)…
ActorsAccess.com @actorsaccess
Castingnetworks.com @castingnetworks
CAZT.com (if in LA) @caztstudios
Check out casting director sites on social media. Follow them for updates on all open calls or self submission opportunities. Do student films. Read my blog on making your own acting opportunities since many of these will build experience. Once you have the experience post clips of your work on your website or create a Youtube channel for yourself. If you are pursuing a film/TV career put together a reel. Many agents will not see you without one. Agents do take on ‘development’ clients (talent with limited experience) but the number is low and many of these are straight out of acting schools. Agents know that these clients have good training that might make up for what they lack in experience.
5. Monologues / Songs
In the perfect world you send your materials to an agent and they ask you to come to their office to show them your work. If you are going to a commercial agent they may have you read copy but agents for theatre, film & TV are usually going to ask to see a monologue (and or a song if you are in the musical theatre world). Make sure you have coached this material recently and with a good teacher. This is definitely a time to spend money on lessons since you will only have one shot to win the agent over. If you need to find a monologue or find a perfect audition song read my two blogs on topic.
Once you have your ducks lined up you’ll have the tools, professional appearance and the training to be attractive to agents and casting when opportunity arrives. If you want to learn 6 secrets you can use at your next audition download my FREE ebook HERE.
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All my best,
Philip
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Philip Hernandez is a respected acting teacher and singing coach in NYC. He is also the only actor in Broadway history to play both Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert in Les Miserables. He created principal roles in Broadway’s Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Paul Simon’s The Capeman. You may also know him from his many television appearances: The Blacklist, Gotham, Blue Bloods, The Path, Bull, Nurse Jackie, Elementary, Person of Interest, Law and Order, Hostages and Damages to name a few. For information about acting lessons CLICK HERE or singing lessons CLICK HERE.
Follow him on twitter @philip24601, on Instagram @philip24601 and on Facebook at @philip24601.
Hi, Nancy! Yes, it’s an exciting time! I’m glad you enjoyed the article!
Wow! Things have changed when an actor now needs a website. When I was in NY In the late 70’s and 80’s, it was pre- Internet. As a writer now, I have to have all of these things, but it was stunning to see that an actor need social media and a web site as well! Great article.
Thank you so much for responding and for your advice. I definitely agree with building up high quality clips for a stronger showreel rather than things filmed in class. I guess the actor I know got lucky! I guess there’s no harm in having a monologue ready just in case, I imagine they would tell you to prepare one in advance?
Thank you for the good wishes, I wish you the same and look forward to reading more great things from you!
Hi, Jennifer. I think of monologues as songs for actors. Why not be ready to sing one if asked by someone interested in what you do?
I have done a show in the West End but never sought an agent in the UK. My advice may or may not apply.
Anything you submit to an agent should look professional. If your clips aren’t of good quality produce and send some that are or wait until you book professional work and send those.
Best of luck to you and thanks for reading!
Hi Philip,
Thank you so much for the great pointers! I wanted to ask if agents will always want to see a monologue (or maybe more) from you at meetings?
Also, I imagine that your tips are also applicable to actors in the UK. Is that the case? The reason I ask is because I know an actor here who got an agent by submitting clips filmed in acting classes. He didn’t have a reel at the time but was clearly able to demonstrate his ability plus he had gone to drama school. I haven’t gone to one but trained part time and done workshops in different places and only recently returned to acting.
I’ve got new headshots that I’m proud of and am taking steps to build my reel. Would you recommend that I hold off sending in clips and instead build a strong reel even though it will take the necessary time? I can’t help but feel that taking the other actor’s approach is a huge risk!
Thanks so much for your help,
Jen
Thanks so much Maria for the feedback! I’ll keep it up!
Philip: I enjoy all of your posts. You offer great info! I always go to your twitter handle to see what juicy stuff you’ve got for my followers and for ME too!
Thanks William!
Philip, simply put, you are an awesome individual.
All the best,
William Waddell