What Does it Take to Get and Keep an Agent?
When I was doing my live version of my most popular seminar on “How to Get and Keep an Agent”, I’d open with these questions:
“How many of you are currently looking for an agent?” and 70% to 80% of the actors would raise their hands. Then I’d ask “How many of you have an agent, but you’re looking for a better agent?” and most of the remaining hands would go up.
THEN I’d ask “How many of you are here for the ‘how to keep’ part?” And usually one person would raise their hand and often no one at all.
You know what that tells me? You have an agent problem.
At 90210 Talent I worked with actors that I had never seen perform live in anything. Yes I watched some demos to get a sense of what their talents were but for the most part I was looking at marketability (more on that later). Talent is in the eye of the beholder and very subjective. We all have different points of view. So if you think your talent is what is going to get you an agent, that’s a mistake. But I digress…
I’m simply making the bold statement here that what you think you know about getting (and keeping) an agent isn’t true. It’s just what you think is true.
This is the part of the process I love to teach the most! Your breakthrough in securing the right representation for you has less to do with your talent and more to do with your thoughts around what it takes to get one.
I’ve discovered a pretty pervasive scarcity mentality, an adversarial mentality, and worst of all, a hopeless mentality with regard to pursuing agency and/or management representation. This isn’t true for everyone of course, but if you have any negative emotion around gaining a rep or working with your present one, then keep reading this blog on what it’s gonna take for you to flip that switch. What switch? The thought process you have around what they’re looking for, your approach and responsibilities, and what it costs in terms of time and money. Trust me, it’s a LOT easier than you’re making it!
After almost a decade of delivering this course in many formats the problem I’ve determined that most actors have is NOT how to get an agent but how to ATTRACT the right agent for them.
So how do you attract one? Stay tuned!
I had a v-o audition last week for a bi-costal agency. I was terrific in my initial read & was told it was perfect for commercials. Then a correction was given taking my performance in a completely different direction. He said that was great too.
I followed up with a post card that he will receive probably tomorrow. This agency only works by contract – no freelance.
I’m willing to sign. But do not know what to do next.
Any suggestions, assuming I do not hear from him in the next week or so.
Bill
Bill when you say you had an audition for a VO agent, was it in a workshop format or had you submitted and been called in for a meeting in the office? If the former, you’ve done one follow up with a postcard as a thanks so if more time passes then I’d do another follow up with an email. Put in a link to a short demo to remind the agent of your voice, saying also something that may be a memory jog in your message as you were likely one of many met that time. If you met with this person in their office because you did the ground work to get called in for a meeting, that’s when you simply ask “are you ready to represent me?”, especially if that’s the vibe you got.