How to Get an Acting Agent

Why Do I Need an Agent?
Talent agents are your ambassadors to the people who will hire you for acting work – the directors, producers, and casting directors. Your agent will find auditions and make contact for you, and in return for these services he will receive 10% of your paychecks (this is the industry standard; beware of agencies asking significantly more than this).

How does this work? Agents hear about upcoming auditions either directly from the producers and casting directors organizing the auditions, or from a service called the Breakdowns. This list, prepared and faxed out daily, is available only to agents and managers. There are some enterprising actor collectives and theater groups out there who manage to get their hands on copies of the Breakdowns as well, but actors aren’t technically supposed to see them – and when it comes down to it, you won’t do yourself any favors by walking into a major audition without agency representation.

There are exceptions to this rule: significantly, you don’t usually need representation to audition for student films. These are a great way to build your résumé and to start networking from the bottom-up. Many student films even receive agreements from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and although non-union actors cannot receive SAG vouchers for this type of work, it is a great opportunity to work alongside signed / union actors and possibly to be seen by agents and other industry professionals within the film festival circuit or during distribution negotiations.

Many types of professional theater work – especially that in summer stock or regional / repertory companies – can also be undertaken without agency representation. Most theaters in smaller markets where there aren’t too many AEA (Actors Equity Association – the stage actors’ equivalent of SAG) actors available have agreements that allow union members, union-eligible candidates, and non-union actors to work together. Many of these theaters are well-respected establishments with long-standing histories, and this is a fantastic way to get professional experience, build your résumé, and make industry connections. While most big professional theaters in New York will require their actors to have Equity contracts and / or agency representation, many of the countless smaller, downtown theaters – not to mention Fringe companies – are independently run, and are viable options for beginning actors. Once again, this is a great way to network and build your résumé, and will very likely expose you to agents, managers, and other industry professionals who may be interested in you later on.

Know What Kind of Agent You're Looking For
Before you start looking for an agent, you need to decide what kind of agent you’re looking for. Many beginning actors don’t realize that there are different types of agents who specialize in different areas. The most important types are theatrical agents (for film and TV work), commercial agents (for commercials only), and legitimate agents (for stage work). There are also separate agents for modeling and print work, for voice-over work (including film, TV, commercial, and radio), for nightclub work and personal appearances (these are called variety agents), and for various other skills like dance, singing, and stunt work.

Your agent may cover one or more of these areas. When the same agency represents you for everything, you are “signed across the board.” Agencies that do this are referred to as full service agencies. Whether you want to sign up with a full service agency or get different agents for different types of work is entirely up to you - some actors prefer to have several agents because agents dedicated to one type of work truly specialize in that area; but there are plenty of excellent full service agencies out there as well.

If you are just starting out in the business without much of a résumé to speak of, it is often a good idea to look for a commercial agent first. Commercial agents are usually looking for the broadest range of “types,” and also accept new clients on a constant, year-round basis. It is usually much easier to land commercial work early on in your career than it is to land major roles, and having a few solid commercial credits on your résumé may make you more appealing to theatrical or full service agents later on.

Get a Headshot and Résumé
Once you’ve decided what type of agent you’re looking for, the next step is to get a great 8x10 headshot and put together a clean, professional-looking résumé (film and TV actors should also eventually develop a demo reel - a short video of clips of your work - but don’t worry about this when you’re just starting out).

There are different types of headshots that are appropriate for different types of acting work - and certain markets prefer certain types of photos, as well. Getting the right headshot or headshots for you is a fine art, and you want to be sure to do your research before committing to a particular photographer or style. Read more about how to get the perfect headshot.

You want to be sure to get your résumé right, as well check out our article on résumé-writing tips.

Find Agents in Your Area
First things first: the agents who are worth your time and effort are those who are franchised by the actors’ unions. This means that they’ll be able to get you legitimate, paid professional work - and that you can file a complaint with the appropriate union if they don’t. Agents should generally have official agreements with SAG or AEA (or both), and preferably also with AFTRA (the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists).

Here is a list of agents franchised by SAG. You can also contact your local SAG branch, or visit them on the web at www.sag.org for a free list of franchised agents in your area. Agency lists are also available from Samuel French Theatrical Booksellers or Breakdowns in Los Angeles or New York.

L.A. and New York are the major markets for actors, meaning that the bulk of professional work is in these two cities. There are quite a few perfectly good secondary markets for actors, as well - Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, and Philadelphia, for instance - and most of these markets have a pool of dedicated local agents (once again, you can get lists of these agents from SAG). But if you live in, say, Cleveland, chances are you aren’t going to find an agent locally. You can still get an agent in the nearest city with a SAG branch - provided you are willing and able to travel to this city with only one day’s notice. If not, you may want to think about relocating to be in or near one of the major markets.

Submit
So you’ve got a list of potential agents - how do you get their attention? The most common way to go about it is to submit your headshot and résumé, unsolicited, by mail. Most of these submissions get thrown away without even being opened - but it won’t hurt you to try.

Timing is everything here - although commercial agents look for new talent on a constant, year-round basis, your best chance with theatrical agents is to submit during the summer months, when TV shows are in re-runs and there’s not too much going on. Above all, avoid submitting in the winter, during pilot season - agents are swamped at this time of year, and it’s all but certain that your envelope will never even be opened.

Your résumé should be printed or stapled on the back of your headshot (click to read more about headshot and résumé presentation), and you should include a very brief cover letter. Enclose these in a manila envelope, closed with the brads but not sealed (a secretary or assistant going through stacks of submissions probably won’t even bother opening a tricky, sealed envelope).

Many actors, to protect themselves from shady dealers, prefer to use a pager, voicemail, or answering service for their professional needs (instead of providing their home phone numbers or addresses). You can find a list of good answering services in the Working Actor’s Guide (the actor’s “bible,” which can be consulted online, but is well worth the $25-$30 it costs to buy a hard copy).

You can download download mailing lists of SAG or AFTRA agents on our website - or buy them from Breakdowns or Samuel French - but try to save time and money by targeting your mailings.

Showcase
One of the best ways to get an agent’s attention is by participating in industry showcases. These are basically mass auditions, in which a group of actors (ideally twenty or fewer) performs a series of monologues and short scenes before an invited audience of agents and casting directors. A good showcase will be about an hour long, and will feature you in at least two scenes or monologues - as in a standard audition, these should be brief (roughly two minutes in length) and should contrast in style so that you can show off your dramatic range.

Most drama schools and conservatories - as well as the more reputable independent classes and private coaches - will organize showcases at the end of term for graduating students, although only the most notable of these programs is likely to attract a significant number of reputable agents. Be wary of expensive classes that advertise glitzy showcases - they often aren’t what they’re cracked up to be; and once they have your money, there’s really nothing you can do about it.

The best types of showcases are those organized by professional showcase companies, a list of which can be found in the Working Actor’s Guide. These companies will generally charge you about $30 per showcase, and will offer you an opportunity to be seen by a group of bona fide agents - as well as to schmooze, network, and ask questions about their agencies and the types of services they provide.

Keep in mind that you probably won’t get an agent by doing just one showcase - you may have to do several before someone calls you in for an interview. If you’re serious about getting signed, this is worth your time and money.

Network
In the entertainment industry, like any other profession, networking makes the world go ’round. The most effective way to get an agent is to get a personal referral. This can be from your acting coach, from a friend or relative, or from any other industry contact you might have. If you have friends who are represented by agents, try to find a time when you can pick their brains about their experience - even if they can’t personally help you to get signed, they may be able to give you some advice about what type of agent is right for you. Use every contact that you have - this may involve wining and dining a few people whom you don’t know very well or with whom you only have a tenuous connection. Be tenacious - in other words, don’t be afraid to pursue these connections - but be respectful as well. Take your contacts to coffee or lunch, or set up an informal phone meeting, and ask a few well-planned questions about the biz before you start asking them to pull strings for you.

Make an Impression
You’ve landed a meeting with an agent - how do you make the most of it? Remember that this is a job interview like any other, and the same general guidelines apply whether you’re auditioning for a talent agent or applying for an i-banking job. Most of this is a mixture of common sense and charisma, neither of which can really be taught - but we can give you a few basic tips:

1. Be punctual.
This can’t be emphasized enough. First impressions really are the most important, and you want to make a good one.

2. Dress for success.
What you wear will depend on the particular market and type of agent you’re auditioning for, and what image you’re trying to convey, and there’s no “formula” for getting this right. But you should put some thought into your outfit - you want to give an impression of confidence and professionalism, and also convey the idea that this meeting is important to you and that you take it seriously. You should absolutely express your personal style - personality is a big part of what agents are looking for - but you want to show respect for the occasion, as well. You also want to be sure to look like you do in your headshot - don’t try to “glamorize” yourself, in either your photograph or your interview. The best advice is just to be yourself.

3. Have two contrasting monologues prepared.
You may be asked to perform one, or both - or neither, but you want to make sure you’re prepared for all eventualities. It doesn’t hurt to have a few “backup” monologues prepared as well, just in case. Most agents will ask you to choose one, and will also ask you to do a cold reading of a scene that they give you (this will usually be a dialogue with the agent himself or his assistant, who will give a “dry” or expressionless reading - don’t let it throw you. Stick to your instincts and you’ll be fine). If at all possible, get some coaching before the interview - never underestimate the value of an outside opinion.

Check out our article on how to choose the perfect audition monologue.

4. Charm their socks off.
The agent will probably ask you questions about your background and personal history - be prepared with a few witty anecdotes about your life. Don’t be a ham - but do think ahead about what questions you might be asked. Think through your answers to basic questions like why you want to be an actor in the first place and what kind of work most interests you. Above all, be honest - save the acting for stage and screen! Remember, there’s a place out there for every type of actor, and an experienced agent will see right through you if you try to glamorize yourself or act like someone you’re not. The better your agent knows you, the better he’ll be able to represent you later on.

5. Have a few questions prepared.
Remember that the interview is for you as well as for the agent. Take this opportunity to get answers to any questions you may have about this agency and its services, or about the industry in general. You want to be sure you’re making the right choice of agent - and it also looks good to ask your interviewer questions after he’s done with his questions for you. It shows that you’ve done your research and are serious about landing the job.

Most agents will offer to sign you on the spot at the end of the interview if they intend to do so at all. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule - and some agents will offer to “hip pocket” you, or represent you unofficially on a trial basis. This is a perfectly legitimate arrangement - but before accepting an offer like this, you want to be sure you’ve made the right choice of agent, or at least that you’ve eliminated all of your other possibilities. If you receive an offer of a hip-pocket arrangement and you’re not 100% certain, don’t be afraid to tell the agent that you have a few more appointments to keep and that you’ll get back to him (even if this isn’t entirely true). This is a decision that could make or break your career - don’t rush into anything!

Following the steps outlined above will get you on the right track - but the best advice anyone can give you for landing an agent is just to stick to your guns and keep putting yourself out there. You have to be tenacious to succeed in the entertainment industry - be doggedly persistent, try to project a positive attitude at all times, and one day you just might make it after all.