I recently saw a post on this message board that said it's better to have an agent, any agent, than to not have one.

Wow - I can't imagine worst advice.

I'm constantly surprised by how people with no real industry experience assume they know how the business works.

Here's the truth, gang. In the same way that agents are judged by their client list, actors are judged by who represents them.

Read that last paragraph again and memorize it. There are plenty of agencies in this business who are not in the business of building careers. They just sign a ton of actors, throw them all against the wall and wait to see who sticks. If a casting director sees one of their names on a resume, they will think of the actor as a one line day player and nothing more.

And please don't write back that you have to start somewhere. That's beyond naive.

Let me also be clear that I'm not just talking about small agencies. There are plenty of tiny little companies that really are trying to do their job well. I have nothing but respect for those people. So I'm by no means an agency whore that only respects the big boys.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this. And remember - like it or not - everything I write here is the truth. I get paid to provide you guys with honesty, not empty words of encouragement. I've been in this business since 1991 and I've got the ulcer to prove it!

how do you know that your agency is one of the abovementioned agencies?

maybe I should have said how do you know IF your agency is one of the abovementioned agencies...?

I'm going through a similar thing.

To have an agent or not have an agent. That is the question.

Has anyone noticed a pattern where:

1) casting companies submit on places like nycastings or nycasting for background work (television/movie) asking for availability and such

2) you reply direct as you fit the details they put in the ad

3) hear nothing but will suddenly get a call from your agent saying the casting agency is looking for people for the very same gig you applied to separately and wants to know if you are available to work?

I'm wondering why a casting agency would bother to place an ad online at various sites and not answer the replies but will snap their head for an agent for some reason.

This is interesting but it's hard to get your foot in the door of an "approved" agency, let alone all the other ones that are out there.

Secret Agent Man -- maybe a thread on the best way to impress the agents and get a meeting?

Or one on what makes a great headshot? That would be great.

quote:

they will think of the actor as a one line day player and nothing more.

I actually aspire to be a one line day player and nothing more.

but yes, oh man some agents really is low on the todem pole.

Here in NYC, one of the lows of the lows is stanley kaplan talent. my lord you should see his office, a total mess and the staff are actually actors trying to submit themselves. thats pretty darn low.. another low would be dorothy palmer talent. I dont know how low micheal amato talent is, but its pretty low, then you got those borderline scam places like actors reps... they dont even really rep any actors can you believe it !

"I'm going through a similar thing.

To have an agent or not have an agent. That is the question.

Has anyone noticed a pattern where:

1) casting companies submit on places like nycastings or nycasting for background work (television/movie) asking for availability and such

2) you reply direct as you fit the details they put in the ad

3) hear nothing but will suddenly get a call from your agent saying the casting agency is looking for people for the very same gig you applied to separately and wants to know if you are available to work?

I'm wondering why a casting agency would bother to place an ad online at various sites and not answer the replies but will snap their head for an agent for some reason."

and if your like myself, with no agent, then you just dont get a call at all. and you dont even get to know about all the "proffesional" casting going on all around you. you dont even have a chance to get ignored or rejected. wow there is some psychology and comedy in that.

I wish that I had known this many years ago. I NEVER had a really good agent. I had a succession of half-assed representatives who never got me out for the stuff I deserved. I'm sure that each and every one of my agents/managers were "day player" level because that's much of what I got to read for. I hustled some good roles in indie film on my own, no help from my reps.

I remember one manager(who thinks that he's really bigtime) who got mad at me because I said that I wouldn't read for the tiny roles he was getting me in for. He said that I didn't understand the business. No, I understand the business all too well, and I knew that he just didn't have the juice to get me in for decent stuff.

It's sad really. I think that I might have had a great career if I could have hooked up with a good rep.

Yeah, SAM, I mentioned in some other thread, oh yeah, about actors who don't have agents being "deluded", and the person over there has no idea what's up. Yeah, some agents certainly ARE worse than nothing, especially if you're capable of top work and they can only get you in for small stuff based on their own lousy standing in the pecking order.

But most actors(and I used to be one of them) are so thrilled to have anybody repping them that they settle for less than what they deserve.

Nail on the head Mr. SAM-man, nail on the head. I had that opinion that I NEEDED to get an agent, any agent because they all get the same breakdowns etc etc etc, but it really does make a differece WHO reps me.
My current attitude is to just keep doing what I'm doing, as in; plays (in two and likely a third for the holidays) indies, commercials, etc and when the time is right the right agent and I will find each other.
Untill then the big auditions will just have to wait.

Secret Agent Man-
I am so happy that you brought this up. Like most new actors to Los Angeles, I have had plenty of oppertunities to sign with agencies that have not had the best reputations. Instead of going with the mindset of better to have an agent than not at all, I decided that I would rather hold out for a more reputable agency. The problem is I am having a hard time in actually getting the attention of these agents. I have done submissions (and well researched not blind), but I never seem to get any respones. Also, I don't know anyone who could give me a refferal. In this case it seems as though I am stuck. I've also done agent nights, which I've gotten really great feedback from, problem is I'm not Sag and that seems to stop any agent from a second meeting. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this position. Any suggestions what we should do to help catch the eye of a good agency? Please anything at all?

This is a great topic of discussion!

Does it matter if you mostly do theatre? I have an agent, but I feel like over the last couple of years, it's been my marketing that has gotten me the auditions. Im debating leaving my agency, but I feel like I dont have another agency as backup.

ONce you know the casting people, will they still call you in directly if you leave your agency?

I'm glad to hear this Secret Agent Man. I freelance with an agency who, I have a feeling, is amateur. I think they are one of those agencies who go across the US looking to sign people who have no experience. I am a well trained actor and don’t want to be lumped in with them. I have been hesitating cutting ties though b/c I often think “shouldn’t I be doing everything I can even if that means freelancing with this agency”. On one hand my gut is telling me they aren’t good representatives and on the other hand I’m feeling guilty for not taking advantage of what’s being offered to me right now. Based on your advice, I think I will go with my gut and cut ties.

Thanks!

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate all your responses. All the stuff you wrote is very educational. I'll try to address some of these issues in future columns.