Hello,

I am, like many other people, a non union actor looking for representation.

I am based out of Manhattan, while I see alot of you are from LA. I went to a JMM "audition" last night, but would like to start submitting for legit agencies before the end of the year.

Could anyone give me a heads up on which agencies are good to submit to in NYC? (are the via mail, office,e-mail?)

I heard things about Abrams and Avalon but would like to get others guidance.

I am also attending ActorsFest NY next Saturday, are there submissions there?

I have a resume, headshot, and an assembly of clips so I do have a package ready.


Any encouraging help would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

Have you gone to actorsconnection, one on one, etc? Great way to audition for agents in NY. I am freelancing with a commerical agent I met at actorsconnection. I think mailings are hit and miss, usually a miss.

A commercial agent is easiest to get if you have training and a great headshot. Don Buchwald is good for commericals, and they are also strong theatrically. Abrams is good. Avalon is more of a starter agency and smaller.

I do want to do a few mail ins, every thng is worth a shot.

I have heard of actorsconnect.....money is sort of tight, so I am being really selective on which seminar I might attend.

I do have training, so how would I go about submitting to Abrams, Avalon and Buchwald? (Mail in or harassing in person?)

If you go to the actors connection website, http://www.actorsconnection.com/ you will see an agent from all of those agencies you mentioned attends seminars at actors connection. That way, an agent sees your work in person. $38 a seminar.

Here is a list of seminars:

http://www.actorsconnection.com/seminars.php

Craig Holzberg, who owns Avalon wattends these seminars, as does David Elliott, commercial agent for Don Buchwald. I have auditioned for both. For commerical seminars, prepare your own commerical sides or the staff at actorsconnection will help you find one there. They have a bunch of commercial copy.

For legit agents, like Avalon, come prepared with a monologue. The seminars start with a 30 minute Q &A, and then one by one you audition in the room for the agent. You get 5 minutes with them, just you and he. The rest of the actors wait outside the room. Sucks to pay to be seen, but for some actors, they do get agents this way. CD's go to these as well.

amo, mikel doesn't want to do those. many actors are highly against those pay to play workshops, and now they are about to be highly regulated in California.

mikel, in NYC, just find an agency that you like, and submit. you should know that the strength in NYC is stage, so most agencies will want you to do stagework. stage auditions outmnumber all other auditions in NYC. and you don't need to be an AEA member to get an agent there.

don't worry about starter agencies.

i look at finding an agent like picking a college. you've got your reach agencies (NOT the top 5, those that will find you when you are ready, but the ones that are much tougher to get, the big guns).

you've got your safe agencies, which are the smaller agencies.

then, you've got some agencies that do scammy things, but aren't necessarily 100% scam, they take on everyone, send out auditions via email to their whole roster, you don't "sign" with these guys.

in NYC, you can freelance around with several agencies. so i'd just submit to about 10-15 agencies all over the board and see who calls. then, the next month, maybe 2 months later, pick anothr 10-15 to submit to, again, using the reach and safe method.

eventually, someone will call if they are interested.

you should also know, that unlike LA and other cities, it is VERY difficult to get into a building to "harrass in person". as you know, if you live in NYC. you have a door buzzer, then often, many businesses have business door buzzers once you're in the building...

in NYC, you can't really do drop offs like you can in other cities. not for agencies. some CDs you can, but most offices have several buzzers to get through.

I am in NYC, and I too am against pay to audition seminars as well, as they are a money maker for agents and CD's, but unless you are in a show in NY, it is very hard to get an agent or a CD to see you actually work. At least this way, you gte 5 minutes to be seen. I have a few actor friends in NYC, including myself who have obtained representation by these places, so they can work. Just sucks to have to pay, but they do work for some people.

And yes, you can freelance here, but you have to get the interest from the agents first. In this economy, it's hard for agents to take on new people, as many of their signed clients are not working. Just an FYI.

I have been at this for 20 years,in LA and NYC, and I have rarely seen a mailing or a drop off work. I know it does, but none of my actor friends in LA or NY were taken on by an agent from a mailing or a drop off. A referral or actually being in a show or paying to be seen work best in NYC.

actually, i did one agent mailing here in LA, to 2 targeted agents, no referal, both called me in (one, the very next day, via mail, yes, in a plain manila envelope), and both are on SAMs top list.

and i'm in the most populated types in the industry. so it can happen.

but i think people use those pay to play workshops as an excuse. are you telling me that within, say, a 6 month period, you can't get cast in a student film, or showcase, or be in a class? because any of those people (directors, teachers, etc) can act as a referral, write you a letter of recommendation.

and on your submission envelope, you write "with referral" or "letter of recommendation included" on the front.

and who knows... if you ask, you may find that they really are connected!

No, I don't believe people go to seminars as an 'excuse.' A student director, teacher, etc. refer you to an agent? Maybe. Doubtful. More likely a CD or an actor with an agent will refer you to an agent.

Many people with credits, union affiliation and a great reel have difficulty obtaining an agent.

I took classes in LA and NY and never knew an actor referred by a teacher. Yes, it could happen. But rare.

There is no 'sure way' to get an agent. But saying seminars are a cop out is wrong, unfair and also untrue. They do work for some people. Letters of reccomendation? What is that, for entry into a college program? Never heard of that for an agency. A referral yes.

Pay to audition semiars work for some as you are actually performing in front of the agent or CD. How many agents or CD's actually go to a show you are in? Very few. How many actually watch your reel? Very few. You have them right in front of you at a seminar. One on one. A captive audience.

Yes, we may dislike them, but for some they work. They worked for me and worked for many of my working actor friends. It is not the only way, but a good way.

in the event that I do try my luck with a mail in, should i write a cover letter?

if so, what should it say?

thanks again for all your input

The general rule of thumb I've heard from casting directors and agents is that you should include a cover letter for any general submission. If you are submitting to a casting director for a specific part, you could opt for a simple post-it note with something like "Please consider for the role of ______."

Here are a couple of good blogs from CD Bonnie Gillespie on what (and what not) to say in your cover letter:

http://more.showfax.com/column...ives/2004_09_20.html

http://more.showfax.com/column...ives/2007_05_07.html

Wow thanks, that is actually some good help.


Does anyone know if the ActorsFest drop boxes are a good way to get a glimpse by agents?