Holla Everyone ,
So today I picked up hendersons guide to agents june/july book and it's great. While reading it, I noticed that several agencies list their email's.I am curious to hear if anyone has any thoughts about emailing my acting resume and headshot via email. I figure, this way I at least have documented proof that the agent got it and the method is faster than mail. If you can share your thoughts/experiences with this matter,I would appreciate it.
Thanks Everyone,
Ben

Personally, I would only e-mail a submission to an agency if the agency specifically states that they accept e-mail submissions. But, that's just me. Some actors take chances and submit anyway. It would be nice to hear if anyone has had any luck with that.

Hi Ben,
What's your plan for emailing your materials? I strongly suggest you not send attachments as they will be erased and never opened. Send a link....

Hi Jackie-
So I was gonna send attachments,but i never thought of that. Do you think that sending a link to my actors access page is ok? I generally list recent callbacks and i name the casting director it was with. I list relevant classes and I say something to the effect of, i look foward to discsussing my experience in person. I mean i want them to know 4 things 1. I am castable,2.I take steps to improve my ability to be cast,3. I am knowledgable of casting directors and of the biz,4.that i have taken steps to market myself which can only make an agents job easier... Let me know what you think.
Ben

So,when I recently had my networking event I contacted agents about it.Since we spoke and they were nice and I have their emails,what comes next?Should I just send the mailing and then email? Also, if an agent lists his/her email in hendersons or the ross reports should you email? let me know everyone.
Thanks,
Benjamin Sulds
www.benjaminsulds.com

My two cents:

I would never e-mail an agent just to let them know I was seeking representation. The chances that they'll say "My God! I've got to contact this person at once!" are very slim.

But if you've got something truly e-mail-worthy --- a mutual friend, for example, or a hot new credit (and I mean hot) --- I'd e-mail without hesitation. If you've got an angle, a hook, somethng that might really mean something to them, it's worth reaching out, and mentioning your search at that point.

With the pursuit of agents and casting directors, it's a very good practice to put yourself on their side of the equation and ask yourself whether your message is one you'd be interested in. If not, I think, you're spinning your wheels.

why do these agents list their emails and numbers if they don't want to be contacted then?

It's a good question. I imagine they list their e-mail addresses so that casting directors can contact them if they're trying to find a client.

I don't imagine their intention was to invite any and all unrepresented actors to contact them.

Then again, I could be wrong.

In most cases, the agency email listed in a directory is a general inbox for the entire company. If you send a submission there, an assistant will probably delete it.

(It's not used to help casting directors contact us. Any decent casting director knows how to reach every covering agent.)

You have to keep in mind that agents have their own personal email address. It's usually not that hard to figure out, based on the general inbox. I can't speak for every agent in town but I always, always delete emailed submissions that I haven't requested.

Thanks, S.A.M.

Always good to have the insider/expert answer.

It just seems like,if we are supposed to be aggresive and go getters to make it,how is that accomplished? I mean if we cannot email,or call then how can we be proactive? Sending a postcard that will probably be thrown out is proactive? I mean what would you suggest to be proactive and to stand out in a submission and following up? I am about to do my first mailing tomorrow. Hoping to email 10 agents a day until i get it done by the end of the week.
Ben

I think you want to be a go-getter, but with an eye toward what's effective and what isn't. If your efforts aren't making any inroads, then your go-getter..ism might be aimed in the wrong direction. That's all I'm saying.
Now, some people do mailings and e-mailings just to feel like they're doing something, and I think that's a perfectly valid reason. Do what works. Do what's effective.
I think one of the most effective things you can do is to be a joiner. Classes. Theatre companies. AA. Whatever connects you with other actors. I think that leads to the largestnumber of opportunities, because people get to know you, and can recommend you.

i hosted and planned 2 events for networking in nyc. i had sue henderson and prudence holmes, leslie becker at my events. so i do stuff that you mentioned as it is. but other actors are greedy. very rarely do other actors want to help each other out.

I'm so dissapointed to hear that's been your experience. Still, it sounds like you're doing some great self-promotion. I know it can be frustrating. Hang in there.

People were happy to take the info i gave out at my events,but i did not get any refferals or anything. Only thing I can think of,would be to contact the agents whom I emailed for my event about sending my info. Who knows. I am just hoping that my mailing will be succesful.