Hey guys, I have a small problem and, guess what? I'm stuck. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and continue to pay for the online casting notices/look for commercial agents while I'm in college. Do you think you would go ahead with that idea or just save the money and wait until winter/summer when there is no school?

If you are planning on making a go at acting, money might be a problem for years to come.

Obviously it's your decision to make, but there is some wisdom in waiting until you actually have time to audition during the day if you do get an agent that sends you out. Especially because there are also money isssues involved.

Unless you don't mind compromising your academics, NO agent is going to waste their time on someone who can't go out to audition because they're in school.

While you're in school, get a part time job and save up! Either keep the job or get a different survival job for the time that you don't have school and can go audition and train.

Right now, Commercials are SLOW! Commercials are cyclical and slow down during a bad economy. You can be with KSR and you will hardly get sent out to audition.

quote:

Originally posted by BenC:
Hey guys, I have a small problem and, guess what? I'm stuck. I'm wondering if I should go ahead and continue to pay for the online casting notices/look for commercial agents while I'm in college. Do you think you would go ahead with that idea or just save the money and wait until winter/summer when there is no school?

I am in college too and looked for theatrical and commercial agents at the same time, but after a year I am now signed in a youth department of a top agency. I know school is a priority but don't let it get in the way of your dreams. I don't know what major you are but in my case, I am an acting major so while I submit myself online and wait for my agent to call me, I try to better my talents by taking as many performance classes as possible.


P.S. Truthteller, my agent does "waste their time on someone who can't go out to audition because they're in school." My agent works around my schedule and if there were something BIG that she wants me to audition for, I would miss classes and what not.

Also, BenC, you have to see what your school's policies are when it comes to taking a leave. I go to college in LA and I am an acting major so they understand if I get a huge part in a television series and they would let me take up to a year off without having to re-apply.

I say keep paying for the online casting notices and see what happens. If you have to miss a class for an audition it's okay. Take it as it is. Don't let anything come in between you and your dreams.


BEST OF LUCK!

FromNYtoLA11,

I am curious. What school do you attend and are you going full-time or part-time? My son is in a similar situation where he is signed with a youth dept of an agency and will move to LA in the next couple of weeks. He is also considering returning to college.
He's taking a year off to pursue his career, but he'll also work a survivor job.

I am at USC as a full-time student. Especially at the theatre school they truly work with actors and their schedules. While I haven't gotten anything yet, both twins from "Desperate Housewives" go here and they attend school and go to rehearsals and filming too. I don't know about smaller schools but I am pretty sure USC and UCLA have great theatre programs for 1, and 2 because they are in Los Angeles, they understand the business.


Hope this helps. For anymore questions concerning youth department rep., theatre colleges and majors, feel free to private message me or write back on this forum. Thanks and best wishes!