How to Find the Perfect Agent

Business

Mar 4

It’s often said that in order to make it in show business, you’ve gotta know someone. An agent can be that someone, but how do you know which agent to sign with?

Agents are very picky about the actors they sign, for good reason. They want to maintain a balanced portfolio of talent to send to casting directors, filled with actors who will book jobs and pay the agent their commission. They want to work with actors who are excited about their careers and work hard at every aspect of the job - the craft and the business.

The goal of this post is not to teach you what you need to approach an agent, but how to find agents to approach. What you’ll need in your submission package will likely be the topic of a future article. Today we’re going to focus on where you can look for agents who will be a good fit for you.

Before you start looking, however, you must have a foundational understanding of what the actor/agent relationship is. An agent is not someone who casts movies, nor are they someone who manages an actor’s finances. They aren’t in charge of your career, nor can they force you to accept jobs you don’t want to take.

An agent is simply an actor’s representative when negotiating with casting directors and producers. In fact, they represent a lot of actors. Their responsibilities to their clients include, but are not limited to:

Finding and submitting you to auditions hosted by casting directors
Advising on career next steps
Recommending coaches or resources (only if you ask for them. Agents who require you to work with certain coaches or photographers are scams!)
Negotiating and signing contracts with producers on your behalf
Ensuring the producers pay you promptly
Coordinating travel requirements with you for an out-of-town production

An agent is not your boss. Nor are they your employee, your mentor, your friend, or your therapist. They are your partner, and you need to treat them as such. You will have responsibilities to your agent, including but not limited to:

Updated and relevant resumes, samples, and headshots (a.k.a. “materials”)
Patient, persistent, clear, and prompt communication
A flexible schedule
Constant improvement of your acting skills, including the addition of new marketable special skills
A clear understanding of your boundaries (eg. jobs you won’t accept, dates you will not be available)
A drive to succeed

You want to work with someone you know you can trust to do their job and represent your interests, while feeling comfortable enough to communicate clearly with them about what your interests are.

Keeping all this in mind, you can start creating a list of agents you think you could build a strong partnership with.

The first step is to start a spreadsheet, or some other system to keep track of who you have already submitted to. Include the agency name, their email address, when you emailed them, and what their response was. You can also include your cover letter and links to your materials in this document so you have everything you will need in one place. I’ll explain the purpose of this later in the article.

The next step is to figure out who the big names are in town. The fastest and most reliable method of learning which agencies are considered reputable and which are scams is to ask an acting teacher or classmate you trust. They may even be willing to recommend you to someone they know once you’re ready to submit. The priority in this step is to learn the names of those who are safe and those who are dangerous.

If you can’t attend classes (yet) in the city you want to get an agent in, join Facebook groups for actors in that city. You can use the Facebook search function to find conversations about local agents and start gathering intel that way.

Once you know who the safe agencies are, you can figure out which of the agents there you want to talk to. IMDb Pro’s COMPANYMETER has a list of agencies in various cities, including agents who work there, actors on their rosters, and sometimes their contact information. Go through an agency’s list of agents to find someone you might like to work with.

You’re looking for an agent who has more than a handful of people on their roster, but not so many you would easily get lost in the shuffle. You also want to find someone who doesn’t have anyone like you on their roster - for example, if you’re a redhead, don’t sign with someone who already has five redheads. You want to stand out in their roster so they don’t forget about you when submitting their talent for a project.

Add these names to your spreadsheet and note as much information about them as you can find. Don’t start emailing yet though! Go to each agency’s website and look for their submission guidelines. Unless you have a personal connection or someone recommending you to an agent, follow the submission guidelines! Read the instructions carefully, and be sure to mention in your cover letter which agent you would like to meet with and why. This will demonstrate that you have done your research and are serious about becoming an actor. There’s a reason they have submission guidelines in place - respect them!

Now you’re ready to reach out and make connections! Fill out your spreadsheet as you submit and receive replies so you don’t forget who responded positively, who answered with a politely worded “go away”, or who didn’t respond at all. You can use this data to follow up with promising leads after you’ve got some exciting news to share about your career development.

Remember, depending on the size of the agency, it may take them several weeks to respond. Some never will. Don’t get discouraged, keep training and practicing, keep finding as much work as you can get your hands on (even if it means creating it yourself). Only when you have new credits, demo reel scenes, or training, should you resubmit. Eventually, an agent will see your potential and be excited to represent you.

So, to summarize:

Agents and actors are a partnership and both have responsibilities to the other. Agents represent their actors to producers, actors communicate and keep their skills sharp.
Start a spreadsheet with a list of agencies, agents, and contact info so you can keep track of your submissions.
Find out which local agencies are reputable and which are scams by asking acting coaches and acting friends, or joining local Facebook groups.
Use IMDb Pro’s COMPANYMETER to look for agents you might want to work with. Check their rosters to be sure your look/brand isn’t overrepresented already.
Follow an agency’s submission guidelines unless you have a personal recommendation.
Only resubmit when you have new credits, training, or updated materials to share.

Featured

About Me

Larissa is a professional audiobook narrator, voice over artist, and actor. With her home recording studio in Vancouver, B.C., she is able to spend her time doing what she loves most - becoming a conduit for stories that resonate with us.