Acting Agencies

The acting industry covers are diverse selection of areas within film, theatre, television, radio, voice over, commercial and corporate projects. Each casting agent is scouting for elite talent who have the ability to work worldwide. Passion, persistence and ambition are key to succeeding in the acting world as it is not a profession to be taken lightly.

Agents expect their professional actors to have a formally trained qualification. Stage schools or university courses are inundated with undergraduates seeking their big break. The acting world is a highly competitive industry with hopefuls flocking to London to find an amazing opportunity. Their first stop is locating an agent who sees their potential and is eager for them to join the existing high calibre of actors.

Established agencies are run by professionals who have inside connections and knowledge within the industry. Their role is to liaise with casting directors to find work suitable for their clientele. Top agents are experts in what projects are currently in production and whether it is the right audition for you. Producers and directors employ casting directors to locate actors for their new venture who reach out to talent agents with specific requirements. If a match is found your profile and link to your demo reel will be sent over for reviewal. A great advantage of signing to an agency is that for new actors your agent will pitch for you via email or phone. If the casting director is impressed you will be contacted to attend an audition. Your agent will follow up on meetings, seek new opportunities and negotiate contracts acting as your professional contact to promote your plight.

Finding an agent is difficult as they receive hundreds of enquiries daily and it is important to stand out above the rest. To begin always target specific agents and uncover what other clients they represent. Discover what niche of the business they are focusing on, which will provide an indication of the agencies strong and weak points. Find out where their connections and relationships lie with casting directors, directors and producers. Strong networking links will work positively in your favour.

Research into all of the agents in your preferred city and eliminate those that do meet your stipulations. An acting specialist agency may be more successful than one that covers a broad range of industries. It is wise to get recommendations from fellow actors, friends and teachers from your education. If a contact is kind enough to recommend you to their agency their reputation will aid your success dramatically. Avoid those that may appear untrustworthy and are potentially fake as this could have a negative affect on your career. Established agencies will not ask for a fee or cost to join.

To apply to your carefully selected agency you will require professional acting headshots in black/white and colour, appeal to a theatrical and commercial agency, a fine tuned CV highlighting your greatest achievements to date (including your training), a showreel/demo reel and audition speeches prepared. Do not contact an agency until you have a strong CV and headshot to show you are ready to audition professionally. Your audition speech should be well rehearsed so make sure you practice in advance in case you are asked to perform yours at an appointment with an agent. Approach the agency by email or post (ensure the headshot is stapled to your CV) depending on their stated preference.

On invitation to attend an appointment with an agent dress casual yet smart as presentation is key. Agents will ask questions to put you at ease yet it is vital for you to also enquire about their specialism, clientele and their opinions on your potential. If you are successful ensure you take time to respond to their offer reading their contract carefully.

Once signed to an agent it now becomes a team effort to make your career a success. Create a friendly relationship and allow for them to search for the bigger opportunities whilst you seek the more independent roles. Together you can tackle the competitive nature of the industry and hopefully overcome the hurdles. A prepared, determined and motivated individual will still find the boundaries difficult to break at first.