“Is it unrealistic to get a manager before I have an agent?”
Not unrealistic at all! Every actor is different and in a different stage of his or her career. If you find yourself without an agent, that doesn’t mean you are new to the business. For several reasons, any actor can find themselves without an agent during their career: a falling-out, a direction change, a location change, even the I’m-taking-a-break-from-acting scenario.
It is totally fine to seek a manager even if you don’t have an agent. That said, you must have realistic expectations of having a manager versus an agent before acquiring your first (or next agent.
Managers will advise you on your career and image related to photos, social media, website, and general day-to-day planning and strategy to help you gain your foothold in the industry.
Agents are the ones who gather casting opportunities and negotiate the deals and contracts on your behalf.
A good manager can help you get an agent so your career is a team effort and you feel the most productive in pursuing all of what you want to accomplish in your career as an actor.
For new actors, it may even be a better fit to start with a manager instead of an agent to get a sense of what you want in an agent and what your goals are.
A manager will assess your current skill set and encourage you to add certain elements to your list of skills so that you’re better equipped to be cast in more roles. They can advise you on various workshops or coaches, adding more dialects to your résumé, and stepping outside your comfort zone by being more well-rounded in areas you’re currently lacking. More often than not, having a manager can assist with your perspective of the business and give you a realistic vision based on where your aspirations are with your career, so it’s totally your call.
#actor #tv #film #video #script #writer #drama #manager #agent #casting #director #success #hollywood
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Great topic and insight, Tammy Hunt. Say an actor is also a model or screenwriter. I'm guessing they should have managers and agents for each profession.
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Yes!
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Gotcha. Thanks, Tammy Hunt.
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Great article Tammy Hunt . Thank you for lighting up a hidden pathway. What you suggest emailing or calling managers directly and pitching oneself?
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Email a brief note with a two or three sentence reason why you seek representation and a few sentence bio that qualifies you as rep worthy (a career that needs representation because it’s developed and busy).
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Thank you for your advice Tammy
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Thank you for such great advice as always, Tammy Hunt!
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THANKS Tammy Hunt
Hello, Ms. Hunt. I have made the acquaintance of an extraordinarily successful older gentleman. It is no exaggeration to say he is legendary within his field, known to, and respected by, everyone in his industry. He has written a number of books, and so has the ability to craft a story, but he wants to partner with a screenwriter to commit a couple of his ideas to paper, which would include his life story. He has asked me to help him secure and agent, but I am not yet at that poit in my own writing career, and so despite my willingness/desire to help him, I don't have either the context nor the network to do so.
Here's my question, and I apologize for the not-very-subtle-nor-admirable indication it carries with it: can an individual who has more money left than time effectually buy the services of an agent? I read about how hard it is to get a representative, but my everyday life outside of the entertainment industry has taught me that most anything can be bought.
Please know I am not trying to be crass, nor untoward, but the simple fact is that whenever this person wants something, they just buy it, price be damned. I don't mean to minimize anything, nor do I want to tansactionalize an artistic pursuit, but I owe him an update and don't know what to tell him. Any advice, public or private, is much appreciated.