Hello! I'm researching agencies in the Minneapolis, MN area that are nonunion (for the time being). I still have until December before I have graduated from college and can focus on acting full-time but it'd be great to get a start. Can anyone give me any recommendations or advice about signing with an agency? Thank you!!
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Hi Rose, take a look through this lounge as there are various posts about that exact topic (you can search by keyword at the top of the page). Also I recommend networking with Chris Connell - he's been there and done that and has great advice to share. All the best to you!
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Chris is good. Another option is the one I offer. A step-by-step process for getting an Agent. I welcome you to check it out. A pleasure to answer any questions you have. With love... ActorAdvantageProgram.com
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Hi Rose! Do you have an acting reel and headshots? And do you have your list of agencies put together? (And I wouldn't worry about "union vs non union" agencies. Just full list of agencies). Mailing addresses and email addresses? Also, here in LA there are various places that have "showcases" with agents/managers. (Some better than others). Do you guys have that there? Those are few initial questions. -Chris
Thank you Sarah, Randy and Chris! I do have headshots, I am currently taking a class with Shirley V Diercks in which we create reels, I will have that completed by December. At that point I think I'll have enough material to create a website. I don't have one currently since most of my experience has been on stage. I have heard of showcases around the Twin Cities but have not yet been to one - that's something I will research more of.
From my experience, you gotta have your package together when you're ready for the agent/manager hunt. You're a fund raiser I noticed. What if your employer gave you a fund raising assignment on university project that you had little info on. So when you call the prospect they're like "i need to see more info" but you don't have any to give them. Thats sort of what its like for an agent to try and submit an actor who doesn't have their materials together. So as you can imagine, agent/managers are slow to bring people on that they don't have the materials to "sell" with right now. Because thats what being an agent/manager is. Its selling. And the easier they think its going to be to sell you, the more likely they are to rep you. Because successfully selling you is the only way they get paid for their time! Who wants to make calls and submissions about someone they don't feel they have the ability to sell? Not much fun. The way actors with few credits get in the door is having fantastic materials. So my advice is get your materials really good including fantastic headshots that reflect your type and great scenes that reinforce the same as reel clips. So that you way you can confidently go to an agent/manager saying "here you go, I'm all packaged up and ready to submit". Or at least, close to it. (They'll often want something more to fill in gaps, accentuate things). That's my 2 cents. Get your materials really solid. And in the meantime, be compiling the local list of agents/managers. All of em. Not just "non union" ones. When time comes, you'll start your campaign. Then be ready to go in the room and do a solid read for them if they ask. Those are my thoughts. Feel free to ask anything else! -Chris
Chris, thanks for the taking the time to write all of that. I know exactly what you mean. I never thought of it from that point of view but it makes perfect sense. I don't plan to reach out to an agency until I'm finished with school in December, but I want to make the most of my time before then preparing. Do you think having a website is useful? Or just having all of your files in one place?
I just use my LA Casting, Actors Access, or IMDB profile pages. Hell, you get them anyway with your membership. You even get a free profile page on THIS site here at Stage 32. Using one of those profile pages has worked fine for me, all my photos and reel clips already in one place on that page. Here's an example. http://resumes.actorsaccess.com/chrisconnell But if you're into building websites and just want to, then cool to have one. I'd spend more of my resources building reel clips. But thats my 2 cents.
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Rose, con can look for agentes by location at: http://www.sagaftra.org/professional-representatives/sag-franchised-agents You don´t need to be union listed.
Look up all the talent agents in your area -start with the SAG ones first. Find non union as well. Submit to all. If no response do it again in 2-3 months. Try it for as least 4-7 months-if nothing happens try to get your materials evaluated by others. Maybe post them here and we can comment. Certain times of the year are more busy for talent agents and they don't see a lot of new talent at that time but don't let that deter you.