Dear Bonnie,

Fantastic job on the interviews! FANTASTIC! I have been looking for something like this, you may have saved me a lot of time. I am coming from a successful modeling career and going into acting. It took me years to learn the ropes of the way modeling really works and I’ve been hoping to find some way to learn them in acting.

Actually I have a couple of simple questions. I plan to be in Hollywood. I believe training is important. Mary Jo Slater mentioned a few universities that she respected. Are any of those here in the L.A. area? Also, I know that there must be some respected managers and agents (does a person really need both?) in the area, some that are professional and work best with these casting directors. Is there a list of some sort that you know of?

Take care and THANKS,
– Tory

Dear Tory,

Thanks so much for your email. You’re ahead of the game for having “learned the ropes” in modeling. You’ll at least be prepared for what you need to look out for in acting. More than anything, stay smart about the business, study with people you trust, and find a way to learn from every experience. Okay, that being said, here’s some specific answers to your questions.

You’ll find that everyone has a different opinion on whether or not you need to be trained at a university for theatre. A college degree is always an asset, whatever the degree is in, but as for the idea of coming to LA to go to get a BFA or MFA in theatre, you’d probably do better choosing a school in your area. I’m not saying there aren’t great programs in LA, just that they are very competitive and you’d do better to get a degree before coming out here, if that is your choice. Back Stage West has a guide to colleges and schools you might want to check out. Go to the website to find out about back issues. Also, Samuel French bookstore is a great resource for actors.

As for managers and agents, let me address these separately. Managers are not regulated by SAG or AFTRA, so you’ll want to make sure that your manager is at least a member of TMA, the Talent Managers’ Association. Agents should be SAG franchised, and SAG offers a list of these for the cost of a self addressed, stamped envelope. Go to the SAG website to get more information. For more in-depth information, browse the racks at Samuel French and find the guide that works the best for your style.

Once you’ve gotten a list of agents and managers you’re interested in, you still have to find out if they are accepting new clients, if they are on your level (meaning, you don’t want to get lost in a sea of faces just like yours), and if they have a good reputation for getting in to the best casting directors. The only way to find that out is through knowing people in the business who will give you their opinions. A wonderful website I like to recommend is a bulletin board discussion group of professional actors: The Wolfesden. Sterling Wolfe, along with a few other actors, put this site together as a way for us to discuss this crazy business, network, and get advice. I suggest that you read through the posts, do a search of the archives, and generally read up on topics of interest before posting your first message. That way, you can make sure not to ask a question that’s just been answered, at length, in a post below.

Do you need both a manager and an agent? Depends. Since you come from a modeling background, you may want to have a separate print agent on top of those two. After a while, you’ll want a business manager on top of that. Publicist too. This can get pretty confusing. Again, Samuel French offers books on Agents, Managers, Casting Directors, all sorts of great references. No one can tell you when the right time is to have more than one person representing you. That is up to you. Some doors, a manager can get you through. Some doors, only an agent can. Again, if it’s a big agency, you may want the individual attention a manager could give you. It’s so hard for me to assume what’s best for you!

As for workshops, there are a bunch of those. Casting Directors’ and their assistants conduct workshops, agents do too, and so do managers. So do folks that have no attachment to any sort of potential job. The best way to take care of yourself is to find classes by reputable teachers (ask around) who will let you audit a class. Auditing is important because you can get a sense of the teacher’s style and personality, plus know if the type of students s/he attracts are on your level.
The best advice I can give you is to keep asking questions. No one will fault you for being new to town, so just ASK. Go to a search engine and find out about the sites I recommended like SAG and Samuel French and also back issues of trade papers that might serve you well. Just do your homework, keep learning from every possible source, and remember that opinions are just that, opinion – not fact. Research will pay off!

Good luck, and let me know how it goes for you!

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!