I am interested in becoming a talent agent and I live in Philadelphia. In my day job, I am a human resources recruiter, so I know the similarities of being an agent are not that far off from what I currently do: match people to jobs we offer.
What would you recommend for me to do to start out in the business? Since I live in Philadelphia, I do not have access to all of the events that go on in New York. Philly is certainly close enough to NY to send people on calls, but I’m not even at that stage yet. Can you steer me in a direction to start?
The first step I’d recommend is that you make contact with talent agencies in Philly. Start by searching Ross Reports online for local agents, if you don’t already know of a few. Put together a resumé and brief cover letter in which you outline your goals and offer yourself up as an intern or part-time office assistant.
If hooking up with existing agents isn’t your speed just yet (or you have too many local options from which to choose), consider contacting area casting directors (Mike Lemon Casting would be a good place to start in Philly) to find out which agencies CDs most-frequently contact for talent in the area. Knowing which agents are held in the highest regard will help steer you in the right direction, when you do donate time to the learning process.
Of course, you’d rather start higher up in the agency food chain, but just as actors must network, build relationships, and work their way into the best partnerships, you’ll probably have to earn some “industry cred” before you are a full-time agent yourself. That said, I’m living proof that you can choose an industry career path without having “worked your way up” as an intern, assistant, or associate first. If you’ve done enough research and networking already, consider aligning yourself with the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, Pennsylvania Film Office, or the Philadelphia Film Society. Most major cities have government-supported film offices (and there will certainly be state-supported film offices for those of you who aren’t in major cities), and local film festivals are a wonderful bank of resources for those breaking into the industry in most cities. Connecting with others in the industry is a wonderful first step to building your reputation for identifying and pitching the best talent among those who will most-likely appreciate those skills.
Finally, SAG.org, AFTRA.org, and ActorsEquity.org all have branch-by-branch information for actors that could set you on your path to working as an agent. Consult these sites’ casting hotlines, news on what’s shooting locally, and lists of franchised agencies in your area for some early steps. You’ll need to get a business license (even if you choose not to become union-franchised) and I highly recommend the NoLo series of books on the subject, as well as Inc. Yourself, for that part of your journey.
The best tip in any “success in the industry” formula is “meet with those who’ve been down that road before you.” And then, of course, when you’re the Philly Superagent in a few years, be sure to mentor the newbie who drops you a line asking to donate a few hours, helping to open your mail.
Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!
Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/000316.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.