Getting the right talent agent for where you are in your acting career is a bit like a walk on a tight-rope. You have to balance your resume credits against the clout of the agent. And while you want someone who is at a “higher” level than you so they can get you better auditions, they want clients who have better credits so they can move up the ladder, expand their cache, and make more money, too.
The question is, “How good of an agent should you go for?” or “How good of an agent should you expect to get?” depending on the level of your film and TV credits. Or iIf you already have an agent, the question becomes: “When should you try to upgrade to either get more auditions or go out for better casting calls?
When you are first starting your career and you don’t have contacts, the best strategy is to find a small, legitimate agent, get your feet wet, and learn about the business. It is better to be with someone who is small than to blow it with a big agency out of the gate. You need to learn about interacting with talent agents. Plus, a small agent is more likely to try to do something for you since the top talent agencies are rightly focusing on their talent and list of actors already bringing in hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars.
On the other hand, if you’ve been around Hollywood for a while, you have a few TV credits, you’re with an okay agent who is not getting you out, and you’re not even sure if your agent remembers you’re on his roster, then you need to rock his world or move on! Otherwise, you’re just losing prime time that you could be moving your career forward.
I’ve dealt with actors who have been with the same talent agency for a year or two or three and have gotten out on about 2 auditions a year and they wonder if they should stay with them. The fact is that if you are sick of waiting around, then MOVE ON!
If you want to give your agent a bit more of a chance, then you can do a couple of things before you move on. First and foremost, be sure your agent “gets” you and is excited about representing you. If they aren’t, you either need to get them excited or get a new agent. Your agent should also be able to grow with you as your career progresses and be willing to amp up their game when needed.
But be diplomatic whatever you do. This business is tough for them, too. Plus, they’re the ones who are trying to sell talent like you up against actors with more credits. It’s a big step for them to take on another actor and put him/her out there to others, so be courteous to them. If they aren’t doing the job, and you can’t get them to take action, MOVE ON!
If you want to get a new agent or get your first agent and you want some help, you might want to check out our Agent Mailing Service. We’ll write an awesome exciting cover letter for you and then strategize with you to pick out just the right agents for where you need to go next in your career!
Don’t sit back and wait to find out if things are going to change if your agent is not doing anything — take action!.