"Know who you are and what you want" was some key advice offered at a March 6 seminar organized by Actors' Equity Association's Eastern region Membership Education Committee. Billed "Empower Your Career" and attended by 56 union members, the event gave actors the opportunity to meet with four agents and ask questions pertinent to their careers.
In a change from the previous format, the organizers included an actor, Francis Jue, on the panel, providing attendees with a firsthand view of the actor-agent dynamic. Jue, an Equity council member who has appeared on Broadway in M. Butterfly, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and the revival of Pacific Overtures, shared the dais with his agent, Stacy Baer of Leading Artists. The other agents on the panel were Jim Wilhelm, owner-partner of DGRW; Christopher Freer, director of operations for the New York office of Clear Talent Group; and Rick Miller, owner of the Rick Miller Agency. The event was moderated by Judy Rice of Equity's Agency Committee. The panel members responded to written questions previously submitted by the actors in the room. The following are some of the issues discussed.
What should you know before going to an agency?
"We want people to know about themselves before they come to us," said Baer, whose boutique agency handles clients for film, television, and stage. "More than anything else, we want actors to be comfortable with themselves." Freer added that the first question he asks a potential client is "What are the next three roles you want to play?" Wilhelm noted that an actor should remember that he or she is the person doing the hiring in the relationship: "You're 90 percent and we're 10 percent." He added that actors should be specific about their needs: "Do you want TV or do you want regional theatre? Is it to sign or to freelance?"
Rice, an Equity councillor, explained that under the union's franchise agreement with agents, there are two different kinds of actor-agent relationship: an exclusive signed contract between the actor and the agency, and a freelance agreement that is technically for a single job, referred to as a "specific engagement" contract. Although a freelance relationship may go beyond those parameters, the contract guarantees union protection only for the one job.
The panelists also explained that from an actor's perspective, there is no difference between a sub-agent and the agency's owner. "A sub-agent works under the franchise of the owner," Freer explained. "The distinction is sub-agents get a regular paycheck and the owners don't necessarily," quipped Wilhelm.
Actors should assess whether they need more training, more experience, or perhaps more confidence before moving to the next level of their careers, Wilhelm said in response to a question about the right time for an actor to get an agent: "There is such a thing as too soon."
What is the best way to get an agent's attention?
"It's your job as an actor to do mass mailings, whether or not anything comes of it," Wilhelm advised. "If you haven't learned already, the one thing you will soon learn is that every single aspect of this business is subjective. What doesn't appeal to me may appeal to someone else. You can't second-guess."
Miller said he would "definitely give a second and a third glance" to a picture and résumé from someone who was referred by another client. Baer added that anyone who is able to find an artistic director of a regional theatre willing to make a call on his or her behalf has an advantage. All the agents said they would certainly pay attention if the referral came from a casting director.
Discussing pictures and résumés, the agents all said they preferred color headshots. "Don't stint on your picture — that's your calling card," said Miller. Baer advised, "Make them sharp, make them TV- and film-appropriate, and dress up to date." "My only rule is that you be the person in the picture," said Freer. "There's nothing more frustrating for a casting director if you don't look like your headshot." As for the résumé, Baer recommended that actors "play to your strengths." For example, she said, if you have only summer stock credits but worked with a prominent director, make sure you include that director's name on your résumé. Wilhelm said he frequently listens to demo CDs from potential clients. "Put together half a dozen of your greatest hits," he suggested. "Sometimes it opens a door."
One actor said she felt like "one of a million female white mezzo-sopranos out there" and asked how she could get an agent to consider her. Baer replied that one mustn't give up hope even if the picture looks bleak while going to auditions every day. She mentioned that actors are always moving from the East Coast to the West and that gaps open up for all age groups and types all the time. Wilhelm added, "You need to feel that nobody out there is like you in any way. You're going to do it your way and it's going to be special and it's going to be unique." If an actor feels otherwise, he said, "you're shooting yourself in the foot before you even start."
What are the benefits of personal managers?
"I don't think you need a manager until you have something to manage," Wilhelm observed. Said Baer, "We think the best managers are the ones that don't repeat the work that we're doing. We like a collaborative process, where the manager is able to come at it from a different angle as another way of getting our client through the door." Rice informed the actors in attendance that Equity does not have any kind of agreement with personal managers and will not accept a manager's name as the agent of record on an employment contract.
How do you manage your relationship with your agent?
Jue mentioned give-and-take and honesty as the things he appreciates most about the relationship he has with his agent. He emphasized the need for trust: "Your agent represents you, so you have to be comfortable with the fact that this person, for all intents and purposes, is you for negotiations and for getting auditions. It's like any real relationship," he said. "Don't just be a client. Get to know them, too." Communication is the key, he added: "I always touch base, but you have to be smart about it. I try not to call at peak times." Freer agreed: "You should be able to ask the question 'When should I call?' " Miller added, "Nobody should feel afraid to call their agent. You should really feel good about your relationship with your agent."
What is the most common myth about signing with an agent?
Freer said that some actors tend to think their work is over once they sign. "An actor's job is to audition," said Baer. "It's our job to get you those auditions, but the moment you walk in that door, it's up to you. You have to be always prepared to go in there and do your best."