Congratulations! You just signed with your first agent. That means you’ve become what every actor wants to be: someone’s client. Now it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to keep in touch with this important person who’s entered your life—because communication is everything in a professional (or personal) relationship.
The question is, how do you stay in contact someone who’s busy every minute of every day? Should you call, or send an email? How often should you check in?
Here’s a breakdown of the four ways you can communicate with your rep.
Phone calls
When a topic needs to be discussed in detail, I prefer to do it over the phone. This is more efficient than sending countless emails back and forth and constantly asking for clarification. One call, and I’m done.
So what kind of topics merit dropping a line? Confusion about the deal points in a contract is a good one; thinking about signing with a manager is another. But don’t call for no specific reason or to just say hello; that’s a complete waste of my time.
How to Get an Acting Agent Emails
From an actor’s perspective, this is the best way to communicate with your agent: I can ignore phone calls, but emails pop up right in front of me, so the odds are fairly high that I’ll respond quickly.
From my perspective, I love emails that provide me with quick updates, because now I have a written record that I can file and forward to others in my office. And don’t forget to CC your rep’s assistant; they may be able to lend a hand if your agent isn’t available.
Texts
Assuming you have your agent’s cell phone number and permission to use it, texting is an effective way to get a quick response to a simple question. The key is to keep it brief and to the point.
Here’s an example of a good text: “I just left the audition at Paramount. It went really well. Thanks for setting it up.”
And here’s a bad one: “I’m just checking in because there hasn’t been much going on, and I’m feeling a little bummed about my career. I was wondering if…”
Drop-ins
Some companies don’t like it when clients drop by without an appointment, while others have an open-door policy. Either way, agents schedule their days carefully, and a surprise visit from you might jam up their plans. That’s why you should always make an appointment before you pop in.
Here’s how the conversation usually goes when a client drops by for a surprise visit.
Assistant: John’s in the lobby.
Agent: Why is he in the lobby?
Assistant: Because he wants to see you.
Agent: Why does he want to see me?
Then, the assistant walks away to rethink their career choices. (That said, clients who make a ton of money for the agency can drop by whenever they want.)
When it comes to communication, I know what’s expected of me because I’ve been doing this for over 10 years. But the client-agent relationship might be new to you. So always consider your options before reaching out to the people who are responsible for your career.
This story originally appeared in the June 6 issue of Backstage Magazine.
