My better half works with numbers. She’s a business manager, and the lady is a master of mathematics. And I’m not just talking about financial statements. She applies that knowledge to every part of her life.
Just the other night, I was trying to shake things up in the bedroom by trying something new and she whispered in my ear, “Honey, the odds of that move pleasing me are 36-to-1.”
Yes, I’m a lucky cat.
Those kind of romantic moments got me thinking that math can be used to explain just about anything. For example, actors always want to know more about agents and how we conduct our business. Well, why not use numbers to do just that?
Let’s start with submissions. During the last five business days, I received 36 email submissions and four hard copy submissions that were either mailed in or dropped off. That’s one hard copy for every nine emails. Most actors would interpret those numbers to mean the most common way to get their material in front of someone like me is to send it in by email. But does that make it the most effective? I would argue that since the number of hard copy submissions are so low these days, that might actually be the best way to get noticed. I blitz through all of the emails I receive, but since actual envelopes are so rare, I tend to examine every single one.
READ: How to Submit Headshots to Agents
Now, here’s a sobering statistic every agent knows: 10 percent of the client list generates 90 percent of the income. If you’re successful enough to be part of the top 10, then rest assured all your calls will be returned promptly and you’ll get plenty of personalized attention. Is this fair to the bottom 90? Yes. Of course it is. Coffee is for closers!
A few weeks ago, I was shopping at Whole Foods when a handsome young man caught my eye. He recognized me because we had crossed paths at a workshop about six months ago. Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize him and he seemed very disappointed by that.
Let’s use some math to cast light on this encounter. I average one workshop every two weeks, and I see about 20 actors each time. That’s 520 actors during a one-year period. I also meet about three actors every week at work, not counting my vacation period and the holiday break. So that’s three meetings times 48 weeks for a total of 144 actors every year. Add in the people from the workshop and that’s 664 actors. Round that up to include actors I meet socially or during a show or whatever, and I feel very comfortable stating that I meet approximately 700 actors every year. (And I’ve been working as an agent for 12 years.) So that would explain my inability to recognize one actor who doesn’t understand he’s just one face in a horde of thousands.
To be successful, you have to ignore a harsh reality that tells you that becoming a working actor is the longest shot of all the shots. I get that kind of thinking, but you can still use a little math to understand the nature of your quest. And if all goes well, the numbers might eventually add up in your favor.
See? Isn’t math great?
Ready to find an agent? Browse Backstage’s Call Sheet talent agency listings!
