Whether you're seeking a career in film or onstage, as a playwright or a director, some agent out there is right for you. For this year's agents' spotlight, we interviewed 14 of them-each with his own definite opinions about the actor-agent relationship and the role you play in it. When appropriate, we've even grouped agents into categories of specialization, so you can easily compare those disparate opinions within your chosen field. We'll lead off with commercials:
Ken Slevin
Excellent Ad Venture
Nearly every man, woman, and child in America has at some point said while watching a TV commercial, "I can do that." But many things separate those who "can" from those who do, not the least of which is having a working relationship with an agent. Without that, no commercial actor's career goes very far, which makes for a classic Catch-22 that traps many beginners. Without an agent, they can't get experience; without experience, they can't get an agent.
Ken Slevin of Cunningham, Escott, Dipene & Associates is one of those agents who aspiring commercial actors want to get to know. The agency represents performers who work in the three main areas of ad work: as on-camera performers, print models, and voice-over artists. Of these, print work is the easiest way to break into the business, in Slevin's estimation. "That relies strictly on the look," he explains, "whereas on-camera depends on the look and the personality, and voice-overs depend on personality and the voice."
From there, success in one field can translate into success in another. "Can translate," he repeats. " "Can' is the operative word. It depends on how hard you're going to work."
But, he cautions, in a field where much of the hardest work for actors is the mostly invisible process of getting jobswhich starts with getting representation-there are smart ways and dumb ways to work. One of the smarter approaches is to keep agents apprised of important information by sending picture postcards. He also urges actors to remember that professionalism, not desperation, breeds success. "Remember, it's a business," he says. "Agents need actors. Figure out what it is about you that you can make an agent interested in."
One particularly dumb approach, as far as Slevin is concerned, is to keep calling agents on the telephone. "Calling is rarely the secret to success," he tells Back Stage. "Actors should remember we need to spend our time on the phone with the people who are offering the jobs. If we're talking to [actors], we can't be talking about them."
His opinion of fake reels-imitations of real commercials that are taped or filmed as part of some actors' trainingis that they're even dumber, and he won't even watch them. "I'm very much against it," he declares. "For the most part they're a waste of time and money. "The only thing I'm interested in is real."
In that respect, wanting to see reality, Slevin is very much like the casting directors who turn to him for actors. "Real people is one of the areas we get asked for most," he reports. "Either [casting directors] want very model-y or very real." But "real" is a subjective term that can mean everything from the look Slevin calls "Mr. Everyman and Ms. Everywoman" to something more extreme (pierced and tattooed, fat, tiny, muscular, or otherwise distinctive), which casting directors and agents call "character."
Slevin says the words "edgy" and "attitude" are popular among casting directors these days-particularly when referring to men-and adds he's noticed an increase in those requests as Internet-related businesses become more frequent advertisers. "There are so many of those dot-com businesses out there that want people to be able to remember them, to differentiate between, say, Ameritrade and E-trade, that they want very character-y types."
There are also some calls for edgy women with attitude, Slevin notes, but these days he sees requests for "more beautiful women than ever before: These days products are using beautiful women that never used beautiful women before, like Lysol."
Another current trend he's noticed is an increase in requests for "mixed-race ethnic types, when you aren't sure what their ethnicity really is."
On the other hand, Slevin says the anticipated post-baby-boomer-boom, which many people predicted would bring more mature actors to commercials, has largely been a bust. "There are some calls for that type, but not as much as I anticipated," he observes. "I've been hearing since Barbara Bush was in the White House that the next thing was going to be older people, but I have to tell you: I keep getting calls for Dawson's Creek people."
The multiplicity of types keeps Slevin "looking for all kinds. Being a signed agency [that doesn't work with freelance talent], I need to be a one-stop shopping center" for casting agents.
Slevin urges beginning actors to know what their type is and learn how to market it, even to extreme measures. "If you're a blue-collar guy and you suspect you'll get a lot of calls to play cops, go out and buy a police uniform to wear to the casting calls," he suggests. "Some of our clients have actually gotten jobs because they did that."
Other performers may have less specific uniforms, but Slevin still suggests selecting wardrobes that are appropriate. "What's most important," he stresses, "is to have clothes that go with your bread-and-butter. If you're a straight-arrow guy who'll go out for businessman calls, have business suits; if you're hip and cool, have hip and cool clothes; if you're a Proctor & Gamble mom, have middle-of-the-road clothes. Dress the role so they don't have to imagine what you'll look like in it."
And when performers get those first jobs, Slevin says it's important they remember how to act one thing above all: like well-mannered professionals. "The worst thing they can do is go into a job and be obnoxious, whiny, or a diva. You have to be pleasant, so they want to have you back again and again."
He emphasizes that actors should not take it upon themselves to try to fix any problems on the set. "Let your agent do the dirty work," he concludes. "That's what I'm here for."
-Mike Salinas
Wendie Adelman
Know Whom You're Selling
Wendie Adelman has worked as an agent at The Gage Group for the past 15 years, where she heads up the New York-based company's commercial division. She says that actors can initially be considered by an agent in several ways. Adelman holds general auditions with actors based on open submissions, and she also meets people through recommendations, showcases, and classes.
Her first piece of advice to actors looking for representation is to identify what particular categories they fit in. "For commercials, they really need to know who they are, and how they are going to be marketed as a commercial entity. People should not be coming into my office and asking, "How do you see me?' It should be evident to all of us how this person is going to be marketed.
"If you want to be considered for young mom or young dad roles, you need to know what kind of a young mom or young dad you are. Are you the energetic young mom, the disciplinarian, the wacky dad, the frazzled parent? Those are the specifics that make a person a viable commercial entity to me. And that's something that the outside world can't tell them-it's something that has to come from them."
Actors also need to clarify their individual strengths before having their headshots taken. "When people are first starting out, lots of times they will just tell the photographer they need a commercial picture and a legit picture, and they leave it up to the photographer to decide who they are and how they're going to be marketed. I think it's a disaster. I always tell people, "If you really don't have a sense of who you're going to be, you are going to waste your time with pictures.' You'll have a beautiful shot to send home to Mom and Dad, but you're not necessarily going to wind up with a picture that's going to be useful in this business. I think that actors who go to a photographer with a definite idea of what they want to get out of it, those are the ones who come out with a successful shoot."
Adelman considers both union and non-union performers. "I only work on union projects, but if somebody's non-union, we can always get them a "Taft-Hartley waiver.' " Like many agents, she doesn't usually sign actors to exclusive contracts, but prefers to work with them on a freelance basis.
Once an actor gets representation, he should always be honest with his agent about any scheduling conflicts he might have before the booking is set. "Commercials are very fast paced. The appointments are usually made within one or two days of the initial submission. So actors need to be available on one- or two-day notice, or else let us know about conflicts ahead of time."
She relates that performers can make it easy to be contacted by having pagers with voice mail. "Many people now have pagers, and that's working out very nicely. A pager with a voice mail is great. If I page someone and they don't call me back within an hour, I have to keep checking my confirmation list and then put out a call to a secondary number. So it just makes more work if they don't have a place where I can leave a message."
Actors can get all the information they need from their agent before they go in to read. "If they have any questions, they can ask us when they call back to confirm their audition." Performers don't need to call back after the audition, however. Patience is, as always, a virtue. "My assumption is that everybody that I'm working with is doing a professional job. The only time I ask people to call me is if something extraordinary happens, either a disaster or a success."
Adelman also recommends that actors not put too much pressure on themselves to book a certain number of commercials in a given time frame. "A successful commercial actor is somebody who is either making their living at commercials or subsidizing another income with the commercial work. You could make $50,000 booking one commercial a year, if you hit it lucky. So I think the level of success really has more to do with the individual needs of the actor, what they consider a success and how much time they want to commit to this part of the business."
-Elias Stimac
Michael Raymen
Shaping a Career
"If you have a performer who is booking a lot of commercials, you want to be protective of that performer to make sure that he is not going to be overexposed," explains Michael Raymen, a 15-year veteran at Don Buchwald and Associates. He qualifies his statement: "Having said that, there is no such thing as being overexposed-if you're getting a lot of money." Raymen represents Buchwald clients in the lucrative areas of commercials, infomercials, industrial films, promos, and CD-ROMs.
He explains that if he represents a "hot" performer who books a lot, he "would not want to put that person on a lot of local New York commercials for "minimum,' because then maybe everybody will be seeing him, but he isn't going to be making a huge amount of money." These decisions, Raymen is quick to explain, are made "in concert with the actor-we don't make these decisions in a vacuum." This is one of the ways he can help shape actors' careers-"by being selective about which commercials you have them audition for."
With a newcomer to the New York casting scene the rules change. "It's different if someone is just starting out with absolutely no commercials experience," he explains. "I mean, initially, I just want to get them out there auditioning as much as possible, to get them used to the audition process. If they only book a Burger King and it only runs in Des Moines, it's fine. It's their first job; that's great.
Once you've got someone's feet wet, how you want to shape his career from there depends on what the initial reaction has been. I've taken on a person who I thought of as a real "blue-collar' type, but what he started to book right away were "warm Dads,' so I told the other agents working here, "Listen, get him out on Dad; that's what he seems to be booking.'
"You have to pay attention to what is going on out there and what the reactions from the casting community are. With someone who is brand-new, I don't say, "You just throw them out there and see what happens.' You go with your best gut instinct, but you also listen to the marketplace to see what the reaction is."
Many actors complain about being typecast and think they can be sent out for far more parts than they are. Raymen points out that he is working from one list-all the 300-400 clients Don Buchwald represents for commercials-and therefore is considering all the clients when making submissions. "We try to see our clients in as broad a range as possible. However, if an actor is with an agent and doesn't think he is being seen correctly, the first thing to do is to sit down and talk about it. If you are with a reputable agency and you like your agent, you shouldn't change unless it just isn't happening for whatever reason, and you've made some attempts. You also don't want to let the situation go on too long. Sometimes you need to make a change for whatever reason."
Raymen spends three to four evenings a week out watching actors work. His small office is full of show reels that he has requested from prospective clients-which prompts a question about the actor new to New York. What should he or she do?
"It depends what their level of experience is. I always tell new actors, "Don't get out there and start making the rounds of agents and casting directors if you're not ready. People can have a great "look,' but not know what they're doing. So if you've never been in front of a camera before, if you've never taken a class, go and spend some time doing that before you go out there. You don't want to be auditioning clueless and meeting casting directors and making a bad impression. Get a foundation under you first. Some people who've done a lot of theatre may want to take a commercial or film class, so you know what it's like to act in front of a camera."
-Paul Harris
Karen Garber
Think Corporate
While Garber Talent is a full-service agency, representing actors in theatre, film, and television, Karen Garber is known to many as an agent with particular expertise in the area of " industrials." Live shows produced by corporations at their annual meetings and in other settings are often, as she puts it, "mini-Broadway musicals" with high-end production numbers and sophisticated scripts. The corporations expect topnotch, professional performances. She represents many actors, singers, and dancers who do this work, as well as actors who serve as spokespersons at trade shows, or who work in corporate films and videos.
Garber became involved in this area of show business during her years working for the now-defunct Joel Pitt Agency. There she initially met many producers of corporate productions and learned the ways of this part of the industry. She has been an agent for more than 20 years.
She points out that corporate production "is a very small, closed world in many ways, and word-of-mouth recommendation based on previous jobs leads to many performers' landing work," but it is not impossible to break in. She recommends that actors, singers, and dancers network with other performers who work in this area in order to learn about opportunities, as well as about their experiences and what is expected.
Garber stresses that as an agent, "I send the performers I represent to my clients' auditions. I don't do the casting." She advises actors to dress for the part. "If it's a buttoned-down corporation like IBM, then dress that way. If it's McDonald's, you can be a little less formal." Neatness counts. She does not believe it serves an actor well to clutter his or her look with jewelry or accessories. Keep it simple. "The theatre world is a lot freer than the corporate world. There's a big difference between the way you'd look auditioning for "Rent' and auditioning for Exxon."
Garber urges that resumes list any "industrials" an actor may have done, rather than simply saying "available upon request." She does not believe there is any need for a separate "industrials resume," because "the acting skills required are the same as for other acting work."
The performers she represents for theatrical, film, and television work are signed to her agency. Many of those represented for industrials work freelance. In deciding whether she will represent a given performer, "I don't look at reels. I do look at headshots and resumes. On the resumes, I look at the credits." In terms of industrials, she looks for those credits because "there is often a lot of technical or in-house jargon-y copy in the scripts and an actor needs experience in being able to pick that up fluidly and quickly." If she is interested in a given performer, she will schedule an audition at her office, as she wants to see for herself, in person, what that individual can do. "That's the time to bring in a video reel." (Garber does not represent voice performers.)
"I like it when an actor asks questions about the copy," she says. "It shows that he or she has read it and given it some thought, rather than just plowing ahead. If you are not sure of the pronunciation of a term, then ask. I also look for confidence. I'd prefer someone to say after a reading, "May I do that again?' than have them stop and apologize. Don't apologize for the work you do. At an audition, you are your product. Not every actor is suited for every type of job at hand. Be well prepared and do what you do as well as possible."
-Esther Tolkoff
Honey Raider
No Soap Flakes
Honey Raider has little patience for aspiring actors who arrive at her agency, Talent Representatives, with a vague idea that they "belong" in daytime dramas. It happens all the time: People send in pictures or knock on the office door hopefully, telling her that they have heard from people not working in the business that they have what it takes to succeed in soapsusually nothing more than a visually appealing "look." But Raider, who readily acknowledges that a visually appealing look is "very important" for a successful career in daytime dramas, says other things matter even more.
"This is your profession," she tells hopeful actors. "Treat it as such. You don't go into an operating room and say, "I am a surgeon,' just because you've decided that's what you want to be. You need training."
Some might think there's a wide gulf between surgery and soap acting, but Raider refuses to condescend to daytime work. "It's an area that used to be the stepchild of the industry," she admits, "but these days you don't hear people sneer at soap work. Now the competition is unbelievable, the work is steady and it pays well, and if you can master soaps, theatre and film and TV are a piece of cake. It's the hardest job you've ever had, and the best training you'll ever get."
But to be eligible to get that great training, most actors need to have great training.
"I know that this may make me sound like a snob," Raider tells Back Stage. "But what I look for when a new resume crosses my desk is a Master's degree. Or at least a Bachelor's. Something that I try to explain to actors is that this ain't easy. It's not enough that your mother-in-law or Aunt Matilda thinks you have the looks to be in a soap. You have to get yourself educated, get yourself prepared."
And, she adds, it's a good idea for actors to continue working with teachers, even after they've landed that elusive soap job. She remembers representing an actor several years ago who was handsome enough to land a job on a now-cancelled daytime dramabut whose performance skills prompted a director to call Raider to say, "Sweetheart, get this guy to an acting coach. Tell him he's got to be more than an 8 x 10 glossy." At her insistence, the actor went to a coach, improved, and kept his job. "In fact, he was with the show until it went off the air," she recalls.
The requirement for soap actors to be both competent and good-looking is truer with every passing day, Raider says. "Let's face it: Soaps don't portray the real world," she laughs. "At least, my real world doesn't have that much sex and that many men always wandering around with their shirts off." Actors who really want a career in soaps should cultivate their physical appeal, since "the person who has great features and a great figure, and who can act, will get the job over someone who acts as well but doesn't look as good." Some acting hopefuls keep in shape by taking dance classes, but for the rest, the gym beckons.
If aspiring performers have any spare time between the gym and the classes, Raider suggests they spend some of it watching the daytime dramas. Not only will it make them aware of plots and characters to which they may suddenly find themselves attached; it will also give discerning actors some clues to successful soap technique.
"If that's what you want to do, where you want to work, concentrate on what makes them work," she recommends. "Watch what the actors do, for when it's you there delivering the lines. With so many writers working on soaps, some days you'll get lucky and get good scripts, but not always. That's when you have to know what to do to make the material work."
In the meantime, Raider reiterates, before getting hired for those first jobs, it is important for actors to display complete professionalism as they put together their pictures and resumes. "Some of the worst mistakes they make have to do with not having tools that say, "I am responsible, I know what is needed, I am a professional.' For example, resumes without phone numbers. That's unbelievable-I wonder who could send those out. One even forgot a name!"
Part of being professional includes maintaining an essential honesty, she adds: For instance, she doesn't think glamorous "soap shots" work, unless the performer is as glamorous as the picture. "I want it to be really representative," she says, "just like I want a truthful resume."
Finally, actors need to extend that truthfulness to their own lives: "Be honest with yourself," she directs. "If you've been fighting for three or four years without getting anywhere, maybe you should find another place to concentrate."
-MS
Peter Kaiser
Daytime Takes All Types
Peter Kaiser is an agent specializing in the area of daytime drama at The Gage Group. The good news is, he considers all types of actors for representation. "Nowadays everybody is a soap type. Some are a lot more marketable than others, but there are people on daytime who 10 years ago never would have been day players, let alone be cast in contract roles. Obviously, if you are a clean-cut all-American boy- or girl-next-door, that's a very marketable commodity. But there are no limits these days."
Performers who are interested in working on soap operas can be seen by the agent in various ways. "They can always submit their pictures and resumes. I tend to see quite a bit of theatre, whether it's a play or a showcase. And I always look for potential clients in those situations. I have three people right now with contract roles who I met through showcases. When I saw them, I knew who they were and exactly what to do with them. I responded to them because they chose material for the showcase that really showed off how marketable they are."
Once an actor does catch Kaiser's attention, he calls them in. "I want to get to know them, see what they want and if I can help them. The next step is then seeing their work, so I know what they can do and how to market them. That is when I will ask to see their tape or go to a showcase they may be in. If I know I can work with them, I will tell them right away."
The agent prefers that actors just be themselves when coming in for the initial meeting. "That's who I want to get to know. Dress-wise, it's a soap, but make sure you are comfortable. Dress how you would normally dress. I met with a guy from the East Village who came in wearing a suit and tie because his mom told him it was the right thing for a job interview. I told him to go away and come back the next day. He came back wearing khaki pants and a retro bowling shirt. He looked great; I saw exactly who he was and how marketable he was, and we had a great meeting. So a suit and tie isn't necessarily right for everyone. Especially for a soap-it's about type, so know where you're going to fit into on a soap."
After he takes on a new client, Kaiser starts submitting him for roles on the four daytime shows currently being cast in New York. He submits actors for West Coast soaps as well. Once they are being represented, Kaiser suggests actors keep up with all the shows, and always be on the lookout for possible casting opportunities. "I tell actors all the time that this is about teamwork. If they hear something before I do, which does happen, they should let me know. An actor may have a friend on the show, who knows that in a couple months the show is going to be looking for a new love interest for a character." Kaiser states that callback situations for soap operas vary from case to case. "It really depends. Sometimes people have screen-tested after the first audition. I've had people go in a couple times for the casting director, who wasn't sure if he or she should bring them back to the producer or put them on tape. Two auditions are common, three occasionally, very rarely more than three."
Booking a contract role doesn't end Kaiser's relationship with an actor. "Once an actor gets a role, the agent is there to keep them happy and do whatever they can to help their career. If someone gets a role, I watch and follow their storyline. If they have a problem or suggestions with the story, I want to make sure I'm in the loop and I know what I'm talking about. And I keep track of what days they are working and not working; if they still have time to go out on auditions, then I know I can try and get them to pick up a day on a film or a series."
-ES
Bruce Ostler
Direct(or) Marketing
Listening to Broadway and Hollywood stars as they talk about the profession that has brought them fame, fortune, and instant access to Puffy Combs' parties, you'd think their acting was no more than a survival job. From Barbra Streisand to Antonio Banderas, they have the same refrain: "What I really want to do is direct."
They could talk to Bruce Ostler at Bret Adams, Ltd., who represents directors and knows a thing or two about how they can get agents and otherwise get their careers moving. But a word of warning before asking his advice: He doesn't want to direct. He is direct. "I'm not sifting through my mail looking for the next client," he frankly admits. Instead, a lot of his success has come about by listening to referrals from people he knows, has worked with, and respects.
When asked what he looks for in a director, his first words are blunt: "Working directors," he growls. "It sounds silly, but that's the truth. I'm after directors who work. And at important places."
Ostler, who describes his current client base as 10 working directors (which he defines as those with six-figure salaries) and about a dozen aspiring directors on the way up, says that approximately 65% of his clients' work is on stage projects, with the remaining 35% split between film and television. "That's the breakdown of available work in New York," he notes. "I'm not in California, so I don't put my people into sitcoms."
Because of the mix of work on the East Coast, Ostler spends less time watching film reels than stage directors' work in local theatres. But he chooses what he sees carefully, and bases those decisions on word-of-mouth. "If someone I respect tells me about someone, I'm on the phone in a flash getting tickets to see their work," he says.
As for the film reels he does occasionally watch, he doesn't think much about compilations of clips, which he says "really start the director off on the wrong foot." He prefers it when directors "let me see the whole damn thing," whether the thing in question is a film, episodic TV, or even videos. "If it's bad I'll shut the tape off, but if I'm interested I want to see the whole damn thing."
Ostler finds that some of the best directors are the ones who aren't completely focused on directing. He appreciates those who also act, or write, or act and write. "Sometimes they're the most interesting," he observes, dismissing the idea that those triple-threats might be trying to juggle too many careers at once. "They bring something new to the party."
And something new is definitely what attracts Ostler. He says he looks for "people who have a signature," those with a strong style that differentiates their work from that of their peers: "I look for something that makes you go "Wow! That's unique.' "
He is somewhat surprised that the success of The Blair Witch Project has not yet led to a flood of homemade handheld-camera faux-documentaries arriving at his door, but says he wouldn't be interested in seeing someone else using the groundbreaking style of that film's director.
"What made Blair Witch great-I didn't think the story was so great-was that someone found a very original way to make a movie," he explains. "I don't want to see imitations of that style. I want to see original styles."
Nor does he care to see "cute letters that don't say anything," which he says may be the most common mistake made by prospective clients. Instead, he reiterates, "It's all about the work," and he wants to see work at a respected theatrewhich usually follows journeyman's work at smaller venuesthat will allow him to judge whether he and the director would work well together. Noting that all his clients are signed to him, he declares, "I can't push someone I don't believe in. I just can't."
-MS
Mary Harden
The Write Stuff
Mary Harden of Harden-Curtis Associates represents playwrights. Recently produced works by her clients include Jeff Baron's "Visiting Mister Green," Bruce Graham's "Minor Demons," and Mary Murfitt's "Cowgirls." Theatre is Harden's focus, but since many playwrights also write screenplays for feature films and television movies, she often works in tandem with a Los Angeles agent to represent her clients in this area as well. She represented Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias" on both stage and film; and Mary Gallagher in marketing her recent endeavor, Showtime's "The Passion of Ayn Rand." (Gallagher's play "De Donde?," produced Off-Broadway for the Public Theater's Latino Festival, won the Rosenthal Prize.)
In Harden's view, the most common mistake made by playwrights seeking representation is sending in complete, unsolicited manuscripts. These will not be read. "Send a letter of inquiry," Harden says, "describing the work you want to submit, and include your resume listing your previous work." She is most likely to read plays recommended to her by people in the theatrical world, whose opinions she respects-directors, other playwrights, and literary managers, as well as professors in respected MFA programs. Harden receives two or three letters of inquiry a day-which means about 20 per week and well over 100 per year.
"I don't use readers," she states. "If I tell a writer whom I have not yet worked with to send in his or her play-based on a letter of inquiry that interests me-it usually takes me about six weeks to read the play before I come to a decision as to whether or not I will represent it."
What does she look for when she reads a new play? "I see if it moves me, if it makes me laugh or cry. And I look for universality. Many works may start from an incident in someone's life, but a writer has to go beyond that. Plays must transcend the specific situation so the audience is engaged on a personal level."
As an agent, Harden also has to be convinced that what she is reading is something she can get others to believe in. "My job is to get a play produced," she stresses. In other words, she has to sell it. Cost factors count-cast size and the number and elaborateness of sets are among the major bellwethers-"but there are always exceptions. I would never have predicted that "Angels in America,' for instance [which she did not represent], would have been produced and would have been successful."
Harden also looks to see whether the playwright truly sees playwriting as his or her career. She advises those who do to get their work known-and to grow creatively and learn their craft-by taking part in classes and workshops or going to graduate school. "TCG [Theatre Communications Group] publishes The Dramatists' Sourcebook, which lists many workshop venues to explore. Most theatres have divisions for playwrights. The Ensemble Studio Theatre and Playwrights Horizons are two of the many that come to mind. The Dramatists' Sourcebook also indicates theatres that accept unsolicited manuscripts, or that specialize in given types of plays.
"I'd also advise holding readings and inviting friends. I look to see if the person I'm considering representing has made a point of actively becoming part of the theatrical community. Does he or she go to the theatre? I'd advise getting to know what works and what resources are around, meeting people and attending readings as well as holding them. Playwrights who seek to adapt their work into [or to write original] screenplays or teleplays should take courses to learn the "rules' of those genres. All of these things are important to both creative growth and practical marketing."
-ET
Michael Kirsten
Work Opens Doors
"Growth doesn't just happen; you have to work for it," Michael Kirsten emphasizes in a straightforward, yet gentle, tone. "I'm looking for an actor who's willing to do the work."
Kirsten, himself a former actor, came to New York from Miami three-and-a-half years ago and dedicated himself to the talent-agency business, settling in with Harden-Curtis Associates. "I didn't want to leave the theatre world, but I wanted to see what it was like on the other side of that table, and if I could guide someone," he recalls.
He's doing just that as a legit-talent agent. "We do TV, film, and stage. We don't do commercials," he stresses. "Some people will postcard me and say, "I just booked three commercials and two voice-overs. That really does no good for me. I think it's great for them. But I'm looking for something to sell."
By that, Kirsten basically means he's seeking that hook which can reel in a casting director.
"My job as an agent is to get someone in the casting director's door. The actor has to keep himself inside that door."
But before that, the actor new to New York must get inside Kirsten's door. How do you do that?
"First, let everyone know you're here. Mailings come into effect."
But there's a catch when mailing Kirsten. A communication with cover letter, photo, and resume represents "a sort of double-edged sword," he explains. If the packet includes a reference known to the agent, you may have a chance. If it's just a cold missive, part of a mass mailing, you'll probably see the "circular" file.
"About 95% of the people I bring in are referrals or someone whose work I've seen in a play or TV show," he notes. The 5% that Kirsten brings in from the cold "strike me with an impressive resume or great picture-someone who has the looks for daytime but no great credits."
"Daytime," meaning the soaps on daytime TV, can start the "visibility" ball rolling for an actor. But, if you're new to the acting game, how do you get that referral Kirsten requires for his 95% file?
"You respond to audition notices, do a showcase, and start to network," he advises. "In showcases, you'll meet people. And they'll know people. It doesn't just fall into your lap. You have to work for it."
But don't sell Kirsten short. He doesn't expect the actor to be the only one working.
"From the outset, I tell the actor, "I don't work for you, and you don't work for me. We work for each other.' Then I have them go to the Drama Book Shop and pick up a Theatrical Index and a regional theatre directory; list shows they're right for; list casting directors they know." He also suggests that you "read Ross Reports and know about my office" before you contact him.
If he calls you in, use your noodle: Dress comfortably but neatly. A suit's not required. Be on time. Bring extra copies of your photo and resume, "so if I decide I want to send out 10, you have them there for me."
From there, you've a guide who knows his business: "My job as an agent is to take whatever strength you have and improve on that; and take what's not a strength and make it one." If you're a singer who needs stronger acting skills-or vice versa-Kirsten will point the way. "If you want to build a musical-theatre career and you want to do film and TV, focus on a straight play so the director knows you're an actor as well as a singer," he advises.
Most of all, Kirsten stresses that the break leading to a successful acting career-which he simply refers to as "it"-usually doesn't occur in the first act. "As an actor, you have to have patience," he advises. "Do not expect it to happen tomorrow. It may happen in a year, and you'll work for a year to get to that point. My job is to put you in the position so a year from now, you're ready for it."
-Roger Armbrust
Mark Redanty
Do the (Home)Work
"It's not who you know, or who you're sleeping with, although they might help you get an interview," says Mark Redanty. "It's all about work. I want to see your work for myself, so I know what you can do, and you have to keep working so that other people can see your work. That's the only way you improve your craft and get jobs."
Redanty, an agent for 20 years, runs the New York office of Richard Bauman & Associates, formerly Bauman & Hiller, and soon to become Bauman, Redanty and Shaul, with its second office in Los Angeles. The agency is "successful in musical theatre, but we work across the board," Redanty says. "I make that distinction because actors get funny when they think their agents are specialists." James Earl Jones is probably the agency's most ubiquitous client, and Redanty himself represents Kristin Chenoweth, Robert Morse, Donna McKechnie, Scott Wise, and Peter Frechette.
"My advice to actors trying to advance their careers is to keep doing showcases. Actors who act only when they're auditioning are not actors; they're auditioners," Redanty feels, "and the most important thing an actor can do to advance his or her career is never stop studying. I consider actors as artists, and an artist is never done honing his craft. Of course, it also helps to find that career-defining role, the one that shows everybody what you can do."
What's not important, he says, is self-networking on the party circuit, trying to meet producers and casting directors. "It's easier for me to sell an actor they've never met than it is for somebody who's been kicking around to sell himself. They will take my word for it; they know me, and that I'm not going to sell them a bill of goods."
Redanty practices the flip side of studying by teaching seminars and classes on the business at colleges and universities around the country. In New York, his homework includes going to "see my clients in anything they do in the city. And, don't forget, I'll also be seeing all the other actors in the production or showcase."
If you're interested in getting Redanty or any other agent to look you over, you "should always read the trades, and know who you are targeting. Actors are always sending me tapes for voice-overs and commercials, and we don't do voice-overs and commercials. They're not even looking up the agency in Ross Reports to spell my name correctly. I had one actor call me about a replacement job in a show that had closed six months before. How could he not know that? It's his job. Walk down the street and notice that the theatre is dark!"
Also, don't be obsessive about getting the head agent to come see your showcase. "If you can't get me to come and see you, get my assistants, the junior agents. If they like you they're going to come back and tell me about it. The younger agents and assistants don't get a lot of free tickets; they'd be thrilled to go. When I was starting out I could only go to the theatre free, and was very glad to have someone invite me."
If a client is young and cute and wants to leave New York theatre for Los Angeles and a stab at television or movie work, Redanty is willing to see him off: "That's why we have a Los Angeles office, they'll be happy to welcome you out there." But if a client is not young and cute, Redanty will warn of the pitfalls of the business and the boredom factor in "sitting by the phone waiting to jump in the car when you get a call. Patience is a hard lesson to learn, and it's also harder to study while you're waiting out there. It's much easier to keep studying in New York."
As for Redanty's own preference: "I do work in film and television, but theatre is my passion. And I still go to the theatre for pleasure."
-Robert Windeler
Lewis Chambers
Setting Goals
Lewis Chambers of the Bethel Agency has been representing actors as an agent for 18 to 19 years. With an office in the theatre district, he is very much of the "old school." He often takes prospective clients out for breakfast as a way of finding out what makes them tick and what they are looking to achieve. He currently has about 75 clients; employing two part-time assistants, Chambers reckons that he works six or seven days a week.
Asked what an agent can do to help a client develop a career, he replies, "I think if the agent is willing to spend time with him or her, the agent can have a very positive influence. A lot of the young actors coming out of the BFA and MFA programs have no knowledge of the basis of the history of theatre. If you mention Tallulah Bankhead, they'll give you a blank stare. I met one BFA graduate who had never heard of Marlene Dietrich. If they're not willing to learn something of the history of theatre and motion pictures, then maybe I'm not terribly interested in working with them."
Most of the people who come into Bethel have been referred by a director, a casting director, or another actor whom the agents already work with. "I arrange an informal meeting and then may invite them to do an audition for me," says Chambers. "If they are singers I'll ask them to do a couple of songs and a monologue. It is important that actors have great monologue material ready. They should have six monologues including a classical comedic and dramatic monologue ready. Basically what I'm looking for is to see if they can manage style and language. Their choices should be things they could easily be cast in."
Chambers believes that goals can be set in this business "if you have a good rapport between the agent and the actor and if each understands we're working on the same team." Those goals need to be thoroughly discussed, although "all sorts of things can impact an actor's life. For example, an actor's marital status will have a great effect upon how he moves through his career.
"You have to take into account a lot of things that are going to change," Chambers continues. "Planning five years ahead in this industry maybe somewhat ill thought out. You have to try towards the immediate goals. If an actor is more theatre identified, you can help him to get more film and television. Not every actor, though, can cross over from theatre into television, and vice versa."
Loyalty underlies any long-term relationship, and Chambers has represented some of his clients for well over a decade.
"A lot of my clients have become friends, and it is upsetting if then loyalty comes into question," he admits. "By and large, though, with the majority of people I have worked with for any length of time there is a very real sense of cooperation. Mary Leigh Stahl has been in "Phantom of the Opera' since the first day of rehearsals. It was an audition arranged through my office. Just today the Dodger Group called to say they wanted another client who I have represented for many, many years, Jack Doyle, for "The Music Man.' He has just been a total delight to work with. We've worked together at least 15 years.
Most of Chambers' clients belong to the unions. "We have some young people who aren't union," he notes, "but it is only a matter of time until they are. I think they are going to move forward in this industry. For example, I represent Tracy Weller, who was recommended by a director friend; I think it is obvious she is going to go places."
Chambers, who himself sees performances-scene nights, showcases, and Off-Broadway-three or four times a week, advises newcomers to "go and see everything you possibly can. Instead of watching re-runs of "Three's Company' on cable, perhaps you should be out looking around at showcase productions. If you don't feel you can learn in a positive way, then learn what not to do-but at least, learn."
-PH
Rhonda Price
Believe in What You're Doing
"An actor should never be pigeonholed, and neither should an agent," says Rhonda Price. "Everybody does everything around here-film, TV, theatre-and we all love everything. The entire agency represents all of our clients. And yet, no two of us do it the same way."
Price is a New York-based agent for the 50-year-old, family-run Gersh Agency, headquartered in Beverly Hills. Victor Garber and Diane Venora are among the agency's clients, and Price is the responsible agent for, among others, Zak Orth, Sam Rockwell, Patricia Clarkson, Paige Turko, John Slattery, Ari Barakus, Thomas Geyer, and Mary McCormack, who was Price's intern at the Susan Smith agency before Price joined Gersh. (No, Price doesn't need a new intern just now.)
"I'm very committed to those people," says Price, "almost managerial in my style. I feel for them. I only have 24 hours in a day; I don't have 25. If I had that extra hour, I might take it for myself. My work is an extension of myself. As a result, I have many fewer clients than most agents, even than others here at the agency. My job is to give an actor every opportunity available to them, yet I will never take credit for what a client accomplishes. He or she is the one who has to get out there on stage, something I could never do-but then, they tell me they could never make demands or be confrontational. I just want to help take them to that place where they deserve to be."
Given her familial approach, it's not surprising that Price is seeking to create long, rich careers rather than flavors of the season. "We don't create 60-year careers, like those of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, any more," she says. "But in this fast-food mindset of our industry at the moment, I'd rather look back on a client's wonderful retrospective than buy into the feeling that it's all gotta happen today."
She advises her clients-and all actors-rather, to "be of the moment, and just believe in what it is you're doing. You as an actor and I as an agent have to discover the realities of who you are, if you don't look like Cameron Diaz. This is an industry of aesthetics, of course, so you do have to present what it is you are aesthetically, internally, and emotionally, in the best possible light.
"Above all," she believes, "you have to work on your craft to be the best at what you are, study, act, and take care of everything else-like how you look. Watch films, read books, go to museums, work on expanding your inner self. No two actors are the same, just as no two people are the same."
Price believes that "New York is the best training ground for actors, even if it is difficult to make a living here." But she says, "My best advice about a New York actor's going to California to look for work is, "Only if somebody's paying for your trip.' Then you know there's interest in you. There are a lot of actors in L.A., a lot of pretty girls and a lot of pretty boys. So if you do go out there, have an understanding of what it is you do best, and where you might belong."
-RW
Barry Kolker
Constantly Tracking Progress
"We definitely guide our actors," confides Barry Kolker at The Carson Organization, Ltd. "When we first consider an actor, we have a meeting to discuss what the performer's goals are."
Kolker and the Carsons concentrate on what Kolker refers to as "all legit: TV, theatre, and film," quickly noting that the agency currently reps actors appearing on Broadway and in feature films and TV ranging from daytime soaps to regulars on prime-time series and children's programs such as "Sesame Street."
"We do commercials, but it's not our strong point," notes Kolker. "We're very strong in legit, and that's our main focus. We represent about 180 performers, children through adults-some of them strictly in musical theatre-all ethnicities."
Because Kolker is prepared to guide an actor's career, he realizes that today's entertainment industry can see talented performers move among musical-theatre projects, straight plays, TV, and film. And the actor's intent usually becomes clear in that first meeting with Kolker. "Some young actors do musical theatre, love it, and that's fine. Some do musicals, and also want to do straight plays, movies, and TV, depending on the look and the type."
To assist their actors in the move from stage into large and little screens, Kolker and the Carsons "have California-affiliated agencies. We don't have a "Carson/L.A.,' but we do work with four or five different agencies there."
If you're an actor who wants independence and prefers to freelance, i.e., not limit yourself to a single agent for representation, don't contact Kolker. That's not the Carson way.
"We don't freelance here," he says flatly. "We've been burned. We only sign exclusive agreements for a year to start, because that's all the unions will allow us. But we want to make a commitment to an actor. And once we do, we start pushing the pictures and resumes, and setting up auditions."
Once Kolker connects you with auditions, he keeps an eye on your progress. "We give personal attention by having meetings with our clients, constantly asking, "Where are we going? Are we sending them on things they're not happy with? Are they getting auditions and not callbacks?' Every actor wants feedback on every audition and every casting director."
Kolker notes with pleasure how he recently stayed the course, supporting a child actor whom he knew was a natural for a Broadway role. "It was one of the young Simbas in "Lion King,' " Kolker recalls. "I really had to push for him. The casting director didn't think he was right for the role. But after our conversation, he told me, "He's small, but he'll grow; let's see him some time in the future.' "
That future arrived sooner than even Kolker expected. Two days before the new Simba auditions, his phone rang. "We're seeing him," the casting agent told Kolker. The child got a callback, and then was offered the job. "I really fought for him, it happened, and it was extremely satisfying," Kolker says.
If you're a young actor fresh on the New York scene, how do you get Kolker to fight for you? It's not easy, but first he expects you to take care of basics:
"Have a professional headshot and resume," advises Kolker. Check photographers' books to get a sense of their styles and what best suits you."
Next, enroll in acting classes, and Kolker notes a plethora of respected places. The major point: Get involved in the New York theatre scene. "It's important to make sure you're around other actors," he counsels. "Have New York people on your resume." The more listed, which shows the variety of work you can do, the better.
With your headshot and resume, include a cover letter addressed to Kolker. "Briefly tell me about your background: I just came here from Kansas. I just shot an independent film. I studied with a certain acting teacher. I'd love to meet with you."
Then he cautions that the agency gets between 150 and 200 actors' pictures or postcards a week, so you should keep the letter short. And, definitely, "If you've been referred to us, that needs to be in the letter."
-RA
Josh Schiowitz
Don't Crowd L.A.'s Pilot Season
Let's say you're a New York-based actor-and if you're holding this newspaper in your hands, you probably are. What do you do if you want to try your luck in Los Angeles?
"If I had one piece of advice to give actors," says agent Josh Schiowitz, who is based in the City of Angels, "it would be to not listen to the most common piece of misleading advice about L.A. And that is, "You got to be there for pilot season.' " To the unfamiliar, pilot season is generally thought of as the time when production companies film sample episodes of potential new series, or pilots, for potential pickup by the networks. Although pilots are shot throughout the year, the heaviest concentration of lensing takes place from January through April.
"Some people come here and think they're going to get an agent and a pilot as soon as they step off the plane," continues Schiowitz, whose firm Schiowitz, Clay, and Rose, Inc. has clients currently appearing on Broadway (in "Marie Christine" and "Cabaret"), as well as on TV (on such shows as "3rd Rock From the Sun" and "The West Wing"). "The best time to come is in midsummer, because then they're filming episodic and you can get some TV credits that way." Episodic is industry talk for ongoing series. Schiowitz points out that you're not likely to get cast on a pilot if you have no TV credits to speak of. Getting a walk-on or an under-five (a role with fewer than five lines) on a series like "The X-Files" will increase your chances in the pilot sweepstakes.
But, as he also points out, those jobs are almost always secured through the services of an agent. So how do you get one if you've just crossed the continent from N.Y. to La-La Land?
"You can do a mailing-that's the low end. Connections are the best way. If you've been in New York and you've gotten some work-maybe on "Law & Order' or one of the other shows, you're bound to know some casting directors or some other actors who know people out here. If you have absolutely no credits at all, you need to get involved in Los Angeles plays, or get in a workshop or a showcase. A showcase in L.A. is not the same thing as a showcase in New York. In New York, you have Equity showcases which are entire productions. Here they do scene showcases, which are maybe an hour long and incorporate six or seven scenes. "Make sure it's not in New Mexico or someplace far out like that. People will go as far as Pasadena, but not much beyond that."
Can an agent guide a career, or does the actor have to take an active role? "We have personal relationships with our clients. In the initial interview we see how realistic they are. If the potential client says, "I want to star in a series inside of a year' and we think they don't have the ability to do that, we'll show them the door. However, if someone comes to us and says, "A series would be great. But I want to make a living at this and I'll do walk-on and smaller roles,' then that's the kind of person we'll more likely sign. Because they have a more realistic take on their potential."
When asked what the biggest difference is between getting a job in theatre and television, Schiowitz replies, "Your personality. In theatre you can be shy and retiring in real life and be dynamite on stage, but in TV you have to project a personality offstage as well. Here the first meeting is as important as the audition where you're acting and reading from the script. The producers and writers are going to want to possibly build a whole show around you, and maybe work with you for a couple of years if all goes well. So they have to see whatever qualities you can project up front."
-David Sheward