Hollywood movie and film agents

You may have seen a few old musicals on the Late, Late, Late Show where actresses are marvelously "discovered" at the soda fountain in a drugstore. In the true history of Hollywood, this has happened precisely one time - to Lana Turner at Schwab's. Years before you were born. And they don't have soda fountains in drugstores anymore either. So don't even daydream about being discovered. It isn't going to happen. Breaking into the acting business takes a lot of work and a lot of money.

Books can be written about how to get an agent, and many good ones have been. You would do well to read a few. But I'll try to give you a very brief rundown of some of the do's, don't's and things to expect.

New York works differently from Hollywood, which works differently from London, which works differently from wherever you live now. Here are some of the things you need to live in Hollywood and get a good agent to represent you:

We'll assume you have some talent, can handle rejection, and are professional in your work, because without those three qualities you might as well not even start. Next, please.

A hefty bankroll. Professional photographs (headshots), of which you will need hundreds, cost money. Clothing (you'll need an entire wardrobe appropriate to different types of auditions) costs money. Acting, singing, or dancing classes (which you may also need) cost a lot of money. You may want to put together a short audition piece on video tape, which costs - you guessed it - money. Don't forget that LA is one of the most expensive cities in America in which to live. And, oh yes, agents represent actors. Actors are people who can be at an audition or a job whenever a casting director calls. Period. So if you have a day job, be prepared to drop it in an instant for an audition or an acting gig if an agent is representing you. You will not get through the first five minutes of your interview with an agent if you say "yes" or "possibly" when he or she asks you if you might have any scheduling conflicts that would interfere with auditions or work. So you say "no," and mean it if you are serious about an acting career.

You will also need a dependable car. No two ways about it, this is the only way to get around LA. It is also the only way to get around Vancouver, Canada, which is known as "Hollywood North" in the trade. Lots of Hollywood films and television shows are made in Vancouver. I like Vancouver better than Los Angeles, but the rules are pretty much the same for either city, and neither of them are cheap places to live. So pick one and move there if you really want to be in television or movies. Agents are where the work is, and Hollywood and Vancouver are where most of the Hollywood work is.

And so should you be if you want to be an actor, especially if you want to be an actor with an agent.

Do you still want to do this? Read on, then.

There are all different kinds of agents. One of the most important differences is between franchised agents and non-franchised agents. Franchised agents are good. They are licensed to represent union performers - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) are two of the bigger unions, and franchised agents in Canada represent performers belonging to the Canadian counterparts of those unions. You definitely want a franchised agent. It is not an absolute guarantee that you will not be treated inappropriately, but if you are, you have recourse to file a grievance. Union actors also get better wages and better working conditions than non-union actors. It is almost impossible to build a decent career if you are not a union worker. So never sign with a non-franchised agent. Before you sign with any agent, call the local SAG office to make sure that the agent is still franchised.

So what kind of agent do you want besides a franchised one?

Commercial agents handle commercials. Theatrical agents handle movies and television. Legitimate agents handle theater. Voice-over agents handle radio and other off-camera work. Modeling agents handle print and modeling work, variety agents handle nightclub and personal appearance work, and full-service agents handle all or some of the various types of acting work. If you don't have much experience, you may want to try a commercial agent first to get some experience, or both a theatrical and a commercial agent, or a full-service agent who can handle television, movies and commercials. If you are lucky enough to get commercials, they will help to build your résumé and also support you (this is very important if you're not rich to begin with - more actors fail owing to lack of cash rather than owing to lack of talent). And you'll have a much better chance to be seen if you do commercials. So think about doing them even if you do want to be a comedic or dramatic actor eventually.

It's hard to find an agent. And it's hard not to get ripped off in this business. Agents take ten percent of your income from work they find for you. Period. They do not charge extra fees for photographs (it's your responsibility to provide those, and there are plenty of professional photographers in both LA and Vancouver - the best way to find a good one is to ask around). Nor do agents charge you fees for acting classes or anything else. If they do, you are being scammed. The best way to find a good agent in this business is the same as the best way to find a good photographer or a good anything else - ask other actors.

If you don't know any other actors, meet some. There are film schools and film departments at universities in all major film-making cities, and there may even be one in your city if you don't live in a city known for its film industry. Call them and ask about local agents. Film schools are also a good place to get some experience to put on your résumé. There are student directors at film schools, and they make movies. They need actors for movies. You need experience for your résumé, because without one an agent isn't going to look twice at you. So even though you may not get paid much, or anything, don't skip this step. No matter where you live, there is probably at least one local theatrical group with someone or three who used to live in the big city. This is another good place to ask questions and maybe do some work.

Your headshots are a big part of your portfolio. Make sure you are working with a good photographer, and make sure you get the negatives, because if you don't, the only way you will be able to get more copies of your photos is by going back to that same photographer. If you are trying for different roles, you will need different photos for different looks you're portraying. The girl-next-door in the bubblegum commercial is a far cry from Xena the Warrior Princess. Be prepared.

The initial photos that you'll send out to agents are 8x10 black-and-white headshots, with a slugline containing your name either in the lower left-hand border of the photo, or in the lower center border. Stapled to the back of your photo is the all-important résumé. Keep the résumé to one page - it's stapled to the back of your photo, remember? And make sure to trim the page to the same size as the photo. Your name goes at the top of the résumé. If you have any union affiliations, put those next. After that, you need to put the ways that people can contact you. There are unsavoury people in this business, so before you have an agent, invest in a post office box, an answering service or pager, and get an e-mail account with a web-based service like Hushmail. After you get an agent your contact details will be your agent's office address, phone and e-mail, but for now be safe - security is an issue in this business.

Don't put your age on your résumé. Do list your credits. Don't lie about them, but try to make them as relevant as you can to the particular type of work you're applying for. As you get more experience, you will have more than one résumé, but for the first one, highlight your strong suits. Ideally, you should have some roles you can mention, even if they're only local theater or film school productions. Mention your education if it's relevant. A good school or good teacher can help get you noticed. Include your hobbies, especially things like riding horses or roller-skating (those can be useful skills in the acting world).

Don't expect to get noticed right away - you may be, but don't count on it. About every six weeks, send all the agents you sent your original résumé and photo to a postcard-size headshot with your name, contact information and an update of what you've done since you were last in touch with them, whether it's a commercial, a singing class you've taken, or a role in a play. Be persistent. And keep track of who you're sending all this stuff out to - when someone eventually calls you back, it's useful to have their name and other relevant information about them on an index card.

What to do when the big day comes: Okay, you finally have an interview with an agent. You know about the no work conflicts at all rule already. Have two or three monologues prepared, because you will likely be expected to perform on site. Also, during the whole time you're sending out résumés and photos, practice reading with a friend - the agent might ask you to read with someone else. You don't have to dress in a suit, but make sure you're well-groomed and wearing reasonably stylish clothes.

Take a look around the office. If there aren't any office people there, be careful. If the agent asks you to take off any clothing, leave! If anything seems out of place, trust your instincts - and leave! Bad things happen sometimes, and you don't want them to happen to you. If the agent asks you to pay for anything, leave. If the agent promises things too good to be true, they probably are. Ideally, your agent should be on your side (he or she gets paid out of what you get paid), and while a lot of people deal in hyperbole in Hollywood, you want someone with a good head for business. And your interview is a business meeting. If the agent acts like it's something else, he or she is probably not for you.

Above all, don't give up. There are good and reputable agents out there. Be safe, be sane, don't sign anything before you read it and maybe have a lawyer read it, and follow these guidelines. Eventually you'll be on your way to the stars!