Relationships are CRUCIAL in any industry, but especially in the entertainment world. People hire/do business with people they know, like and trust ALL THE TIME.
Successful careers= successful relationships. If it’s between you and an actor that they KNOW and TRUST, who equally delivered a solid performance, guess who they are going to go with?
Two of the most important relationships actors have to work on are: actor/agent relationship + actor/castingdirector relationship.
Actor/agent relationship is super important. It doesn’t matter the size or the level of the agency. I have countless examples of actors within the same agency or actors with smaller/less prestige agency representation, getting more auditions, because they have strong relationships with their reps.
I used to be afraid to bother my agent and felt that I had to book a ton of work with them before I deserve to ask certain question or get more of their attention. Certainly, if you book a lot of work it automatically creates trust, makes everyone money and it establishes more credibility. But if an agent brought you on board from a ton of other submissions and is willing to work for you day in and day out without seeing a dime until you BOOK, doesn’t that mean that they think you are worth it and they want you to succeed?
Yes, it does! And both you and your agent will succeed a lot faster if you are one the same page, know and understand each other better and CARE on a human level.
So here are 4 ways to BOND with your agent❤️
Communication. I remember being on set with an actress, who was also repped by the same agent as I. Both of us were in the same category, Caucasian in our 20s. She has just booked a large TV co-star role and was auditioning quite a bit for other shows. I told her that I am not getting out as often as I feel I should and I wanted to know what has been working for her. First thing she asked me: How often do you talk to your agent? She then told me that she emails our agent every WEEK! Now even though it seems a bit excessive for most of us, it has obviously worked for her! Now grant you, she wasn’t just emailing every week asking when is her next audition. She was just checking in and sharing what has been happening in her life and making sure our agent had a good week. A few of my other friends that book pretty consistently, speak to their agents on the phone on a regular basis!. Now every agent is different and it’s important to not cross any boundaries, but how often do you reach out and talk to your agent? Have you checked on your agent during these uncertain times, making sure that they are doing ok and that you are thinking of them?
Be of service. So often when we reach out to our agents we make it about US. I just finished this workshop, here are my headshots, here is my reel, me, me.me.me. Have you asked your agent about THEM? What THEY Need? I had an actor friend who reached out to her agent to see if they need help with their website, cause it was a bit outdated. I reached out to my agent, when I was pregnant to see if she needed any help since she didn’t have enough interns/assistance and it was getting overwhelming. My dear actor friend is thinking about offering a free yoga class during these times.How cool is that? Think and ask about what your agent mind need help with. Connect on a human level, not just business.
Gratitude. This one goes a long way. How often do you say thank you? And not just for bookings or auditions. Just thank you for all your hard work and passion for what you do. It could be a card, an email. I think gifts are great, you don’t have to spend a ton of money and it’s not like you will be doing it every month.
Here is an email I received from my agent after I stopped by to chat and thanked her for everything:
" Hello Anastasia, It meant so much that you came in today. Thank you for the lovely gifts! The chocolate macadamia nuts are one of my favorite things! Yum! And the pampering at the spa will be ideal. You are so thoughtful. Thank you also the lovely card."
I got a nice TV booking after this happened:) Coincidence? Maybe! But it felt good either way:)
Be on top of your Sh!T! You are running a business! Do you know what you sell?Are your marketing tools in order? Open availability for auditions/ call backs? Responding to calls/emails promptly? Being on time? Showing up prepared? Keep working on your skills? Developing relationships with casting, independent directors? Keeping an eye on industry news? Be professional.Make your agent PROUD to represent you.
Work on those 4 things and your agent will LOVE you!
Which one do you need to focus more on?
Please comment and let me know!
If you found this helpful, like and share with your actor friends that need help!
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