How much experience needed to apply to agencies?

[thankyou]

Since finishing drama at uni, I've done a couple of short films and have a couple more in the pipeline. I can't quite believe it, as even though they are low/unpaid I thought everything was going to be so much more difficult, whereas feedback has been really promising and I'm so surprised. Nevertheless, I feel like I don't have enough experience to be represented from an agent's point of view. I applied for a couple of less well known one's 'just in case' and have been offered an audition next week.

Judging from the website, I don't know if they'd be able to get much professional work... if offered a place with this kind of agency, do you think it's worth going with them just to *try* and get some paid work with them although it's unlikely, just in case? (I checked, and no upfront fees as far as I can see.) Or is it worth just waiting until the end of the year when I have a couple more credits and proper showreel, and applying to slightly better agencies then?
Or, is it worth it at all, to apply to more 'middle ground' agencies now (I just mean, not the really prestigious ones but also not agencies who don't seem to get any high profile work at all), just in case they see your 'look' etc, and feel that maybe there is something in you and invite you to an audition? (Unlikely, I know, but an option I thought I may as well list for these purposes.)

Hope that's not too long-winded and makes sense! I've found people really helpful on here so thought your opinions would be interesting

[paulears]

That's one of the drawbacks of doing it at a uni rather than a 'school/college' - as they usually have agencies attached. Graduates of places like Laines and the others already have agents when they leave - using their professional paid contracts gained while being trained. Universities generally don't allow their undergraduates to have time off for paid work - it's just not how most work (or even cope with), so to get an agent, they need to see your track record - and if you don't have one, then you generally have to get work, do well, then use this to get a decent agent. If somebody without any professional experience does get an agent - consider what the agent can actually put you up for? Are you actually any good? So you need to get at least one proper contract in each genre you fancy - so a musical, straight play, TV or film will make you look better. Agents may have you on the books, but when a repeat client needs somebody, will they take a chance on you? Only if they're convinced you can handle it.

[riverdancefan]

Out of interest Paulears...
from your experience, would a child, ages 10,11,12 ish with a CV and experience go on to have an advantage as an old teen/young performer ?
just wondered if things have a "sell by" date if you see what I mean?

thank you

[trigger1]

You'd be surprised. Doing short films is great experience, it's more than I've got and I'm signed with an agent. Not only that but I was recommended to them by someone from Curtis Brown (Robert Pattinson, Bill Milner, Dev Patel) after I invited them to my school play and they came to watch. Studying drama and being in short films is a good start, and a lot of people at a lot of agencies have far less experience. I'd apply to the top agencies to be honest, what's the worst that can happen? If you go on Screenterrier and go to agents, the top 15-ish are all top agencies. United Agents, Curtis Brown, Independent Talent, BWH, CAM, Hamilton Hodell, Waring and McKenna, Tavistock Wood, ARG, Troika, The Rights House, Gordon and French, Ken McReddie, Conway Van Gelder Grant are the top agencies in the country. You can see some of their client lists on their websites, and some have daughtingly experienced clients but most are more than happy with taking people with experience in only short movies. Most of these agencies don't take young people unless they've got amazing roles already, but since you've already finished uni you're a great age for them. I'd say at least email or post your details to all of them as anything could happen. Some may not reply, but some might, you've got nothing to lose and I applied to all of them and I am now with one of those agencies so it does happen sometimes! Good luck

[thankyou]

Paulears - that was exactly my worry - why would an agent hire me without good reason to believe I might be booked by their clients? etc. Hopefully building up experience is making me more and more worthwhile to take a chance on, but we'll see! Thanks for your expertise

And trigger1, thanks so much for your positivity. I did 2 shorts last week, just got confirmed for another this weekend and potentially another this week, and have another coming up too. I would always keep motivated and looking for things off my own back, but sometimes I wonder if, because I'm getting these auditions, maybe an agent could like me too? Although, I also know that other people competing for the same roles as me are unlikely to have the same experience, and talent, of those already with agents being put forward to paid roles.

I guess I worry that if I reply for a good agent now and they think I'm silly for applying, they'll remember me when I have more credits and a showreel sorted but won't look to see or something if (or when) I chose to reapply some months later. Though maybe that's paranoia?

[paulears]

From my own bumping into agents, I don't think age as a 'feature' is a problem. The real snag seems to be that new agents, or dodgy ones of which sadly there are still a few, don't have any history either, so they take people with sort of empty, or less 'quality' content on their CVs. In my professional work, and in education it's very common to find people moaning about their agents. In fact - during panto, when everyone is together for a long time - agents come up over and over again. Some have contacts that work well for certain types of performer - they could have theatre and TV contacts, or general ones who try to get their clients work almost anywhere. One actor, who seems to be quite busy had had an agent for quite a while, but he was introduced to a new agent who offered to represent him. He didn't know what to do, he was working quite a lot, but income wise, things were not too exciting. The new agent also represented lots of established personalities in theatre and TV, and he took the risk and went from one agents perhaps best known clients to the new ones least known. However - the jobs when they came were all better paid, TV ads suddenly appeared and his career, and most importantly earning potential went up.

With no experience - this agent would not have taken him on, so there is some justification when starting out to have a less well known agent. For child actors, which I have less experience of, my view from seeing how they work is that their look is more critical than their actual acting ability or maybe even their voice. Some child actors aren't that good at acting - usually suffering (from what I see) from 'overacting' - lacking the naturalness older people develop.

Most of the adult agents I bump into don't do the kids representation - leaving that to agents who specialise.

The overriding factor is that with the kids - they need a good CV, but newcomers with a good package - especially the headshots - have an advantage.

With your shorts - it's something the agents can use to promote you. Job after job not only says you're good, but it also says you're not a pain to work with (or have a pain parent!)

If you can meet them - agents can be judged quite well. On the phone, it's very difficult.

[thankyou]

Thanks Paulears. Your insights are very helpful.
It's good to know that all these shorts I'm doing, which involve a lot of time, emails, and a lot of 'safety' precautions when it comes to meeting people who might not be who they say they are (so far, it's all good, but I did turn down an audition at someone's house last week just in case!) might pay off! Even if it's just to show agents that at least I can get some jobs.
I'm still not positive on which agents I'll apply to, but I do think it's worth being very careful about the one's out where, after going on their websites, noticing that their featured actors seem to have less work than I do.

[thankyou]

ps, I'm not complaining about the time/emails etc. I actually love to keep proactive, being motivated, etc. Because you can see it makes a difference, and it's good to know you're actually doing something even when you're not 'working.'

[letitshine]

Good Luck hope you find an agent all very interesting reading my dd is 11 and desperate to work which is hard as we cant get an agent for love nor money applied to load and had nothing but regection keeping it in perspective she has years to do amdram and school plays hope she gets somewhere and signed with some
one eventually

[thankyou]

I just got approached by one agent... £60 to be put up on the website Maybe this isn't going to happen any time but with another short film this week at least there's more for the showreel!

Thank you letitshine! Good luck to you and your dd! Just keeping building up on the bits of experience and when you reapply they'll take notice And you're right, 11 is so young and we have our whole lives for careers so be it six months or six years of waiting before it kicks off, I'm sure it will!

[letitshine]

Thank you thank you lol good luck