How to get a SAG agent to represent me?

[filmman]

Let's say I'm a SAG actor, what's the best way I can get a SAG signatory agent to represent me?

1) Should I ask other actors?

2) Should I ask producers?

3) Should I ask famous celebrities? :2vrolijk_08:

4) How can I get a recommendation?

5) Any other suggestions?

Thanks for your help :happy:

I hope you're a straight shooter :kali:

[PaPa]

Not sure how it works in the US, but it can't be far off from how we do things ACTRA based in Canada.

I basically approached an agent that is well known in montreal, and whos actors i had worked with on several projects.

Brought her my headshot, resume and a little demo video, and she signed me on that day. Been with her ever since!

-Jon

[filmman]

Thanks Jon. So you went to an agent that some of your colleagues were represented by -- did those actors feel any resentment that you did that? I'm not suggesting that they should have felt resentment, but I want to ask your opinion on this question so I don't get flak for people that I know.

Of course, it would occur to me that one could even say, "so and so recommended me." But that of course is unethical; however, not saying anything, but simply going to an agent who's known to you should not be anybody's business, right?

[Tom Marshall]

Let's say I'm a SAG actor, what's the best way I can get a SAG signatory agent to represent me?

1) Should I ask other actors?

2) Should I ask producers?

Yes and yes. That's a good way to have an agent be interested in you, by reference. Especially if the agent or producer respects that particular actor.


3) Should I ask famous celebrities? :2vrolijk_08:Umm... no... :) You can ask a celebrity who there FIRST agent was and you might have a chance...


4) How can I get a recommendation?From an actor? Have that person recommend you. :)


5) Any other suggestions?Do theatre. Invite agents to your shows. Do workshops where casting agents and agents frequent. You might stand out and have an agent express interest in you and possibly be signed by him or her.


Thanks for your help :happy:

I hope you're a straight shooter :kali:I never said I was... :beer:

[Michele Seidman]

ditto what Jon and Tom have said.

The old fashioned method of picking up a Ross Report and sending out shots and doing follow up still will get your name out there. Postcards to those agents help to remind them you are still there.

AND don't forget actors showcases. Many have a regular group of Union Agents who attend just to keep an eye out for new talent!

[filmman]

Thank you, Flora!

Do you know an agent I can say to you recommended me? :-)

[PaPa]

Thanks Jon. So you went to an agent that some of your colleagues were represented by -- did those actors feel any resentment that you did that? I'm not suggesting that they should have felt resentment, but I want to ask your opinion on this question so I don't get flak for people that I know.

Of course, it would occur to me that one could even say, "so and so recommended me." But that of course is unethical; however, not saying anything, but simply going to an agent who's known to you should not be anybody's business, right?


An agent may or may not chose another actor if they already have one that covers your look and type. My agent goes with the idea that you can never have enough of one type, because if one doesn't get it, the other one will. But you want to avoid rosters that are soo full, the agent can't even remember your name when you meet them lol. You are working for your agent just as much as they are working for you. You don't make money, they don't make money, so a good agent is out there working for you to get work.

No resentment. In Montreal there is a strong collaborative and supportive group throughout all actors. I, for example, and genuinely excited to see people i know show up at my auditions. And i know that if i don't get the part it's not because someone else was better than me. Its very difficult to distinguish why or why you don't get the role. But i think after you do your own casting session you will soon find out that it's not always the quality of the actor that gets the role, but sometimes the look, and the casting compatibility.

[Mattykins]

Just gotta sleep with the right people.

Unfortunately I've chosen the wrong people. And have gotten no where. :p

[filmman]

I don't want to sleep with the right people; I want to make it with the right people. And I want to get somewhere. Uh, what am I saying?

Look, what are some of the best ways to get an agent?

I'll offer something in exchange. I'll tell you how to get a major movie star to read your screenplay. Ok?

A writer rolled up his screenplay and tossed it into Catherine Hepburn's yard in Beverly Hills. She happened to be out watering the flowers. She read the screenplay, called her agent and told him to contact the writer. She did the movie!

Now you tell me one like that dealing with getting an agent ;-)

[Tom Marshall]

Getting an agent takes a lot of hard work. There are a LOT of SAG actors here who can't get agents. That's just the way it is.

I gave you advice earlier and, again, that's what you need to do if your goal is to get an agent. There aren't any shortcuts.

[Mattykins]

I was joking with the sleeping part. I don't sell myself that easily.

But really, everyone told you what has to be done. I think the only other advice I can give is just go out there and try it. Better than asking someone you never met for a recommendation.

[rsbush]

Roll up your trousers and throw them on an agents front yard.

[Michele Seidman]

Thank you, Flora!

Do you know an agent I can say to you recommended me? :-)


umm no.

filmman

1st MAJOR lesson:

The film business is a CYA biz. In other words...cover your ass. NO one will ever give you their leads unless they know exactly who you are, what you do, what you are capable of AND MOST IMPORTANT...that YOU end up making them look good to who ever they sent you to.

The rule of thumb would be...if I give this guy the name of an Agent...will the Agent call and thank me or ask me "what the heck were you thinking".

Now ask yourself...if you need to CYA with a business contact, are YOU giving a stranger their name and number and telling them to call using YOUR name?

I think not.

Don't blame you for asking or trying. Good on your for that...but I hope by pointing this out you might start to see where this won't be a good tact with strangers.

Michele

[filmman]

David Niven wrote in his autobiography that he was invited to Hollywood parties with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Carry Grant and all that big movie star crowd; but that he was never given any help in getting a job (acting in a feature film). He had to get that on his own. Everyone says the same thing.

So I know how it is; but I ask because today there are many new techninques available to actors. Hard copy pictures vs. electronic submission, casting websites, demo reels, Internet opportunities, Youtube series, etc.

What specifically can you recommend?

[Tom Marshall]

I give up.

[weixiang623]

1st MAJOR lesson:
The film business is a CYA biz. In other words...cover your ass. NO one will ever give you their leads unless they know exactly who you are, what you do, what you are capable of AND MOST IMPORTANT...that YOU end up making them look good to who ever they sent you to.
Michele

i agree =/

[Mattykins]

Dude - I think you have exhausted our helping you. Does everything we say just bounce off your head?

There are thousands of ways to do something. Find one that works for you and do it. You need to be good to get an agent. They don't get paid until you do. If you aren't going to get them money - why should they represent you? Show them you matter. And just a general hint - asking people on a message board to refer you is generally not a good start.

[filmman]

Wow! People get hostile when asked this question. LOL

Some of you are actors/ directors, actors/ producers; when placing a casting call for a feature film, sometimes agents submit their actors and some actors submit themselves.

According to this, there must be a big difference between actors that have agents and actors that don't, right?

What are the differences?

Are there agents that represent non-SAG actors? Or do all agents only represent SAG actors?

There must be a vast difference between SAG movies and non-SAG movies.

Also there must be a vast difference between movies shot by union crews and movies shot by non-union crews.

The whole discussion takes on a different turn ....

Thanks everyone for your help :-)

[Michele Seidman]

Wow! People get hostile when asked this question. LOL Some of you are actors/ directors, actors/ producers; when placing a casting call for a feature film, sometimes agents submit their actors and some actors submit themselves. According to this, there must be a big difference between actors that have agents and actors that don't, right? What are the differences? Are there agents that represent non-SAG actors? Or do all agents only represent SAG actors? There must be a vast difference between SAG movies and non-SAG movies. Also there must be a vast difference between movies shot by union crews and movies shot by non-union crews. The whole discussion takes on a different turn ....Thanks everyone for your help :-)


ummm...did you check any of these peoples profiles? i know mine mentions i teach all this stuff regarding acting for camera. did it ever dawn on you that you were asking...at least in my case...for me to go beyond giving you a push in the right direction to asking me to GIVE to you, what i get paid for...acting classes and business advice for actors.

so my last bit of help and instruction is....go read Hollywood 101 by Frederick Levy and get a basic understanding of this industry. From your current questions..you are not ready. they are all good questions but if you knew how to get trained...you would not do it here...or this way.

there are NO new methods....only illusions of new methods. an actor still studies their craft...on stage or in indie film or with instructors or by all of the above. go pay a few dues and then you will see why a some folks are throwing their hands up in the air.

[Michele Seidman]

i agree =/


weixiang

thank you. don't you find it amazing you have to teach this concept to people? it seems like simply logic to me.

michele

[filmman]

very subtle, but I learned something, definitely :-)

I should read more profiles of people that respond to my questions, I suppose. I'm sorry if I've irritated a few of you. But I will make it up to you I promise :-)

I need to respect the right of an actor to privacy. Certain subjects are off limits, such as asking for recommendations. It's unfair to ask for recommendations as there is conflict of interest in recommending an agent. This I wasn't sensitive to; I'm really glad I was told this.

Thanks again.

It's a big help to me in the casting process. Now I know why actors act the way they do in auditions and also why casting agents act the way they do also. It's really a tough business.

[Tom Marshall]

I responded. It took me about 20 minutes to come up with the response. But the person that followed me (Michele) wrote a few sentences and you thanked them. That's one of the main things that irritated me. It's like, why should I bother to help if my time isn't appreciated?

[filmman]

No, in fact, you have the wrong impression. I'd definitely want to hire you to be in one of my movies based on the fact you responded so fast and gave me some of the best advice.

Although, it was the standard advice, I don't mind, because as I found out giving a recommendation is like asking an actor to give up a role -- which I didn't know.

But honestly I'm appreciative.

[Tom Marshall]

It is tough to give advice regarding pursuing a professional acting career, really. If you need to learn the basics, then definitely pick up a book. "Your First Year in Hollywood" is a great book and I highly recommend it.

"Your Film Acting Career" is also a very good book and a fun read too. Here's an Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Your-Film-Acting-Career-Hollywood/dp/0929149025/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228774680&sr=8-5

[Nathyn]

Hey Filmman, are you trying to act and direct?

-Nate

[filmman]

LOL. Just research, Nate.

[Nathyn]

Oh, okay. :)

-Nate

[Michele Seidman]

LOL. Just research, Nate.

for? i thought you were trying to learn to act?

[Michele Seidman]

because as I found out giving a recommendation is like asking an actor to give up a role -- which I didn't know.But honestly I'm appreciative.


No sweetie it is nothing like asking an actor to give up a role. That would be someone taking my job out from under me. Giving you a lead when I don't know you COULD destroy my reputation and all future work...not just a single role.

I am not sure how to get this across anymore. You don't get leads from anyone unless they know you and trust you and KNOW 100% you make them look good.

I have been an agent and done casting

As an agent...if I send actors I don't know to audition for casting directors and the actor does not do well...casting won't trust me anymore.

As a casting director, if I show the producer actors who don't know what they are doing they won't book me to cast anymore.

It IS a business you know. You have to have a resume and a reel and you have to prove yourself to everyone you deal with over and over until your talent is known to everyone who matters. UNTIL you or any actor does that...no one can trust you with their private leads.

I will try a sports way of putting it for back up...

It is like taking a kid from the Pee Wee team who you never saw bat and giving him a Major teams managers name. That manager would look at the kid and laugh...and the person who sent the kid...well, the manager would never trust him again!

does it make sense yet? it is not like taking a role out from under me...it is way worse than that!

[filmman]

Wow, again, Flora, you wow me every time.

I shouldn't use that word again, I get ten sham-wow emails a day. LOL

I'm never going to buy sham-wow; I don't care if it is made in Germany :-)

But seriously, I really appreciate the effort everyone took to answer my query. It is of serious concern to me.

It is a much tougher business than I ever imagined. It's really sad. It didn't have to be like this. ...But I understand; it is. It is. There is no getting away from it.

You know, I would've never understood why I stayed independent until now. I just don't like to work like this. If I'd known this thirty years ago, I may have followed an altogether different path to making movies.

But it's not too late and I'm glad that I stayed an indie filmmaker.

From this discussion I've concluded that it's so much more important to cast the movie not on the basis of friendship and goodwill. This is a cutthroat business and only the right talent should be involved in any given movie.

Therefore, everyone being cast has to be evaluated for their talent and commitment to a role. I've learned so much from this thread as a producer also.

I know now that it's totally unfair to ask anyone for a recommendation.

The best advice to give young actors then is just to go out and do your best, audition, train, learn, get the part and work as hard as you can and when you're noticed and picked out, then you can expect to find an agent -- who will most likely ask you to become his/her client.

Thanks, Flora :-)

[Michele Seidman]

The best advice to give young actors then is just to go out and do your best, audition, train, learn, get the part and work as hard as you can and when you're noticed and picked out, then you can expect to find an agent -- who will most likely ask you to become his/her client. Thanks, Flora :-)

filmman

now you got it! and yes...it is a cut throat business. i teach my students this early on because they need to know. then i tell them it is up to them to figure out how to beat the odds.

Whoopie Goldberg was overheard saying something that gets to the heart of it "You do all you can to be talented and good at what you do, but someone else makes you a star". that is not word for word but close...

by the way Flora is not my name. my name is Michele. the name Flora and the signature is based on a character I played in short film for the Dream Team here on DVX called A Little Mouth to Feed by Jack Daniel Stanley and the guys with Wrightsville Beach Studios. it was part of Hallos Fest last year and there is a line where the character says as she prays to God...when she finishes praying she says Sincerely, Flora Barren!

and PS..the film made it in to Slam Dance 2009!

[Michele Seidman]

I was joking with the sleeping part. I don't sell myself that easily.


Mattykins....omg you lie...you know you slept with me and it was easy to bed you down....

lol..kidding...could not help myself...don't set me up like that!

[Nathyn]

by the way Flora is not my name. my name is Michele. the name Flora and the signature is based on a character I played in short film for the Dream Team here on DVX called A Little Mouth to Feed by Jack Daniel Stanley and the guys with Wrightsville Beach Studios.

OMG! I just saw the trailer for this. That was you in the window. I didn't know. This is funny because you're a friend of mine on Facebook and I was always like "I've never seen her on DVXUser. Oh well she's a cutie, works for me." LOL. Okay now this all makes sense.

-Nate

[filmman]

Ah, it's Michele. Thanks again.

[Michele Seidman]

OMG! I just saw the trailer for this. That was you in the window. I didn't know. This is funny because you're a friend of mine on Facebook and I was always like "I've never seen her on DVXUser. Oh well she's a cutie, works for me." LOL. Okay now this all makes sense. -Nate

lol Nate...i thought you added me on facebook because you knew i was in the project and you had Jack on your list too. yup...he wanted me to look harsh in the project...and boy did i. if it means anything...one director i did a stage show for saw the film in a festival and he came up to me later and said he was half way through it before he knew it was me...and he worked with me for 7 weeks, every night for the stage show...and still had no clue!


Ah, it's Michele. Thanks again.

you are most welcome!

i am always straight up darling...even when i have to tell the things that are not so wonderful to hear.

[Mattykins]

Mattykins....omg you lie...you know you slept with me and it was easy to bed you down....


Ahhh, I tried to forget about that night.... My attempt to sleep up the chain failed. I got nowhere.

See filmman - my lessons come from experience. :(

[filmman]

I'm learning fast. In this business sometimes it's best to take it lying down ;-)

[filmman]

Or is it laying down? LOL Any writers in the house?

[brianluce]

. did it ever dawn on you that you were asking...at least in my case...for me to go beyond giving you a push in the right direction to asking me to GIVE to you, what i get paid for...acting classes and business advice for actors.

.

Do not agree. Do not agree. Do not agree. This is not the spirit of this community nor the internet in general. It's all about the free exchange of ideas and knowledge. Do not agree. Do not agree. Do not agree. Open source spoken here.

[Mattykins]

Brian, I think what Michele said above was in reference to filmman asking her to refer him to an agent. There is a difference between sharing info and then asking for a reference on an online forum.

I guess sometimes it helps to read a thread and then comment rather than posting in the name of the interwebs for a comment clearly taken out of context.

[filmman]

they'll sleep with you but they won't recommend you. LOL

[brianluce]

Brian, I think what Michele said above was in reference to filmman asking her to refer him to an agent. There is a difference between sharing info and then asking for a reference on an online forum.

I guess sometimes it helps to read a thread and then comment rather than posting in the name of the interwebs for a comment clearly taken out of context.

Yes, you're exactly right. Well now, this isn't the first stupid thing I've said around here. Always consider the source Matty. Always.

[Mattykins]

Haha, it's cool.

I figured you had just posted fast. :)

[Michele Seidman]

glad i read to the end of the thread after my last post too because i was about to put up my dukes and get down to it...lol...

and Matty thank you for that defense! i thought i did offer up lots of info and share...but huge difference between sharing some info and giving away everything i know that i make money off of to pay the rent! i mean...love you all but i still got to eat too!

[Michele Seidman]

they'll sleep with you but they won't recommend you. LOL


ha ha ha i almost missed that one....

[Michele Seidman]

Ahhh, I tried to forget about that night.... My attempt to sleep up the chain failed. I got nowhere.

See filmman - my lessons come from experience. :(


dag nab it...talk about missing one...

lol Matty...see what happens when you slip out when a woman falls asleep! lol

lol i better be careful. someone may not read the entire thread again and the rumors about you and i will start. lol

[alveraz]

You've already been given some solid advice, I can only add how I landed mine.

My first agent (acting) was through submissions. I queried several agencies around Hollywood and included my headshot, resume and a brief cover letter. I kept it simple. Some agents then requested a reel, so I sent that in. Some requested meetings, so I went. Eventually I landed a great agent and secured work for a while.

After I left acting and pursued my real passion (screenwriting) I landed my agent (ICM) through a referral. The agent then turned me on to my management team (NWE). That's that... wash, rinse, repeat.

Good luck! :)

[filmman]

referral -- that was the word I was looking for! I need a referral :-) not a recommendation.

I don't think it would be wise of me to start a new thread asking how to get a referral.

How does one get a referral?

Oops! There I go again.

I know, the same as a recommendation....

Back to square one. Send out pictures and resumes and a DVD screener.

Actually, I've talked to a lot of agents. They have submitted tens of thousands of pictures and resumes to me -- even some famous ones :-)

I could calling one of them and ask him or her what it takes to get them to represent me. I wonder what they will say? Oh, well, I'll try it soon, and if I hear something interesting, I'll relate it to you here.

[alveraz]

How does one get a referral?

Get to know another actor with a solid agent, usually through a class or workshop so this actor knows you have what it takes and that you are worthy of said referral. Nothing worse than someone you don't know asking you for a referral. Keep in mind, the person referring you is placing their own reputation on the line, so you need to earn that referral.

[Michele Seidman]

I could calling one of them and ask him or her what it takes to get them to represent me. I wonder what they will say? Oh, well, I'll try it soon, and if I hear something interesting, I'll relate it to you here.

silly goose...you got a back door in...take advantage of it and if not...read what alveraz said again!

since i once was an agent i can tell you some will be happy to guide you since you have a working relationship with them. some might even take you on if you have hired and paid their talent. and some might wonder why you all the sudden want to be on the other side of the table. it will be a mixed bag of reactions so start with the ones where you have hired talent. they may feel they owe ya...so to speak!


Get to know another actor with a solid agent, usually through a class or workshop so this actor knows you have what it takes and that you are worthy of said referral. Nothing worse than someone you don't know asking you for a referral. Keep in mind, the person referring you is placing their own reputation on the line, so you need to earn that referral.

alvarez...i mentioned the Ross Report to him. is that where you got your lists to work from?
i am glad you mentioned that it is asking someone to put their reputation on the line. filmman got that point but others reading the thread could have missed it the way others (even me) said it...so kudos for stating it so clearly!