How to get a SAG agent to represent me?

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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
filmman said:
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.
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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!
 
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 :-)
 
filmman said:
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 :-)
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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 said:
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.
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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
 
Nathyn said:
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
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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!

filmman said:
Ah, it's Michele. Thanks again.
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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.
 
Michele Seidman said:
. 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.

.
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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.
 
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.
 
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