Cinematography Representation

Ryan Patrick O'Hara

Ryan Patrick O'Hara

Veteran
Hello everyone!

I have never considered my work bad, but I am very young, just out of film school. I never thought I would ask about the possibility of being represented by a talent agency this soon, but I've recently witnessed several events which have changed my mind.

Enter the acting world. Time and time again I see an online audition for some horrible actor or actress... but they mostly have representation! How can this be?! I understand that representation takes a certain percentage of your income, but many successful people use them and it is great to have someone working to get you jobs!

So back to where I started... I've never thought about being able to deserve representation this young, but if these horrible 20-something actors can get represented, surely I can!

Does anybody here have experience being represented not as an actor but as a director, Dp, writer, etc.?

Thanks,
-rpo
 
Ryan, great you asked this. I was just thinking the same thing during a conversation with a friend. Of course the percentage of us DP's (especially for those of us in LA) and the amount of work we do per year, on an average is very different than that of an actor, obviously.

I think the main element an actor has is the amount of resources available when it comes to looking into representation. There are hundreds of agencies in LA that rep actors and models, and I'm sure most of those "terrible" actors aren't represented by big agencies like Gersh, WMA or Paradigm, but probably a smaller independent agency...Which may be a good thing. (More individual attention?) For us as DP's, our options are more limited it seems. The big players in our field are The Mack Agency, Dattner Dispoto, Gersh, Creative Artist, etc.

You and I are around the same age, and I share your pain in the judgement world when trying to work on bigger jobs. That's where the agent comes in. So how do we pursue that?
 
I have noticed a lot of actors have representation, even if they make less than I do and don't seem to do very good work. I guess it must be easier to find perhaps. I assume it's a lot easier to make it into some of these unions, too, I meet a lot of SAG actors, very very few DGA directors. I mean, I assume DGA directors are usually more well off than SAG actors, because of the number of struggling actors I've met who are still in SAG...

I've worked with some very good DPs who don't have representation, like my last music video, the DP is in the Local 600, but he doesn't have an agent. He does feature work, music videos, commercials, corporate, you name it, he's done it. I guess it must be very hard to find representation as a DP, I'm just assuming from the people I know.
 
Andrew Brinkhaus said:
Ryan, great you asked this. I was just thinking the same thing during a conversation with a friend. Of course the percentage of us DP's (especially for those of us in LA) and the amount of work we do per year, on an average is very different than that of an actor, obviously.

I think the main element an actor has is the amount of resources available when it comes to looking into representation. There are hundreds of agencies in LA that rep actors and models, and I'm sure most of those "terrible" actors aren't represented by big agencies like Gersh, WMA or Paradigm, but probably a smaller independent agency...Which may be a good thing. (More individual attention?) For us as DP's, our options are more limited it seems. The big players in our field are The Mack Agency, Dattner Dispoto, Gersh, Creative Artist, etc.

You and I are around the same age, and I share your pain in the judgement world when trying to work on bigger jobs. That's where the agent comes in. So how do we pursue that?
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As stated, once in the local 600 your desirability for representation goes up... but not really.

It's great you are in the union, but if you know how the union goes, you wont be a cinematographer/DP at first. You will most likely be listed as a loader, or 2nd. So yes you are in the union, but not as a DP quite yet. Talent agencies have little reason to represent AC's... so they would better be used as getting Dp jobs on small non union productions.

I guess I can just send them my reel and resume and see if they bite. If so, I'll have to seriously consider if this is what is good.
 
You can apply at any level of the Local 600, your admission will depend on you meeting the required hours in that position, having an acceptable resume/reel, as well as paying the membership fee, which for DP's is roughly $14,000.

You aren't required to be in the union to have an agent, but it is kind of pointless to have one if your not, because if your in LA and non union, what money is an agent going to make off of you? The well paying jobs are most often union shows, and when they aren't it's usually a significant drop in budget/crew scale.
 
Andrew Brinkhaus said:
The well paying jobs are most often union shows, and when they aren't it's usually a significant drop in budget/crew scale.
Click to expand...

I have seen the opposite. Union gigs are held to scale pay while the open market allows one to charge what they are worth.
I'd say a day of cold-calling agencies will get ya some representation. It's us fools out in the midwest that are hard to represent. You are in the heartland and can work everyday.
 
You guys need to go hunt around at the better below the line agencies - yes, there are agencies for this and they specialize in crew. You'll need to show them that you work regularly, which is a prerequisite for getting an agent. They don't care so much about your body of work, rather how often you work as that's what makes them money.

After that, you may graduate into a regular above the line talent agency....I know of several cinematographers who are repped by one of the big 5....

example: John Bailey, ASC - United Talent.
 
Andrew Brinkhaus said:
You can apply at any level of the Local 600, your admission will depend on you meeting the required hours in that position, having an acceptable resume/reel, as well as paying the membership fee, which for DP's is roughly $14,000.

You aren't required to be in the union to have an agent, but it is kind of pointless to have one if your not, because if your in LA and non union, what money is an agent going to make off of you? The well paying jobs are most often union shows, and when they aren't it's usually a significant drop in budget/crew scale.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are correct about being able to choose the 'DP' level... but from what I know this makes you unable to take union jobs for jobs underneath. I was planning to start low and only change my status when I was sure I could get steady work as the next rung up the ladder.

And that DP price is hefty!

The best would be an agency that could get me DP gigs on indi non union stuff, while I worked on union films working up the ladder. I guess there is no use sitting here and speculating if they can or can't.... just gotta give them a buzz i suppose.
 
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