Monday March 20th 


Thoughts on agents and expectations. 

I was in the office today working on the plans for the office alterations and had an appointment with Marianna Ricci, the owner of a new agency in town. She wanted to ask some questions and see if we could make some kind of referral agreement. Apparently she started with models and music artists and is expanding into the acting field. I'll say this, she is ambitious. I told her that I cannot have any referral agreements with agents because that is not in the best interests of my students. They get a list of all agents in the area and must choose who will best represent them. My suggestion regarding actor representation was that before actors leave one agent for another they always have questions to ask. In fact, ALL ACTORS SHOULD INTERVIEW THEIR AGENTS. Actors often go into the whole agent thing the wrong way. "How do I get an agent" "Who will sign me." I suggest that the emphasis should be on who YOU will allow to sign you. The agent works for the actor, they are paid with your commission dollars, you are the lifeblood of any agency... so you have the responsibility to make sure that the person representing you is ethical, responsible, knowledgeable, and informed. You should have a list of questions that you ask prospective agents such as:

1. With what casting directors do you have good relationships?
2. What is your rate for a :30 broadcast TV spot? Cable?
3. What is your commission on a non-union job? (should not be above %15)
4. How large is your talent pool? How about your list of actors of my type? (If they have 1000 actors and only one or two agents in the agency, how can they possibly represent you to the best of their ability?)
5. Quiz them on their knowledge of right to work laws, of SAG rates, negotiable points on union jobs other than rate, on the Southeast Travel Waiver... (if they are going to represent you, shouldn't they be more knowledgeable than you are about the business you are in?)
6. Can I use photographers of MY CHOOSING for headshots, will I be required to pay fees of any type other than commission, do you charge for services like putting my headshot on your website or for getting me sides for my auditions? (YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN COMMISSION WITH AN AGENT...AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE ANY PHOTOGRAPHER YOU WANT)

These questions are a good starting place. I understand that a lot of actors are desperate for an agent, or so desperate for work that they think having as many agents as possible in one area benefits them. Be careful, be patient, work on yourself and your acting skills.. the rest will come as you apply yourself and search. My personal choice is to have one agent in each market because of the following logic (from having been an agent) Let's say every time I, as your agent, get a call for a role I have to scramble to try and phone actors before someone else gets to them... and often times I get to you second or third. At some point, unless you are DAMNED WORTH IT, I am going to stop fighting to call you and focus my time and energy first on those actors that are devoted to me as an agent. The truth... most represented actors are not worth that kind of hassle. You are giving the agent a problem they don't already have.. with a roster of 250-300 talent (if you're lucky it's that few)... and 2 or 3 projects a day... the agent has to use her/his time as efficiently as possible. Who has time to panic call and MAYBE get an actor, when you can spend the time giving thorough information to the actors you know are yours? That's my logic anyway. Most of the time, all the agents in one market will have access to the same jobs anyway.

Now, having a different agent is each market or region.. that is DEFINITELY to your benefit. Local work usually goes to local agents and if you are willing to drive a little you can pick up work in places within a 100-150 mile radius that you would not have access to with your home agent. I say 100-150 miles because that is about the limit for a job you would not need a hotel for. Beyond that distance, you are increasing you expenses to the point that by the time you travel for the audition, the callback (if there is one), and the job, eat meals each of those trips and have a hotel the night before and possibly after the job... you have lost money. That is UNLESS the people using a local casting director and/or agent are willing to toss in reimbursements for the job day expenses.. but that is is unlikely. Otherwise they would have contacted agents farther afield for talent. See... it is all logical when you think in terms of the money spent.

As for Marianne, I wish her well. It is a long road and not very profitable.. ask any agent in business right now. The time and expense is excessive and the returns low. Returns are ESPECIALLY low when actors do not pay their agents commission on SAG residuals that have the plus 10% built in. YES, THAT'S RIGHT. When your first network rerun residual arrives... not ALL of that money is yours... some belongs to your agent. When your feature film appears on network... same deal. After a couple runs, the +10 is not included and whatever the contractual agreement is between you and your agent applies. Most agents do not receive commission beyond those +10 residuals. In fact, I think SAG may forbid it. Don't take my posting here as completely accurate, always check the union rules (www.SAG.org) for the official word. In fact, this link has specific residual information and echoes the sentiments I have expressed here:

http://www.sag.org/sagWebApp/Content/Public/nm_newsletter_february_2006.htm#TREAT%20YOUR%20AGENT%20FAIRLY

The minutiae of the rules are not meant to be committed to memory... that's why the books are there. Be well my friends. 

Posted: Tue - March 21, 2006 at 10:44 AM          

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