PLEASE HELP RATE AGENCIES FOR NEW BLOG

[carriesdream]

Hi, I hope you will all help us. My 15 year old daughter and I are writing a blog with the aim to help all newbies and old hands in the acting world. Please help as it will help others

The first area we want to cover is agents.

My dd started in her teens with absolutely no knowledge of how to become a teen actress. We have learnt so much, but there is so much more to learn and how helpful this site has been and how lovely some mums are who have
offered their words of wisdom along the way. We want to collate info it so its easy to look for and will be writing/calling to all the agents in Contacts as a start


Please can you tell us about any agents you know or your dd and ds are signed to for ages 13 - 19 only. (13 -16) and (16 plus) Its all in confidence and no names will ever be linked to our writing.
Please tell us 1. name of Agency, 2. How many agents work there ?3. How many on their books? 4. Were you happy with the amount of castings you got? 5. How many jobs have you got from your castings? 6. How would you rate the agency top , middling, smaller in i)size and ii)success rate?
7. What age do they take? 8. What age and sex is your child? 9. How easy/difficult was it to be accepted by them? 10 What was the process of auditioning before acceptance.11 Is your personal agent friendly and communicative? know you and get you good auditions?

Thank you so much

[fairystarlet]

Those questions are quite hard to answer.
How many castings a year? how many jobs?
One of my kids got loads of castings 4-5 x a week with one agent and no jobs. Then moved to another agent and got barely any (max 1 a month) but got the jobs from the select few castings.
Some children will get lots of castings whilst others may not. So does that mean the agency isn't good if say child 2 didn't get any castings...and yet child 1 may get lots?

I think it's also down to personal experience. Some people may like their agent to be super friendly. Whilst another person would prefer they spend all their time getting work and not being nice on the phone.

I like the idea of giving facts but I think it is hard to write about agents as they work differently for different people. I think that it is really down to personal experience.

[carriesdream]

Hi fairy starlet, Thanks so much for your reply you make some good points, but that is what I am trying to get at too, if you know an agent just gets on with jobs and isnt chatty or communicative that might make you think twice before joining if you have a choice. Its getting the castings I think that count as it is up to the teenager to get the job, but it would also be interesting to know eg in a year
age 13. 6 castings 4 jobs, age 14, 12 castings , 2 jobs, age 15, 2 castings , 2 jobs. I think if enough people responded we could see a pattern????

I dont know but I would rather go to an agency that gave 6 castings in a year to say most of their 14 year old girls than one that gave 1. That is what I am trying to find out. People talk about agencies being good, but what makes them good?

Is it having one or two superstars that everyone dreams of emulating and a lot of people who never get jobs, or a steady flow of a few jobs to most of their clients? None of us know this and I think agents should be more open so we can make decisions. These days everyone is accountable: doctors waiting lists, no of patients who die, ebay feedback, tripadvisor, etc etc and agents/cds and directors etc don't seem to be open enough, or is that just my opinion?

Please inbox me if you have any comments at all about your agent. we would be very grateful, all in confidence, no-ones name or profile name ever linked to any comment.

[fairystarlet]

i'm still unsure of how this helps.
Some kids will have a 'commercial look' and whatever agent they go to will get castings.
Some kids are more popular than others, i.e they have more experience than others. Their 'look' maybe in at the moment.

Also as I pointed out one agent did give one of my dc's plenty (too many) castings and he got no jobs from them, but then we moved and the agent was more selective about the castings they put him forward for and he got them....so in this case number of castings was not important. (it was more about the agent knowing the child and thinking about what would suit him).

If I said my agent wasn't chatty or very communicative (but worked extremely hard to get the jobs) this (if i'm understanding your post) would mean that they are an 'undesirable' agent.

Teenagers are a tricky age because of licencing laws and growth spurts. One of my DC's recently got more castings because I had updated his pictures (he changed a lot in a yr). So there are many factors like have you updated their measurements/ photos etc as that would make an effect on the number of castings.

I just don't think it's all down to the agent. Also I still stand by the fact that it is really a personal choice.

Maybe i'm just not understanding your post, i think it is hard to make a list of agents and what number of castings they get the kids on their books as there are so many variables. Sorry i don't mean to come across as negative.

[pg]

I do understand what you are trying to do, but I agree with fairystarlet in everything he/she says. I am honestly not sure that the statistics you are seeking will provide much guidance. On the face of it, what you are proposing sounds brilliant, but I think that there a lot of very good reasons why the information you are seeking is not out there already.

One of the reasons is that the industry is a bit secretive in nature. I think this is because there is so much public misconception about how it works.I know this sounds contradictory, but CDs/Directors/Agents don't want the "general public" to have access to information without the expertise/experience needed to interpret it and to understand all the caveats that go along with the information (many of which fairystarlet has alluded to).

Also, you mention agents "giving" castings to people. Now, I'm sure you didn't mean it literally, but it is a very, very common misconception about the industry that an agent controls the number of castings an actor gets. That really isn't how it works, even though, of course, if an agent has excellent relationships with casting directors they may sometimes have some influence. However, if the actor isn't right for the part, or doesn't have the requisite experience, then the agent can have the most brilliant contacts in the world, but they would be unlikely to push to get that actor seen. If they did, then the agent's reputation would suffer. So the numbers you are seeking also depend on what is being cast at any particular time.

If you go by numbers, the other thing you miss out is how long each job lasts for. For example, my ds is (very unusually and fortunately) employed solidly for over 15 months. This means that he won't attend any auditions during this time. So that looks like one casting, one job over a 15 month period! Would that make his agent look "worse" than someone who had been for 15 castings in the same period?

Fashions change, CDs change, actors change and agents change. I think there are very important things to look out for in an agency, but what is important and works for one client may be relatively unimportant and not work for another.

I had a very lean period last year and just lately have had a huge flurry of castings. I've had a well paying a job and a few recalls. One of the auditions, - which alas I didn't get - was for something far more prestigious/high profile than anything I have had before. Now, in all honesty, I KNOW that my agent worked just as hard for me during the lean period as during my recent busy period. I also know that the high profile casting was due to some happy coincidences and some decent work I have done in the past - that's just the way it goes. I suspect that my agent will make the most of the contacts that I have made (as she should) as well as me benefiting from the contacts she has made.

It's also very easy (if you have the right "look") to get called in for dozens and dozens of commercial or photo shoot castings, but some actors doon't want to keep trailing to commercial castings - especially if the pay is not too great or if they know that a particular CD always calls in hundreds where others only call in 40 or so. My agent is really particular about what she submits me for - this is because she doesn't believe in going for jobs (of which there are many) paying less than the going industry rate. I'm glad my agent is like this, some people might prefer to be submitted for everything, regardless of pay.

There are so many variables that I just don't think numbers will give a useful picture - or at least there is every chance that they will be unintentionally misleading. If you are looking for comments rather than numbers then these will be subjective (and agents might not be very pleased if the comments are negative!).

Not every agent is right for every actor. As long as actors avoid the obvious scams and ask plenty of questions at a meeting and ensure that they can communicate with their agent when necessary, then I think it's a case of "see how it goes". If things aren't going well, it should be possible to discuss why this might be with the agent and talk about what the actor can do to improve his/her chances.

[Selina2]

As pg says, agents don't have any control over giving jobs, they submit their suitable clients for jobs where they fit the casting brief. It is then up to the Casting Director who they select to audition from the submissions from all the various agencies - and there are so many variables in who they select from those submissions to actually call in, especially if they receive hundreds - 'look' and experience being the main ones but there are many others too.

Some agencies like Abacus send out a list each year to all their clients which tells them which jobs they were submitted for so they might be a good one for you as you'd have something measurable, as most agencies don't do this. Abacus are a very good agency with a longstanding reputation and many successful clients, but you may well be with them for a year and never get a single audition although they've submitted you for jobs. There's so much competition and for a 14/15 year old girl not many acting jobs around and unless you already have professional credits on your CV it's unlikely you'll get called in, unless it's a very open audition like Kerrie Mailey does for CBBC shows.

If you're just interested in getting sent to lots of castings then some of the newer agencies like Daisy and Dukes and Bonnie and Betty may be your best bet as they do a lot of commercials, featured roles and extras casting for children as well as acting but it still will depend on your look, age, experience and whether any suitable jobs come in as to how busy you are.

I really don't think any of that is measurable at all, everyone's experience will be different due to all the casting variables, and as you say in the end it's not the agent who creates a success it's the actor themselves. Do your research but don't expect to get measurable stats, you just need to make sure you go to an agency with a good reputation who doesn't charge up-front fees - and in the end you may not have much choice as it will depend on who agrees to audition/meet you and then take you on, and that's not easy either the older your children get. Best to start young when experience doesn't count for so much and agencies and casting directors are always looking for new faces!

[Flosmom]

My DDs (age 8 and 10) are with different agencies.

Little DD gets heaps of castings through Top Talent but - so far - a low 'hit rate'. I don't think it will get much higher because the jobs she is put forward for tend to be commercials where there are loads of kids going forward. The recent casting for an Anchor commercial seems to have called hundreds of kids, which means a huge well done to those that were successful but a lot of youngsters and parents who have gone along (which isn't always easy) but not been cast.

Bigger DD has recently moved to Abacus. We're expecting fewer castings, but that's fine because she is always busy through various networks. So she simply doesn't have the time to attend lots of commercial castings and isn't particularly interested in that work anyway.

So it's horses for courses, isn't it?

I hope this is helpful, but I guess it might not be.

Deb x

[carriesdream]

Thankyou so much for all the helpful replies. I think that all you say is correct, it depends on personal choice and what works for you and your child, but I guess the only way to qualify who is the best and who comes down the list would be to take their net profit and divide by number of clients. But this is flawed too as one person as you say may get a lot of work one year and another more work another year. Because you are in a successful agency does not mean success all the time for your child. But why are some agencies considered better than others i.e. United, ARG, Curtis Brown? This has to be because they have quality clients and that they have excellent relationships with casting directors and therefore place their clients correctly at castings and consistently get the jobs?? Is it something else undefinable?? I know an agent who takes one child might be better than an agency with all children, and vice versa, as you say pg its all personal choice.

Please will anyone say what makes a good agent for them personally and who they think are the best?

(PS This is why this site is so good, you can have an idea and through members comments see flaws in your thoughts and ideas)

[wissymo]

We are with A&J Management and are very happy!
They reply to my emails within 5 mins 99% of the time!
They answer the phone within a couple of rings every time!
They have regular success with good acting roles for all different age groups!
I find them very approachable if I ever have anything I want to ask about or check up on!
I love their website which must be really to use for casting directors!
They have office hours but we have been submitted for work over weekends,contacted anything from 7.00am to late at night
when needed! So I know they work very hard for us! What more could I ask for xx

[pg]

Thanks, carriesdream, for taking what might have seemed like criticism in good part!
I do think it is important to consider what makes a good agent, but I think it's really hard to pin point. I think it would be very useful to have advice about avoiding scams etc in your blog.

It's also vital that an agent knows the client and knows what the client can do. An agent cannot properly represent a client they have not met/seen in action. A good acting agent wouldn't want to: their reputation is on the line when clients are seen by directors and casting directors...

I won't name any names but I know lots of stories of good and bad experiences of agencies that are considered "good" or "Top tier" and lots of cases where some actors have been very happy and successful with "lesser" agencies where some actors on the same agent's books have been thoroughly miserable and unhappy that they have so little work.

I know of someone who had a "middling" agent, got a lead role very early in his career, swapped to a "top" agent who didn't want his client to go up for anything other than high profile jobs - consequently this person has not worked for over a year (though, in fact, even that could be misleading - it's always possible the actor might not have worked even if he/she had gone up for "lesser" jobs).

Sometimes actors are signed with "top" agents and are not successful and are dropped pretty quickly by that agent.

I think there are things to look out for in an agent but that ultimately, a lot of it is down to how realistic, proactive, talented and available you are and then being as prepared and ready as possible for good fortune.

Here are the things that I think matter from another thread on this subject:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=16703&hilit=+communication


Here's another point that I raised that I think is also relevant to these discussions:

I do agree that it should be possible to speak to your agent when you need to, but personally I think it comes down to trust. Decent agents work hard for their clients and would prefer to spend their time talking to the people with the jobs, rather than talking to their clients. I think one needs to feel confident that the agent will always submit you when appropriate - getting called in from that submission is something the agent often has very little control over. If you have a feeling that the agent isn't working hard for you, then I think it's best to tackle it in a friendly manner with the attitude that you want to do what you can to improve your chances. That way, the agent can discuss the problem as a partnership -which is what it should be.

Understanding how casting works can be the key to a good relationship with your agent - then you know what contact will be useful to your relationship and what is just taking up their time.