Do you say if you have an agent?
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Do you say if you have an agent?
Helloooo, I would really appreciate some advice please for drama school applications and interviews. My DD will be applying next year for acting courses, and it doesn't feel right to say in an interview or on her CV that she has representation? I don't know why! Students who are currently training at drama school and had an agent when they went there, did you mention this? I would really appreciate knowing how to advise my DD about this for next year. Many thanks.
Re: Do you say if you have an agent?
DD never specifically mentioned that she had an agent, but did list professional credits on her CV so was asked by some (but by no means all) schools at auditions if she had an agent. She always answered yes and indicated that she would continue to be represented by her agent, but that they had agreed she would only be submitted for auditions/work during the long summer holidays. She was frequently asked why she wanted to go to drama school if she already had an agent so be prepared for that one. I think some schools didn't like the fact she had an agent, but she felt she didn't want to lie if asked outright. The head of acting at her current school is not happy with her having an agent, but other tutors are very supportive and interested in her auditions/work and she recently helped in some tutorials with the third years on agent relationships, Spotlight profiles, showreel, what happens at castings etc! I will try and remember to ask her what she would do if auditioning now with the benefit of hindsight ...
Re: Do you say if you have an agent?
I think Sapphire's DD's approach is the right one. You don't need to mention it - but no need to hide it if directly asked about it.
A lot of schools are not at all keen on students working professionally during their studies. For both RADA and Oxford, students needed special permission, even for work in the holidays - and it certainly wasn't always granted. You had to sign an agreement to say that you wouldn't take on acting work without permission.
An agent may or may not be interested in keeping someone on their books through drama school - that will depend on lots of different factors - so it might be worth having that conversation with the agent first anyway.
I do think some drama schools can ask challenging questions of applicants who have already worked professionally and are represented - but as long as an applicant has a realistic view of the profession and will also listen to and consider the advice from the school I really don't think it will count against you. They ask most people why they want to go to drama school - not just those who have agents or have done professional work. I think when they ask questions they are generally checking out knowledge and attitude rather than questioning choices you have made. Lots of people are asked some tough questions during interviews but that doesn't mean that they won't take you on. I had questions about training in middle-age - I still got in. I had Spotlight entry and had, in the past, had representation - that didn't really come up. DS had questions about the work he had done (though it wasn't really professional work). I know a few people who have had professional work who have then gone to drama school and plenty who have not.
A bit of a question mark comes up for represented students when they come to graduate. What do they do about representation then? Could they have been taken on by a top agent if they had not been represented already? Is the agent that represented you as a child or teenager the right agent to represent you as an adult?
A lot of schools are not at all keen on students working professionally during their studies. For both RADA and Oxford, students needed special permission, even for work in the holidays - and it certainly wasn't always granted. You had to sign an agreement to say that you wouldn't take on acting work without permission.
An agent may or may not be interested in keeping someone on their books through drama school - that will depend on lots of different factors - so it might be worth having that conversation with the agent first anyway.
I do think some drama schools can ask challenging questions of applicants who have already worked professionally and are represented - but as long as an applicant has a realistic view of the profession and will also listen to and consider the advice from the school I really don't think it will count against you. They ask most people why they want to go to drama school - not just those who have agents or have done professional work. I think when they ask questions they are generally checking out knowledge and attitude rather than questioning choices you have made. Lots of people are asked some tough questions during interviews but that doesn't mean that they won't take you on. I had questions about training in middle-age - I still got in. I had Spotlight entry and had, in the past, had representation - that didn't really come up. DS had questions about the work he had done (though it wasn't really professional work). I know a few people who have had professional work who have then gone to drama school and plenty who have not.
A bit of a question mark comes up for represented students when they come to graduate. What do they do about representation then? Could they have been taken on by a top agent if they had not been represented already? Is the agent that represented you as a child or teenager the right agent to represent you as an adult?
Re: Do you say if you have an agent?
Thank you PG and Sapphire for getting back to me - that really is very helpful. I agree I think it is best not to mention it, but be honest if it does come up. I hope it doesn't count against you though. How do you answer questions like, "Why do you want to go to drama school?" - DD wants to train, be with people as passionate about acting as her, it's want she wants to do...it's nothing deeper than that really - she simply doesn't want to do anything else. It does sound so hard to get in!!!!
Re: Do you say if you have an agent?
That's an absolutely valid response - and what most people will say. There is nothing at all wrong with those reasons. Concentrating on the "wanting to train" bit is probably the way to go.
The only word that I tentatively suggest prospective students leave out of interviews (and personal statements) is "passionate" (I know you used it and not your DD, and you are not being interviewed or writing a personal statement so it's not a criticism of your post!).
The suggestion/advice is only because so many people use that word. I hear it from more or less everyone I talk to about acting and drama school. It doesn't mean it's not true - it's just that, eventually, the word ceases to have much meaning for the person hearing or reading it.
I know why people use it - they want to get across how serious they are about wanting a career and how willing they are to work hard and how much it matters to them - but it's worth thinking about another way to say it.
It's a bit like the advice not to sing "On My Own" for an audition. It's a brilliant song, absolutely brilliant - and lots of people do it well - but ultimately, when you have heard it for the fifty millionth time you can't help but think "really?" "Could you not think of something else?" Even though that's not really a fair reaction to what is a very good song that suits a lot of people.
That's the same kind of unfair reaction I tend to have whenI hear the word "passionate" - and I don't even do drama school auditions!
What counts is the audition. It is really hard to get a place, but there's no reason why your DD shouldn't be amongst the ones who do
The only word that I tentatively suggest prospective students leave out of interviews (and personal statements) is "passionate" (I know you used it and not your DD, and you are not being interviewed or writing a personal statement so it's not a criticism of your post!).
The suggestion/advice is only because so many people use that word. I hear it from more or less everyone I talk to about acting and drama school. It doesn't mean it's not true - it's just that, eventually, the word ceases to have much meaning for the person hearing or reading it.
I know why people use it - they want to get across how serious they are about wanting a career and how willing they are to work hard and how much it matters to them - but it's worth thinking about another way to say it.
It's a bit like the advice not to sing "On My Own" for an audition. It's a brilliant song, absolutely brilliant - and lots of people do it well - but ultimately, when you have heard it for the fifty millionth time you can't help but think "really?" "Could you not think of something else?" Even though that's not really a fair reaction to what is a very good song that suits a lot of people.
That's the same kind of unfair reaction I tend to have whenI hear the word "passionate" - and I don't even do drama school auditions!
What counts is the audition. It is really hard to get a place, but there's no reason why your DD shouldn't be amongst the ones who do