AGENT MATTERS

Actors spend an enormous amount of time trying to get an agent.

And almost no time thinking about what happens after they get one.

Which is interesting.

Because getting an agent isn't the end of a problem.

It's the beginning of a relationship.

And relationships can be wonderful.

They can be productive.

They can change your career.

And occasionally...

they can make you stare at your phone and think:

"Is this thing working?"

An agent can be one of the most important professional relationships you have as an actor.

But here's the part we don't talk about enough.

Representation doesn't automatically mean good representation.

And having an agent doesn't necessarily mean you have the right agent.

Because this isn't simply about who submits you.

It's about communication.

Trust.

Money.

Expectations.

Professionalism.

And whether the person representing your career is actually helping you manage it.

So today we're going to talk about something actors desperately want...

and occasionally desperately want to get out of.

Representation.

Because...

Agent Matters.

And we're going to talk about why.

LEAN INTO THEME / COMMERCIAL

[THEME MUSIC / COMMERCIAL]

RETURN — APPROX. :30

So let me make something clear before we go any further.

This episode is not called:

"How to Get an Agent."

There are plenty of conversations about that.

This is about what happens once somebody says:

"I'd like to represent you."

Because that's when actors sometimes stop asking questions.

And that's exactly when the questions should begin.

WELCOME / SHOW INFORMATION

Welcome to Casting Actors Cast.

I'm Jeffrey Dreisbach.

Casting director, teacher, author, former actor...

and someone who has spent a considerable portion of his life talking with actors, agents, managers, directors and producers.

Sometimes all before lunch.

If you're new to the podcast, welcome.

And if you've been with me for a while, I'm delighted you're back.

You can find everything we're doing at CastingActorsCast.com.

That's where you'll find the podcast, information about my book, Booked It! The Actors Playbook for Getting Cast, and my online course, Next-Level Auditions — Prepare Smarter. Perform Better. Book More.

And while you're there, make sure you fill out the form and Jump Into the Talent Pool.

That opens up some free materials I've created for actors, including the VO book and video, along with Casting Directors: What They Don't Tell You.

All designed to give you some practical information you can actually use.

Okay.

Let's talk about agents.

Because this relationship matters.

A lot.

PART ONE — REPRESENTATION IS A RELATIONSHIP

Here's the first thing I want you to consider.

An agent is not a prize.

I know it can feel that way.

You've sent emails.

You've submitted materials.

You've asked friends for referrals.

You've researched agencies.

And finally somebody says:

"We'd like to represent you."

Cue the orchestra.

Release the balloons.

Call your mother.

You have an agent!

Except...

what do you actually have?

You have entered into a business relationship.

That's different.

An agent is not an award you receive for becoming a legitimate actor.

Representation is a professional arrangement between two people who believe they can accomplish something together.

That distinction matters.

Because actors sometimes enter representation from a position of gratitude rather than evaluation.

"Thank you for taking me!"

Wait a minute.

They're not adopting you.

You are bringing something to this relationship too.

Your talent.

Your training.

Your experience.

Your materials.

Your professionalism.

And ultimately your earning potential.

This should be mutually beneficial.

Now, most agents I've worked with over the years are hardworking people trying to get actors opportunities in an extraordinarily competitive business.

I want to emphasize that.

This isn't an agent-bashing episode.

Quite the opposite.

Good agents are enormously valuable.

I've worked with terrific ones.

They're knowledgeable.

Responsive.

Honest.

Realistic.

They know their clients.

They understand the marketplace.

And perhaps most importantly...

they don't promise things they cannot deliver.

That's a big one.

Because one of the first potential warning signs is an agent who seems to be selling you a fantasy.

"I know everybody."

"I can get you in anywhere."

"This casting director always takes my calls."

"This producer owes me."

Maybe.

But legitimate professional relationships usually don't need that much advertising.

From the casting side, I can tell you something.

We know agents.

We develop relationships with agents.

We trust certain agents because of years of interaction.

But an agent cannot command a casting director to audition someone.

They can advocate.

They can pitch.

They can say:

"Jeff, take another look at this actor. I really think you're missing something."

And sometimes I do.

That's valuable.

But no legitimate agent possesses the mystical golden key to the casting room.

If they did...

every actor on their roster would be working constantly.

And I assure you...

they're not.

THE FIRST BUSINESS QUESTION

One of the least glamorous questions an actor can ask is also one of the most important.

"Are you franchised?"

Very sexy.

Right up there with:

"Do you validate parking?"

But if you're a union actor, this matters.

SAG-AFTRA has specific rules governing representation by franchised agents, and Actors' Equity has its own franchising regulations.

A franchise isn't simply a fancy industry membership.

It establishes rules and protections governing the relationship between the actor and the agent.

So don't assume.

Check.

Know who you're doing business with.

And understand the agreement you're signing.

This is particularly important because actors sometimes confuse three very different things:

An agent.

A manager.

And somebody who has a website saying they're an agent or manager.

Those are not necessarily the same thing.

A beautiful website is not professional accreditation.

Neither is an impressive list of names.

Neither is a photograph of someone standing next to Steven Spielberg at a party.

I could stand next to Steven Spielberg.

That doesn't mean he's returning my calls.

MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING

And then there's money.

Nothing tests a business relationship quite like a check.

When you're working with a representative, you should understand:

What is commissionable?

What isn't?

How is money being handled?

What documentation will you receive?

What happens with residuals?

What happens when a payment passes through the agency?

Don't guess.

And don't rely on:

"Well, I think it's ten percent."

Ten percent of what?

Under union rules, the details can matter.

For example, SAG-AFTRA specifically distinguishes between commissionable and non-commissionable payments, and residual commission rules can vary depending on the applicable agency regulations.

So if something doesn't make sense...

ask.

A legitimate financial question is not an accusation.

It's a business question.

"Can you explain this deduction?"

"Can you show me what this payment represents?"

"Is this residual commissionable?"

"When was this check received?"

Those are reasonable questions.

You're not being difficult.

You're being responsible.

And here's something else.

Good representatives generally don't want financial confusion either.

Confusion creates mistrust.

Clarity protects everybody.

COMMUNICATION

Now let's talk about the complaint I probably hear most often from actors.

"My agent doesn't communicate with me."

Okay.

But what does that mean?

Because sometimes what the actor means is:

"My agent doesn't communicate with me as often as I would like."

That's different.

Your agent may represent fifty actors.

Or a hundred.

Or more.

They cannot necessarily provide a weekly State of the Union address about your career.

"Jeff, just wanted to let you know that once again...nothing happened Tuesday."

Thank you.

Very helpful.

But there is a reasonable expectation of professional communication.

Important emails should be answered.

Questions about contracts should be addressed.

Audition information should be accurate.

Changes in the relationship should be discussed.

And you should have some understanding of how your representative prefers to communicate.

Email?

Phone?

Text?

Scheduled check-ins?

Find out.

One of the healthiest things you can do at the beginning of representation is ask:

"How do you like your clients to communicate with you?"

That's a very different question from:

"Why aren't you calling me?"

WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP ISN'T WORKING

Here's where this gets psychologically interesting.

Actors will sometimes remain in a bad representation relationship because they're terrified of having no representation.

That's understandable.

You remember how difficult it was to get the agent.

So you think:

"I can't leave."

Even when nothing is happening.

Even when communication has deteriorated.

Even when promises aren't being kept.

Even when you no longer trust the person.

Because something feels better than nothing.

Except sometimes...

nothing is actually clearer than something dysfunctional.

And I'm not suggesting you fire your agent because you haven't had an audition in three weeks.

The business doesn't work that way.

A slow period isn't automatically bad representation.

Your type may be difficult to place.

The market may be slow.

Projects may not be right for you.

Your materials may need work.

Your agent may be submitting you constantly without getting responses.

Remember:

submission is not audition.

And audition is not employment.

There are several people between those stages.

So don't evaluate representation solely by counting auditions.

Look at the relationship more broadly.

Is there communication?

Is there strategy?

Is there transparency?

Do they understand who you are?

Are they submitting you appropriately?

When something isn't working, can you discuss it?

That's a relationship.

MISREPRESENTED CONNECTIONS

There's another warning sign I want to mention because actors are particularly vulnerable to it.

The representative who constantly talks about who they know.

"I know that casting director."

"I'm very close with that producer."

"I work with that studio all the time."

Maybe they do.

But here's the thing about real industry relationships.

They're usually pretty easy to verify over time.

If someone tells you they have an extraordinary relationship with every casting director in New York...

I have some news for you.

We haven't even met every casting director in New York.

Industry relationships are specific.

They develop over years.

They're based on trust.

And good agents don't need to manufacture influence.

Their work demonstrates it.

Be especially cautious when someone's entire sales pitch is based on access.

Because access is not the same thing as influence.

And influence is not the same thing as employment.

MANAGEMENT SKILLS MATTER TOO

There's another possibility we don't discuss very often.

Someone can be perfectly honest...

and simply not be very good at their job.

That's harder.

Because there may be no villain.

No scandal.

No missing money.

No deception.

They're just disorganized.

Emails get lost.

Appointments get confused.

Follow-ups don't happen.

Information arrives late.

And suddenly you're managing the person who's supposed to be helping manage your career.

That's not necessarily an ethical problem.

It's an effectiveness problem.

And effectiveness matters.

Good intentions are lovely.

But your career needs competence.

THE ACTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY

Now...

before every actor listening starts auditing their agent...

we need to turn the camera around.

Because you have responsibilities too.

Are your materials current?

Are your headshots accurate?

Is your résumé updated?

Are your profiles maintained?

Do you respond quickly to auditions?

Are you prepared?

Are you professional?

Do you tell your agent when you're unavailable?

Do you follow instructions?

Are you easy to reach?

And perhaps most importantly...

are you expecting your agent to create a career you haven't taken responsibility for yourself?

An agent represents your career.

They do not manufacture one for you.

That's an important distinction.

The healthiest actor-agent relationships I've observed are partnerships.

The actor is doing their job.

The agent is doing theirs.

And neither person is expecting the other to perform miracles.

Although...

miracles remain welcome.

MORE TO COME — APPROX. 15:00

We're going to take a quick break.

But when we come back, I want to give you a simple way to evaluate your representation without panic, accusation or that dramatic email you write at two in the morning and deeply regret at 8:15.

More on Agent Matters...

right after this.

[COMMERCIAL BREAK]

PART THREE — THE REPRESENTATION CHECK-IN

Okay.

Let's make this practical.

If you're currently represented, I want you to consider five things.

Not emotionally.

Not after a bad audition.

Not because your friend just signed with a bigger agency.

Just objectively.

TRUST

Do I trust this person?

Not:

"Do they get me enough auditions?"

Trust.

Do I believe they're representing my interests honestly?

COMMUNICATION

Can we communicate when something genuinely needs to be discussed?

Not every Tuesday.

Not every time your submission report changes.

When something matters.

TRANSPARENCY

Do I understand the financial arrangement?

Do I understand my contract?

Do I understand commissions?

Can I ask questions without feeling intimidated?

STRATEGY

Does my representative understand where I fit professionally?

Do they see me the way I see myself?

And if they don't...

have we talked about it?

Because sometimes the agent sees something the actor doesn't.

And sometimes the actor has evolved while the agent's perception hasn't.

That's worth discussing.

PROFESSIONALISM

Does the relationship function professionally?

That's the big umbrella.

You don't need to be best friends with your agent.

You don't need dinner together.

You don't need birthday presents.

You don't need matching tattoos.

In fact...

let's definitely skip the matching tattoos.

You need a professional relationship built around mutual respect.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE

And if something isn't working...

talk before you walk.

That's my preference whenever circumstances allow it.

Have the conversation.

Not:

"You never do anything for me."

Try:

"I'd really like to talk about how things are going and whether there's anything I should be doing differently."

That's a conversation.

You may discover something.

Maybe your agent has been submitting you constantly.

Maybe your materials aren't getting responses.

Maybe the market has shifted.

Maybe there's confusion about the kinds of roles you want.

Or...

maybe the conversation confirms what you've already suspected.

This relationship is no longer working.

Then you can make a decision based on information rather than frustration.

And if contractual, commission or union issues are involved, don't improvise your way through them.

Read your agreement.

Contact your union when appropriate.

Get professional advice when necessary.

Know what you're obligated to do before you make a change.

HERE'S YOUR RESET

Here's your Reset for this episode.

Representation is not validation.

Let me say that again.

Representation is not validation.

Having an agent doesn't prove you're talented.

Not having one doesn't prove you're not.

An agent is a business partner.

An important one.

Sometimes an enormously influential one.

But still...

a partner.

And healthy partnerships require clarity.

You should know who's representing you.

You should understand the agreement.

You should understand the money.

You should understand how you communicate.

And you should feel comfortable asking reasonable questions about your own career.

The goal isn't to become suspicious of agents.

The goal is to become informed about representation.

Because fear says:

"I hope they keep me."

Professionalism says:

"Are we still good for each other?"

That's a very different mindset.

And perhaps that's the biggest Agent Matter of all.

Your agent has a responsibility to represent you professionally.

And you have a responsibility to remain an active participant in the career they're representing.

That's the partnership.

That's the relationship.

And when it works...

it's pretty terrific.

I'm Jeff Dreisbach.

Thank you for spending this time with me.

This is Casting Actors Cast.

And I'll see you next time.