​Hey ,
 
I have showed you a video on how to find your Pride Words and Dark Word, and what I call your Level 2 Brand.
 
If you haven't watched it yet, check it out here.
 
we talked about the three levels of branding:
 
 

• Level 1: Type – This is how the industry sees you, and the kinds of characters you'll have the highest success playing. Do you get called in for Detectives? Gang Members? Teachers? Mothers? That's your Type, and you might have 3-4 Types you enjoy playing.

• Level 2: Brand – This is when you combine your Type with your personality. An example of a Brandmight be: "The loving, determined, and strong father who can be selfish at times." Your Brand will help you make every character you play or audition for much more multi-dimensional and compelling.

• Level 3: Passion Brand – This is when you combine your brand with your Acting Purpose, and it's the highest you can go. My client Tyrone's Passion Brand is "African American strength, compassion, and pride." And it was that brand that got him booked in the biggest role of his life – King Agnarr in Disney's Frozen on Broadway.

 
 
It's only when you find a deep purpose beyond yourself for acting (what I call your Acting Purpose) – that you begin to see changes.
 
When you find a purpose beyond yourself (one that others can get behind) is when you activate the other 90% of your brain – the unconscious part – to begin firing on all cylinders to get you to where you want to be.
 
The key for a great Acting Purpose is that you MUST find a purpose bigger than yourself – something other people will want to get behind.
 
This is why The Wright Brothers discovered flight before anyone else, including the well-funded scientists of the time.
 
The scientists wanted to discover flight because they wanted to become famous and rich (a self-centered reason).
 
The Wright Brothers had almost no money, but they wanted it because of what being able to fly meant to them, and how they knew it would change the world and help people.
 
Their passion was so inspiring that it encouraged tons of people to help them, and they wound up discovering flight first.
 
Watch this amazing TED-X talk by Simon Sinek about why discovering a deeper purpose for what you do is so powerful:
 

                                                                         

                                            How to Find Your "Passion Brand"
 
Okay... Now, I'm assuming you've figured out your Level 2 Brand and you've already found your Pride Words and Dark Word (again, you can watch the video here if you haven't).
 
Now let's pretend your brand is "an intelligent, friendly, and honest gang member who can be selfish at times."
 
Now, ready to figure out your Level 3 Passion Brand?
 
Here's how to do it. We're first going to figure out your Acting Purpose, so just answer each of the following questions, one by one:

1. What's most important to you when it comes to acting?
   1. EXAMPLE: Have fun, embody a character, live a life outside my own, etc.
2. ENJOYMENT: What kinds of roles or characters would you play if you didn't have to worry about money? What type of acting work would you do?
   1. EXAMPLE: Detectives, gang members, scientists, etc. Acting in film, TV, and theater, etc.
3. GOAL: What big goal would you try to achieve in your acting career if no matter what you did, you couldn't fail?
   1. EXAMPLE: Win an academy award.
4. Look at what you wrote under ENJOYMENT above. How can you combine that with what you wrote under GOAL? Combine it all into one primary goal or focus.
   1. EXAMPLE: I would love to win an academy award playing a gangster character.
5. How can you ensure this takes you away from your Dark Word? Describe how this goal or focus will help you move away from that. Note: Sometimes this question is difficult, so spend a few minutes and think hard because it's very important.
   1. EXAMPLE: By playing a gangster character and winning an academy award, I would not be considered "selfish" because in order to get to that level, there's no WAY I could be selfish or I'd never become successful. I'd have to be super giving to be able to get so far ahead in my career and have people want to help me in return.
6. How can you ensure this moves you towards your Pride Words? Describe how this goal or focus will help you move towards each of your three Pride Words.
   1. EXAMPLE: By playing a gangster character and winning an academy award, I would be considered "intelligent" because I'd have figured out how to make it to the pinnacle of my career. I'd be considered "friendly" because I would have to make a lot of friends in the process. I'd be considered "honest" because I know the only way to become successful is to be 100% confident in yourself, and I'd never be able to feel confident in myself if I weren't being honest.
7. Let's clarify your combined goal up to this point. How would you summarize what you've described so far?
   1. EXAMPLE: I would like to win an academy award for playing a gangster character.
8. Now, how can you ensure you're helping others in this process? Make sure that you can serve as many people as possible, not just people who think and act like you already.
   1. EXAMPLE: I would love to play gangster character roles in such a way that people who watch my performance actually stop disliking gangsters and really feel a connection to and understand the predicament and difficulties real gangsters face in life that force them to do some of the things they have to do.
9. How can you ensure that you're constantly growing, learning, and improving as a person in this process?
   1. EXAMPLE: I would ensure that with every character I play, I am aiming to learn more and more about the character themselves and the different backgrounds they come from so that I can bring that to the screen and help my audience see others in a new light.
10. Who would you be known as in the world?
    1. EXAMPLE: I would be known as a great actor who can get audiences to empathize with the darkest of characters.
11. Simplify that down to a single statement: "The reason I act is because __________."
    1. EXAMPLE: The reason I act is because I want to help audiences develop empathy and become more open-minded to people different than themselves.

 
Now that you know your acting purpose, the final step is to combine it with your brand and remove your Type and Dark Word.
 
Example:
 
YOUR LEVEL 2 BRAND: I'm an intelligent, friendly, and honest gang member who can be selfish at times.
 
YOUR LEVEL 3 PASSION BRAND: I help the world become more open-minded through my intelligence, friendliness, and honesty.
 
 
 
Now that you've completed this process, I'd love to hear from you:
 
What is your Passion Brand?
 
Please reply in the comments to let me know.

we consciously only use 10% of our brain but imagine if there were a way to access all 100%? How much more effective would you be?
 
A BIG difference between majorly successful people and everyone else is that they've figured out how to put a much bigger portion of their brains towards accomplishing their goals.
 
They've learned to turn on their unconscious mind.
 
 
                                             How I Found My Purpose
 
A few years ago, I was absolutely obsessed with Asian martial arts films. Donnie Yen was my hero.
 
One day, while scanning through Netflix, I happened to come across a Chinese television series called The Legend of Bruce Lee.

I turned on the first episode and guess what I found out? Bruce Lee was a cha-cha dancer before he did kung fu!
 
He was just like me, in the sense that he had no real idea of what he wanted to do with his life. He wasn't from a wealthy family and he had no connections.
 
One day however, he got really interested in kung fu because of a fight he was in with some bullies at school.

He then became obsessed with everything about kung fu, and after a number of years of studying he eventually found himself in the United States.
 
He learned that no one in the U.S. had ever heard of kung fu or had any idea that China was the original inventor of martial arts!
 
And that's when he became obsessed with showing the world that China deserved more respect and should not be called the "Sick Man of East Asia" (as people used to say).

​

​As Bruce became obsessed with bringing respect back to China, he started to realize that that was his true life purpose – it was the only thing he really cared about.
 
He took crazy risks and continuously put himself on the line for what he believed in, because if he didn't achieve his life-goal, what would be the point of even existing?

As I watched the show and saw how incredible his achievements were, and how much he was willing to sacrifice for what he believed in, along with the level of success, fame, and fortune he achieved in the process, I couldn't help but think to myself, "this is all because he found his purpose - his reason for being."

As I realized that, I began to think about all the other majorly successful people in life... those who've become mega famous, wealthy and/or successful, or those whose names have been remembered throughout time.
 
Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Rosa Parks, Helen Keller, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Steven Spielberg, Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela, Jesus Christ, and many, many others.

What do they all have in common? They all found a life purpose they believed so strongly in that they sacrificed years of their lives and moved mountains to make it a reality because not only did they believe it was possible, but they believed they were the ones meant to achieve it, and that in the end, it would absolutely be worth the sacrifice.

After I realized this, I couldn't sleep at all that night.
 
Why? Because I had no idea what my own life purpose was!

But I knew at least one thing: the only way for me to reach the biggest goals in my life would be to discover my life purpose and then work to achieve it.
 

                               So What Did I Discover?
 
Deep down I knew I could be doing more with my life and business.
 
If there's one lesson I've learned over the past decade of running my business, it's this: The only way to move beyond the realm of "good enough" is to ask yourself the following question:
​
"How can I go about helping and serving others at the deepest level and in a way that will truly change their lives?"
​
And that's when I realized exactly what needed to change:
 
I needed to begin working with actors to help them market themselves and find more work. I wanted to help actors become leaders in their careers (rather than simply taking headshots for them).
 
And so I began creating YouTube videos. I began writing in-depth articles, doing interviews with industry experts, and much more. And I've put all kinds of content out there for free.
 
Actors are seeing results. And many come back for my much more in-depth, paid content.
 
It took me ten years to figure it out. But I'm passionate about my work again. I'm waking up early in the morning excited to answer all kinds of emails from actors who read and engage with my content.
 
​And best of all, I'm actually having a genuine impact on the lives of the thousands of actors who read my material:

The truth is, when you find your true passion and purpose, EVERYTHING will change.
 
And that's why I want to talk about two things: Your "Acting Purpose" and your "Passion Brand."



                       The Three Levels of Branding
 
There are three levels to branding, but unfortunately most actors never get past Level 1.
 
Here's a super quick outline:
 

• Level 1: Type – This is how the industry sees you, and the kinds of characters you'll have the highest success playing. Do you get called in for Detectives? Gang Members? Teachers? Mothers? That's your Type, and you might have 3-4 primary ones you enjoy playing.

 

• Level 2: Brand – This is when you combine your Type with your personality. An example of a Brand might be: "The loving, determined, and strong father who can be selfish at times." Your brand will help you make every character you play or audition for much more multi-dimensional and compelling.

 

• Level 3: Passion Brand – This is when you combine your brand with your Acting Purpose, and it's the highest you can go. My client Tyrone's Passion Brand is "African American strength, compassion, and pride." And it was that brand that got him booked in the biggest role of his life – King Agnarr in Disney's Frozen on Broadway.

 
 
This is how you'll take your brand to the next level – and it's perfect as we begin to go into the [hopefully better] new year of 2021.
 
watch this video to discover your Level 2 Brand.
 
Make sure to write down your Pride Words and Dark Word!

By the end of this guide, you'll know everything you need to know about how to get an acting agent, from how they work and what they charge, straight down to how to get one as quickly as possible.

An agent is someone whose job is to find work for someone else.

There are all different types of agents, including literary agents (who find deals for authors), employment agents (who help people find jobs), and talent agents (who help actors find auditions).

It's a talent agent's responsibility to:

• Submit you to productions you're right for through a website called Breakdown Services.
• Pitch you directly to their casting director contacts with the hopes that you'll be able to bypass the submissions process altogether and get an invite to the audition room.
• Negotiate salaries and contracts on your behalf so that you can spend more time focused on your craft
• Offer guidance and suggestions such as where to get training or new marketing materials (like actor headshots, resumes, etc.)

A great agent will get on the phone when it matters most and push for a casting director to hire you.

A great agent can generate up to 5-6 high-level auditions per week during the busiest months of the year, and they can get you into productions that can be career-altering.

Through their relationships and access to the Breakdown Services website, they can submit you to auditions you'd normally never have access to.

A manager is someone whose typical role is to guide an actor and help them get their day to day work done so they can be more efficient and make it to more auditions.

Managers help actors by:

• Connecting them to the right people. Many managers have great contacts in the industry and can connect you to other experts such as acting coaches or headshot photographers. Some even help their clients find talent agents.
• Offering career guidance and mentorship. This is one of the primary roles of a manager – in fact, most managers only work with 20-30 actors so they can spend a lot more time with them (agents typically have a roster of 200-300 actors).
• Some managers will submit you for productions or negotiate deals for you, but that's technically not a manager's job. Some managers actually have access to Breakdown Services, but it's not very common.

The biggest difference between agents and managers is that agents are licensed by the state to help you find employment opportunities and are usually not allowed to take more than a certain percentage of their client's earnings (10-15%, depending on where you're based). Managers are not licensed and can therefore take whatever percentage they want (some go as high as 30%).

Do you have to pay for an acting agent? Yes. No one will work for free, but agents charge a percentage of the revenue they generate for their clients. This means that if you find a job on your own, you won't need to pay your agent – but if they find a job for you, you have to pay them a certain percentage of whatever you earned from it.

​Do talent agencies charge a fee? No. Neither agencies or agents should charge you a flat fee – if they do, run the other way because it's a scam! They are only allowed to take a percentage of the work they generate for you, so their cost will constantly be changing depending on how many jobs they help you book each month.

How much do acting agents cost? The typical percentage they take is 10-12%, but there are some agents who charge as high as 25-30%. In my opinion that's just way too much. I know some actors who have an agent who charges 30% AND a manager who charges 30%, leaving only 60% of revenue for the actor! That's not very good.

There are actors out there who book tons of work and don't have agents, but that's somewhat uncommon. To do that, you need to be spending just as much time on your marketing and networking efforts as you do on your acting and training! This is why most actors get agents – so they can focus more of their time on acting and less of their time building relationships in the industry.

To know whether you're ready for an agent, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• ABSOLUTE MUST: Do you have plenty of availability for last-minute auditions? If you've got a job that prevents you from making it to auditions, most agents won't want to bring you on because a lot of the work in this industry comes up last-minute and you need to be available at a moment's notice. You might want to consider freelancing to free up some time.
• ABSOLUTE MUST: Am I talented and good at auditioning? This is a critical question because no agent will hire an actor whose acting is unrealistic or who is no good at auditioning. If you have trouble memorizing lines, or your acting seems melodramatic, or you get way too nervous whenever you go to auditions, you should get more training and work through those issues first. A simple way to know whether you're talented and good at auditioning is to look at your booking rate. If you're booking about 1 out of every 7 auditions you attend (about 14% or more), it means you're talented enough for an agent  (this number applies even if the auditions you've been going on are just for unpaid student projects).
• Are your basic marketing materials professional and up to date? Professional marketing materials are critical to being taken seriously in this industry. You definitely need a headshot, some footage showing your acting ability, and a professionally-formatted resume. A social media presence and website are not critical to getting an agent, but can help.
  • Headshot: You should have a great, professional headshot that looks like you and was taken in the past two years. It should be in color and not be overly retouched.
  • Footage: Having decent footage of yourself performing is important, but unless you're looking for a high-level agent, it's not critical to have high-budget footage of yourself. You can consider hiring a company like Actor Screener Shoot to shoot footage for your reel if you need to update it, otherwise simply recording some self-tape clips is often good enough.
  • Resume: You need a professionally-formatted resume, and even if you don't have too many credits yet, it's OK, especially if you're young (more on that below).
• Are you still in school (this includes college)? Being young tells agents that you probably won't have much on your resume yet, meaning it will be easier to get an agent. There is a limited supply of young actors and agents are always looking for new ones to add to their roster. The younger you are, the better chance you have at getting a talent agent.
• Have you trained with any well-known names in the industry? If you're not sure, simply google your teachers' or coaches' names and see how many articles show up featuring them. If their name is all over the internet on lots of different websites, you can use their name recognition to improve an agent's interest in meeting with you by mentioning their name in your cover letter.
• Are you friends with anyone deeply established in the industry? If you know a casting director well or you have a manager with lots of connections, it becomes easier to get an agent because most agents are looking for actors who already know people (this means the agent's job of pitching you becomes easier).
• Are you in the union? Being in AEA or SAG-AFTRA can improve your chances of getting an agent because it shows them that you're established and take your work seriously. They'll be able to submit you for more productions as well, which is a big plus.

If you've answered yes to at least 4 of the questions above (including both ABSOLUTE MUSTS), you should start the hunt for a great agent as soon as possible, because you're not getting any younger. Chances are you'll be able to sign with someone in just a few months!

If you didn't answer yes to 4 questions above, you can try getting an agent, but chances are you'll have a very hard time and it might take you a year or two. But that's totally OK! You can use the time to continue improving your craft and networking (while still self-submitting). You might even be able to find a manager who can give you some personalized guidance to help you start booking more work.

It can feel very hard to get a talent agent when you're first starting out, especially if you're not strategic about it.

Most advice online tells you to mass mail your headshot, resume, and reel to 20-30 agents and hope to get a response, but there are a few simple strategies you can use to vastly improve your chances of getting called in for a meeting. We'll discuss these strategies further down in this article.

You should also be aware that there are different tier agents in the industry. Lower-tier agents can be much easier to sign with than top-tier agents because top-tier agents are so busy working with their current clients that they are very discerning about who to bring on. It can take years to get signed by a top-tier agent (even if you have a strong resume and lots of experience).

It's most difficult to get an agent when you're between the age of 22 and 30 because so many actors are around that age. If you don't have anything visually that sets you apart from other actors who look like you, most agents will likely already have someone just like you on their roster (meaning they won't be able to sign you without creating a conflict of interest).

​Related: How to Find Your Brand as an Actor

​What is the biggest talent agency in Hollywood? ​​As of 2021, William Morris Endeavor is widely considered to be the top acting agency. That being said, it's not necessarily the best agency for acting because A) it only signs well-known actors who have an extensive resume and B) even if you did get signed, they most likely wouldn't have the same time and attention to devote to you (an up-and-coming actor) as they would for their more established clients.

There are tons of acting agencies out there and you need to research their client roster (just search them using IMDB Pro) to find out whether you'd be a good fit. More on this soon.

What are the Big 4 talent agencies? The Big 4 are considered to be William Morris Endeavor, Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, and ICM Partners.

Technically you can have as many agents as you want, as long as they don't conflict with one another. Examples of non-conflicting agents are having a commercial agent and a legit agent, or have a Los Angeles agent and a New York agent (as long as neither represents the other region).

Most agents require you to sign a contract with them (unless you're freelancing) and the contract will stipulate whether you can have other agents in addition to the one you're signing with.

Freelancing means you can test-drive an agent and see how they are before actually signing a contract. They'll send you on auditions and you'll pay them their fee, but there is no written agreement. Signed, on the other hand means exactly that – you've signed a contract with them for a specified length of time.

Most people will tell you to get a manager first, but the real answer depends on your personality.

A manager will help you get organized and do what you need to start booking more acting work. An agent will submit you for bigger auditions.

If you can manage yourself effectively, you might not need a manager. You can save your money and spend your time networking with people in the industry and organizing your own career. Many actors take courses like The Practical Performer to learn how to market themselves and save themselves money on a manager. They start with an agent first and then when they're eventually so busy with acting work that they can't manage their schedule, they eventually bring on a manager.

On the other hand, some actors hate dealing with the day to day work of networking and figuring out what to do next, and so are happy to get a manager first. Then their manager will eventually help them get an agent to start being submitted for bigger roles.

A legit agent refers to an agent who submits you for professional film, TV, and theater productions. A commercial agent submits you for commercials – whether they're on TV, the internet, radio, etc.

Commercial agents are typically much easier to sign with because they're always looking for new talent. There are so many commercial agents looking for actors every month simply because of how many commercials shoot! Legit agents are much more discerning with who they sign because they need cream of the crop to submit for primetime television shows and major Hollywood films.

​Many actors believe that getting an agent is almost impossible. That's because they've been told to just mass mail their headshot and resume, and so they do it over and over again to hundreds of agents, only to never hear back.

It can feel like you're sending your headshot and resume into the black hole of doom!

Other actors believe they'll get an agent by attending a showcase or agent workshop. They have high hopes but are disappointed when they send a followup email a few days later... and never get a response.

In this section, we'll outline exactly how to get a talent agent step by step. We'll talk about where to find them, how to contact them, and how to interview & audition. We'll also discuss how to get an acting agent without experience.

The best way to get a talent agent without any experience is by being young. As we discussed in a previous section called "Should I Get an Agent for Acting?" the younger you are, the more likely you are to get an agent without professional experience. However, the longer it's been since you've finished school, the more difficult it will be and the more an agent will wonder why your resume has no credits on it.

The only other way to get an acting agent with no experience is to focus on getting a commercial agent first. There are many commercial agents looking for actors who are new to the industry, and having a thin resume won't hurt your chances with them. As long as you're good at acting and have availability for last-minute auditions, it should be fairly easy to get a commercial agent. You can then try asking your commercial agent for introductions to legit agents (only after you've worked together for a few months, and assuming you've booked work and done a good job).

Your headshot, resume, and reel are critical to capturing an agent's attention. Without them, you'll never have a shot.

The first step is to make sure you have an excellent, high-quality acting headshot that fits within your brand. Your headshot needs to look expensive – if it looks like a friend took it, no agent will sign you because they'll assume you don't take your career seriously enough to invest in a good headshot. Learn all about actor headshots here.

Next, you need to ensure your resume is formatted properly and up to date. As mentioned towards the beginning of this article, if you're still in school, agents won't care if you don't have any professional credits because they're expecting you not to since you're so young! On the other hand, if you've been out of school for at least a few years, you should have at minimum three lead roles in short films that have IMDB credits before expecting to sign with a decent agent. Don't try to fake it – agents will know whether your resume is legit because they typically cross-check it with your IMDB profile. Learn all about actor resumes here.

Finally, your reel needs to have fantastic acting. If your performances are not natural, you'll never have a shot. Agents are just as discerning as casting directors when looking at footage, and at the end of the day a great reel is less about the environment and more about your acting ability. Whether you just have self-tape footage in your reel or you've got tons of high-budget footage, you need to show agents you can act, and that's best shown through emotional scenes that show internal conflict. Learn all about demo reels here.

There are two types of legitimate (non-scam agents): Union Franchised and Non-Union.

​Either one is fine to sign with, but generally speaking, if they're a Union-Franchised agent, the chance of them being an outright scam artist is extremely low because they're held accountable by the union. PLUS, they're allowed to submit you for union productions, which is very important.
​
​SAG-AFTRA contains a full list of their franchised agents here.

Actor's Equity (for theater) contains a full list of their franchised agents here. (note that you have to be a member of their site)

There are plenty of non-union agents, but unless you do your homework and find out from actors they represent how good they are, I generally suggest staying away and instead focusing on the union-franchised agents. If you're not sure whether an agency is legit, you can try searching them using the Better Business Bureau search tool.

Can I sign with a union agent if I'm non-union? YES! It's challenging but definitely possible. There are tons of non-union actors out there with union-franchised agents, and it's the best way to go if you want to grow your career as quickly as possible.


To avoid scam artists and agents who won't submit you often, do not sign with agents who:

• Require you to pay up front. Do actors pay agents? Never if they charge a flat fee. All agents should take a percentage of your earnings. They should never ask you for payment up front and should never require you to shoot your headshots with a particular photographer.
• Pressures you to sign a contract without allowing you to take it home for a few days to review. Never sign into something without reviewing it carefully, or asking a lawyer to look it over (maybe you have a family friend who can help you out to save costs?). You can also see a standard agent contract by clicking here.
• Work as acting coaches on the side. Great agents generally don't have the time to work as acting coaches, and if they promise to represent you AND offer you free coaching as a part of a package deal, don't get sucked in. You'll regret it months later when they're rarely ever getting you work.
• Takes more than 15% of your income. Most agents should not take more than 10%, but this number varies from region to region and country to country. Most good agents won't take more than 15%, and if they do they're either a scam artist or they just want to take your hard-earned money.
• Advertise with pay per click, on Craigslist, or on other websites. Great agents generally don't need to advertise. Scammers do. Avoid clicking Google ads or banner ads that offer representation because they are most likely scams.
• Don't have an easy-to-find and up-to-date roster on their website. Agents almost always list their client roster online so casting directors can find their actors easily. Agents who don't have their roster or attempt to hide it (look to see if you can find it easily on IMDB Pro) are most likely scam artists or very unsuccessful with their clients. Finally, when researching them, as you take a look at their roster, check to be sure that their actors have good-quality, modern headshots and their profiles look up to date.

How do I find a good talent agent? Agents have different specialities and are connected to different people in the industry based on that specialty. A good commercial agent is going to know tons of people in the commercial world. A good film/TV agent is going to know tons of people in the screen acting industry. A voiceover agent will know lots of people in the voice acting world. Related: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Voice Actor

You need to be specific because if you sign with the wrong agent, you'll constantly wonder why you're never getting any auditions!

You can reach out to friends in the industry, speak with your acting teachers, and use online tools like IMDB Pro and Google Search to find out who specializes in what.

You should make a list of agencies to target based on the following criteria:

• Where they are based. Don't sign with someone who doesn't represent clients in your area.
• Their client roster. Make sure they don't already represent numerous actors with your look. If they already have 2-3 other actors who look just like you, chances are slim that they'll want to bring you on too (and if they do, you'll find it hard to book work as you'll be competing with their other clients).
• Size of the agency. Most majors agencies will not sign an up-and-coming actor. Unless you have a lot of credits to your name and a fantastic reel, you should focus on small to mid-sized agencies unless you know someone who can personally connect you to a top-tier agent. Another benefit of smaller agencies is that they'll often have more attention to devote to you.

Once you've decided on a few agencies, you need to look through their list of individual agents and see who specifically you'd like to represent you. Some boutique agencies might have just 3-4 agents working at the company. Larger companies might have hundreds of agents!

Read their bios and see who aligns with you most closely. You can also google their name to check out their social media accounts and see if they've been featured in any videos or articles. Looking through all this ahead of time will not only tell you whether they're a good fit, but can give you a great ice breaker for your cover letter.

Create a list of about 20 agents you want to target (10 should be "first choice" and 10 should be "second choice"), and then reach out to people in your network to see if anyone knows any of those agents. You can ask other actors, teachers, or even your family members if they know them, and if they do, you can ask for an introduction! Referrals will be huge in getting responses.

You're only going to be contacting the 20 agents you came up with in your list. Why? Because you want each person you contact to get a great, personalized cover letter from you. Your cover letter is critical and will determine whether they ever look past it to see your headshot and materials.

Here are two fantastic free cover letter templates that have gotten many actors positive responses from agents.

Counterintuitively, I recommend contacting your second choices first. Why? Because you can see whether they respond and then make some tweaks and adjustments to your cover letter before reaching out to your first choices. Basically, you're testing the water with your second choices. You can even go to interviews and auditions with them to get a sense of how things will go and get some practice. When you're eventually ready for your first choices, you'll be more prepared! Plus you'll have some of your second choices as fall back options should your first choices decline.

Here are the most important things to keep in mind when contacting agents:

• Follow their submissions instructions. Their website will tell you how best to get in touch, so be sure to follow those guidelines (unless you're getting an email introduction from someone directly to a particular agent). If they want you to use an online submissions form, do it. If they want you to email a particular address, do it. Avoid directly emailing an agent because if their website says not to because doing so will definitely annoy them and decrease your chances of getting a meeting.
• If you know someone who knows the agent, ask for an introduction or "preframe." They can either directly introduce you to the agent via email or they can send an email to the agent shortly before yours comes through saying, "Be on the lookout for so and so's email in the next few days." This way the agent is expecting you!
• If submitting via email, be sure to use a simple, straightforward subject line. "Actor seeking representation" is good, and "Referred to you by [someone they know]" is even better. Just make sure you have permission to use someone's name in your email.
• Write a fantastic (and short) cover letter. Your cover letter should be personalized to the agent you are interested in (Dear Margaret – not Dear Agency) and it must explain why you want to work with THEM specifically. This is where research comes in. Think – what can you use to break the ice? Be sure to include in your cover letter info about your Type & Brand so they see how you're different than the other actors they already represent (and see that you have a realistic idea of the kinds of roles you're right for). You can also mention names of well-known actors you've performed with or coaches you've trained with.
• Don't submit more than three headshots and two reels. Sending too many links or attachments can land your email in their spam box, and can also confuse them.
• Spell their name correctly. The simplest spelling mistake or grammatical error can cause them to think you're unprofessional or don't care, and get your submission tossed.
• Follow up 5 days after submitting if you haven't heard back. Set a reminder so you don't forget to reach out a second time – you can just use their online submission form or the same email address you reached them at originally.

If you don't get any responses to your submissions, you need to go back to the drawing board and check your marketing materials again. Perhaps something isn't as good as you thought it was.

Another reason you might not get invited to a meeting is that the agencies' rosters are simply full. If you submit 3 months later, you might get a response because new slots are opening all the time.

As you begin reaching out to agents, some might respond saying they're not looking for new actors. If they tell you this, it's an invitation to keep them up to date on your work in the industry. You can occasionally reach out letting them know about shows you're in or new things you're doing, and eventually they might bring you in for a meeting.

A long term but more surefire way to eventually get representation is to intern at an agent's office. You'll build a strong personal relationship with them and most likely eventually get signed if you're a great actor and you ask them to consider you!

So, you've been submitting for a while, and an agent emailed you back saying they're interested in setting up a meeting. Congratulations!

So what do you do to prepare?

Well first off, don't under-prepare. You need to do your homework on the agency and make sure you're completely ready for your meeting, otherwise you'll probably lose their trust right away and never make it past the meeting.

Here are some things to keep in mind for your agent meeting:

• Show up on time. This should go without saying, but if you're even 2 minutes late, no excuse in the world will save you. Aim to get there super early just in case something happens. Remember – getting an agent is a HUGE opportunity. It's what will get you TONS of auditions, so treat it as importantly as you would the audition of a lifetime. Aim to arrive an hour early and then hang out at the coffee shop across the street until your meeting time.
• Dress well. Don't wear something extremely specific, but do show up clean and with solid colors. Wearing professional clothing will help agents see you in a good light and assume you're responsible and easy to work with. Here's a great guide of clothing that works well (for both headshots AND auditions/agent meetings)
• Do not lie. If an agent asks you a questions about your training or experience during the interview, never lie. They'll eventually find out and it will come back to haunt you.
• Bring a folder with your headshots, resume, and even a DVD copy of your reel just in case. Chances are they won't need it, but you should have it handy if they do. You can also include a business card and a printed version of your cover letter.
• Prepare at least three monologues ahead of time. Most agents will require you to perform a monologue as part of the audition, so you should have three different types of monologues that you feel comfortable with. They MUST be fully memorized and should each represent a different side of you – funny, sad, and angry, for instance. Having three different monologues memorized will give you the opportunity to do something different if they want to see a different side of you.
• Be aware that they might hand you a script on the spot. If they ask you to do a cold reading, it's OK if you don't have it memorized. They just want to see how you perform and sound when reading the lines. Keep calm and carry on!
• Have questions prepared in advance. They'll inevitably give you the chance to ask questions during the meeting, and if you have none prepared, it will look like you didn't do your homework ahead of time. Some great questions to ask them include the following:
  • I see myself as _______, but out of curiosity, how do you see me?
  • How do you feel about me submitting myself to projects?
  • How involved do you typically get with your clients and helping them move their careers forward?
  • What can I do that will make your job easier if you decide to represent me? (agents love this question)
  • How do you prefer your clients keep in touch with you? Text? Email? Phone?
• ​Do NOT ask stupid questions. Yes, there ARE stupid questions, regardless of what they tell you in school. You should NOT ask questions that you could have found out the answers to ahead of time by simply researching the agency. The following questions are big red flags for agents, so do NOT ask these:
  • Who will represent me from your agency? You should already know who you're targeting. The only time this question is fair is if the agent you were interested in has a full roster and you might get connected with someone else.
  • How many clients do you currently represent, and are any my type? You can easily find this information online. If anything, ask them a modified version of it to show them you did your research: I saw you currently represent 156 actors. A few of them look similar to me, so I was wondering, how do you submit actors who are similar, or do you see me as a different type?
  • What kind of work have you gotten in the last six months for your clients? This is a borderline offensive question and might really annoy the agent – especially since you could have easily researched this as well. Who are you to ask what kind of work they've gotten their clients? A much better way to phrase this is, "I noticed you got some of your clients into amazing productions, including Production A, B, and C. What are some other great gigs you're in the process of getting for your clients?"

Once the meeting and audition is finished, it might take 3-4 days to hear back. If you haven't heard from them in that time, a brief followup email is recommended (note the word brief).

Don't be discouraged if you don't sign with the first agent you meet with. It can take numerous attempts before you find a good fit. Getting rejected is usually due to one of two things:

1. You look too much like other actors they represent. As mentioned previously, agents don't like signing actors who look too similar to each other because they'll be competing for each other's roles, which creates a conflict of interest amongst their clients.
2. You do not have enough training or experience for that agent to represent you. But this might not be the case for all agents, so keep submitting to others – someone will likely want to take you on even if someone else thinks you're not ready for representation.

Why do agents drop actors? There are many reasons. If you're not booking a lot of work or you don't do much to move your career forward (meaning you just leave all the work to them), they'll likely look for another actor to represent instead.

To avoid getting dropped, you need to maintain a strong relationship with your agent! Here are a few things you can do to ensure you don't get dropped:

• Be quick to respond. Your agent might text, call, or email you and nothing bothers an agent more than an actor who takes more than an hour to respond. Turn all your notifications on and respond within just a few minutes to make the best impression. The actors quickest to respond are going to be sent on the most auditions, so keep that in mind!
• Keep working on your audition technique. If you get nervous before auditions, you gotta get more training. Agents drop actors who don't book a lot of work, so audition technique workshops are critical!
• Be sure your agent has access to your latest marketing materials. If you shoot footage for your reel or update your headshots, be sure to let you agent know. And make sure to invest in those marketing materials when your agent tells you to. This means you should save up some money so it's there, ready to be spent at a moment's notice if your agent needs you to get new headshots. They hate having to wait months and months for you to finally get your marketing materials up to date.
• Be respectful of your agent's time. Agents hate getting calls or texts late at night or early in the morning. Keep your communication to normal business hours, and only update them with things they need to know. If you booked a role, great! But it's not a good idea to tell them about it at 2am.
• Listen to them... but make sure they also listen to you. If your agent makes a recommendation on taking a certain class or paying for new headshots, don't simply say "Yes." Instead, ask them what specifically they want and why so you can be sure to get them exactly what they need. And if you disagree, find out why they're asking you for that specific thing. If you still disagree with their recommendation, set up a phone call to discuss. Being on the same page as your agent is vital for a strong relationship.

How do I drop my agent? If you're unhappy with the work your agent has been doing, you should first review your contract to see if there are any outs. Most contracts will say that your agent has to do certain things, like submitting you and ensuring you get paid properly, etc. If you can find any areas in your contract where your agent is dropping the ball, you can easily get out of the contract. However, if you signed a contract that doesn't clear outs written into it, you can try setting up a meeting with your agent to get them to start working harder for you. Ask them to send you a submissions log so you can see what you've been submitted to, and then ask your agent to meet with you to discuss how you can better work together. If they completely ignore your request for a meeting, you can try speaking with a lawyer to see what your options are, because most agents are by law supposed to be in communication with their clients.

Getting a great agent is all about being prepared and doing the hard work necessary to get one. You might get lucky where an agent finds you (instead of you finding them), but that's very rare and shouldn't be counted on.

If you really want an agent, YOU need to be the one who goes out there and submits, and you need to make EVERY submission personalized. If you don't put in the work required, the chance of getting a great agent is always going to be out of your reach.

​Good luck!

If you enjoyed this article, I have a feeling you'll enjoy the following links:

• Land an Agent: A Step by Step System to Sign With a Hardworking & Reliable Talent Agent (or Manager) in Just a Few Months
• How to Become an Actor: The Ultimate Guide
• What Do Talent Agents Want? An Interview with Agent Margaret Emory

This guide will show you everything you need to know about how to become a voice actor.

We'll cover three topics:

• All About Voice Acting – In this section we'll go through Q&A on becoming a voice actor. You'll learn what kind of experience is needed, the benefits and costs of a career in voice acting, and the kinds of voice acting jobs available.
• Technical Skills & Equipment Needed – Having a great voice is only the beginning. Here we'll discuss the best ways to get training and we'll also show you how to set up a home recording studio with minimal investment. After all, the foundational part of working as a voice actor is providing crystal clear recordings!
• How to Market Yourself – In this section, we'll talk about how to start getting voice acting work and where to find jobs. We'll even discuss how to start getting people to contact YOU so you can eventually stop auditioning!

​As a film director who studied at NYU and shot and directed two feature-length films (plus cast for a lot more, including Screener Shoots every week), I've seen TONS of audition mistakes.
 
The worst have included showing up late, telling me I'm wrong when I give notes to try it a different way (yes, this happens), and at the end of the audition, handing me a business card while asking me to keep them in mind for future productions (will any casting director really do that?).
 
But these mistakes, though obviously wrong, are not what I want to discuss today.
 
Instead, I'm going to outline five key issues in auditions that are a bit more subtle – things you might not even realize you're doing. If you can fix these things, I can almost guarantee you'll start booking more work.
 
Scroll down to read about each of these five mistakes.

​
​Feel free to use these as a checklist for your own auditions and self-tape submissions:
​

• Are You Flip Flopping? As an experienced filmmaker, I can tell in a heartbeat when an actor hasn't made a clear choice and committed to it 100%. It's your job to make very specific choices about ANYTHING you're not clear on. What happened just before the scene? What does the character mean when they say ____? Does the character even like the person they're talking to? Anything you're not clear on that you think might matter, just make a decision and go with it (even if it's wrong). Making the wrong choice is way better than flip flopping mid-scene.

• Are You Showing Your Emotions (instead of hiding them)? Remember, acting is about being – it's not about acting. The best performances are the ones where you deeply feel the emotion inside your body, and then whatever happens on your face just happens unconsciously. If you try to show the casting director your emotions, you'll almost never book the role. Don't show your emotions. Hidethem, because that's what we do in real life.

• Are You Playing a Character (instead of yourself)? It can take months of preparation to fully become a character that's different than who you are in real life. For instance, if you're playing a mafia boss, you should NOT try to talk in a gruff, heavy voice just to fit the character. It's much better to simply play yourself (while submitting to auditions you're right for naturally). Just think... if I were in this situation and saying these words, how would I say them as myself?

• Are You Looking at the Script? This one should go without saying, but looking down at the script is almost always going to cost you the role because there will always be someone else auditioning who does NOT look at the script. When you have it fully memorized, it shows the casting director you care about the part and are willing to go above and beyond (in terms of the effort you put in).

• Is Your Nervousness Visible? – Sweating... shaky hands... cracking voices... these are dead giveaways that you're nervous, which tells casting directors you're not fully immersed in the character. And if you're not 100% in character, you'll never be offered the role.

 
If you think any of these mistakes applies to you, I encourage you to sign up for my Ace the Audition private coaching session.
 
I'll help you find the quickest and most actionable ways to improve your performance and fix some of these issues. I'll even show you an effective "outside the industry" strategy to prepare for auditions.
 
What is your typical audition preparation process, and what do you struggle with most around auditioning?
 
Comment and let me know, I look forward to seeing what you write!

I remember my first headshot session ever (back in March, 2009).

I honestly didn't even know what a headshot was at the time but a friend of mine asked me to help him out, so we went into the park to do some pictures.

I remember how difficult I found the process. He kept asking how he looked, and I honestly didn't know what to say besides things like, "Looking good! Tilt your chin down and give me a bigger smile."

Luckily we got a few nice shots, but many of them looked awkward and weird, and many of his smiles looked fake.

At the end of the shoot, I asked if he had ever taken headshots before.
​
He told me he had, and that it was a similarly awkward experience.
​

​"Was that shoot free too?" I asked.

"No, I think I paid like $400 or something... but I guess you get what you pay for."

What? A photographer charged him $400 for headshots and he wasn't happy???
I couldn't believe it.

And how much did good headshots cost if he thought $400 was cheap?
...
Well, that's what got me hooked.

It was then that I decided I wanted to create a headshot company that would be focused primarily on expression.

I wanted to make sure every single person I worked with was comfortable and relaxed so they would have fantastic expressions in their shots.
​
And so it began (the tagline says it all):

​

​Besides focusing strongly on expression, I also didn't want to just take nice pictures and then tell my clients, "Good luck!"

I actually wanted to help people use their headshots effectively to get more work.


I'd love to help you with some great headshots next, !

If you're still debating whether to invest in a headshot session with us, here's some great info on how we work.
​
Our number one priority is that everyone we shoot with absolutely loves their headshot, or we don't charge them.

​Have you ever been to JFK? It's a mess - so crowded, no parking, and it seems like no one has any idea what they're doing. And on your way there, no matter where you're coming from, you're always going to be stuck in a ton of traffic.
 
I had a 3pm flight scheduled, and I'm generally someone who HATES feeling rushed, so I like to leave for airports at least three hours before the flight is scheduled to take off.
 
I was dragging my luggage along and saw a cab and hailed it.
 
I got in, and it turned out to be some weirdo guy who had no idea what was going on...

​"Where are you going?" he asked.
 
"JFK," I replied.
 
"Oh, JFK! Okay. Can I turn the meter off?"
 
What? Why would he want to turn the meter off?
 
That made me feel a bit uncomfortable. Aren't cabs supposed to always have the meter on so you know you're not being overcharged?
 
"I'd prefer you keep the meter on," I said.
 
The cab driver then proceeded to explain to me that it's a flat $52 fare, and if I could pay him cash, it would be really helpful so that he could keep a larger share of it.
 
Well, I personally don't know the rules, and I really felt uncomfortable doing that, but instead of going with my gut and sticking to my first decision, I said okay.
 
We started driving, and then a couple minutes later he turned back to me and asked another question:
 
"Which way would you like me to go?"
 
Hmmm... I have no idea... Whichever way is fastest, no? Maybe the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel?
 
Instead, I opened my mouth and what came out was the following: "I trust you, just go whichever way you think is best."
 
The cab driver now looked as confused as I felt.
 
Dammit. Why did I just say that?
 
...
 
After about 25 minutes, I noticed we were somewhere in the middle of Chinatown near the Lower East Side.
 
What in the hell?
 
"Where are we?" I asked.
 
"I don't know," came the reply.
 
Oh my god.
 
Suddenly the cab driver randomly started cursing and yelling out the window at some pedestrian.
 
Another few minutes passed, and he looked back at me and said, "Don't worry, I will reach JFK for you."
 
This was NOT good.

Another hour passed, and we were still nowhere near the airport.
 
We were stuck in standstill traffic and the cab driver seemed to be mumbling to himself angrily about drivers who didn't know how to drive.
 
Oh, the irony.
 
Another thirty minutes passed, me feeling horribly worried the whole time (and experiencing the awful feeling of having drunk too much coffee).
 
FINALLY we got to the airport. Luckily I still had about 30 minutes until the flight took off, but the security lines were INSANE.
 
Well, long story short, I made it just in time to my plane and was one of the last people to board.
 
 
 
So why am I telling this ridiculous story?
 
Well, besides learning that I can't always trust cab drivers to know where they're going, I also learned another important lesson that day:
 
Being decisive and not letting people control what you say and do is crucial in life.
 
Throughout your time on this planet (and especially in your acting career), you're going to run into hundreds or even thousands of people who will try to tell you that what you're doing isn't the best decision, and that you should change your thinking or strategy.
 
Don't just follow someone's advice without first thinking hard!
 
You need to consciously choose who to listen to and why.
 
If a casting director says you need a new headshot because the background is too dark or a friend mentions you're not getting enough work because you don't have an agent, that does NOT mean you suddenly need to pay for new headshots or spend the next three months looking for an agent! 
 
Think about what your goals are long term and when people give you their advice, write it down in a safe place to consider when the time is right. The more you just trust random people without truly asking yourself whether what they're suggesting is going to fit within your long term plans, the more you're bound to stay stuck.
 
And hold the same standards for me too! Just because I'm giving you tips doesn't mean you should take action on what I say immediately if it doesn't fit within your goals.
 
I think I'd like to sum up this email with a simple quote by Raymond Hull:
 "He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away."
​

 - Martin

​Earning money on the side is NOT about being scammy, but about providing real value.
 
You're not TAKING from people, but GIVING to them when you decide to start a freelance business.
 
You're helping people solve their problems, and they might pay you $100 – or 4 hours of their time if they make $25/hr – for something you've spent YEARS learning to do.
 
Good trade when you think of it that way, right?
 
Well, today I want to talk to you about how I started a photography business that serves THOUSANDS of clients each year... and I NEVER had any formalized photography training.
 
Yes, you heard that right.
 
I built the #1 rated headshot business in NYC (according to Google & Yelp), and never took a single photography class (except some super basic little Photography 101 class in my first year of college). I do not have a degree in photography.
 
My family was not in the photography business, nor did they have ANYTHING to do with the entertainment business. My mom raised my sister and me, and my dad worked in finance.
 
But from a young age, I enjoyed taking photos for fun, and I wanted to shoot weddings.
 
When I was in high school, a friend of mine mentioned his sister was getting married, and asked if I had ever shot an event before because they were looking for a videographer.
 
I told him I hadn't, and that I'd think about it and get back to them.
 
I was scared.
 
What if I messed up?? What if I missed the most important moments, like the kiss?
 
What if my camera battery died in the middle of it?
 
What if I screwed up and ruined their wedding??
 
What if, what if, what if....
 
Well, suddenly and somehow almost miraculously, my mind switched.
 
Instead of asking "What if I failed...." I asked myself, "What if I succeeded?"
 
And in that moment, everything changed.
 
What if it went well?
 
What if they referred me to all their friends?
 
What if instead of backing away, I went all in and figured out how to properly shoot a wedding?
 
What if I could build a successful business?
 
...
 
As they say, "No risk, no reward."
 
So I went for it.
 
I pushed through my fears and said yes, and I shot that wedding.
 
And sure, it wasn't perfect, but they got a HUGE discount ($400 for the whole video PLUS editing), and they loved it.
 
And they DID tell their friends.
 
And over the course of time, I slowly built my business into what it is today.
 
And no client EVER asks me about my photography credentials and certifications.
 
Remember this:
 
 
If you LOVE doing something – and it helps people in some way – you owe it to yourself AND the world to share it and turn it into a business.
 
 
Like my friend Mitch Barrett, an actor who created an amazing business coaching CEO's to reach higher success. Check out an interview I did with him here to learn how he built that business and how you can build your own.
 
The truth is, if you do what you love and help people in the process, not only will you earn more money, but you'll also enjoy life and feel fulfilled.
 
You'll be doing good in the world, earning money for it, and living a happier life.
 
Watch the video below (originally made for actors, but anyone can use it), where I outline the EXACT steps you can take to find your first paying client.
 
And next week, I'm going to be announcing an in-depth workshop I'll be running in November on creating a freelance business, so be on the lookout for my email Monday morning!

​Imagine living in a world where money was non-existent and everyone could just do what they loved no matter what. What would you do?
 
I know what I'd do - I'd probably spend a few months traveling the world and seeing all kinds of cool places, enjoying great food, and meeting cool people.
​

​
I'd then turn my attention to film directing and possibly look into shooting an awesome horror film I wrote years ago called Footsteps.
​

​
What would you do? Take a moment and think, and write your answer down.
 
Keep your answer in mind for when your acting career really starts taking off!
 
Now unfortunately, the nature of the world would make it completely impossible for money not to exist.
 
Why? Because most people wouldn't want to serve others for free.
 
For instance - me wanting to travel the world... what kind of pilot would fly back and forth every day without being paid?
 
And wanting to try all those delicious foods around the world? Who would be willing to make them if they're not being paid?
 
The truth of the matter is that most things would fall apart if money weren't involved!
 

So that's why I want to talk a bit about money management today. I'd like to introduce you to what I call The 20/30/50 Rule. Here's how it works:
 
First, I’m going to assume you already have some sort of part-time or full-time job that earns you a specific amount of income each month.

Now you need to figure out how much money you make each month on average. Even if it changes, find your baseline income. Let’s pretend you have a part-time job that earns about $1,500 a month and you also make at least $300 per month from acting.

This means you bring in $1,800 per month on average.

Now, take that $1,800 and subtract your monthly required living expenses. Let’s say you have $700 rent each month, and then another $700 in utilities, food, etc.

If we subtract your monthly costs, $1,800 minus $700 minus $700 equals $400 left over.
​
Take that $400 and divide it up into percentages, 20%, 30%, and 50%.

• 20% goes towards savings. ($80)
• 30% goes towards fun money. ($120)
• 50% goes towards your career. ($200)

Take this money and put it into separate accounts or sub-accounts (or just keep track of the totals) so you know how much you can spend (you can use apps or bank account automations for this, just Google it).
 
Try not to spend it each month unless you absolutely have to - the goal is that you save it up over time so you eventually have plenty of money lying around when you need it.
 
If you strictly follow this for a year or two, not only will you have plenty of money to further your career, have fun, and have a safety net for slower times, but you’ll also have built a savings mindset that will help you greatly in the long run!
 
After just one year? You'd have $960 in Savings, $1,440 for Fun Money, and $2,400 for your Acting Career.
 
And if you kept going for 5 years? $4,800 in Savings, $7,200 in Fun Money, and $12,000 for your Acting Career.
 
Are you motivated to save yet? You should be. And those numbers could be way bigger if you continue working on increasing your income each month.
 
And even if you don't think you have enough to save, just start with $20 each month and split it up ($4 Savings, $6 Fun Money, and $10 Career). After a few months of doing this consistently you'll feel motivated to start saving more!