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In conjunction with A&C Black, The Stage is please to present a chapter from the publication 'An Actor's Guide to Getting Work (4th edition)' by Simon Dunmore.

Permission to reproduce the material from the following title is kindly granted from A&C Black publishers

The title listed below can be purchased direct from the A&C Black website.

An Actor's Guide to Getting Work (4th edition)

by Simon Dunmore
© 2004, 2001, 1996, 1991 Simon Dunmore

Chapter Six: Agents

Some people do survive quite well without an agent - especially in those specialist areas like Theatre-In-Education where jobs are regularly advertised - but getting work without one is harder in theatre and extremely difficult in the recorded media. Actors without agents tend to lack credibility in the eyes of potential employers. It's not fair, but it's a fact. However hard you work at getting to know potential employers, most agents have their fingers closer to the pulse, know what's coming up, and simply have far more contacts than you can ever have. That's their job. Directors and casting directors rely on agents they trust to help in the filtering process of whom to interview. A good agent also understands contracts, knows the 'going rates' and has more clout to get money that's owing.

Being an agent is, most of the time, as disheartening and unglamorous as being an actor - and it's hard work, easily running into 60 or 70 hours a week. Agents putting clients up for things are putting themselves on the line. All directors and casting directors have blacklists of agents whose clients have messed them around too often, so good agents are very careful about how they select those they are going to represent. They have to feel that they can work with you at selling you effectively, just as directors have to feel that they can work with, and benefit from, you in a company.

There are all kinds of agency and agent listed in the 'Agents & Personal Managers' section of Contacts - around 600 (of which around a hundred don't represent actors) the last time that I counted. Roughly, they break down into the following types:

The large and prestigious (several hundred clients) with lots of 'names'. These agencies are staffed by a number of individual agents (often with assistants), and the focus can tend to be on their stars - sometimes ignoring their less well-known clients.
The large (a few of whom are prestigious) who also represent models, presenters, etc. Once again, their 'focus' can meander through their various specialisms.
The large and less prestigious with smaller staffs, who rely on sheer numbers to keep them financially afloat - client promotion seems to be effected by sending out great wadges of CVs and photographs randomly in the hope that a few will land on the right desks.
The medium-sized (around a hundred clients) who are often staffed by a couple of agents with minimal assistance - a few are very 'prestigious'.
The small (around a few dozen clients) who are usually run by a single person often working from home with a part-time assistant - I don't know how some of these manage to make a living.
The co-operatives (see page 51), who usually consist of around 20 members - and run by those members, sometimes with a full-time manager.

Individual agents vary in the ways that they like to operate. There are those who like to maintain reasonably close personal relationships with their clients; others prefer to be more businesslike. There are those who actively discourage clients from doing lower-paid theatre (preferring them to wait around for a more lucrative television opportunity) - even to the extent of not passing on an offer. (I discovered such an agent when my offer was turned down for someone whom I knew was available and wanted to do the production; she and I had a mutual friend. I broke the rules and phoned her directly, and she sorted her agent out.) There are also those who are 'here today and gone tomorrow' - it's a very mobile population.

The important thing is that a good agent works hard at making contacts and makes sure that they are respected by those contacts. Just as the agent represents you, you represent your agent.

Note: There is huge confusion in the uses of the terms 'personal manager' and 'agent' - this is compounded by the fact that many people whom I would call 'agents' are members of 'The Personal Managers' Association' (PMA). (NB 'The Agents' Association' consists of those who represent Light Entertainment Artistes.) To me, a 'personal manager' is someone who sorts out all the nitty-gritty details like travel arrangements and press interviews, whilst an 'agent' promotes their clients to potential employers and negotiates contracts. To add to the confusion, some agencies have the phrase 'Personal Management' in their titles.

Finding an agent

Targeting

Agents get numerous requests for representation every day, many of which are inappropriate and frustrating. It takes time but it is well worth working out a 'target' list of appropriate agents to write to in order to save on postage and other costs:

Eliminate those who are obviously inappropriate - those specialising in the representation of models, presenters, children, and so on.
Check with teachers and friends for suggestions, both positive and negative.
Check the websites, of those agents that have them, to see if they say anything about whether they are currently taking on new clients.

After going through these processes, you will still be left with quite a long list. It can be a good idea to phone round (using your best telephone manner) to enquire whether each is taking on new clients at the moment. Be prepared to receive 'short shrift' from some, as agents (and their assistants) get very fed up with such phone calls. However, you might strike lucky if an agent has lost a few clients recently, for instance.

Contacting agents

Write to your 'target' list; never e-mail unless specifically requested, let alone turn up unannounced on an agent's doorstep. Send your CV and photograph and tell them when and where they can see your work. It doesn't have to be a leading role; agents are not necessarily blinded by who had the most lines. A few agents will accept showreels, but check before you send one.

Don't expect an agent to come if you've tried to invite them at the last minute. They are very busy people, out on business seeing clients in productions and so on almost every night of the week, and will be booked up well in advance.

When writing, use all the parameters that are set out in chapter 9 - except that it is better to send an agent a 10 x 8 inch (20 x 25 cm) photograph. Don't forget to enclose a suitably sized s.a.e. if you'd like your photograph returned.

NB Many agents won't take you on unless you are in Spotlight - if you're not it makes it much harder for them to market you.

Meeting an agent

If an agent invites you to come and see them, approach the interview in exactly the same way you would an interview with a director (see chapter 12). Dress comfortably and well, and don't be late. The major differences will be that (a) you almost certainly won't have to do a speech or reading (but I have known agents ask for a speech, so be prepared) and (b) you could be constantly interrupted by the phone (see 'Interruptions', page 121).

What to ask?

When meeting a potential agent, don't be afraid to ask questions. You are hoping to be 'represented'; you're not suing for work. Ask about how long they've been in operation (unless they're obviously established), the fields of work they operate in, number of clients, rates of commission, their attitude to Fringe work, and so on. In short, try to build an overall working-picture of the agency and their professional 'clout'.

An offer

Don't feel rushed into signing up at the first offer of representation. Get advice from other actors and directors, but principally from The Spotlight, who have a much more objective view than the former - but even they can't know everything about such a 'mobile population'. Advice from others will be offered very freely but can be coloured by past experiences which may well have nothing to do with that agency's current situation.

Also, can you work well with that agent/agency? I don't mean is there a 'good shoulder to cry on' (see 'The actor-agent personal relationship', page 50), but do you feel that they would be good at working well with you - a bit like the ideal director-actor relationship? Don't sign up unless you feel at least fairly sure.

There are bigger, prestigious agencies who have access to more casting information than the others, but although you may acquire some of their prestige, will you get sufficient attention?

Don't be beguiled by special offers like 'no commission for the first year'. It'll probably take at least a year before you start earning enough money to make the commission worth having.

Be warned that no legitimate agency charges a registration, or other 'up-front', fee (for inclusion on their website, for instance); back off quickly if that is part of an offer of representation. The exception to this is the co-operative agencies who have joining fees which are perfectly legitimate - see pages 51-2 for more details.

Signing up

So, you've selected the agent you would like to represent you; what next? The agreement may simply be sealed with a handshake - or you may be offered a contract to sign. If the former, ensure that the details are clear to you (ask for them in writing). If the latter: read it carefully! It may simply consist of the rates of commission, but it may contain a period of notice clause - that is, the length of time, after you've given notice, that you will continue to have to pay commission on the work you do. (Not just to any new agent, but also to your old one - double commission.) Three months is common, but I've known it to be a year, which can be extremely awkward. Check any contract offered very carefully before signing - check it with Equity if in any doubt as they have a Code of Conduct for Agents and a standard contract.

NB Most agents will insist that you agree to 'sole representation' for all your acting work. An exception to this is in the world of voice-overs, which has its own specialist agents (see pages 179-80).

Selecting an agent

If you are one of the lucky few who suddenly gets an offer of representation from more than one agent, take time to think and carefully weigh up the pros and cons of each one - and get the confidential opinion of one of The Spotlight's advisers. It is possible to change if you choose wrongly, but it can be quite a hassle and the others may not be interested any longer.

Not quite

Unless you are a well-established actor, an agent won't take you on until they see you in a production. I know of several instances where agents have said they are interested in an individual but haven't formally taken them on until the required showcase. This can take time, so be patient. And, of course, they have to like what they see before making the commitment. Being invited to go and meet agents who have seen your work doesn't mean that they are certain to take you on. It often happens that they will say: 'Not at the moment, but keep in touch.' It could be they have someone very like you on their books, that one more person will just tip the agency into being too big to handle, or some other good reason that is finally not your fault. You just have to go along with this decision. Don't get frustrated, and do 'keep in touch'. If you are in this position, you can always consult them about the suitability of a particular job offer. You might also be able to ask them to negotiate an offer for you; they'll normally take commission on it, even if you don't finally get taken on.

Working with an agent

You can't relax now

When you have an agent to represent you, don't expect them to do all the work of selling you. (There are occasional exceptions, when an agent feels so confident in a client's saleability that they say: 'Leave it all to me.') You will still have to write lots of letters on your own behalf, especially in the first few years of your career. Keep up your own contacts and make sure that your agent knows whom you are writing to so that recipients don't get the impression that there's no communication between you both.

The complete you

Tell your new agent everything that might help to sell you. Be prepared to give them a very full biography - you never know what might be useful. Go through your CV together so that all the possibilities and pitfalls are clear. If you claim horse-riding, for instance, your agent needs to know how good you actually are at it. It can be as damaging for an agent to make a false or exaggerated claim as for an actor (see 'Exaggerated claims', page 72).

Also let your agent have all those little details that don't go on your CV (measurements, for example) for the files - just in case. You never know what peculiarity or apparently unrelated physical quirk or skill some production might need all of a sudden. Make sure that your agent is clear about any kind of work you really don't want to do: it will be embarrassing and time-wasting if they get you an interview for such a job and subsequently have to phone back to cancel on those grounds.

Your availability

You must keep your agency in touch with your availability for interviews, let alone for work. For instance, if you have a regular non-acting job, how much notice do you need to give to get time off? Make sure that anything that could affect arrangements for interviews is clear; it'll save a lot of extra phone calls and hassle. Some interviews - for commercials, for example - tend to be arranged at very short notice and only take place through a single morning or afternoon. It will not always be possible to fit in with your requirements.

Make sure your agent knows your holiday plans as far in advance as possible, and if you are going to be unavailable for any other reason.

The keeper of your CV

It's quite common for agents to get details on CVs wrong - play titles, parts, writers, and so on. It's not necessarily their fault; after all, it was you who played the part. Did you give them the correct details? Errors can creep in very easily, especially when there are unfamiliar names. Periodically check up on the CV your agent has on file. I once came across a CV sent by an agent on which it was claimed that the client concerned had played a part in a particular production which in fact my own wife had played. I don't know whose fault it was, but agents do deal with lots of CVs.

It is common in interview for actors to complain in some way about the CV the agent has sent to the director - it omits recent and/or important work, for instance. A periodic check should avoid this potentially downbeat moment in an interview.

Stay in touch

Don't use the requirements of the preceding paragraphs as an excuse to keep phoning up with new fiddly little details. You should keep in regular but not persistent contact with your agent. Agents vary as to how often they like you to phone; ask yours. Don't keep asking 'What am I up for?'- that is extremely irritating as it takes precious time to comb through all the various lists. (Agents deal with an enormous amount of information.) Sometimes your agent will volunteer this information. Leave it at that.

Your general aim should be to keep your presence felt. You should do this subtly but consistently, especially if you are part of a large client-list and/or are in a long period of employment or unemployment. An agent's life is an extremely busy one, and there are never enough hours in the day or days in the week. Even if it's a slack time for interviews there are always general promotions to be done, charities phoning up asking for the services of the agency's stars, and so on. It can be easy for your presence to get lost amongst everything else that needs doing. I don't mean that it's a deliberate callousness on their part. The fact is that to earn a living an agency has to neglect some of its clients some of the time.

The non-stop phone

Often the office will be frantic when you phone. Be quick to recognise the fevered voice and don't take offence at an apparently brusque manner. Make your point and ring off with decent speed. Remember all the time they spend on the phone already; don't add to that burden. On the other hand, don't become too remote.

Times to phone

Most agencies don't start until 10.00 or 10.30 a.m., and work through until about 6.00 p.m. It's best to avoid phoning on a Monday or a Friday except on pressing business; especially don't phone at 5.55 p.m. on a Friday unless it's mega-important, and don't try to phone outside normal hours. Many agents work from home. Others are in their offices early - I know one who's in at 8.00 a.m. - but this is their quiet time in which to sort out their desks and their minds. I know they could put the answerphone on, but there could be an urgent call from a casting director that just fits you.

NB Don't forget that agents have lunch hours too.

Social calls

You should go and see your agent periodically. Phone calls are not as good as meeting in the flesh. Suggest meeting for lunch every so often - perhaps every couple of months.

Your agent seeing your work

Hopefully your agent will come and see you in productions, but don't feel let down if you are so far away that he or she simply cannot make it. In these circumstances send copies of the good reviews you have received.

You may not be able to get complimentary tickets - perhaps you have used up your allocation or your agent can only come on a 'no comp. night'. Unless your agent offers, you should pay for the ticket(s) yourself, without comment. However much agents may enjoy a production it is still 'work' as far as they are concerned. It is therefore common courtesy not to add to that burden.

Also, don't feel let down if they miss television performances even with the time-shift facility of video; they may simply not have time to watch.

NB Be tactful in finding out what your agent thought of a production (see 'What did you think?' on page 201).

Always be contactable

Make sure your agent knows how to contact you quickly all the time. A young, and phoneless, actor didn't phone in on the day an interview came through for a filming job for which he was perfect. The interview was the next day, but by the time he did phone it was too late to get there; several hundred pounds and a few precious ounces of goodwill went down the drain. The same applies to checking e-mails, answerphone messages and any other means that the technology revolution comes up with.

Get to know everybody in the agency

Get to know all the staff in the office and what jobs they do. Don't dismiss a secretary because you think they are in a lowly position. (See 'Secretaries and personal assistants', page 191.)

Commission

You will have to pay your agent commission (usually, between 10 and 20%) even if it was you who made the contact that led to your getting the job. You will often hear other actors complain that they get all their own work so why should they pay commission? The reasons are because your agent negotiated the contract for you, and even if it is no better than anybody else's in the production your agency is also spending its time making phone calls, writing letters and generally looking for work for you all the time. They don't give up because you've got six weeks' work coming up. Don't even think of querying it! If you do, it could well sour relations with them and make it more difficult for you to work together in the future.

There are some variations in commission charges, for example different rates for the different media. There is no statutory set of rates, but generally you'll pay a higher rate the better the work is paid. You should also establish clearly when your commission is due: weekly or at the end of a contract. Make sure it is all clear at the start of your relationship, so that there are no grounds for destructive disagreement later on. It is also very important to pay your commission promptly.

Sometimes an employer will pay your money directly to your agent and he or she will deduct the commission before sending the remainder on to you - which they should do within ten days.

If you change agents then the commission due on any residual payments (a repeated television appearance, for instance) is owing to the agent who negotiated the original contract. (Also see 'Signing up', page 44.)

Most agents' turnovers are high enough for them to have to register for VAT. This means that they will have to add the appropriate percentage to your commission charge.

Your new image

If you are radically changing your hairstyle or hair colour, or growing a beard, let everybody in the agency know immediately. They will be made to look very silly if you turn up at an interview having been advertised as having long hair and you now have a crew-cut. I know time can reverse such changes, but your agent will have lost some credibility points with whoever is casting, and it could sour future relations - for the agency and for you.

The direct approach

Sometimes a director will approach an actor directly about an interview or even an offer. This usually happens when the director knows you or perhaps doesn't realise you've got an agent. Ask the director to do all the business through your agent. This might seem like taking the long way round, but it may be that your agent has you up for another job, for instance.

Even if it's a Fringe production, where there are no financial negotiations to go through, check with your agent first - too many actors don't. If your agent doesn't know your real availability you could put him or her in an embarrassing situation.

Reporting back

Report back to your agent on how an interview went. This helps him or her get to know you better at that vital nerve-point of the whole profession. On the other hand if you are lucky enough to be doing a lot of interviews then it's not necessary to phone about all of them.

If one goes badly, work out what was your fault and discuss it with your agent with assurances that you can put it right next time. This maintains their confidence in you. If it was a difficult interviewer do mention it as the information can be useful for other clients.

'You're up for...!'

Your agent may well tell you that you've been put up for a particular part or that there has been an availability check on you - and then nothing happens. You don't even get an interview! Don't immediately blame your agent. It could easily have been down to the fickle nature of this profession.

'My agent cocked it up'

In fact you shouldn't take your insecurities out on your agent at all. Yes, agents can make mistakes, but in my experience any 'cock-up' is much more likely to have been the actor's fault. You have to work together; it should be a professional relationship based on mutual trust. Inefficient agents don't survive for very long.

If you do discover that a serious error has been committed - you weren't even put up for a well-advertised part you were perfect for, for instance - check it out with your agent. The same applies if he or she hasn't seen your work for a significant amount of time. If you have a legitimate complaint, express it directly. Don't let it fester as gossip amongst other actors.

'My agent's doing nothing for me'

Another common cry. Don't immediately blame your agent if nothing is happening. A few agents are lazy and/or inefficient, but remember that they only earn money from you if you are working and therefore it is in their interest to promote you for work-opportunities. The only thing to do if you genuinely believe this is to put it, simply and positively, to your agent. I have heard of several incidents of people doing this, and their luck changed.

The actor-agent working relationship

Your agent is not your slave, but not your master either. Ultimately, you employ your agent - not vice versa. Ideally, your relationship is that of a partnership with each side having different but overlapping responsibilities. Your agent probably works harder for you than you ever realise, just as he or she may not fully understand what you go through in rehearsing a play, for instance. Trust and respect are essential, and a little appreciation from you in the form of home-made jam, shelves erected or a simple 'Thank You' card can only enhance that relationship and ultimately make it more profitable.

Your responsibility towards your agent

It is important never to put your agent or agency into an embarrassing situation - not only will it reflect on them, it could also reflect on other clients. A recent example was an actor who phoned his agent to say that he couldn't go to an interview because he had a hangover. Not only was all the work the agent had put into getting the appointment wasted, but it also made me wonder about that particular agency.

Clarity

If your agent is discussing an offer made to you, make sure your feelings about the matter are made absolutely clear; agents have been known to accept offers when the actors have said that they 'think' they'll do the job, when what they meant was that they would probably accept but they weren't sure yet.

The actor-agent personal relationship

If this becomes too close, the working relationship can often go wrong. If you have personal problems, find someone else to help you. Your agent should only know about your problems if they affect your ability to work, and even then you only need to give the essential facts and not the nitty-gritty detail.

Your depressions about rejections and bouts of unemployment are common to all actors and are therefore tacitly understood. It is positively destructive to take those depressions out on your agent as it takes up valuable time and will almost certainly reduce their ability to work well for you. It could all become a vicious downward spiral.

Your other half

Most agents won't take on both halves of a couple because of possible knock-on effects if there are problems and/or the relationship splits up. However secure your domestic relationship seems to you both, don't even suggest the idea of your other half 'coming on to' your agent's books. On the other hand, your other half should get to know your agent; after all, he or she could be taking messages for you, and the agent wants to feel sure that they will be safely delivered.

Leaving your agent

Like any relationship the actor-agent one can get 'tired'. If this is the case, make a clean break. I have heard of too many messy 'divorces' which harmed the actor more than the agent: it's a small world and agents do talk to each other. Be especially careful if you are looking for a new agent whilst still with another one. The agents you talk to will be discreet; so should you be.

Your agent asking you to leave

This happens occasionally when an agency feels that the relationship has gone sour in some way or other. I've never known it to be done indiscreetly, so don't create waves that might reach other agents' ears. There is no point in asking for a reprieve. Try to find out why it happened and make sure it doesn't happen with your next agent.

Co-operative agencies

This idea started in the 1970s and there are now more than 50 co-operative agencies each representing about 20 clients ('members') - many more than this makes the important internal communications a nightmare. Essentially these are run by the actors on their books, everybody 'representing' everybody else. Often there are no salaried staff and all the work is done on a voluntary basis as and when individuals are available. The only costs are administrative (rent of offices, phones, photocopying, and so on) with no profit going to any individual. It's a great idea that's hard to put into practice, as the pioneers discovered - in fact, some are taking on administrators to co-ordinate everything. The best are as efficient as the very best of conventional agents; a few as unprofessional as the very worst. In general, they probably don't have as much status as the more well-established conventional agencies but are certainly not to be dismissed.

The crucial thing a co-operative has to do is to ensure excellent communications between its individual members as they take turns in the office. It is essential that each member has a good working knowledge of every other member. Smooth running of a co-op takes a great deal of detailed organisation, and precise passing-on of information between the members is vital. For example, an offer will often take several days to discuss, and the employer won't want to have to go back over the previously discussed details when someone else takes over the manning of the phone. Indeed, some managements will have nothing to do with co-operatives because they feel they never know to whom they are talking. It has also been known for managements to approach individual co-operative members direct - mistakenly thinking that an agency staffed by actors cannot 'know what it's doing'. (Some managements feel uncomfortable about discussing money with a third party who also happens to be an actor.) However, co-operatives have learned these lessons the hard way and have adapted their democratic working processes to surmount these and other communication problems. Their credibility with managements continues to grow.

Commission is often lower than a conventional agency, but there is generally a joining fee and/or regular monthly or annual payments which are used to meet the costs of running the agency in which the member is a partner.

Before you are asked to join a co-operative the members will want to be sure that you will fit well into their team and are willing to and capable of learning the necessary office skills. Therefore there is usually a probationary period of membership after which you and the agency can decide whether or not to continue the partnership. You will also have to be sure that you'll be happy to commit time to taking your turns in manning the office, and to attending the regular meetings that are necessary to the efficient running of these agencies - democracy can be a very slow form of management.

A friend who joined a co-operative found a new lease of life, a lot more work and said, 'It's a wonderful family atmosphere.' Another who works a fair amount and had been with a co-operative for a long time finally left and found a conventional agent. She said: 'I'm right with "All for one and one for all", but you must remember the dark side of human nature. What actually happens is "All for me".' You have to decide if 'co-operative' life is really for you if offered the chance to join one. It can be a very good way for a newcomer to learn about the insides of the mechanics of casting - however, some co-ops are wary of taking on newcomers as they don't feel they have time to train them properly.

Finally, a comment from a friend with long experience of co-ops: 'In my experience the people who flourish in co-ops are independent-minded and experienced (though not starry) actors who have grown dissatisfied with the performance of their undistinguished conventional agent. The bane of their lives is omniscient and over-confident recent-graduate members!'

'Casting agents'

These serve a different function. They are usually walk-on agents who take the responsibility for casting walk-ons/extras in television and film. They have client bases of lots of different types and on request can supply a suitable crowd for any occasion. Thus they fulfil the roles of both agent and casting director for non-speaking parts that don't need to be auditioned.

Final thought

Agents come a close second to directors in actors' complaints sessions. I have several times been privy to agents' complaints sessions and some of their clients figure quite highly, though the problems are certainly more discreetly aired. There have to be faults on both sides - that's human nature. In the majority of cases I suspect that a lack of professional understanding is the root cause of most disenchantment.

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