During the course of your acting career, you will be meeting and working with lots of individuals. In many cases these individuals will either have a direct or indirect role on your career as an actor. Some are more influential then others. Here’s a list of some of the key individuals you’ll most likely have part of your life if you are devoted and plan on making a career of acting.
Your Agent
Your agent will have one of the most important effects on your acting career. Whether you have a good relationship or a very dry relationship with your agent, you will need to have this person in your life. An agent is a third party who finds & secures work for you, and receives an agent commission of roughly 10 – 15% of the gross earnings of each job. Your agent is so influential as they are your mouthpiece to the business and others. A good agent is a master at communicating, and negotiating. Your agent will work on the required contract terms for the roles they help you land, and work on getting you the best amount of income possible. If your agent is good they will have your best interests in mind. Bad agents are only concerned with their wallets and not your long-term career. Don’t ever feel you cannot ask questions as an agent works with and for you.
The Casting Director
The Casting Director is a vital part of your career, as they can make or break you. The casting directors are hired to secure talent for movies, TV shows, theatrical shows, and most forms of entertainment which require actors. This person is your agents most important direct line of contact when trying to get you a job. Your agent will be sending this person your headshots and acting resume, and if you seem like the right match for a character that is being casted for, your agent will most likely get contacted by this casting director to schedule an audition. Prepare yourself the best you can. If a script is sent in advance, practice your lines. If not, practice cold reading as you’ll be put on the spot. If the casting director has specific instructions for your audition, make sure you plan accordingly and always show up to your audition early. Being late may not only have you lose this audition, but impact your career on future casting calls.
A Talent Manager
A talent manager also is a very important person towards your career. A manager plays a much different (yet similar) role of an agent. This person is your advisor and works on building your career. In many cases an agent may receive multiple offers or opportunities, and unless you have someone who is working for you and has your best interests in mind, you may find yourself doing roles which can be damaging to your career. The manager looks at the bigger picture of your long term career, where the agent is working more on the contracts.
The Producer
And last, as you start securing work you’ll have the opportunity of working with the Producer. The Producer is responsible for all the logistics behind the movie or show that you’ll be part of. They hire and bring together all the necessary personalities to make the production a success. This includes directors, writers, additional producers with various titles, music supervisors, additional crew and all the actors. You’ll want to build a good rapport with the Producer if given the opportunity.
Your acting career will be filled with many individuals who will become influential in your career. From photographers who work on your headshots, to all the individuals listed above. Make sure to take the time to build the right team of individuals to help you get to the next level.
Hollywood is filled with many good and horrible managers, agents, and producers. Take the time to learn about their reputation. Don’t be so anxious and eager to sign anything without discussing it first with an attorney. We wish you the best of luck on your journey!
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