I have a daughter who is very young and beautiful. Can you recommend an agency that I can trust to send a headshot to?
- Jerry Clark, dad from Delaware
Be to sure to ask your daughter if this is something she really wants to do, if you haven’t already. And make sure that you’re up for it. Taking her to auditions and callbacks will require a lot of time, energy, expense, and often, disappointment. However, it’s incredibly rewarding when you book a job and get to work on a film or television set.
If you have a local talent agency in your community, or nearby, start there. It’s a good idea to build some credits before contacting the bigger agencies. I’ve listed four agents you can contact in the LA area at the end of this blog entry.
Remember, when you're seeking representation for your daughter, you should never pay any money up front. Agents and managers only make money when you, or your daughter in this case, make money. If they offer to represent your daughter, but tell you they require some sort of fee, turn around and walk out the door. This isn’t a reputable company.
Once you’ve signed with an agent or manager, they may recommend getting your daughter into an acting class or workshop to help improve her skills and gain confidence. This is a reasonable request.
They will also, more than likely, request that you upload your daughter’s photo & info to LA Casting for online commercial submissions and Actors Access for online theatrical submissions. These sites have fees attached, but it will be a necessary step for you to take. Your agent will be able to submit your daughter to casting directors using this service, and you’ll also be able to submit her yourself on certain projects.
Commercial and theatrical agents will take 10% of your gross earnings, but they’re almost always able to negotiate their 10 percent commission on top of your salary.
Print agents, or the print division at a commercial agency, will take 20% of your gross earnings, even if they’ve managed to negotiate 20 percent, or more, in the contract.
Managers usually receive a 15-20% commission, which means if you decide to hire both a manager and an agent, you'll be giving away anywhere between 25 -40 percent of your gross income. When you figure in taxes, that's about 50 percent of your paycheck. However, this is standard, and your agent and manager won't make any money until your daughter books a job and receives income. Sometimes the more people you have working on your behalf, the better.
On another note, for all of you:
As far as photos go, starting out with a good headshot is really important. It's your key to opening doors.
Jerry has a friend who is a professional photographer & took this photo of his daughter in the ball field one afternoon. It's a great shot!
Addelyn is looking directly into the lens with a natural expression and an energy that leaps out of the photo. Her pink top against the green background makes her eyes pop.
The photo is simple, not busy. It captured my interest & will definitely attract an agent’s attention.
When you print up 8x10’s, which is the standard headshot size, don’t skimp on quality. Find a good photo lab to duplicate your photos. It’s important to put your best foot forward.
Here are the names of a few top-notch LA talent agencies that have represented me over the years that I highly recommend. The top two are my current agents. All have youth divisions, as well as adult divisions, and a few have NY offices or affiliates.
Visit the agency websites, find the name of the agent that handles the youth division, and send your photo to them with a brief note. You can send it via email or through the postal service. Tell them a little about yourself and request a meeting.
It’s okay to send them a message via Facebook, too. Be sure it’s a personalized message though, and not a general message that you would send to just anyone.
I’m looking forward to regular updates from you, Jerry. Wishing you & your daughter the very best!
Commercial Talent Agency http://www.commercialtalentagency.com
Abrams Artists Agency http://www.abramsartists.com
AKA Talent Agency http://www.akatalent.com
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