How To Find An Acting Agent For Your Child Actor
Have you been submitting your child on Actors Access and Casting Networks for quite some time and they aren't getting many auditions? Maybe your child has experience from being in drama club at school or community plays. Well, it may be time to secure a Talent Agent that can help you take your child's acting career to the next level! No matter what your experience level is these 5 Steps to Getting A Talent Agent for Your Child can be incredibly useful for you.
This can be a very daunting process if you do not have anyone who has #beentheredonethat to give you advice along the way.
The truth is, there are many people out there who want to take advantage of how much we love our children, and how much we will sacrifice to support their dreams. I have spoken with countless parents who have fallen victim to scams and industry predators that will try to use your lack of knowledge to their advantage.
That is why I have made it my mission to stop that from happening by sharing the knowledge I have with parents just like me. I want to make sure we can stay at the forefront of protecting our children in this industry.
Before we get started with "How To Get An Agent", we need to be clear on who they are, what they do, and the only way they should be paid.
A talent agent is described as a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, and other professionals in various entertainment or broadcast businesses.
In the acting business, reputable agents are paid a commission based off of the work they secure for your child. Scammish agencies or fake representatives will ask you to pay them registration fees, ask you to pay for their acting classes in order to join, or ask you to take very expensive photos with "their specific" headshot photographer.
It is not unusual for an agent to ask you to take classes, or maybe get new photos, but if they are also asking for money, and pushing you to use an acting instructor or headshot photographer that they are affiliated with, that is a red flag. It should be your decision who you choose to hire for your child's submission materials.
Agents also typically get a 10%-20% commission from their client's gross pay (that means pre taxes) from a project. Any more and they are probably trying to take advantage of your inexperience. It is incredibly important to remember that your child's agent shouldn't get paid unless your child gets paid from a project they were a part of.
Now that we have covered the major red flags to look out for, you are ready to start taking the steps to securing an agent. I put together this video Here on my YouTube Channel that outlines my favorite tips and tricks to getting an agent.
There is still always more ways to think outside the box when it comes to navigating this industry. And to make it as easy as possible for parents, to learn how to find representation for their child, I created the 5 Steps to Getting A Talent Agent for Your Child course that i something you can have and refer back to along your journey.
Diana Ivelis Wolfe
Affirm Your Star Academy