Acting Agents

Acting agents represent actors and actresses and help to promote their services. The acting agent’s job is to build the types of industry connections that allow them to find out about opportunities for their actors early, and to have an audience with the types of people who can place those actors in roles. This is [...]

Acting agents represent actors and actresses and help to promote their services. The acting agent’s job is to build the types of industry connections that allow them to find out about opportunities for their actors early, and to have an audience with the types of people who can place those actors in roles. This is not something an actor can do on their own, as this networking is an entire career in and of itself. This is really indispensable. You cannot advance your career without appropriate representation–this is how to find acting jobs.

Acting agents for kids do this exact same kind of networking in order to advance the budding careers of very young actors. However, as we discussed in our article on acting agencies, this can be a bit of a mixed blessing. As child actors grow up, you can transition them to an adult agent, you can try to use multiple agencies simultaneously, or you can look into acting agents for teens. Each of these is a somewhat tricky prospect for a new career.

Regardless, agents for acting are highly necessary, but you will need to know a little bit about how they work and how to interface with them for maximum benefit. The first thing to know is that there is no such thing as a “free acting agent,” but you should absolutely not under any circumstances be required to pay your agent in advance. The agent’s job is to help you make money as an actor, and they get paid when you get paid. Typically, you should be paid by the agent, who will act as your intermediary for negotiations and payments.

This way you never have to discuss money with your employers directly; all negotiations are performed by the professional negotiator, the acting agent. This is what distinguishes the top acting agents from the lesser ones, is the negotiating power that they are able to bring to the table. A better agent will not only be able to get you more jobs, they’ll be able to get you better jobs that pay more money. That’s why you always want to be striving to work through your the local list of acting agents and improve your station in the industry, because a more prominent agent will help you to become more prominent as a working actor.