About Arlene Schulman Expertise As a professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I can help with questions on acting technique, character development, audition and rehearsal techniques, dealing with directors and stage managers, what directors are looking for, and other aspects of the acting and directing professions.
Experience A professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I have directed in professional, university and amateur theatre and have directed and acted in dramas, comedies, musicals, Shakespeare as well as collaborating closely with playwrights in the development of original plays and musicals.
Organizations SSDC associate member Advisory Board - Isle of Shoals Productions Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America associate member Shakespeare Association of America The Shakespesare Institute -
MA "Shakespeare & Theatre" candidate, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Question What do talent agencies do? If you are still in school will they submit you for random jobs? If there is a specific job you want to go for will they submit you for that? And is getting an agent specifically for casting of one movie even if your upfront about it a unrealistic idea?
Answer Hi Ivuoma,
A professional acting (or talent) agent or agency works for the actor to find and submit them to audition for acting jobs. They are not paid by the actor, but rather they get paid a percentage of the income their clients earn from the jobs they get them.
Agents don't do casting. That's what casting agents do and that is a totally separate job. And an actors or talent agent won't take on a client who only wants to be submitted for one movie. If you don't get the job he doesn't get paid and has totally wasted his time. Agents are industry professionals, and are there for professional actors, not for young people who want to try out for an occasional movie. They are not there to serve at your convenience. They are there to earn a living. And since they only get paid if their actors work, they are not interested in spending their time and energy representing actors who only want "random jobs" or for only one job. They want clients who are professionals and who will be available and willing to go out on the jobs they work hard to get for them. Otherwise they will be doing all that work for nothing. And although agents work for actors, it is really the agent who decides what clients they will represent. They want clients with a particular look, with talent, training and experience, with a resume that tells them that this person is a professional and has a history of getting hired. Usually they will not represent anyone they haven't seen perform personally or hasn't been recommended to them by industry professionals they know and trust. I know exceptionally talented well-trained actors with years of talent who still haven't attracted an agent yet. I also know some very talented young people who do have agents. But these are all people who are committed to a professional career and are ready and willing to go on whatever jobs their agent gets for them, not just the occasional random or single job.
