Expert: Peter Messaline - 6/2/2004

Question
Hello Peter,
I want to become an extra or have a walk on role in movies,soaps and other tv programmes. However firstly i need to find an agent,i want to write a letter and send in some pictures of myself. Please could you help me by telling me what sort of information should go in my first letter to the agent.
Many thanks for your advice.
Best wishes
Varsha

Answer
You are doing well to be asking around for information. Carry on your cautious approach. Don't feel you have to run big fat risks: it's acting, not guerrilla warfare.

I'm afraid I can't be a lot of specific help, because I don't know how old you are or whereabouts in the world you live. If you want more detail, after reading the rest of this letter, which will be depressing, I'm afraid, then tell me which state or province you live in, and whether you are in high school, college, or working already.

There is all the difference in the world between being an extra and having a walk-on role.

In larger centres, extras are hired through Background Agents. Call your local SAG or ACTRA office and get some agents' names. Send them a brief letter telling them that you are available at short notice and able to commit days to the same job if necessary. It will help if you have your own car, and special skills that you see on film but are unusual. That and an ordinary snapshot will give them enough to decide if they need more of your general type. There is often a smallish (less than $100) registration fee.
Elsewhere, visiting films will advertise in local papers and you just turn up for a pre-screening.

Any acting role will need an agent, in larger centres, or lots of contacts, in smaller places.
If you don't have training or experience, all you have to offer is what you look like and how serious you are. If I were you, I should concentrate on reading all you can about the actor's life and career realities, and on getting whatever experience you can as a nonprofessional. Get in touch with a local film school or college. They often need casts for their student films. Join amateur theate clubs: acting is acting, wherever you do it. I'm afraid that anywhere you are likely to get work you will find people with training and experience ahead of you.

You may find that an agent will take you on based on an interview, but be very careful. It's hard for an agent to get a beginner work to bring in the commission, but easy to charge the newby fat fees for unnecessary photographs and classes and other services. Anyone who offers miracles is lying. Anyone who says he can see you being a success is lying. Anyone who needs money RIGHT NOW so that you don't miss this opportunity is lying through his teeth.