AboutPhil Nemy Expertise I am a Former VP, Production for Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, who
has departed to begin producing his own films. I am also the author of
the book GET A REEL JOB: Finding Your First Job In The Motion Picture
Industry In Los Angeles. I can answers questions on a variety of
subjects about careers in film from acting to directing to crew work,
getting into the unions, successful strategies for networking, etc.
Experience
Past/Present clients I've worked with such filmmakers as Jerry Bruckheimer, Tony Scott, Steve Zaillian, Scott Rudin, Garry Marshall, Frank Marshall, Michael Bay, etc.
Expert: Phil Nemy Date: 7/15/2008 Subject: my daughters talent
Question QUESTION: MY daughter recently went on an audition for a school called ACT and the gersh agency was there. THey wanted 6000 for these workshops. YOu had to audition. My daughter got a callback but i did not have the 6000 dollars. Iwanted to go to see what they would say. They loved her Chris feota was there and he loved her. They said she was marketable and she was going to be great. We want an agent we live in canton ohio and i want to get her started what agency would be good for her and how to i get her in the business.
ANSWER: Desiree,
Thanks for writing. I'm assuming by ACT you mean the American Conservatory Theater based in San Francisco. Is this right? Or is this a local group in Canton?
Workshops with quality organizations like ACT (the one I mentioned) DO require a sizable investment, but in most instances they provide excellent training. The Gersh Agency is a well-respected and reputable talent agency in the entertainment industry. If they believe your daughter is marketable, they're probably right. I don't believe you're going to find the kind of talent agency anywhere in Ohio with the relationships that an agent needs to market his clients in Los Angeles and New York.
Your daughter probably needs training. I don't know how old she is, but if she is ready for college and you want to pursue an acting career for her, she should enroll in a BFA program for acting at a good college or university like Carnegie Mellon, NYU, Julliard, Boston U, Brandeis or SMU. Eventually, she's going to need to move to Los Angeles so that she'll be available to both her agent and the auditions he can set up for her.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Phil
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: ACT stands for academy for theater and commercial based in Arizona. Eventually we want to move to California but we wanted to see what professionals thought about her.They liked her. One of the agents spoke to us and told us that we didn't have to move to california or new york that if the agent wanted us they would help us get to auditions. I am willing to do whatever and she is only 6. I just really need to get some help on getting an agent please help.
Answer Desiree,
Thanks for the clarification. Now that I know we're talking about a 6 year old, it's a bit of a different story. If you have an agent that has seen her work, thinks he can sell her regardless of where she lives, what do you have to lose by signing her with the agent for a year and see what happens. The only thing it should cost you is the cost of professional headshots that the agent will probably insist upon. If he asks you to pay another "fees", he's not legitimate so run! Agents ONLY make money if they book their clients work. Then they get 10% of the clients fee.
