Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 8/9/2009

Question
How do I know which agents are scam or the ones that aren't? What is a good deal with an agent? Thanks.

Answer
Hi Stacy,

An agent: Someone who you submit your headshot and resume to after finding them under "talent agencies" in the yellow pages of the local big city phone books. You don't find them online (although legitimate ones do have home pages)or in magazine ads or newspaper classifieds. The ones "looking for models and actors!" in those ads are scams. Yellow pages are expensive and are permanent compared to so-called agents who are here today, out of town tomorrow. That's because they have to keep moving after they have taken advantage of starry-eyed people.

Real agents don't ask you for money up front and promise you work or a "showcase". They do not say you will have to take their classes or pay their photographer for the all important headshot.
How would someone you have never met know if you have any talent at all? How could they guarantee you would be hired?

Real agents meet with you and decide whether you would be worth their time and resources to promote. They may ask you to audition for them to prove you have ability. Sometimes they won't offer to sign you even if they see you have talent because they already have members who look your "type". Many won't sign you if you show no interest in keeping up your training by taking classes. My agent in Austin cut about 150 people a while back because they were not accepting auditions, keeping in touch or trying to stay active. She only wanted people who were involved and were serious about acting.

An agent will only be paid when you do a job and get paid. My agency takes 15% of my paycheck for a job. They bill the client, who bills their client, and when the paycheck comes to them, they write me a check for my share and I pay taxes on it myself as they do with their share. That's it! no money but that. Now, because they are interested in getting paid, they also are extremely good at catching clients who re-run ads or shows past the contracted airings or showings. I recently saw an ad I had done 6 years ago for a home builder on tv. the next day I emailed her and her people had already sent them a new bill for a new "cycle" -that's a period of weeks that the spot can run before they must pay again. A few weeks later BOOM! a check for $400.00 in the mailbox! I wish I could say that this happens every week, but acting is hit or miss most of the time for normal actors.

That's how you know. You may also check with the BBB (Better Business Bureau)to see if they have received any complaints about the agent.

Best to you!

Taylor