Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 2/11/2010

Question
I would really appreciate your advice. I have been with an agent in my market (Washington,DC) about six months(nonexclusively) and I have gotten three auditions, a runway show, background in an industrial and submitted for some pick by headshot projects. Which is pretty good, I think. My agent says I'm missing out on a lot of print work because I don't have any pictures for a comp card (which I don't).  At the time she told me that, about a month ago (1/16), she offered to be my manager and asked if I had any plans to move to LA or NY. I told her I would be moving to LA in three to six months permanently. She asked me to make my move closer to six months so she could help me with development -- she says I can lower my age range to 16 (which I've been told before). Also, she told me that she only takes a handful of people as a manager and she has people in LA calling her right now asking for help, but there's really nothing she can do because she's not representing them. She says its impossible to get an agent in LA if you don't know anyone. I think she has given me some good information; however, I am deeply concerned about a few issues -

- It's been almost a month since she's offered to be my manager and we still have yet to schedule an appointment to discuss anything. When I emailed her two weeks ago about it, her reply was "We have been swamped.  We are moving all next week into another space and I have been working like crazy with New York with my models.  I will email [agent associate] to see when we can set up a one on one to chat with you.  Hang tight and I look forward to sitting down with you."(1/28) Since then, I've heard nothing about "sitting down". Am I I just being impatient or should some alarms be going off in my head at this point? This makes me concerned that she will be unable to give me the attention I may need from her as my manager, especially if I'm on the other side of the country.

- Yesterday I received this email: "hey it was brought to my attention that you are still signing in on jobs that you are submitted for through [agency name] with your personal information.  I don't know what I have to do, but you never put your own information on any submissions that [agency name] sends you in for.  Im confused, and not sure if this does no make sense to you.  You are making me look bad as an Agent.  Please never use your personal information on anything unless I ask you to.  The casting company contact me and only want to deal with me until I give them your information.  It only makes you and [agency name] look unprofessional". I always Sign-in using my agency information when I'm sent by them, and I had no knowledge this was an issue in the first place. It could be possible that I am being overly sensitive, but the email seemed to come from no where and was borderline offensive - especially since we never had this conversation before. I know I don't need to best friends with my agent/ manager because this is a business, but communication is important and we are obviously having a problem here. Then about an hour later I received an email from her saying the email was sent from her 'waiting to be sent folder' by mistake  on today 2/10. She typed it a while ago but did not send it to me. "It still holds true but sorry it's just going out." Then I noticed the message was originally dated 1/29. I do recall placing only my information on my headshot/resume for an audition the date of that message (so I can understand her frustration), but it was an honest mistake/misunderstanding and the only time that's EVER happened. The Casting Director usually covers information, personal or agency with a sticker and they happened to be out of stickers that day. I didn't realize that they still used the information under the sticker and it was never called to my attention before because my agency's name is usually there. Also, I have read column's by casting professionals as well as others mentioning the importance of also including my personal contact information in case we switch agents(although I have not been doing it in DC but I will in LA)-- I'm not trying to con her of her 10% or make anyone look amateur. Just the opposite, I've been trying REALLY hard to maintain a good relationship with my agency, at least that is the way that I feel.

-  Is it truly impossible to get an agent in LA? Before she offered to be my manager, I gave myself a goal of two years to get an agent using the first year to focus primarily on learning my craft and the market and potentially getting commercial work while building my resume. Also, is it even wise to have a manager on the east coast (especially from a smaller market like DC) while working on the west coast? I'm under the impression it can depend on relationships, but I haven't been able to sit down and talk with her about her current clients, what projects their working on, and her working relationships with agencies in LA. She said she's "going to try to help [me] get some photos after this mess" with the snow, but still no talk of an appointment. There are also no credits listed for her or the agency under IMDB so that was a dead-end.

Thank you again for your time.

Michelle

Answer
Hi Michelle,

So sorry for the delay, I had a terrible computer virus and other registry issues which prevented keeping up. Also, for some reason, I am supposed to get question notifications, but that isn't happening and tech support has never answered my request for info as to why, SO, I am not doing what your agent is doing...

Where to start? First, I am glad you seem to have a good grasp on the technical stuff! I usually have people who have NO experience, but just want an agent because "Mom thinks I'm special" Lol!

I am concerned that your agent wants to rep you in LA when she is east coast based. Does she have connections there for real? Does she travel there often? You really need someone THERE who has their finger on the pulse...not a thousand miles away. If you are so important to her, why the excuses...also, why the venting on you? Yes, I have been "dressed down" by an agent for goofs, but not severely, and that one agent I decided to bail on because she was a nut-job, however. luckily, I stayed and the agency sold out to someone better a month later. It sounds like you are getting a fair amount of work with her for the economy right now, but you are right, communication is important and if she is too busy to talk, what does that say about getting the promotion you require? A manager doesn't work like an agent. For one, they often get a HIGHER PERCENTAGE of your paycheck.

Yes, it IS hard to get inserted into the Hollywood stream. However, you didn't mention: SAG card? SAG eligible?...No card or eligibility? The cool part is that you can get toward that goal by getting with an exras agency in LA, which would get you a SAG card, and that will help. You don't want to be an extra forever, just a little while, that way you don't get "known" as just an extra. It will get you a little cash for bills though. You might approach it by looking for a manager out there, who may be able to get you an agent, although, you will be kind of "jumping ahead" because usually, you don't get an agent for a while, normally, until you start getting lots of work. Be prepared for them to say: "No agent? Why are you here?" Thing is, there are rules in the world, but it is OK to check to see if there is a way around them. All they can do is say no! Poppy Montgomery came to the US from Australia to hook up with a guy she met, and after moving to Florida, it didn't work out and she decided, "What the heck?" and headed to Cali to pursue acting. They were like: "No SAG card? -but she was tenacious and by her persistence and talent, she finally got one to take her. She didn't go into details, but I imagine she didn't take no for an answer and sent headshot after headshot out to get them familiar with her face.

One thing your agent said about a comp card -is true! IF you are wanting to be a model. Which is it? Modeling or acting? You will have better luck with the acting if you let no one know that you are modeling. Precious few models make it because they either think looks are interchangeable with talent, or no one takes a model seriously. Cindy Crawford was in a film and her acting wasn't bad, but the critics panned her (not the film) and that was that. If you have any modeling stuff on your film/tv resume, remove it! As you have a few credits, but not a lot, you can probably keep commercial credits on your resume for now, unless told not to by your new agent/manager, but you will definitely want to replace the credits with a line: "Commercial list available upon request" as soon as you can. Also, you will want to keep/acquire more training for education credits, growth AND to start networking with other actors in LA and people in the biz. Make alliances with other actors, because "who you know" has a lot to do with it, never hurts to know people who can commiserate with you, support you in your new home-base. Yes, it takes at least two years to get established there. I don't know your financial situation/backing, but be careful what you get into if you are low on cash. If you decided to take a few photos or something to make ends meet, they can come back to haunt you later. Nuff said.

Last thing, you DON'T want to have personal contact info on your headshot. The only acceptable time is when you include a letter when looking for an agent or manager! If not, you do look like an independent trying to hustle by yourself -which makes them wonder if no agent would take you. Also, for safety reasons, you don't want that info to be found by a dumpster diver in an un-shredded state. "Look at this hottie! -and here is where I can find her at home!" Not good.

Be prepared for it to be tough. You may get homesick, you may get discouraged, but you have to stay and not give up. Yes, there will be a lot of beautiful people there (thousands) but the losers go home with their tails between their legs. I have seen that. But I think you will be the exception. You are savvy and that is half the game!

Best, Taylor