You are here:
Careers: Acting, Performing, Directing/Representation
Advertisement
Question
My daughter has been acting for the past 14 years, she's 18 now. She just moved to LA for college but mainly to act. She is SAG and AFTRA and can easily play 13, 14. She is having a problem finding a manager and agent. What can she do?
Hi Dana,
You won't like this, but the single most important thing is to never stop trying. It may happen that she will not get an agent for a long while. Maybe she will age a bit and it will come along then. The frustrating thing with acting is it can't be forced to do much of anything. It comes as it comes. What she has to do is stay sharp, always look to improve herself and keep knocking on doors. LA is a BIG place (but small in ways) and even when she has an agent, it usually takes a couple years to meet everyone and get to be "known" and on the radar. Rewards don't go to the timid or those who give a couple tries and give up. Many actors can attest to this fact. If she meets other actors from workshops and classes, they may be able to network her into leads on agents or put in a word for her. (One caution: they can't "make" their agent see her if they don't want to.)
I will recommend an actor to my agent once every 10 years or so. I am careful when I do this, yet the response is the same: "Tell them to submit their headshot and resume." Which is fair. How many guys see a girl they want to shag, and drooling, will try to wheedle an interview? Lots. An agent is only as good as their talent. It reflects on them.
Tell her to be patient and keep trying. It will mean so much more to her when she can say: "I worked my butt off, but I finally got an agent!"
Best,
Taylor
Related Articles
Answers by Expert:
Taylor Sheppard
Expertise
I can answer questions: on starting a career in acting, mistakes in acting, etiquette when dealing with industry contacts, finer points on how to act, and things to avoid in the field.
Experience
I have been a professional actor 21 years, with appearances in TV, Film and commercials. I have made good decisions and potentially damaging mistakes. I believe anyone who has a dream deserves to explore it, and I take their aspirations seriously. That being said, I do not pull punches. I try to be tactful, but I will not lie to someone, honesty is more effective. My last film role was in "Teeth" which was picked for Sundance in January 2007. It was sold to Lionsgate and Weinstein Co. for somewhere over 2.5 million. The role was "Mr. Griffith", a sex-ed teacher.
Organizations
Ciao Agency-Austin/Georgetown, Texas. (Formerly known as Donna Adams Agency. Matthew McConaughey was a good friend and fellow member. I also have belonged to agencies in three other Texas cities, but they have since closed.) TXMPA -Texas Motion Picture Alliance. Various other internet networking web rings as well as Actors Access. I was instrumental in advising actress Krista Allen on getting her career in acting started in Austin,Texas (we worked at the same Health Club in the early '90's).
Publications
Previously wrote on a now defunct website such as this one. I enjoyed helping new actors.
Education/Credentials
I have acted for 21 years. I studied under James Nelson Harrell as well as other talented actors at Southwest Texas State University. After college, I have taken classes with Julliard graduate Mona Lee, Bill Johnson, Van Brookes, Marco Perella and others in Austin Texas. I am constantly attending classes to maintain my edge and explore new directions. In addition to attending strictly acting classes, I have also taken business workshops with respected casting directors, such as Shari Rhodes ("Jaws","Close Encounters", "Raggedy Man".) Barbara Brinkley, Jo Edna Bolden and Donise Hardy, (Castingworks LA).
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.