Friday, September 25, 2009

New Talent Agency in Charlottesville, VA seeking new local talent

A new talent agency is attempting to fill a void in Central Virginia. Conversations with film industry professionals have made it clear that there is a need for an agency to represent emerging talents as well as established performers in the Charlottesville area.

They are currently seeking youth (ages 5-10), tweens, young adult, and adult actors to fill their roster. This is currently a proposal to create the agency and they are going to be very selective, as one of the partners is a former agent from Los Angeles and has many contacts in the industry. The agency's main focus will be to market talent not only in and around Charlottesville, but outside the state of Virginia as well.

For the time being they are only accepting talent from Charlottesville and the surrounding areas.

Email the following:

In your email please introduce yourself along with your experience, immediate goals and training. If you are the parent of a minor child please indicate special skills/training the child has. Also, please indicate any trouble you have had with representation in the area. Perhaps you are a parent of a child and a company has asked you for money to get you work. Or you are an adult and had to wait months to get paid for a job you completed. The agency wants to hear all of the nightmares you have experienced in the area due to scammers, unethical business practices, and even lack of information. They want to make sure that they provide their clients with the best services, education and information.

Please submit one headshot and a resume (if your child does not have a resume, please indicate what skills, demeanor, special characteristics and qualities your child possesses).

You may include a link to your online resume link (i.e. Personal Website) or casting (i.e. NowCasting, Actorcast, etc.) resume link if you have one.

Do not submit video reels at this time.

charlottesvilletalent@gmail.com

How Much Do Talent Agents Make?

Agents get 10% commission from your income after you work. Now figure if Bruce Willis' agent books him on a job, and Bruce makes $25,000,000 per film, then the agent gets TEN PERCENT after taxes. That would be roughly $1,700,000 for booking Bruce Willis on that job.

But of the hundreds and hundreds of Agents and Sub-Agents in the business, only a tiny fraction of agents make over a million bucks a year. Most agents make less than $30,000 a year, and many don't even make a living off of it, they have other means of finances that allow them to be agents.

There is a HUGE turnover of agents who are starting out within the first two years of becoming an agent because it is extremely hard to become a successful professional Theatrical and/or Commercial Talent Agent. The "average" annual income of a Talent Agent (including these sub-agents, associate-agents, etc.) is roughly $25,000 per year.

What is Commissionable by Your Agent?

Independent Agents

If your agents are Independent (i.e., not affiliated with either ATA and/or NATR), and therefore still franchised by SAG, then these agents (as well as the SAG members they represent) continue to be protected by and bound to the terms and conditions of Rule 16(g). Hundreds of SAG franchised agents across the country have maintained their on-going relationship with SAG, and continue to loyally serve SAG’s members pursuant to the requirements of Rule 16(g). Any standard SAG agency contract you sign with an Independent Agency may be filed with, and processed by, the Guild.

How Film and Television Shows Are Cast

The Film and Television Studios give the "green light" for movies and TV shows to be produced.

Then the production companies hire casting directors, who in turn send out "breakdowns" of the characters being cast.

These "breakdowns" actually are sent out by a service called "Breakdown Services" and are only available to licensed Talent Agencies.

Then the agents at these agencies submit photos, resumes, and sometimes "demo-reels" to the casting directors.

Then the casting directors call in the actors that fit the roles they are casting, usually many many actors are called in.

Then they narrow it down to the best actors who came in and "call back" these actors to read again for the director, sometimes the writer, producer, etc.. Then they narrow it down further, and sometimes there are 3 - 4 "call backs" before an actor is finally hired.

Do I Need An Agent To Be Cast?

Although it is possible to be cast on a show or film with out having an agent, it is very difficult. This usually only happens with smaller roles, and of course with extras. The studios usually only deal with reputable licensed talent agencies when casting acting roles.

In addition, agents are the only ones who receive the "breakdowns" of what roles are being cast at a given time. And in most instances, a studio or production company will not negotiate a contract directly with talent.

I have personally landed several acting roles by randomly sending in my photo and resume to casting directors when I did not have an agent, but it is not common to land roles in this manner.

However, I do recommend sending in to casting directors randomly because you never know if they will be looking for your exact type when they receive your photo and resume.

Important Safety Information

Do NOT incude a home address when sending out your photo and resume. I always recommend using a PO BOX.

Also, NEVER meet someone outside of a professional environment such as a studio, agents, or casting office. Do NOT meet someone at a restaurant, private residence, etc. You should ALWAYS let someone else know EXACTLY where you are going, WHO you are meeting, and WHEN you are going there.

And a parent or guardian must ALWAYS accompany minors. A parent or guardian should NEVER be out of eyesight of the minor, whether it be at auditions or on set.

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New Talent Agency in Charlottesville, VA seeking new local talent

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