Talent Agents

Talent and Literary Agency Don Buchwald and Associates holding open call in New York

Talent and Literary Agency Don Buchwald and Associates in New York City will be holding an open casting call on October 10, 2009. They are seeking talented young actors and theatre performers between the ages of 5 and 17 years old. Don Buchwald and Associates has offices in both New York City and Los Angeles, CA. The agency is a member of the Association of Talent Agents (ATA) and National Association of Talent Representatives (NATR).

In New York City, Don Buchwald and Associates is housed on six floors of their own office building in mid-town, between Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue. In Los Angeles, the company occupies a 12,000 square foot office complex at 6500 Wilshire Boulevard, overlooking the heart of the city. The agency became an industry leader in 1977 when Don Buchwald with five associates founded the company. They have since grown to become a strong bi-coastal force in the entertainment industry.

The open call is NOT being held at the agency office.

You MUST email the following and request an appointment time and registration for the call :

kidscasting@gmail.com

Important Information Regarding Non-SAG Franchised Talent Agents

There are some talent agencies that are no longer franchised by Screen Actors Guild. This means that those agents have no legal obligation to abide by the requirements of Rule 16(g), the SAG Agency Franchise Agreement, and that SAG cannot enforce the Agency Franchise Agreement against those agents. The Guild’s leadership will immediately engage in an active campaign to persuade agents to re-sign the Agency Franchise Agreement.

Although members are permitted during this interim period to be represented by an ATA/NATR Talent Agent, members are advised not to sign individual representation agreements if the terms provide less protection than Rule 16(g), the SAG Agency Franchise Agreement. Examples of agreements which provide less protection are those with: a term longer than 3 years, a commission rate of greater than 10% and payment of commission on compensation including penalties, residuals, per diem, etc.

ATA agents have no legal obligation to abide by the requirements of Rule 16(g), the SAG Agency Franchise Agreement, and many of them have chosen not to do so. SAG cannot enforce its agency rules against these agencies. Although members are permitted during this interim period to be represented by these formerly franchised agents, members are advised not to sign any individual representation agreements presented to them (e.g., “general service agreements,” or “GSAs” or “Stare approved agency contracts”) with these entities without first consulting with their Guild, especially if the terms contained therein provide less protection than the SAG Agency Franchise Agreement.

Most GSAs contain provisions which offer SAG members drastically fewer protections than those in the Agency franchise, including, but not limited to, the ability for the agent to commission previously non-commissionable residuals as well as other sources of revenue, and significant alterations in the performer’s ability to terminate his/her agency contract. Members will also note that SAG will not be able to offer its arbitration/mediation services to settle commission or other disputes with these agents since they are no longer under SAG jurisdiction.

What to do if an Actor is handed a General Services Agreements (GSA) to sign:

● Attempt to negotiate terms and conditions that are similar to, or better than, those in the standard SAG Agency Agreement.

● Seek independent legal advice prior to signing any contract that is NOT a SAG Contract.

● Immediately notify SAG’s Agency Department (in LA: 323-549-6745; in New York, 212-827-1444) and provide the Guild with a copy of the GSA so that the union may assist you in reviewing it.

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

Progressive Artists Agency holding additional open casting call for it's Youth Division

Progressive Artists Agency is holding another open call for its youth division (ages 5 -17) this Saturday, September 26.

This open call is only for actors between the ages of 5 and 17 who are available to audition and work in the Los Angeles area.

Progressive Artists is an established boutique talent agency in West Hollywood that has been representing top talent in television, film and theatre for over twenty-five years. This is an extraordinary opportunity for young actors to introduce themselves to representatives who have the ear of the top casting directors in town.

To receive an appointment time, or for more information, please send an email to:

paaopencall@gmail.com.

All emails must include the child and accompanying parent’s names and the child’s age in order to be responded to with an appointment. Please do not send headshots and resumes without this required information. Thank you.

Where:

PAA
Progressive Artists Agency
1041 N. Formosa Avenue
West Hollywood, CA 90046

When:

Saturday, September 26, 2009
10:00am - 3:00pm

No phone calls to the agency please. As a licensed California talent agent, Progressive Artists does not take any fees from its clients or prospective clients. Clients pay in commission when they work.

Important Notice to AFTRA Members and AFTRA Franchised Agents

No Contract, No Work Rule In Effect for Commercials Produced by Nickelodeon

Please be advised that Nickelodeon is not signed to the AFTRA Television Commercials Contract or the AFTRA Radio Commercials Contract.

Although AFTRA has collective bargaining agreements with Nickelodeon covering other types of programs, members are prohibited from accepting employment for commercial services by Nickelodeon or by any other employer, unless that employer is signatory to the applicable AFTRA TV or Radio Commercials Contract.

Please be reminded that AFTRA members may not accept employment in commercials, whether for broadcast, cable or the Internet, unless the employer is signed to the AFTRA Television Commercials Contract or the AFTRA Radio Commercials Contract. (AFTRA members are also permitted to work under the SAG TV Commercials Contract.)

Franchised Talent Agents should check and verify the signatory status of an employer who seeks to engage their AFTRA member clients for services in a broadcast, cable or Internet commercial.

If you have questions about this notice, about the signatory status of an employer, or about whether a particular project is commercial in nature rather than a covered program or promo, please contact your nearest AFTRA office.

Click here to see the list of AFTRA Locals, along with their contact information.

CESD is currently accepting submissions

Cunningham Escott Slevin & Doherty (CESD) is currently accepting submissions from youth and young adult talent seeking representation in their theatrical, on-camera commercials, and dance divisions.

CESD has been around for nearly a half century and is an extremely respected top talent agency with offices in New York City and Los Angeles. They have a large client base that includes numerous stars such as Chevy Chase, Peter Fonda, Burt Reynolds, James Garner, Edward James Olmos, Ann-Margret, Peter Fonda, Kristen Bell, Howie Mandel, and many many more.

The agency has the following divisions:

● Theatrical
● On Camera Commercials
● Commercial Voice-Over
● Models/Print
● Celebrity On Camera
● Celebrity Voice-Over
● Promo
● Trailer
● Radio Imaging
● TV Affiliates
● Animation
● Narration
● Espanol Voice-Over
● Puppeteers
● Beauty
● Dance
● Hosting

Please submit photos and resume, along with any demo material, to the following addresses by mail only:

Los Angeles:

ATTN: New Talent
Cunningham Escott Slevin & Doherty
10635 Santa Monica Blvd.
#130
Los Angeles, CA 90025

New York City:

ATTN: New Talent
Cunningham Escott Slevin & Doherty
257 Park Ave. S.
9th Floor
New York, NY 10010

Click Here for photo and resume information.

Click Here for information on how to submit photos and resumes to talent agents.

NO PHONE CALLS

SAG Members - What You Need to Know About Your Agency Contract Before Signing It

What:

Screen Actors Guild National Agency staff will hold a bi-coastal educational seminar on general service agreements, or GSAs (i.e., the contracts that ATA/NATR agents have been using to represent our members instead of the standard SAG agency contract). These GSA contracts are signed outside of SAG’s protection, and it is imperative that members have a working knowledge of what these contracts say before signing them—your professional future and your income may depend on it. This educational seminar will be especially helpful to any member having trouble making sense of the complicated legal language contained in the contracts that their agents have provided them. We urge all SAG members to attend. The event will not be taped.

When:

Noon-2:30 p.m. (PDT) and 3-5:30 p.m. (EDT) on Monday, August 24, 2009 (RSVP required*)

Where:

Los Angeles:
James Cagney Board Room (first floor)
5757 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90036
Parking will be validated.

New York:
NY Boardroom
360 Madison Avenue
12th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Who:

The seminar will be conducted by National Director and Senior Counsel of Agency Relations Zino Macaluso and Senior Agency Manager Xochitl Cerda in Los Angeles. Members in New York will participate live via videoconference. You must bring your SAG membership card (paid thru October 31, 2009) in order to attend this event. No exceptions will be made. We strongly encourage all members who attend to bring a notepad and pen with them to these meetings.

*RSVP:

Performers interested in attending should immediately e-mail the Guild’s agency mailbox at agentquestion@sag.org. Please write SAG GSA Seminar—Reservation in the subject line. YOU MUST ALSO INDICATE IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING FROM HOLLYWOOD OR NEW YORK. Only those members who have received confirmation e-mails from SAG may attend, so please act quickly as seating is limited.

Questions about upcoming events should be directed to the SAG Agency Department at (323) 549-6745 (Hollywood) or (212) 827-1445 (New York). Any performer who has to cancel a reservation is asked to notify SAG immediately so that members on the waiting list may be contacted. Thank you. We look forward to seeing you on Monday, August 24, 2009.

NBC launches “The Four Directions Talent Search” to discover new Native American performers and writers

In a major effort to increase the presence of Native Americans on television, NBC and the Oneida Indian Nation have launched a nationwide talent search to find actors, comedians, models, and writers with the potential to be cast in and write for programs in development and on the air.

In a major effort to increase the presence of Native Americans on television, NBC Entertainment and the Oneida Nation launched a web site to find Indian actors, comedians and writers with the potential to be cast in and write for programs in development and on the air. “The Four Directions Talent Search” is open to tribally affiliated Native Americans who are not currently under contract with a talent agent or studio.

This site will provide a much needed search tool to be used by casting directors, talent agents, producers, and directors. The site also includes news and current events that relate to the Native-American community and a place for job postings both in-front of and behind the camera. Oneida Nation with NBC Entertainment has created to promote & sustain on-camera diversity through community involvement and development, showcasing non-traditional casting choices, and creating programs to raise awareness within the entire entertainment community.

Will not only identify talent but also create an entrée for people who may not have had access to the industry in the past, and showcase their talents on a continuing basis. “Breaking into films, television, or live theater is difficult for anyone” said Ray Halbritter, Nation Representative and CEO of the Oneida Nation. “It is especially difficult for Native Americans who may have talent but never have had access to the opportunities. Through Four Directions Talent, NBC Entertainment and Oneida Nation will help open doors and cultivate this talent.” “This talent search is an exciting opportunity for NBC, and the rest of the Hollywood creative community, to discover new Native American performers and writers. NBC is proud to co-sponsor this site and remains committed to proactively develop new voices of all ethnicities,” said Marc Hirschfeld, Executive Vice-President, Casting, NBC Entertainment.

To get started, simply click here, fill out the questionnaire and you will receive an email once approval.

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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.

Do not republish any information on this website without written permission from the website owner. If you violate author copyright when reprinting articles from our site, you agree to be held liable for all attorney fees and statutory damages awarded upon a copyright infringement lawsuit that may be brought against you. Please read Section 504(c)(2) (http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html#504). You agree that any legal proceedings against you will occur in Santa Barbara County in the State of California, USA.

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