Starting Off at Ground Zero

First thing is first ... to break into the industry whether you wish to model or act -- get some experience in front of a crowd, local theatre and school theatre is a good start. Take classes on public speaking or get involved with Toastmasters. This is an organization geared to help people learn to speak in front of large groups, an essential skill.

Stay away from Modeling schools, they are usually only finishing schools in disguise. (...and wow are they expensive! I've seen a lot of models get taken for 2,000+, I recently interviewed a young woman that paid $5,000 to attend a classes & convention in NYC. Ouch.) Please be careful about Modeling conventions. They can be expensive and sometimes just aren't worth it.

I have worked with one of the convention companies to find Models (and actually liked working with them they were quite upfront about their costs and what they did), but I wouldn't have, if they acted as an agent or a school. (They were about 4,500.00 LESS for an attendee than others that I have seen here.) It is not necessary to go to these conventions to get an Agent, they just conveniently place 50 top agents (Click, Arlene Wilson, DNA, Elite, Ford, Wilhelmina, Karen, M&P (out of London) and way too many more for me to list here, when I attended in March) in a panel to consider the 1000+ people paraded in front of them for representation. I've gotten some great MODELS this way, but not really actors yet. ...And I doubt that I will do so in great quantity for Actors. I'm awful picky, and it is difficult to assess someone when there are other people in line behind them waiting for their time with the Agent as well.

Then, if you are serious about finding an agent ... get a good set of headshots. 2 different looks for Acting, done in B & W 8x10's. NO Color shots for your 8x10's, headshots in color are regarded as unprofessional. Please remember to staple your headshot to the back of the headshot, text opposite from the back of the pic...

For Modeling (That's if you want to dabble in to Commercial print, many of my people do that...) you're going to want a composite card, this can be a mix of B&W and Color. A headshot usually goes on the front and 3 to 4 pics on back along with your measurements. You can find places that print Comp cards in Backstage (it's a weekly newspaper that you can subscribe to: (www.backstage.com). An Agent can usually do comps without getting in trouble with the Unions as they are not making a profit on them, and they are usually getting a little better price than is advertised. My logo does not go on a comp unless I am the person sending the pix out to the printer.

You aren't going to want your photo's to look like they came from JC Penny's, they do portraits, and it's an entirely different ballpark here. So no portraits. Again NO "Glamour Shots," Dynasty has been off the air for years. Even Aaron Spelling doesn't look for that type of look any more. Comps can have a glamour look to it on one of the shots, but your headshots have to be something else.

Don't work with ANY agent that makes you use their photographer, in order to be represented.

Don't work with anyone that pressures you into utilizing any of the services they may offer in order to be represented.

If an agent wants a fee to represent you: Turn around and walk out of their office, they will never get you anything that makes it worth your while for what they charge. I can't stress that enough!

More >

Website and graphic designs by Joshua Siegel  •  Copyright ©2008 Arcadian Entertainment