Actors generally think they need to find an agent who represents no one else in their category. They think that if they are the only one that type in the agency they will get sent out more. But, like actors, agents are "typecast" as well. They are also known for representing a certain type of actor. You want to be with the agent who is known for your type. That will ensure you are targeting your niche. Method 1 below is the most effective way to find the right agent for you. Method 2 is not as thorough. You can do this same process for managers.

 

 

1) Do a TV Show, Movie or Commercial Search on IMDbPro:

 

Theatrical Agencies - On IMDbPro, look up the shows and films appropriate for “your type.” Look up the past season or two (no more than that since agents and CDs change companies often). Go through each episode and look at the cast list. If you are at the Co-Star level in your career, look for the Co-Star roles (no name roles like Detective #1, nurse, mom, etc.) or if you are at Guest Star level look at those roles. Click through to see who reps the actors who are around (or just above) your credits-level and around (or just above) your StarMeter ranking. You’ll start to see trends. Write those down. Agencies often go to their favorite agencies and management firms to fill those roles. You’ll also start to see that your top targeted shows consistently book actors (at your credits level) who are represented by the same few agencies and management firms. You'll eventually have a list of about  20 or 30 agencies that book similar actors regularly. Those are the agencies you should be targeting. Double check your work to make sure those agencies also have a decent ranking on the “Company Star Meter.”

 

Commercial Agencies - Go online to http://www.ispot.tv. This site lists many of the most popular commercials airing now and in the past year or so. Look up the commercials with actors that are similar to your type by entering the name of the company or product. Once you find the spot(s) you are looking for, look up the name of the similar actor who played the role. Then go on IMDbPro and follow the instructions above to find out which commercial agencies represents the actors you found. (beware, iSpot.tv is not always thorough)

 

 

2) Look for Agencies that are Highly Ranked but Open to Newcomers:

 

On the IMDbPro site look under the “Companies” heading at the top. If you hover over that heading you will see “Talent Agencies” and “Management Companies.” Click on which ever you are interested in researching. Once you click on that link you will see a list of agencies or managers listed in order of “Star Meter” ranking. Unless you are a star, don’t even think about the first 20 on the list. They will come to you when you are at a certain level of success. Start looking at the agencies past that. Click on each one and look at their list of “Clients.” They will be ranked by “Star Meter” rating. You want to see if they have several actors with star numbers below 5,000 (those are generally recognizable working actors). If they do, click on the “see all clients” link at the bottom and look to see if they have quiet a few actors with numbers higher than 100,000, If they do that means they are probably open to newcomers. Next, go back to the top of the list and one by one, look at their clients and see if the “generally” represent your type. If so, that is a good agency for you to target.

 

 

*If you need help finding the perfect agency for you we can help.

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Actors always focus on the wrong thing. They’re constantly trying to impress me with details that aren’t important. And that’s true for clients as well as actors seeking representation.

 

This may shock you, but it would appear that every performer on the face of the planet has access to those precious breakdowns that are meant for my eyes only. I guess they pay for them under the table. This is 100 percent illegal, but then again, so is crossing at the red and when was the last time anyone you know got a jaywalking ticket?

 

Anyway, actors have this material and they always jump on every perceived bit of valuable information. For example, a client called me the other day because he “heard” about a movie set in L.A. with a character that was from Detroit. The actor explained he was from Detroit, too, so the casting director would definitely want to meet him. In return, I explained they were probably looking for the best actor and not just someone who was from Detroit.

 

Pop quiz: true or false? Last year, Ryan Gosling lost the lead in a film playing a cop who grew up in Florida because the studio discovered he was from Canada. (The answer is at the bottom of this column....)

 

Moving on, I’ve been receiving a ton of submissions lately from actors who list their current STARmeter rating on IMDb. Is this supposed to mean anything to me? That number is just a grade based on Internet searches. It has nothing to do with talent or potential. Even more shocking, there are services out there you can pay to help raise your rating. Call me paranoid, but I would think twice before handing those people my credit card number. Maybe you should, too.

 

Let me put it this way: If you believe in quantum mechanics and a multiverse with millions of parallel realities, I can assure you there isn’t a single reality out there where I give a damn about your STARmeter rating.

 

Here are a few other things that don’t matter:

 

If you’re trying to convince me to sign you, don’t tell me about all the nonunion work you’ve been doing. Trust me. There is no nonunion work. (Well, maybe porn.) SAG–AFTRA even has a category for first-time producers who are making tiny little movies on their iPhones with the money they made serving tables. And unless we’re talking about hosting or reality shows, there is absolutely no nonunion work on scripted television.

 

This is why I always crack up when actors tell me they’re putting off joining the union because they don’t want to miss out on nonunion work. WHAT NONUNION WORK? Are they talking about commercials? If that’s the case, then answer me this: Was that your dream when you moved here? To work on nonunion commercials that will never generate a residual stream?

 

Here’s something else that doesn’t matter: excuses. If you’re my client, I don’t want to hear that you’re late to an audition because you got stuck in traffic. And I don’t care about your reasons for not booking out or for not updating your reel or for not returning my call.

 

IT JUST DOESN’T MATTER!

 

- Secret Agent Man (anonymous successful agent), BackStage Magazine Sept. 7, 2015

If you're looking for a list of the legitimate agencies on town, you can find them on SAG-AFTRA's website at:

 

SAG-AFTRA