The question every new actor asks.
The question every new actor asks too early.
The short answer is, “It depends.”
It depends on…
- How much experience you already have.
- What kind of experience that is.
- What your market is.
- How you fit into that market.
- What your goals are.
- How old you are (part of how you fit into your market).
- What your special skills are (part of how you fit into your market).
- What your support structure is like. (i.e. Are your parents willing to pull you out of school and drive you two hours for an audition?)
If you are just starting out, have done some school and community theatre, and are 13 years old, there may not be much available for you in your market. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t ask agents in your area if they are accepting new talent of your type, it just means you need to be prepared to hear that they aren’t interested in representing you right now.
Right now.
That is such a key phrase to remember.
The age you are right now, living where you live right now, with the experience you have right now, is just where you are on your path in life right now.
If you choose to seek representation, understand that the agent is running a business, and the inventory in their store is their roster of talent. If they have an aisle full of actors that look like you, with the same level of experience you have, probably they will not be interested in adding another product to their shelf. If their customers are not asking for a product (an actor of your type), they will not add that product to their shelf. However, you change, and so does their business. So if you get a no, wait 6-12 months, then ask again.
If you really want an agent, I suggest researching agents in your area and choosing one that matches the direction you want to go. Then, scour their website and learn how they want to be approached; often there is an online form or specific set of instructions. If you choose to reach out to them in a way other than their submission process, do so in an information-gathering spirit, seeking to better understand what they need from their talent pool. If you are reaching out to pitch yourself outside the process they outline on the website, you are doing yourself a grave disservice.
If you still aren’t sure you are ready for an agent, you can always reach out to the agents in your area and explain that you are interested in acting as a profession, do they have a suggestion or two about what they like to see when an actor approaches them for representation.
If you think that you aren’t in a place to pursue representation right now, then keep doing what you are doing, and most importantly, keep you eyes and ears open for other opportunities that will help you grow in the direction you want to go.
We all start somewhere – everyone has a first job. But do you really need an agent for that first job? Well, it depends…and only you can answer that question.