I've just been approached by BTM and despite them having clients on their books and some testimonials here on CCP, I'm not entirely convinced about them.
Two questions come up:
- Why don't they have a website?
- Why don't they have a business email address instead of a Gmail one?
They also say I can be with another agent as long as I let them know about jobs I'm put forward for. Can anyone vouch for them or conversely, advise I ignore them? It isn't quite sitting right with me!
Hi all, I thought I'd give you an update in regards to BTM.
After sending an email 4 weeks ago requesting information of what has been going on with submissions of jobs and where I stand within the agency and possibly having an actual telephone conversation with Sean etc.....I didn't get a single reply or notification from Sean!
After having a positive discussions with other people I have decide to leave BTM and emailed him this morning. No less than 2 minutes later, Sean replied just saying thanks for letting him know.
Obviously I am not that valuable to him if he couldn't even ask the reason why.
I hope you all have a better time at BTM, but if you are looking to be represented by him do re think your options.
He emailed me today asking if I'm looking for representation even though I'm with Narrow Road who are very good. kindly declined but wondered why an agent would approve actors who are already well represented..
Hi guys - Iv'e been contacted by them too. Iv'e asked for a Skype chat so see if I get a response. I have an audition next month with Dee Boss Talent Management which does seem preferable as I get to go the office and meet the team in person - and show them what I can do in person too. On the minus side I'm not sure if that agency like you getting your own work which I would find very restricting. My current agent has only ever got me 1 job in 2 years. And i can't remember the last time he arranged a casting for me.......:(
Iv'e never really had much luck with agents - I find work for myself on the whole. But I have always wanted an agent that has good contacts in TV, film and theatre .....
I’m not even sure if this is still active , but I’ve just had yet another enquiry from Birdsong . I’m sort of scratching my head . I mean , they messaged me before , so I replied . They ignored me , so I dismissed the contact . Now they message me again to ask if I’m still seeking representation ! I said , I replied to your previous enquiry , to which I received no response , so clearly your latest message wasn’t meant for me .
I would steer clear personally. Every mention of them on these forums seems to have one or two replies from people who seem to have a good working relationship with Sean, but this was not my experience at all.
I was with Birdston for about a year, during which I was not sent to a single casting other than the ones I arranged for myself. I didn't get any breakdowns sent to me, but what I could see in my agent submissions on Mandy were ridiculous. I was regularly being put forward for roles 15-20 years above my playing age, I suppose because they'd be for characters in their 40s but with a minimum age of 30s (my max.) and I'd technically be eligible to apply no matter how ridiculous. One I will always remember had "Arnold Schwarzenegger type" as the entire casting brief - you don't need to look too deep into my profile to see that doesn't describe me at all. The only submission Sean made for me that actually got a bite was for one of those unauthorised dinner shows based on old sitcoms. Fine work, except I was being submitted for characters that I in no way resembled and had never suggested I could do even a halfway decent impression of (I can't.)
I finally figured I was better with no agent than one who didn't understand me and emailed him to say I was leaving. Similar to the posts above, I received a "thanks for letting me know" and that was that. At least until four months later, when he emailed me to say that he didn't feel I was a good fit for him anymore and he was taking me off his books. I actually had to remind him that I'd already removed myself from his books quite some time ago. Not a great sign for an agent not to even remember who he represents!
All in all, I'd advise anyone who is approached that you're probably going to get at least as many jobs on your own as you would with BTM. He's not based in a major market, doesn't seem to have any connections of his own, and doesn't always seem to fully understand what the job requires. Anyone thinking of signing just because they're eager to have representation of any kind, remember that having an agent who no casting directors know isn't necessarily going to open any more doors than having no agent at all.
Hi, I have been approached by BTM and I'm trying to learn more about them. Most of these posts are at least one year old, so I'm interested to hear of more recent experiences with them?
Thanks
Tamsin
By the way - my comments below are just from my own experience and not intended to hurt any feelings.
With that out of the way, all I can say is that if your committed to your craft, doing ongoing training (not just one-off drama school) and are willing to see the agent client relationship as one of equal partners without ego, you will do well with most bona fide agents listed on Spotlight. If you believe that no one or any industry owes you anything, you will do well. In short, I've remained proactive since signing with BTM - and they have kept me busy, and I'm very grateful.
Instead of asking 'what can my agent do for me?' turn it around: 'what can I do for my agent and therefore, myself?'.
The problem I see everywhere is this: once signed, I can just let the agent do it all. Wrong! The hard work has only just begun!
Here's another one: The thinking that we are owed success no matter what. And that we are owed a signing with an 'ivy league' agent. We aren't - no matter how much talent we believe we have. Sometimes the boutique agency can be the better option for you to stand out in a smaller crowd of unique talents.
Look after the agent relationship and it will pay dividends. I recommend searching on Backstage for a regular column by "Secret Agent Guy". Very frank advice from the 'other side' and how to make the agent client partnership a successful one.
In Sean, I know I've found my Secret Agent Guy, and I for one, am very happy! In fact, I'm off to write a testimonial for BTM now... something I should have done a long time ago!
Im confused by these guys too. They check my profile EVERY day and have done now for weeks. It feels almost stalkerish?!! Even more baffling if they dont have 'time' to reply to peoples emails but do have time to look at my profile every day. I vaguely remember them asking to represent me a long time ago but I said no for all the reasons various people have listed in this thread, so why they are bothering to poke I have no idea. I find it weird enough that i want to message them to ask them to stop looking!!
CAUTION:
I was contacted by Birdston and invited to join - I emailed a quick reply of ‘yes please’.
Didn’t hear anything for a while until I chased it up and was just asked a couple of basic details about my dress size etc - but nothing else. Never actually spoke to Sean despite asking for an introductory phone meeting so we could get to know each other & so he’d have some idea who I was and what I can do. Over the weeks I instigated a few questions via email to which he replied quickly.
However - six weeks later I received a one-line boiler plate goodbye email. No reasons given.
At very best this is impersonal & odd behaviour - at worst unprofessional, pointless time wasting. Particularly if you are new to this profession please look after yourself - this sort of behaviour can be bruising. If you say yes to his offer, best of luck but be warned…
Hello, I've just read all the comments about this agency and I've literally just today received an invitation to join them. I thought it was strange to ask me when I've not got a showreel yet on here or any professional screen credits, only one filmed scene. They've not asked me to have a skype call, a zoom meeting, send a self tape have an interview so I'm just wondering if anyone had any recent feedback?
They approached me last year and I thought how great to be found. But after agreeing to work with them, I was not put on the website (his reason was commercial actors don't go on the website??) I wasn't given a contract to sign (big red flag) and he didn't want me to name him as my agent on Mandy just spotlight (very strange) and then I never heard back from him so after 6 months I left his books. This was last year so maybe they have improved but I think they may just be inexperienced agents.
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