I agree, even with an agent the majority of actors contine to look and find their own work. If you just wait for your agent to call, some of us wouldn't get anything! I was unrepresented for a long time, continued to work, and casting directors etc have complimented me on my hard work during that period.
I totally agree it's not the be all and end all having an agent, I feel alot more in control of my career. But I'm finding it really hard to stay motivated especially with the Musical Theatre industry (which is my desire to get into) and also with money being tight it's difficult to say no to a temp job that might come in and go to an audition!
Is that just me or am I using you guys to just have giant rant!!! (No seriously would be good to know I'm not alone in my quest to be a fully employed performer)!!
I am about fourth generation of this business - my father was as director, mother an actress, grandparents variety artists - uncles are MD's, etc etc... Some REALLY successful, some not so - BUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM - and our friends who are also in the business ALL say: it's not your agent that gets you work, it's you! So, yes, it is perfectly possible to work without an agent. The work you do creates more work, until you get to a point that someone wants to represent you - but you can bet your bottom dollar that any casting director will call your agent and ask for you - not the other way round - on the basis of your previous work. Good luck!
I totally agree it's not the be all and end all having an agent, I feel alot more in control of my career. But I'm finding it really hard to stay motivated especially with the Musical Theatre industry (which is my desire to get into) and also with money being tight it's difficult to say no to a temp job that might come in and go to an audition!
Is that just me or am I using you guys to just have giant rant!!! (No seriously would be good to know I'm not alone in my quest to be a fully employed performer
Having just completed my training I'm finding it difficult to get work, so that I can then get more work, so that I can then possibly get represented, and then get more work! lol! (if that makes sense!).
How do you persuade a CD that you can do the job when you've got little on your CV and there's 100 other people who have done more work?!
It's frustrating but I know I just have to keep slogging away at it. Just nice to rant a bit about it every so often!
It's horses for courses, but I'm not sure about the 'aims' thing. I'm two years back into this business after ten years out and I think the biggest lesson I've learned is that there's no time limit! Saying I want to achieve so-and-so by such-and-such a time would make me ever so depressed if I got to that time and hadn't!!! It's really difficult to persuade people you're worth seeing if you've got a gaping gap in your CV BUT... If this is what you do, it's what you do and even if you're doing an unpaid fringe job, you're doing the same job as some Hollywood star - would you do a major film job with any less commitment or conviction than that unpaid fringe job? However grotty, shitty it is - and here I am waiting to hear (supposedly today) about a casting I went to the other day that went REALLY well, and somehow feeling it slipping away - the WORST part of this job - but knowing that it's infinitely more exciting than working in a bank, or accountancy, whatever (or maybe not these days!!) because this is what I DO! And yes, I have a day job too because you have to be able to afford to subscribe to these casting sites, to have good photographs, make up, hair, dentistry, join the actors' centre to refine your skills or hang out with others in the business (not that I've had much time to do that lately!). It's just what we are, what we do - frustrating, irritating, often demoralising - but what else would you do? So do take time for a rant every now and again - keeps you sane!
I'm completely with you on that!
And even though I'm only just starting out, it's what I've always done and it's what I want to do. I'm sitting right now at my 'day job' and I've got absolutely no interest in being here, I just want to get out and work!! lol!
It's definitely nice though to be able to have a rant on here and have like-minded people understand you, it's so difficult to try and explain to people not in the industry how you feel and why you keep going!
Trust me, unless you are making good progress up the food chain, most of the work you get will have nothing to do with your agent. I understand with MT the pressure to get representation and on the treadmill is greater, but you still have the opportunity to get involved in NEW musicals which may grow rapidly. Some of the most successful newer musicals have come from very small beginnings. That's what's so wonderful - if you keep working at it, you are only ever a day away from making a contact that can change your career. (although that day is very elusive!!)
Hey there, Im self represented. All my work I have done I got myself. Using sites like this one. So being self represented can work, but I am still going to have an agent since for some reason it gives me extra security.
Gary
15 years ago
11
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