How to find out more about casting agents

To find out more about Casting Agents there are a few ways in which you can help yourself. The first is getting your hands on a most up to date publication of Contacts which is available at the Spotlight head office in Leicester Place just off Leicester Square and in most well known bookshops in the Drama Section.
The list of agents is vast so it is good to approach those in the same place where you live for the sake of convenience. Agents in Contacts will let you know how they prefer you to approach them in the first instance when seeking representation. After choosing those you think are most suitable; approach them in the way stipulated and ask them as many questions as you can think of to make sure they can represent you in the way you would like. Good questions to ask are things like how many actors they have on their books;what area(s) of Acting do they specialise in and what percentage of the fee offered do they take (10-15% depending on the job offered. It is a good idea to go to their website ,if they have one,and find out more about them from there.

If you know any actors who have been in the business for a number of years,you could always ask their advice on who to approach or if they believe the agency which represents them could represent you too. They should be able to tell you their honest opinion such as if they think there are too many others similar to you,or if their agency does or does not cater for what you are looking for in the acting world.
Using casting websites is also a way of being able to get contacts of agents all over the country that would be willing to put you on their books. Some agencies will sometimes stipulate what kind of people they are looking for on these websites which helps you because most of the legwork of making a first contact with the agent is already done for you.

another way of finding out more about a particular agent is by asking actors you have worked with for their opinion about the respective agency they are with. In this way you can form an idea of what you are looking for.