Becoming a talent agent is one of the most rewarding careers for a person in the entertainment industry because they offer new and undiscovered talents a chance to fulfill their dream. While the journey to becoming an agent can be a rigorous one, it can also be profitable if done correctly. But be warned — agents struggle financially just as much as actors, if not worse. This is because most agents usually collect a small 10% of their client’s income, so this does not leave very much spending room for the agent.
The first step in becoming an agent starts with an internship, so shop around for an agency that stands out most to you. Among talent agents in Hollywood (which is where you should consider starting), there are agencies with commercial divisions and theatrical divisions. Seek out an agency that has a well-respected reputation and has received decent reviews from former or current talent. Failure to intern with a legitimate agency could have negative results on your reputation and could possibly follow you down the road when you are looking to build relationships with casting directors.
Like most industry professionals, you will probably begin with answering phone calls, sending emails to clients and casting directors, and performing basic desk work duties. As you build clout, experience, and knowledge, you will want to consider working as a sub-agent for one of the agents at your office. However, because some internships are only for short periods of time, you may not have the opportunity to move upward within the agency. If this happens, take the interning experience that you’ve gained, find someone from the agency that will offer a referral, and take a resume to an agency that is willing to hire you as a sub-agent.
When working as a sub-agent, you will be assisting the agent in whichever division you have applied or are assigned to. In this phase of your experience, you will see how agents select actors/talent, how they pitch their clients to casting directors, what casting services they use, and how you can become certified to receive breakdowns from those casting services. There will be quite a bit of information involved, so be sure to take note of everything that you are learning from your agent as you will eventually use this information for when you become an agent yourself.
After gaining all the hands-on experience you need, you may branch off to another agency where you will become an agent or you may just move up within the company you are already with. It is advised that you start as an agent with an already-established reputation before starting your own because you will want to be able to bring clients with you wherever you roam. Working for a respected agency will increase your chances of bringing in higher quality actors and thus you will have a set of talent who will be willing to follow you if/when you decide to begin your own starter agency.
