A Face to Sell a Thousand Ships
Some people (and I'm not naming names) are made for looking at. Not to say that they aren't good at other stuff too; only that some people are really just excellent to be seen. These are the people who often end up selling us fancy haircuts and making us think about how people live, in narratives short and long. Now if that's you, if you're one of those people, you need to find out. And that means finding a good talent agency.
Now some agencies will promise you that you are the kind of people made for looking at. And for the right price, they'll point you in the right direction. Except the catch is, they're only looking for that money. This is why you have to do your homework, do some comparison shopping, make sure that relationship you develop is an honest one on both sides.
On Talent Agencies
After that, you've got to get model composites done. These are your business cards in the industry, what the agency will use to try and find jobs for you. Another thing to look for is that the agency is fully licensed and has a recognizable client list.
It's time to start asking yourself some big questions: What do I want to do? And, as important: How hard do I want to work? Because it will require a lot of work. Whether you decide you want to walk the runway or appear in the pages of a glossy ad, whether you want to lend your voice to radio or your face to TV. It's all available, once you start thinking seriously about what you want to do.
Now What?
This can of course be determined by your look, but that in itself isn't a limiting quality. Talent agencies always want people with everyday looks, people with whom an audience will identify, whether it's in a shoe commercial or an hour-long drama. This also means there's no age limit, high or low, on the talent game. Diapers get sold to babies as well as grandparents, after all. So maybe you're exactly what the casting director is looking for -- you've just got to go out there and try.
All of which is of course much easier with the right agency on your side. The trust thing is very important, as you can guess. That working relationship is an important one, and the good agency will help you navigate the twists and turns of the industry without trying to rip you off. It's teamwork, at its best. But it's also about how hard you're going to work, from the time you get your headshots made right up until the camera start clicking away.
Some people (and I'm not naming names) are made for looking at. Not to say that they aren't good at other stuff too; only that some people are really just excellent to be seen. These are the people who often end up selling us fancy haircuts and making us think about how people live, in narratives short and long. Now if that's you, if you're one of those people, you need to find out. And that means finding a good talent agency.
Now some agencies will promise you that you are the kind of people made for looking at. And for the right price, they'll point you in the right direction. Except the catch is, they're only looking for that money. This is why you have to do your homework, do some comparison shopping, make sure that relationship you develop is an honest one on both sides.
On Talent Agencies
After that, you've got to get model composites done. These are your business cards in the industry, what the agency will use to try and find jobs for you. Another thing to look for is that the agency is fully licensed and has a recognizable client list.
It's time to start asking yourself some big questions: What do I want to do? And, as important: How hard do I want to work? Because it will require a lot of work. Whether you decide you want to walk the runway or appear in the pages of a glossy ad, whether you want to lend your voice to radio or your face to TV. It's all available, once you start thinking seriously about what you want to do.
Now What?
This can of course be determined by your look, but that in itself isn't a limiting quality. Talent agencies always want people with everyday looks, people with whom an audience will identify, whether it's in a shoe commercial or an hour-long drama. This also means there's no age limit, high or low, on the talent game. Diapers get sold to babies as well as grandparents, after all. So maybe you're exactly what the casting director is looking for -- you've just got to go out there and try.
All of which is of course much easier with the right agency on your side. The trust thing is very important, as you can guess. That working relationship is an important one, and the good agency will help you navigate the twists and turns of the industry without trying to rip you off. It's teamwork, at its best. But it's also about how hard you're going to work, from the time you get your headshots made right up until the camera start clicking away.