The Ultimate Guide: What does a Talent Agent actually do for YOU?

What does a Talent Agent actually…do?

Ok. You know what a talent agent is…. Loosely.
You probably know that agents work with actors. AND, that at some point an actor needs an agent.

But, the where, what, why and when of it all…probably feels a little murky.
I had been training for years…and I moved to L.A. with an agent and still wasn’t quite sure how it ALL worked and why.

I gotta admit, I LOVE a good break down (it’s the teacher in me)…
SO, let’s BREAK IT DOWN!

What is the official name for a talent agent?

You’ll hear many different names for a talent agent:
Talent agent, stage agent, agent… 
But when you’re really in the Film & TV Industry what you’ll hear is “my agent” or “my reps.”
Reps is short for representation.
And, representation falls under the two most common categories of “Commercial Representation” (commercials) and/or “Theatrical Representation” (film, TV, theatre).
The shorthand of what you will hear is my commercial rep, or theatrical rep.
(Ready for your Theatrical Rep - Get your FREE Hollywood Agent Guide here).💜

What does a talent agent do?

A talent agent is your ultimate cheerleader, they're part of your team, they've GOT YOUR BACK.
Your agent represents you in the Film & TV Industry. 

They submit and pitch you for auditions. 
And, when you book a show, they negotiate the terms of your contract and are the in-between person to your contract.

In fact... Stacy Solodkin founder of Beth Stein Agency, said contracts and advocating for her actors was her favorite thing to do. (Listen to her Speak L.A. the Podcast Episode here). 💜

Cool! But, how does a talent agent submit you for auditions?

Good question… and for the agent, it starts every morning with the breakdowns. 
The breakdowns live on a site called Breakdown Express.
You can explore Breakdown Express here.
This is the site for all casting in the Film & TV Industry. This includes Theatre, TV, and Film. 

Each day breakdowns are released. 
An agent opens up the breakdowns and looks at what is casting.
A breakdown will specifically tell an agent what the specifics are for the character - age, background, ethnicity, race, height, special talents…etc. 

And then they’ll think…
Which one of my actors fits this description?
And, they’ll submit a few of their actors for that role. 

Couldn’t I just submit myself?

 Well… you can’t on Breakdown Express.
It’s kind of like an exclusive club for agents, managers and casting directors. 
Casting has access so they can submit their breakdowns.
And, an agent or manager has access, so they can submit their clients. 

BUT… don’t despair…

What you do have access to is Actors Access.
It lives under the umbrella of Breakdown Services.
Same site, different branch, and in this part of the site, an actor can submit themselves. 

(Want to dive deeper into more submission sites? Click HERE to listen to submission site expert Bruno Oliver).💜

What is the difference between Breakdown Express & Actors Access?

The simplest answer to this is…
That it all comes down to Union (SAG/AEA) & Non-Union opportunities.
Union roles (Network shows like… Criminal Minds) are posted on Breakdown Express.
Non-Union roles (student films, low-budget shows) are generally on Actors Access.
You can explore Actors Access here. 💜

And, sometimes… when the SAG role is really specific… like a one-armed, eight-one year old french speaking woman…this will be posted on Actors Access. 

Phew… that’s a lot, what’s the recap?

An agent is part of your team.
Their job is to get you auditions so that you can book a job.
They do this by submitting you through Breakdown Express (part of Breakdown Services).
To sum it up...the agent's job is to have your back, get you the audition so that you can you do your job and act.

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Blog:

👉Get your FREE Hollywood Agent Guide HERE
👉Founder of Beth Stein Agency  Stacy Solodkin on Speak L.A. the Podcast HERE
👉Explore Breakdown Express here
👉Explore Actors Access here.
👉Submission site expert Bruno Oliver on Speak L.A. the Podcast HERE

You GOT THIS!
Xo, 
Camille