#1 Question All Actors Need to Ask an Agent - #aaronmarcus #actingandmodelingquicktip #findanagent

In this video, I'm going to be teaching you the most important question you absolutely need to ask your agent prior to signing a contract. Okay, let's get started. Hi, I'm Aaron Marcus, and first of all, welcome to my Acting and Modeling Quick Tips channel, where what I do is I teach people— I teach actors and models or people interested in the industry how to either break into the acting and modeling business or how to take your career to the next level. If you haven't done this yet, please don't forget, hit the subscribe button, click the little bell, the notification button. That way, every time I upload a new video, and I do upload 2 videos a month, you will be notified. And if you like the information, please give it a thumbs up, and that will help allow other people to know about this video. So before I tell you about the most important question you have to ask an agent, Let's just back up for one second. I want to make sure that prior to even getting to that place, you are on the right path. So the very first thing is when you are doing research to find an agent, whether it's in your area or if you're looking for an agent in another market, certainly the best way is if you know somebody who works with the agent, that's great. But a lot of times you have to do research on your own. And when you're online, Sometimes you might not know, is this a legitimate agent? Is it a scam? Is this an agency that is right for you? Are they representing actors and models that really fit your category? Like, for instance, if you're interested in commercial modeling and acting and you went to a fashion modeling website, that's not going to do you a whole lot of good. I'm not saying don't apply, don't submit your photos. You never know what can happen, but the chances of anything happening are very, very slim because for women, if you are interested in fashion, you're going to be between 5'9 and 6 feet tall. Your measurements have to be 34-24-34. Guys are 6 feet to 6 feet 2 in the fashion industry. Their jacket size is 40, could be 40 long. And you've got to be somewhere around 21 or younger than that to break into the fashion world. It can be tough. Tough to break into the fashion industry. But if you are seeing people who kind of look like you on the agent's website, that's great. And by the way, not all agents have their own websites. A lot of them do. And if you are doing some research, look— if you can, look at the headshots and resumes of the talent who are represented by that agent. Sometimes agents don't allow the general public access and you have to have a code and it's only given out to photographers, maybe art and creative directors at local advertising agencies so they can actually view it. But if you can, absolutely, before you even start submitting yourself to that agency, look at the headshots and resumes. Number one, are they professionally taken? And even if you're not a professional photographer and you don't know much about photography, you can tell the difference between a professional photo and one that was just taken with somebody's cell phone in the backyard by an aunt or an uncle or a baby sister or something like that. And if they just don't look professional to you, then it's probably a good indicator this is not a great agency. The other thing, too, is when you're looking at resumes, see if these people are working in the types of jobs and areas that are of interest to you. And if you're just looking at a lot of resumes and most of the people, all you see are training classes, maybe special skills, and absolutely almost no bookings whatsoever, that would make me a little bit nervous too, as far as whether this is a good agency. And on a very side note, I know that for franchised agents, that means agents who have signed contracts with the union SAG-AFTRA, they are not allowed to have classes. The union is concerned that agents might make it mandatory for their talent to take their classes in order to get representation, and that is a horrible situation to be in. It's— look, it's great. Personally, I think it's great when agents offer classes to students, if they bring in special guest speakers and things like that to help their talent. I think that's wonderful. The union doesn't allow it, but, and look, even as a union member, I disagree, but that's okay too. But I do think that it's essential that all actors, and even for commercial models, to learn more about the industry so you can have more success. So anyhow, if you are seeing an agency and they are saying, it is absolutely mandatory that you shoot with my photographer, it's absolutely mandatory you take my class in order for me to represent you, that would make me a little bit nervous. But if there is an agent that is saying, yeah, hey, I want you to take classes, whether it's mine or, you know, other places, I just want to make sure that you know what you're doing so that if I am submitting you and you do get an audition, you know what you're doing. And if you book the job, you are highly skilled. Okay, so let's say you've gotten to a point where you found an agency you submitted yourself and the way that you're going to submit yourself. And every agency is different, but quite often you'll find on their website they will tell you very specifically how to submit yourself in order to be considered to, to have representation with the agent. You're going to upload a headshot, upload a resume, upload some of your statistics, your height, your weight, eye color, hair color, things like that. And then If you get a meeting with an agent, here are just a couple quick tips before I do get to the number one question, and I will get to that. I would always recommend that you wear form-fitting clothing. That way they get a better sense of body type when you go in there. I would also have a list of a few questions that you would like to ask. Whether you walk in with paper and a pen or you're doing everything on a tablet or your phone doesn't make any difference. But make sure that you are prepared. You know who the agents are. Maybe you can even do a little research, go to LinkedIn, go to Instagram, go to Facebook, see if you can learn a little bit more about the agent and especially the one who you might be interviewing with. Maybe you have some friends in common. Maybe you have some hobbies in common. Maybe you both do martial arts. Maybe you both like sailing. You both ride motorcycles. I don't know. That might be really good, a nice way to have a conversation with somebody that you already know something about. So you go in there and just remember you are interviewing the agent as much as the agent is interviewing you. Don't think that, well, there's only one agent in the world that I could possibly work with, and if they say no, then I don't have a career. You know, there are tons of really good agents out there, and it's like dating. You know, you have to find someone that feels right for you. So just keep that in mind. And I think having that, you know, just sitting there will let you know that you're not desperate, that you don't have to force things. And if for any reason it doesn't work out with this agent, Then you call on another agent. And I think that also makes you look more attractive when you don't look desperate and needy. So you want to have a couple of questions that you want to ask, but here is the most important question that you absolutely want to ask. How do you see me being booked? You know, what kind of characters seem right for me? What is my category? And the reason why that is such a crucial question is because even if you don't wind up working with that agent, but you are consistently getting the same kind of reactions, people are giving you the same kinds of responses from that question, that is an amazing piece of information that will be invaluable to you. It will help you the next time you put together a headshot just to make sure That kind of feeling goes into the headshot. And just to kind of explain that a little bit more to you, if I were to ask that question, here's the response I would expect to get. You look like I could submit you for the role of a doctor, the role of a lawyer, an accountant, somebody who's professional, someone who's highly educated, someone who's successful. Successful, someone who is caring, someone who people feel comfortable with. Maybe you are the psychotherapist. Maybe you are the high school counselor or the high school social studies teacher. Maybe you're the professor. You are the politician, someone that actually cares and tries to help people. You are trying to make this world a better place. Now, it doesn't mean that that's who I am. You know, I could be a miserable curmudgeon and dislike human beings and not care about anybody. It just so happens I do think I'm a pretty nice guy, but I don't have to be in order to play those kinds of roles. That's the perception that people have. And having that information, for me, without a doubt, helped me put together my headshot because I portrayed and I showed and I gave that kind of energy through my eyes. With those kinds of feelings. And you can actually see the headshot here, so you get a better sense of what I'm talking about. So the most important question that you want to ask is, how do you see me being booked? Now, if, you know, if you are of the right age, if somebody just says, well, you're the dad, well, that's— I mean, yeah, that could be right. Or you're the mom. Well, you know, if you're chronologically in a certain age category, Then yeah, that makes sense, but that's not specific enough. I would want to hear exactly what kinds of roles are right for you and how would they submit you. So I just want you to always ask that question every time you are meeting with an agent. And on a very last note, if, if you are offered a contract and they actually hand it to you, Don't feel like you are pressured to sign it then and there. I think it's a very smart move. I think it makes you look better if you say, this sounds great, I just want to take this home, I want to look it over. Make sure you know what you're signing. This is a contract. This is a legal document. And you don't, you know, look, if you were to buy a car, you want to make sure you understand everything in all the legalese. And if you need to ask somebody, For help understanding and translating things for you, that would be great, because you might have some follow-up questions. Like, let's say, for instance, they say this is an exclusive contract. Well, what exactly does that mean? Are you exclusive to your state? Are you exclusive to the United States? Are you exclusive throughout the world? Or if you are living in New Jersey and it's exclusive, do they care? If you want to try to work in Ohio, you know, with another agency. That's just an example. So you want to just make sure you understand exactly what you're signing. And if for some reason there's something in there that doesn't feel right to you, you can follow up and have a conversation. And ultimately you might walk and you might look for another agent, or you might look it over and say, this sounds great to me. But anyhow, I just don't want you to feel pressured in doing that. So the one question, how do you see me being booked? What is my category? What are my categories? What are the types of characters? And that will be really helpful to you. Hey, once again, if you haven't done this yet, don't forget, click the subscribe button, the little bell notification button. If you like it, give it a thumbs up and feel free, share this information throughout all your social media outlets. Look, that's why I'm doing this. I'm trying to help other people have success in the industry. I've been very fortunate. I've been doing this for 35 years full-time as an actor, and I also do some commercial modeling. I also do private mentoring. But, but the important thing is I really want to help other people not make some of the mistakes that I made and give everybody their best chance for success. I'm Aaron Marcus, and I can't wait to talk with you again soon. See ya.