subject: Your Face In Lights [print this page] Researching the Right Agency Researching the Right Agency
You wouldn't want to spend your life undocumented. That's just not how we live these days. Everyone shows up in pictures. So what if your life-in-pictures was immortalized on film, or in commercials? Someone's got to do it, and your mother always did say you had such a nice smile. If any of this sounds perhaps appealing, do yourself a favor and find a good -- and reputable -- talent agency.
This requires that you do some research. Find out everything you can about the agency you're looking at dealing with. Compare to others. Because there are many agencies out there who seek your money and have no intention of finding you any work. So before you sign with anyone, make sure you know their business. That trust is essential to your career.
Building a Relationship with Your Agency
Your first interaction with the agency will probably be to get your model composites made. These are the business cards the industry uses to find work for the aspiring model or actor. Here you'll want to beware hidden costs and registration fees. You also want an agency that is fully licensed and works with clients you've actually heard of.
A necessary first discussion is the one that determines what kind of work you want to seek. Certainly everybody wants to light up the TV or cinema screens, but there are other options -- commercials, radio, runways, other various and sundry kinds of advertising. You've got options, certainly, but you may well be better suited for one type of work than another. Whatever you and your agency decide, be prepared to work hard. Dedication!
Talent Is Everywhere
If you're sitting there scratching your head and wondering if you've even got the right look for modeling, be assured that talent agencies are always looking for people of all kinds, all ages and experience levels, and, yes, every kind of look. Casting directors want people who look like other people, after all, not all alien-faced exotics. A lot of the success of a model or actor is in the confidence that you've got something just right to share with the world.
And so it all comes back to hard work and dedication. This is not an easy business to be successful in, so prepare for a few challenges. This is why it's important to have the right agency on your side, why you want someone honest and trustworthy. Because the agency will be your guide in this world, and you want to be sure you know that agency has your best interests at heart. The hard work starts long before the lights point your way.
