But this isn\u2019t necessarily true. Many <\/span>self-represented performers on Spotlight<\/span><\/a> find work and get repeat bookings. They’re not treating self-representation as a \u2018waiting room\u2019 until that dream agent comes along. Many are their own sales and marketing team because they choose to be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You should have representation because you want it and know how an agent could work with you to propel your career forward. These are some things to consider if you\u2019re deciding to seek agent representation or be a self-represented performer.<\/span><\/p>\n When it comes to finding work, agents aren\u2019t the only ones capable of doing this. You have the ability to do it, too. Here are just a few ways to find acting jobs if you don’t have an agent:<\/span><\/p>\n As Spotlight members, we all have <\/span>access to the Jobs Feed<\/span><\/a>. Whether you have an agent or not, there\u2019s <\/span>useful information in this podcast to help you navigate and optimise your profile settings<\/span><\/a>. If you\u2019re self-represented, you already have full access to the Jobs Feed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re a disabled performer, like me, you may be aware of <\/span><\/i>ProFile \u2013 a free service for D\/deaf and disabled actors<\/span><\/i><\/a> \u2013 which is powered by Spotlight and The National Theatre, where actors\u2019 audition tapes can be viewed by casting teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Casting directors sometimes use social media as a talent-finding resource, especially for street castings. However, anyone can post a job listing on social media and claim to be a casting professional, so always do your research to make sure potential work comes from a legitimate source before sending a self-tape or agreeing to meet anyone for an audition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If in doubt, <\/span>The Casting Director\u2019s Guild<\/span><\/a> is the best place to verify genuine casting contacts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s a drama school showcase, a post-grad student film or a solo piece of your own, student projects are an excellent way to gain experience and make contact with people in the industry. Some casting directors and agents make a point of attending drama school showcases and similar student events on a regular basis.<\/span><\/p>\n Spotlight<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>The Actors Guild<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>TripleC<\/span><\/a> are just a few of the organisations that host networking events, workshops and training sessions on everything from auditioning to writing. There is an eclectic mix of in-person and online opportunities, so mobility issues don\u2019t hold you back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These are all great ways to create contacts in your \u2018little black book\u2019. The longer you\u2019re in the industry, the bigger that book will become, giving you more opportunities for work. Occasionally, you might even book a job at an event, so get out there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Once you have contacts, you should try to keep in touch by letting them know about your own projects and commenting on anything noteworthy that they do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You may feel like you haven\u2019t got the confidence to put yourself out there, but<\/span> you\u2019ve already done it before. If you went to drama school or any select college or drama classes, then you would\u2019ve had to sell yourself to get in. You will have taken part in various school plays and student films and the calibre of your role will have been determined by your ability to tout yourself, not doubt yourself.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re returning to the industry after a break<\/a>, remember, you\u2019ve done all this before. Your skills will come back like riding a bike. This article has seven tips to help restart your career after a break from performing<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Agents have industry contacts from casting directors to theatre managers. Their little black book will probably make yours look like a Post-it note. They know who\u2019s who, so they don\u2019t have to check credentials as often as we have to if we\u2019re flying solo. They can also do a lot of the time-consuming sales and marketing for you behind the scenes, allowing you to concentrate on your craft.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Casting professionals often send work directly to agents, bypassing public domain job listing sites. Sometimes, that exciting moment happens when your agent gets an availability check for you. Yes, you! Equally, you can have that experience when representing yourself, too. It\u2019s a huge ego boost when a production co-ordinator approaches you directly. I\u2019ve had both and it feels great.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re finding work yourself, the due diligence is up to you: how suitable is the role? Is the casting genuine work? All the travel logistics are down to you. Agency representation can reduce all this, but you\u2019ll have less choice about what happens and when. You need to decide which matters most to you.<\/span><\/p>\n Having an agent gives casting teams a vote of confidence. It tells them there\u2019s someone in the industry who knows their stuff and is prepared to back you. Whether you have an agent or not, you can gain credibility by attending a prestigious drama school or training overseas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I didn\u2019t attend a drama school and I\u2019m a singer and actor on stage and TV. While I\u2019d be the first to say that my non-traditional route to the performing arts did me no harm, I\u2019ve always taken advantage of every opportunity to receive top-notch training and coaching and would urge you to do the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Have you been in any high-profile productions? Maybe you\u2019ve applied for and received a grant? That means someone believed in you and was prepared to flash the cash, so you must have gained <\/span>some<\/span><\/i> credibility. Your Spotlight membership alone will automatically add to your credibility, so make full use of it where you can.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you have an agent, your other forms of credibility will be enhanced. If you\u2019re self-represented, be sure to make the most of every other type of credibility you have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you represent yourself, you have to do your own negotiating, coordinating and organising behind the scenes. If you have an agent who does this for you, not only will negotiations likely be more favourable, but you can also leave the \u2018mean girl\u2019 act to them while you\u2019re free to be good-natured and affable on set. I\u2019m a Braille user and have several accessibility needs. While my agent demands accessible scripts on time, I get to turn up to productions – all smiley and easy to work with, Braille script in hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Agents can scrutinise your contracts and make sure the terms are advantageous to you. If you represent yourself, there\u2019s a steep learning curve involved regarding contracts. Do you know your way around studio fees, buy-out rates for different types of projects, distribution rights, confidentiality agreements, insurance clauses, etc?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re prepared to put time and effort into this branch of your business, it\u2019s worth it, but if you\u2019d rather leave points of law to someone else, an agent might be the way to go.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Commission is the aspect we never like to talk about. Your agent gets a cut of whatever you earn, but if it weren\u2019t for them, some of these earnings wouldn\u2019t exist in the first place. Agents have access to certain types of jobs and the calibre of work they find, at times, outstrips the quality of work we, as performers, find ourselves. Even after commission has been taken, they\u2019re likely to have negotiated a higher fee than if you were negotiating for yourself. Personally, I\u2019d rather have 85% of a banquet than 100% of a \u2018Happy Meal\u2019!<\/span><\/p>\n If you have an agent, your control over your work will naturally diminish. For instance, out of the 50 auditions the agency may have access to this week, you\u2019re suggested for two jobs. Which two? You have no control over what you are suggested for and you won\u2019t even know what the other projects were about.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If self-represented, you receive all of the information and can make an informed choice, based on all the facts. On the other hand, some of the mundane, but essential, administrative tasks like contracts, payments and promotion will be taken on for you, freeing you up to do more of the work you love.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re in charge of every aspect of your business, you know what\u2019s being done and when it\u2019s being done. Control may matter to you more than having free time.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Maybe you\u2019re at the stage of your career where PR project coordination is part of what needs to happen around you. Perhaps there\u2019s press interest in your work? What about clients who feel they need access to you, as a performer, at inappropriate times? Your agent can act as your gatekeeper and, in some situations, communicate with all necessary parties on your behalf. My agent describes it as being my \u2018conduit\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re self-represented, you\u2019ll need to think about viable alternatives to help you. For instance, my Mum was my gatekeeper. Whatever your choice about whether to have an agent or not isn\u2019t set in stone. You can change your mind at any time, but make sure you\u2019re happy with your decision and own it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you have an agency, celebrate your collaboration. If you\u2019re self-represented, embrace your autonomous power.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In reality, it depends on what you want as an actor: full control, all the money, all the hassle, all the responsibility for finding work. Or less control, a percentage of the money, less hassle, but maybe more high-calibre jobs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I know my view, what\u2019s yours?<\/span><\/p>\n Sandra also performed at The House of Commons, The Other Palace Theatre as Calliope in the musical Orpheus the Mythical and at The Royal Albert Hall as a principal soloist in the opera Magna Carta \u2013 The Freedom Game. <\/em>Make sure to catch Sandra in\u00a0Inside No.9<\/a>\u00a0(Series 5, Episode 5) on BBC iPlayer. You can also find out more about Sandra at\u00a0www.sandragayer.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Headshot credit: Christine Barrass<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" How an agent will assist you with your acting career, and what you’ll need to do as a performer if you decide to self-represent yourself. The key ambition of your average performer is to get an agent, not because it’s the most respected, established and arguably best way to get work in this industry, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":8624,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[41,72,136],"class_list":["post-8622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-essentials","tag-agents","tag-auditions","tag-self-employed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFinding Acting Work When You\u2019re Self-Represented<\/h3>\n
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Use the Jobs Feed<\/b><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Join a Student Project<\/b><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Attend Industry Events\u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Sell Yourself as an Actor<\/b><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Getting Work When You Have Agent Representation<\/h3>\n
Your Credibility as an Actor<\/h3>\n
Negotiating Acting Fees and Contracts<\/h3>\n
Your Autonomy as an Actor<\/h3>\n
The Gatekeeper<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/spotlightuk\/image\/fetch\/w_{width},c_limit\/https:\/\/spotlight-cmsmedia.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/media\/2879\/sandra-gayer-headshot.png\")
<\/span>Born in Zambia and blind\/visually impaired almost from birth, Soprano Singer, Actor, Radio Broadcast Presenter and Voiceover Artist\u00a0Sandra Gayer<\/a> was trained in Voice, Piano and Braille Music at the Royal College of Music. <\/em>Using her voice in every area of her career, Sandra has appeared in a <\/em>wide variety of arenas including theatrical and classical productions, TV and radio broadcasts. <\/em>Sandra was a guest soloist on BBC Radio 3 and the voice of Poem in <\/em>J.K. Rowling\u2019s\u00a0The Christmas Pig.<\/em><\/p>\n