A notification pops up on SEAN'S computer with a question from LEXIE KAY, an actor based in the US.
LEXIE
When you get a submission, what makes an actor stand out among the rest that makes you want to work with them?
SEAN
This is a great question to start off the blog Lexie as one of my responsibilities is to filter the submissions that I feel may be suitable to be represented by any of the agents within the agency I work in.
HEADSHOTS
The first thing I do is look at the performer's headshot/s. I ask myself a number of questions such as:
- Do we have this look in our books already?
- What's their type? (Please note we pitch outside of type - this can be another post on it's own!)
- Are these headshots marketable to sell the actor?
Let's say the headshot/s that have been submitted are marketable, types are easily identifiable & we don't have your look on our books - then I look at your showreel/material.
SHOWREEL/ MATERIAL
When watching someone's showreel or self tapes that they've sent through, I'm looking for believability. I'm an empathetic person so if I can believe your story in your scenes, then I will keep watching. If not, I will close the video immediately without a second thought and move onto the next piece you have provided. Time is of the essence. The longer I spend on your application, the less time I'm pitching my current clients & developing them.
If your materials have managed to keep me watching the whole piece, I will then read your email & your CV.
CV & COVER LETTER
When I'm looking at your CV, I'm looking for an easy to read, industry standard format where I can see what work you've done, who you've worked with and what type of roles you've been cast in.
When reading your email, I'm looking for personality in your email so I know who you are so get creative! And please personalise your email. Blanket emails are a certain way for your email to be skipped over.
If you can show me your headshots, video material, CV and cover letter are of high quality, that's when we will offer an applicant a date & time to come in for an interview.
LEXIE
So what makes one submission stand out from the rest?
SEAN
A complete package who has done their research on what the purpose of a headshot is & how to use it to market themselves. Someone who knows their best work & can show me objectively the moments where they shine. Someone who understands that time is of the essence so CV's & cover letters are to the point & easy to read at a glance. Someone who is personable and professional & understands that this is show BUSINESS - they need to be able to show me that they mean business. Someone who understands the client/agent relationship is not only a 90/10% split in payment but also work - they need to be doing 90% of the work & they're willing to do so. Someone who wants it so bad & understands that it may take time to get where they want to be. It's a marathon - not a sprint. It's these qualities that we look for when we take someone on to our books.
CHECKLIST
Headshots that cover my types & industry standard for that particular market.
Showreel is short, snappy and my best scene is first.
CV is in an easy to read format specific to my market.
Cover letter is short and personable.
Thank you so Lexie for asking a question!
Connect with Lexie here: