PJ
Is it better to be repped ATB (Across The Board) or have different agency for commercial and theatrical?
SEAN
AUSTRALIA
In Australia, Talent Agents generally cover all kids of projects on all tier levels from extras to series regulars & for commercials to film & musical theatre. Of course, certain agencies will have their specialities pending on their backgrounds and networks however as a general rule of thumb, most agents will cover everything. How this question applies to Australians is whether or not you’d want to sign exclusively to one agent or sign to multiple non exclusive agents.
UNITED STATES
In the U.S. markets, Talent Agents will be in certain tiers and in one of two categories - commercial or theatrical. Some will be be in both. This is because commercials are it’s own industry in itself and some actors make a career out of being commercial actors. If you wanted to be on TV or film, then theatrical agents is where you want to be signed.
ANSWER
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. It is up to the individual however you should make your decision based on your current market and where you want to head.
* COMMUNICATION
- You have 1 agent to answer to who knows your history, abilities, conflicts, etc
- You have at least 2 agents to answer to who knows your history, abilities, conflicts, etc
* SUBMISSIONS
- You have 1 agent to fight for you to their network.
- You have 2 agents fighting for you to their respective networks.
* MATERIAL
- Every time you update your material, you have 1 agent to update.
- Every time you update your materials, you have 2 agents to update.
* SCHEDULING
- You have 1 agent who knows your bookings and schedules.
- You have 2 agents that you have to notify your bookings to make sure that the projects they’re pitching you for does not clash.
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both - ultimately you need to figure out what is best for your market and for your goals. Do you have a manager as your manager will have to be the one to communicate with your agent/s? Do you not want to do commercials thus you may only need a theatrical agent? Do you live in a market where commercials are the main industry thus do you need a theatrical agent at this time?
CHECKLIST:
What is my market?
What aligns with my current goals?
What aligns with my future goals?
What tier do I fit in with theatrical agents?
Do I have the type to present to commercial agents?
Am I ready to communicate with 1 or 2 agents / Am I willing to give my manager a workload to work with 2 agents?
Check out PJ at his website: www.PJ-Jenkins.comImdb.me/pj-jenkins