A number of people have asked: "How can you be both an agent & a working actor at the same time?"
Simple - the market I'm in allows it. The market I'm in also allows working actors to be Casting Assistants. The market I'm in also allows working actors to be readers. The market I'm in allows working actors to be working in production & crew.
What allows me to be both a working actor and agent is a decision based on my agency's director & the skills and qualifications I hold that allow me to do my job well. I hold a BA in Music (Specialising in Music Theatre) and a Cert IV in Music Theatre as well as a Cert II & III in Live Entertainment & Technical Production. I have 2 years experience as an Event Manager, 2 years experience as a Promotional Manager & 6 years of marketing (both experiential & digital/social media) experience as well as 7 years of industry experience.
But isn't it a conflict of interest?
Not when I have the ability to take my
acting hat off and put my agent hat on. For me, both jobs are separate and separating them is an easy thing to do for me because I have a clear understanding of each job description as well as having the want to help my talent achieve their dreams. Whenever a brief comes through with a role that I'm suitable for; before I can submit myself, I have to make sure that i fit all the requirements of that role confidently. If there's the tiniest doubt that I'm not suitable for the role, I ask my agent if I'm suitable and if I am, then I submit myself. In the times that I submit myself of my own fruition, I do so because I have the confidence that I fit every single requirement AND I'm prepared to give my reasons should either or both Casting Director and my agent ask why I submitted myself.
I love being an agent because I'm a nurturer, to the point where I put my client's careers before my own where both my agent & myself have to remind myself that I have a career in performance too - that is how much I love doing this work.
CHECKLIST
The market i'm in allows me to be both.
The decision to make me agent was based on skill & qualification.
The "conflict of interest" has been addressed.
