Post by jdfan on Aug 17, 2008 7:42:17 GMT -5
www.backstage.com/bso/advice-columns/ask-a-professional/ask-a-pro/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003839438
August 15, 2008
By Sarah Kuhn
Neil Bagg
Theatrical agent, Don Buchwald & Associates, Los Angeles
There is a big difference between no credits and no experience. Many people come to Hollywood and feel that they can approach agents even though they're not in an acting class and have had no prior training whatsoever.
Most agents are willing to take a chance on somebody who has little or few credits, provided that they have something else going for them. That something else can either be great training, a great ability, or a great look. It is important for actors to capitalize on their strengths. Don't let somebody undermine you just because you don't have the credits. Highlight what you do have going for you, and accentuate that in a meeting with an agent or a casting director.
Several years ago at our agency, one of the mailroom staff got sick. I disagreeistant asked me if his roommate could come in and work in the mailroom to make some extra money for a few days. I said, "Sure, have him come in." In walked this tall, extremely handsome, charismatic guy who just happened to be a beginning actor. He worked in our mailroom for a few days, and one of the agents came up to him and asked, "Have you ever acted before?" He said he had modeled a little bit and that right now he was studying acting to better his craft. We all sat with him as a group and decided that he was worth taking a chance on, as he seemed so passionate and determined about the craft of acting. On his second audition, he booked a three-year contract role on All My Children, and at the end of his third year, he won a Daytime Emmy. That actor was Josh Duhamel, who starred on the NBC series Las Vegas and was the lead in Transformers. Josh had no credits when he came into the mailroom, but he had a passion and a determination that made his lack of experience seem moot. The rest is history.
Taking a chance on an actor without credits is like gambling, but an agent can always minimize his or her risk by taking a chance on someone who proves that even without credits, they have a lot more to offer.
August 15, 2008
By Sarah Kuhn
Neil Bagg
Theatrical agent, Don Buchwald & Associates, Los Angeles
There is a big difference between no credits and no experience. Many people come to Hollywood and feel that they can approach agents even though they're not in an acting class and have had no prior training whatsoever.
Most agents are willing to take a chance on somebody who has little or few credits, provided that they have something else going for them. That something else can either be great training, a great ability, or a great look. It is important for actors to capitalize on their strengths. Don't let somebody undermine you just because you don't have the credits. Highlight what you do have going for you, and accentuate that in a meeting with an agent or a casting director.
Several years ago at our agency, one of the mailroom staff got sick. I disagreeistant asked me if his roommate could come in and work in the mailroom to make some extra money for a few days. I said, "Sure, have him come in." In walked this tall, extremely handsome, charismatic guy who just happened to be a beginning actor. He worked in our mailroom for a few days, and one of the agents came up to him and asked, "Have you ever acted before?" He said he had modeled a little bit and that right now he was studying acting to better his craft. We all sat with him as a group and decided that he was worth taking a chance on, as he seemed so passionate and determined about the craft of acting. On his second audition, he booked a three-year contract role on All My Children, and at the end of his third year, he won a Daytime Emmy. That actor was Josh Duhamel, who starred on the NBC series Las Vegas and was the lead in Transformers. Josh had no credits when he came into the mailroom, but he had a passion and a determination that made his lack of experience seem moot. The rest is history.
Taking a chance on an actor without credits is like gambling, but an agent can always minimize his or her risk by taking a chance on someone who proves that even without credits, they have a lot more to offer.
