The right talent agent can be an important partner in the growth of your voice over business. They can introduce you to new clients and submit your work to important auditions.
While having good agent relationships are important to your voice over success, they are not the be all and end all. I’ve built a very successful business and made a lot of money without an agent, but I still partner with several key agents for new opportunities.
Start forming relationships with voice over agents as soon as you’ve completed your training and your demo. But don’t stop doing your marketing. When you get signed by an agent you are not done. In fact, your work is just beginning.
1. Can you be represented by more than one agent?
As a freelancer you can have as many agents who will agree to represent you, although some may require exclusivity in some markets. There’s nothing wrong with that and if they agree to give you a boost in a particular market, great. It’s a big country with lots of opportunity.
2. What A Talent Agent Can Do For You
A talent agent’s job is to sift through all the “wanna-be’s,” classify the talent and then present qualified and appropriate talent to casting directors, producers, ad agencies and companies who are looking for actors (on and off camera) for their productions.
3. What An Agent Won’t Do For You
An agent won’t take responsibility for the success of your career. They might give you some additional exposure to voice buyers but you must continue to market your services. You cant sit back and wait for the work to roll in once you get your first agent.
4. The Screening Process
A good talent agency will screen their talent. To be considered, you will have to send a professionally produced demo tape, a cover letter, and an acting resume. Most will not work with inexperienced newcomers, so you will have to show that you have had experience or at least good, solid training to prepare for auditions and studio work. If they like what they hear, they will call you in for an interview or agree to represent you if you live out of town. But even if they like you, there is no guarantee that they will get calls for your type and send you out.
5. The House Reel
If they agree to represent you they will generally put excerpts from your demo on a “house reel,” which these days is usually a CD containing the voices of all the talent they represent. They then market this CD to producers and others who might require voice talent. Even if you are not on the “house reel,” an agent may send you on auditions.
There’s a lot more to know about finding great agents for your voice over success team.
I’ll have Part 2 of this article in my next edition of Inside Voice Over on Friday November 15 so make a note to check your In Box and I’ll see you then!
The best way to get started for a fun and lucrative voice over career is our Career Launcher program at The Great Voice Company where we prepare you in private coaching sessions and at our Voice Over Bootcamp Recording Studio Immersion Experience (next one Dec. 6-8 in Clearwater, Fl.
We’re almost sold out but we might have a few seats left. Contact info@greatvoice.com or 800-333-8108)
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Susan Berkley is a top voice over artist
and founder of The Great Voice Company, a company devoted to teaching great voices around the world how to become successful voice over actors.
