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So You Got Dumped By Your Agent

Tracy writes:

Dear Struggling Actress,

Hi there!

My name is Tracy, and I'm a big fan of your blog, as well as a big fan of YOU in real life (It feels like I've known you for years! Even feels like I went to college with you!). I think your advice to other actors is amazing, and I bet you give great advice about life in general too :)

So here's the situation: 

After being represented for eleven years by my commercial agent, I was emailed a drop notice that they are terminating their professional partnership with me and now I'm wondering how to go about a couple things:

1) Do you have any commercial agents to recommend? I'm thinking of putting together a list of about 10 agents and sending over headshots/resumes/cover letters.

2) How do I go about removing my reps from my online websites like AA and LA Casting? or do I just wait until I get new reps and they take over that account. I've never really done this before

3) How do I move past the part where it feels like my ego got kicked in the vagina? (And yes - my ego is so big, it has its own vagina.) 

I know they weren't doing much for me, and I know it's for the best, and I know I"m going to find commercial rep that will send me out more than six times a year, but it still really kinda fucking sucks. 

I've had a hard week, and it's only Tuesday.

So any help or advice you could offer - I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks so much, Struggling Actress. You're my hero in many, many ways.

Love,

your second-biggest fan (I think Anthony wins as your biggest-biggest fan. As he should.)

Tracy

Hey Tracy. Thanks for reading. AND thanks for all the compliments! You sure know how to make a gal blush!

So first things first: You got dumped. Well, my dear, take heart because it happens to Everybody. Yup! Even yours truly was with a manager once who sent out an "It's Not You, It's Me," email, but this manager was super effing kick ass because she made me feel more powerful because she was letting me go. This was years back, and I wish I could quote it, but oh nuts, I'm digressing. Sorry!

I'm gonna work backwards from your list.

3) How do you move past the part of being kicked in the ego vagina? Well, it takes a while. You gotta mourn this like you would anything else. The good news is, just like any other relationship, being out of this one allows you to find someone better suited for you. It doesn't feel that way now, but it is the absolute truth. Trust.

2) Since you were dropped, your ex agency might have already gone ahead and removed you from their roster. On AA it's easy enough to do. Log in, go to My Tools, Manage Reps, remove them, hit save. 

 

On LA Casting, they prefer you send an email:

 

You must send an email to change@castingnetworks.com.  Due to legal reasons, you will need to send in request in writing. You cannot change your representation over the phone.

The following information must be included:
-Your name and phone number
-The Agency you are moving from
-The Agency you are moving to (if you are.)

You might not need to bother. Go to your LA Casting profile and see if their name pops up when you look at your profile.

1) I don't personally have a list of commercial agents that might be good for you; I have a list of commercial agents I thought would be good for me. I researched online, went to a few casting offices and looked at the sign in sheet and took note of which agency had a ton of people out and about at auditions (in a totally non-creeper way, I swear!) and I googled, "Top ten commercial agencies," and found out other people totally did some sleuthing work for me. Awesome.

But - hey. You've been here a while. You have a ton of friends who are actors and have commercial rep. The easiest thing for you to do is to email a bunch of them asking if they would feel comfortable referring you to their agent. I know one friend of yours who would love to (ack, cough!) but doesn't feel she has enough clout to refer you since she hasn't booked anything with that agency yet. I also know you have a ton of other friends out there who do have clout and would recommend you in a heartbeat.

Also - keep in mind that most commercial agencies like to take on new talent in June and July, but commercial season is slow this year, so go ahead and start submitting now. They don't call you in? Resubmit with another photo in a few more weeks. And do go to the agency's websites. A lot of them prefer email submissions. Which saves a ton of time and money.

Remember, this is gonna feel like a huge sucking bummer until a few weeks after you sign with your new agency and you start hitting the commercial auditions again. But fear not, there IS an agency out there who needs exactly your type, and will be so incredibly thrilled that they found you. Cause you are the only you out there, and You. Are. Enough.

xoxo
Lira