Repairing your DAMAGED Relationship with your Reps!

Happy Tuesday!

Life happens — maybe you missed multiple auditions due to an intense work schedule. Maybe you haven’t been called back on an audition, or you’re one of those actors who ‘forgets’ to book out prior to a quick impromptu trip out of LA.

Now that you’re back and serious about your craft, your talent agent ignores all of your emails and calls. You’re getting those dreadful one-word answers that indicates a strong lack of excitement in representing you.

Here’s how to salvage your DAMAGED relationship with your agent/manager.

1) If you have missed a lot of auditions, provide clarity to the change.
As talent reps, we understand that you have to make money. We have to make money as well, which solely relies on you auditioning and booking the job. If you are now in the clear for auditions, explain to your agent the past issue and provide clarity for the solution moving forward.

2) If you haven’t made it to callbacks in a while, call your agent and strategize.
Maybe you need to switch up your training, or work on your strategy in the room. Circle back with your team and see if there is any feedback that you can get for your next audition. Ask your talent representative for an updated list of coaches you can try out. Proactivity always strengthens relationships in this town.

3) If you know you need to book out in the near future, do so within a 2-week span.
THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT. Talent reps submit on projects weeks, sometimes months in advance. If we know your schedule — this prevent us from having to pull or decline auditions, which then perturbs casting and can potentially isolate us from receiving their jobs in the future. If this has happened multiple times and you still have an agent or manager, call and let them know that you now understand the severity and will do better in the future.

Like most relationships, a damaged client-agent relationship will take time to revert back to stability. But you can start the ground work today.

Chris Giovanni x

Turning every NO into a WIN!

Happy Thursday!

So often we take for granted opportunities, that we miss the true lesson of experiencing them.

Sometimes hearing the word “NO” is exactly what we need for our own personal growth. Maybe you haven’t booked a job in 2 months, you can’t afford training, or your agent just dropped you from their roster.

The following scenarios will help you to channel the good in everything!

“It’s important to analyze the WIN in every situation.”

“You didn’t book the role — next time.”
The Win: You had the rare chance of performing in front of a respected casting director or producer. Chances are, you will be remembered for your great performance. You will be called back for future roles now that you have been cemented into the minds of that casting office.

—

“I don’t have enough money to invest in headshots or training.”
The Win: You’re fortunate enough to have set a major goal for yourself. You know exactly what is needed to help achieve that milestone. While you may not have to funds to do so right away, you will save so that you can align yourself with your career goals.

—

“An agent or manager declined representation. I don’t know what to do”
The Win: You know that you’re at least worthy of being represented. You have an idea of how to approach your next meeting. You now have a feel for the interview process, and will make adjustments to improve on your next big agent meeting.

—

“My agent dropped me post pilot season. I’m no longer being sent out on major films and TV shows.”
The Win: You now have time to reflect on the relationship with your former agent. What were the pros and cons? What did you LEARN from being represented? What casting offices were you exposed to — did you build a relationship with that office INDEPENDENT of that agent?

The importance of thinking positively increases your chances of success for the next time.

Be Happy. Have Fun.

xx Chris Giovanni

What Actors Say vs. What Managers Think!

Every day I decipher through hundreds of casting submissions looking for my next star. Some emails range from 10 seconds, others may take me 3 WEEKS to make a formal decision. I can tell when someone is serious about the business just from the email they send in.

The following are some of the common mistakes most aspiring talent make in their casting submissions. Take notes and implement these tips with your next email!

You say: "Hello, my name is (insert name here), I am a model, actor, dancer, singer, photographer, filmmaker, designer, and gymnast.

We Think: Good God. This applicant has no idea what they want to focus on career wise. Possible lack of time management skills? Too much going on!
Solution: When sending emails to managers and agents, be very concise. If you're looking for a theatrical acting agent -- LOCATE THEATRICAL agents. "Hello, my name is ______, and I'm an actor seeking theatrical representation." -- cut and clean.

You say: "I've been landing all of my work on my own without the help of a manager and/or agent."

We Think:  That's great! Did you make your bed by yourself too?
Solution: This sentence is literally the equivalent of a person saying "Well, I went to the gas station and filled my own tank!" You fill your tank to get from A to B. That's exactly what self-submitting is. You're submitting for roles to get experience and credits to advance your career! Eliminate this from all casting emails.

You say: "I've been scammed before and I hope this is legit."
We Think: This applicant is damaged goods. If they're already doubting us, what is going to happen when we ACTUALLY sign them? Are they not going to take my direction out of the fear of being scammed?
Solution: The industry can become a very shady playing field. Always remember that you are never required to pay anything upfront for representation. As managers, we invest in you. We don't make revenue until you make revenue. 

You say: "If you submit me to projects, I am open to traveling to Los Angeles."
We Think: There are thousands of Actors in Hollywood. 

Solution:  Unless you're a world renowned a-list actor or booking super consistently, no manager or agent is going to take that huge of an investment. Auditions can be very unpredictable. You may receive 2 days notice, or even 30 minutes. Callbacks may be a week later or the next day. The money being wasted to travel could be used towards actually LIVING in Los Angeles. If you don't have the funds to move to Los Angeles at the moment, focus on saving right now and doing small student films. Managers can see your persistence and appreciate it.

You say: "When I was born, I had 3 cats, 2 dogs, and 1 parrot. One was name Eric, One was name Mark, One was name...."

We Think:  Is this applicant looking for a manager, or a friend?
Solution:  Eliminate the life story and needless information. Managers have hundreds of submissions to get through and your story only take away from your talent. Get straight to the point and attach your casting material.

Here are various tips to make the best of your casting application:

• Proof read your email and make sure your links are active. When you sign a contract with CGEM Talent, you become a direct representation of me and my organization. Evaluate your email before submitting. Make sure all of your links work! If your HTML links are invalid, I usually don't bother to ask you to resend.

• Resize your pictures. Most agents and manager restrict submissions to a size of 2MB or smaller. Be prepared for emails to bounce back. Play it safe -- keep all photos between 800x1200 at most.

• List notable references in your casting email. I'm not saying go on a name-dropping spree, but a few helpful references never hurt anyone!

• Provide your FULL contact information! E-mails are great, but there are times I might need quick clarification with an applicant. List every possible way to communicate with you.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions!