Want to be the driving force behind today's hot stars? Enjoy movies and
Hollywood gossip? Become a talent agent! These people are the "force behind
the stars" who help talented artists and performers find their next gig.
A talent agent needs the right combination of business savvy, fantastic
communication skills and perseverance.
Doreen Eliassen, a talent agent in Burbank, California, never expected
to be on the business side of the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle.
"I have a bachelor of arts degree in theater arts and wanted to be an actor.
I decided to intern at a talent agency to see how the business side of things
work," says Eliassen. After her internship, Eliassen was hired as a receptionist.
However, after many hard-earned promotions, she became a talent agent in 1996
-- and has never looked back.
Days as a talent agent are chock-full and varied. "I work all the time.
The office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. But we often
come early and stay late."
Between screenings, theater outings and business trips, talent agents must
market clients (called "pitching" in the business) to casting directors, producers
and directors. Locating your talented client's next big part is the name of
the game. "Even when someone is working, it's about the next job. That is
a big part of the stress."
The talent agent life may be stressful, but Eliassen thrives on the challenge.
"I love people and I love to make them happy and share with their successes."
Her first big client was a major success. Eliassen was able to book an
unknown, Jason Raize, in the role of Simba for the Broadway production of
The Lion King. "I knew that meant anything would be possible for him from
that point on. He was now in a position to be seen by many decision-makers."
Likewise, agent Murray Gibson enjoys breaking good news to his clients.
There's nothing like being able to say, "You got the part!" But it's more
than just getting a client any old part that he likes.
"For me, it's when something positive happens to advance someone's career.
It's when you can make that phone call and say, 'You got it,' and you know
that it's going to be of great benefit to their future, that they've crossed
over that border -- they'll be getting more recognition in the market. I really
enjoy that."
This essentially boils down to a breakthrough. It's a transition from doing
small parts in commercials to doing lead roles in movies or television shows.
Gibson doesn't just want his clients to get steady work -- he wants them to
climb the ladder.
Gibson tries to find breakthroughs for every client. Once, he was working
with a female client who was relatively new to the business, but doing well.
She was getting substantial roles in television shows, but Gibson knew she
would fare better in a different market.
"There was a film by an independent filmmaker who I knew about," says Gibson.
"This person was very well respected in the community. The film was a thesis
project for the filmmaker, and I knew that the outcome was going to be very
beneficial.
"I was [determined] about securing this role for my client. I phoned the
director personally and talked to her on several occasions. We set up a few
meetings so my client could meet them and audition. When they were going,
'Hmm, I don't think so,' I made them see her again. Eventually they liked
her, as I knew they would, and she got the part."
The part was the lead role in a controversial film to be screened at the
best-known film festival in the world: Cannes. Being in a film shown there
means certain exposure.
"The independent production market is the next step for her," says Gibson.
"It's hard to get the big leading roles in the big studio productions without
the hype and exposure of independent films under her belt."
Being a talent agent doesn't only involve getting better parts for his
clients. Gibson has to know what type of work his clients are best suited
to. In this case, he knew his client was made for the movies rather than television.
"Television tends to focus on the physical," Gibson explains. "Television
producers like to have great-looking people in their shows, where
movies are usually more about great acting. My client's talents were wasted
in television, and I knew she wouldn't have made it like she could in film."
Fellow talent agent Ross Rhodes agrees that helping clients further their
careers is a big source of enjoyment. Rhodes, who has been in show business
for more than 30 years, handled lots of guest star work for the TV series
The X-Files.
"The best part about it is that you get to be Santa Claus year-round,"
says Rhodes. "You get to tell people, 'You got the lead, congratulations!'
and they jump up and down and scream. That's kind of nice."
Talent agents note that they don't exactly "get" the parts for their clients
-- they just help connect the right roles with the right actors. The job of
the agent, after all, is to be a matchmaker.
"We sit here every day and field a barrage of faxes that we get saying,
'We're looking for this type of character with this type of accent or who
looks like this,' and it's our job to send them the right people," says Rhodes.
He recalls an instance where the people at X-Files were filming an episode
which called for an 11-year-old boy.
"This boy, Kevin Zegers, had come in from Toronto and had been with me
for one day. I called up X-Files and said, 'You should see this kid if you're
looking for an 11-year-old, because he's great.' So they brought him in and
he got the part.
"When I watched the X-Files on Friday night, it was a gratifying feeling
to know that if I hadn't had a hand in that and thought, 'Gee, he's in town,
why not get him in for this,' it wouldn't have happened and I wouldn't have
been watching him on television."
Interested in this fascinating career? Eliassen has some sage advice for
aspiring film agents. "Keep your eyes and ears open. If you are fortunate
enough to intern at an agency, read everything! That way, you are prepared
to ask intelligent questions about things that will matter when you become
an agent. An open mind will help you to work with the diverse personalities
that Hollywood has to offer."
The road to talent agent success may start at the receptionist desk, but
there is a payoff for perseverance -- seeing your client in the spotlight!