Should I get an Agent?

Should I get an Agent?

The answer to this question is undoubtedly 'yes'! Some people can get work without an agent, but in this day and age, if you want a successful career we believe you will need to have a good agent, who will offer you all of the following (and more)

• They help find and then secure auditions for you.
• They gather constructive feedback for you during auditions.
• They negotiate a contractual deal on your behalf when you get offered work.
• They do a lot of behind-the-scenes work making sure the right people know who you are, and what you are up to.
• They encourage industry professionals to be interested in you and your work, and invite them to see you perform.
• They fight your corner if a company is in breach of contract.
• They offer support and guidance at all times and help you make difficult decisions about the development of your career,
• They are there to be the 'bad guy' who liaises with producers when necessary, so you only have to focus on performing.

Overall, a good agent will provide you with consistent and valuable support in an industry which is forever changing.

(extract from secrets of stage success)

Self Promotion with Social Media

I have found Social Media beneficial in two ways:

1) It allows you to connect with various artists as well as friends/family

2) It allows you to promote yourself as a performer

When I started this course I have only used number 1, to connect with people I already know. Since then I have discovered different methods and tools that have allowed me to discover how I can use social media and make it beneficial for myself.  I already had a Facebook, instagram and twitter but I now have been introduced to delicious, youtube and google +. 

I am also new to blogging. I have found it very useful to keep in contact with various people including members on BAPP so that I can see what they are up and to help them out as much as I can.  It has been very reassuring to know that everyone is in the same boat and by getting feedback from tutors and other students has been very useful.

I did create a SIG on Facebook: getting into professional work. I haven't found this as useful as I originally planned. I found that because I was a member of other peoples SIGs as so many other students are, it was very difficult to keep in contact with all of them and contributing as much as I could. 

Auditions

What I am struggling to do at the moment is finding auditions that I want to attend. Most open auditions through the stage are mainly jobs such as cruises which I don't have an interest in doing. I do have spotlight www.spotlight.com which I have found fairly useful with finding auditions but not many want to audition me. This is where I think an agent would come in useful as they look for auditions for their clients daily.

Here are some links I found when searching for auditions in musical theatre:

Acting the song: tips for a more successful musical theatre audition

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.mdx.ac.uk/docview/1357482569?pq-origsite=summon

Hitting the right note: how to get a callback at a musical theatre audition

"If 100 of you audition for a commercial — and that's quite typical — 99 of you are not going to book it," Capra says. "But those other 99 actors did have an opportunity to create a relationship and create a memory in the brain of the director." 

The more auditions you attend the more you get to know people and create a relationship with them.


http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.mdx.ac.uk/ehost/detail/detail?sid=1c36f4de-f72a-408d-98b3-1c263a1b948d%40sessionmgr4005&vid=0&hid=4001&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d&preview=false#AN=27254495&db=bth

Spotlight: Musical Theater: Broadway Audition Breakdown

Preparing for auditions should always take much consideration as it makes a big impact on your audition. Know the show and the directer/casting directer and sing/dress appropriate for what the show entails.

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.mdx.ac.uk/docview/862816267?pq-origsite=summon

Vlogging

Documenting my life

As you all know I will be heading to New York in just under two months - yes I am very excited. I have decided that I am going to document my journey on youtube as videos - or as some people say it Vlogging. The BAPP course has inspired me to blog more and I would like to include different ways of doing this and whats better than doing videos.

I have entitled my channel no one lives forever, to motivate and inspire me to live my life and have a journey. I also want to give viewers advice on performing, such as choosing a performing arts college and what to do after you have graduated. I also have a background in fitness and want to inspire people to exercise and eat healthy. 

Youtube is a tool I have used for my "self promotion" heading in my inquiry, I therefore thought my first video should be me doing some sort of performing, so heres myself singing a cover of Alive (originally by Sia)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMjSKgo7gS-KHxKrNZSB8iw