A talent agency is a company formed of one or more people known as talent agents. They represent a list of clients in the creative industries. These clients mostly work in film, TV, theatre, radio and commercials.

A talent agent is someone who works in a talent agency. They represent a roster of clients which can consist of performers or other creatives. Their job is to get their clients auditions and work and develop their career.

The job of a talent agent is to represent, market and promote their clients. An agent will market their performers to talent seekers with the aim of obtaining auditions. When the agent secures an audition they will organise everything the performer requires from audition time and location to any scripts they may need to learn. Once a performer lands a job, the agent will then step in and represent them in negotiations in order to finalise a contractual agreement that benefits and protects the performer. The agent will also put together promotional material to promote the performer and the work that they are doing to the public. This will in turn become the marketing material used to pitch clients to talent seekers and so the cycle continues.

Talent agents represent a wide range of people that work in the creative industries. Who they represent can entirely depend on the agency they work for, what the agent specialises in or what is most marketable at the time. The most known type of talent agent represents performers such as actors, dancers, singers, commercial models and voice over actors. The majority of people you see on your television, cinema screen or on stage at the theatre are represented by an agent at a talent agency. Some agents may even represent reality TV stars, chat show hosts, social media influencers, professional gamers, pro wrestlers, Twitch streamers, fitness personalities, new anchors and sports personalities. Other agencies will represent different types of creative talent like writers, producers, directors, casting directors, DOPs, lighting designers, puppeteers and costume designers. To get an idea of the type of talent an agency represents, check out their company website which should provide you with more information.

An agency makes its money through commission. When an actor is paid on a job that their agent has had a hand in obtaining then the agency will take a cut of that actor’s pay. Though an agency can create other income streams their main one will be commission on monies earned by their clients. An agent that works for an agency is usually paid a base salary and will earn a bonus based on the commission earned by the work their clients have done. This setup varies between agencies and some may have other ways to determine an agent's salary but essentially only when an actor works does their agent get paid. So, if an actor doesn’t work then the agent does not get paid.

No, you should never pay an upfront fee in order to be represented by a talent agent. As mentioned above, an agent/agency makes money by taking commission on the income you earn. If you sign with an agent and do not get any work then you won’t pay them a penny. Only when you start landing jobs will you begin to pay your agent. If an agent asks you for an upfront fee, admin fee, initial setup fee or fee to host your profile on their website you can be quite sure that they are not a legitimate agency and they should be avoided at all costs.

Technically, there is no limit to the amount of commission an agent can take from the money you earn. If it is stated in the agency agreement that you have signed and agreed to then they can charge whatever they like. But there are industry guidelines and standards that agencies should stick to and the ones that don’t should be approached with caution. The commission range that most agencies have is 10%-20% with 20% being the absolute highest you should agree to. Some agencies may have the common 12.5% commission rate across the board for all money earned regardless of whether the job was for film, TV, theatre or voice over work. Others may charge a lower commission rate for lower paid work and a higher rate for higher paid work. All agencies will have their own commission structure and it is OK to ask the about it if they bring you in for a meeting for potential representation.

Unfortunately, having a talent agent does not guarantee you auditions. Any agent that promises auditions or work should be approached with caution. Remember, there are over 50,000 actors in the UK alone and casting directors have a limited amount of time to audition people. If you are one of 1000 people submitted for a role and that casting director can only see 25 people, then there is only a 2.5% chance that you will be seen. Agents will work incredibly hard to get you into audition rooms but sometimes it doesn’t always happen and this can be for a variety of reasons. If you have a good relationship with your agent, then trust that they are doing everything they can to get you into the right rooms even if you are not always seeing the results.

In short, no, you do not need a talent agent to be an actor. There are many self represented actors out there that are carving out their own careers by themselves. This route can work for some although it can be a difficult path. But having an agent has its benefits. A good agent can open doors for you that you may not have been able to open on your own. A good agent will fight for you, negotiate for you, market you, promote your work, advise you and champion you. If you're lucky enough to land a good agent you will have the opportunity to form a great professional relationship that could elevate your career to new heights.

Finding agents is relatively easy. It just takes a bit of time and research to find an agency that might be right for you. If you're looking to compile a list of agents with whom to get in touch then a great place to start is by searching simple terms on a search engine like Google. Things like 'UK talent agencies', 'London based talent agencies' or 'talent agencies for musical theatre' should provide you with a thorough list of results to go through. Another option is to look at Spotlight's Contacts, a collation of details for businesses and professionals offering services within the industry. It is now available on their website and you can filter results to refine what you are looking for. Word of mouth is great too. Ask the people you know and trust to see what agencies they know of or might recommend. Once you have gathered a list of agencies then start researching them to decide whether or not they might be right for you.

Without a meeting it can be hard to determine which agency is right for you. Until you secure a meeting research will be your best friend. There are hundreds of agencies in the UK alone and not all of them will be right for you nor will they all be entirely legitimate. This is where your research comes in. Look into the agencies that stand out to you. Check out their websites and social media, look at who they represent, what their clients are working on, what their company ethos is and anything else that might give you a better idea about them. Word of mouth is useful too. Ask friends, lecturers and colleagues for their opinions but remember that an opinion is subjective. Their thoughts on or experience of something should be taken into consideration but it us up to you to decide if an agency might be right for you. Once you've narrowed down your list then it's time to start making contact.

The best way to apply for representation with an agent/agency is to write to them. Every agent will have their own preference as to how they like to receive submissions so make sure you do your research first before popping your 10 X 8 in the post! A lot of agencies are trying to reduce their carbon footprint and may only accept submissions via email, or they may have an online form for you to fill out on their website. Some may only want to receive your CV and headshot. Others may want a cover letter with a link to your showreel included. Whatever their preferred method may be make sure you tailor your application to suit. If your application isn’t done in the preferred way, then it may not be considered and it would be a shame to miss that opportunity. At Haus, we have our own preference when it comes to applying for representation and we are always open to accepting applications from actors.

Spotlight is an online casting platform used by actors, agents and casting directors. It is used to publicise roles for upcoming projects and connect performers to the casting directors casting them.

To understand how Spotlight works it's a good idea to understand the various account types on there. There are three account types available on Spotlight and together they form an intricate web of connecting the right talent to roles in productions. The three account types are: Performer-These accounts are made up of the thousands of performers seeking work. A performer account will have access to a limited amount of breakdowns being released on Spotlight. Agent-An agent's account will be linked to the accounts of all of the performers they represent. They will have access to a much wider range of breakdowns and have the ability to submit their actors for specific roles on breakdowns. Casting-Casting accounts are for casting directors and those looking to cast upcoming projects. They write up breakdowns and release them to agents and/or performers. When performers are submitted for a specific role that casting director can view those submissions to determine who to consider for the job. Once they have decided who to meet/request tapes from they will contact each performer's agent or go directly to the performer if self represented to organise the meeting/tape.

No, you do not need to be a member of Spotlight in order to work as an actor. There are other ways to find work without having a Spotlight membership. That isn't to say though that it is extremely beneficial if you are a member. Some of these benefits include: Wider Access-The majority of roles for film, TV, theatre and commercials are posted on Spotlight. Assurance-Spotlight has specific criteria that a performer must meet in order to be granted membership. Being a member offers assurance to agents and casting directors that you, as a performer, are of a certain level professionally. Appeal to Agents-A lot of agents use Spotlight to submit their clients for work. Not being a Spotlight member could hinder an agent's ability to submit you for roles so most will look for prospective clients that hold membership. More Searchable-Casting directors have the ability to manually search the directory of Spotlight performers when they are casting roles. With a range of filters available they can find potential performers for jobs. Being a member puts your profile in that directory and increases your chances of being found by casting directors. Discounts-Spotlight offers its members a range of discounts in retail, leisure and hospitality helping you to save money in other aspects of your life. With these benefits in mind it's fair to say that although membership is not necessary it can certainly help you in your career.

Your CV is an incredibly important tool as an actor regardless of whether or not you are on Spotlight. Agents will go through it and look at your skills and experience when considering you for representation as will a Casting Director when they are considering you for roles. Always ensure you keep it up to date, honest and laid out in a way that highlights your skills and achievements in the best way possible.

Absolutely, yes. Not only does a performer need headshots but they need to ensure that those headshots are professional and actually look like them. A quick Google search will show you what actor headshots look like and how they differ from selfies or holiday snaps. Actor headshot photographers specialise in providing photos of a high quality that will showcase you and your look to agents and casting directors (something that is incredibly important to both). Actors will find it incredibly difficult to progress in their career if they do not have headshots or if they have a headshot that no longer look like them.

Showreels are an important tool in an actor's arsenal. It gives you the opportunity to showcase your acting ability to casting directors, agents, directors and producers before meeting them. If an agent is considering you for representation but is unable to see you perform on stage or screen then a great showreel can inform them of your level of ability, your acting style and whether or not it fits in with what they're currently looking for. I's not uncommon to be offered meetings and representation based on your showreel. Actors can get self tapes and auditions without showreels but generally speaking a casting director will want to see your showreel before considering you for roles. Casting directors are also known to have cast actors in roles without auditioning them based on their showreel but this potential outcome is not something to be relied upon. The more tools you have to showcase you as a professional actor the more chance you have at being brought into auditions and meetings.