The Submission Process Part 2: Your Materials

You’ve done your homework and want to submit to an agency that is a good fit for you. What is it we’re looking for in your materials? Great question!

As mentioned in Part One, every agency is going to have different aspects they are looking for in a prospective client and their materials. There isn’t a “one size fits all” submission.  So while I can’t speak to what every other agent is looking for in a submission, here is what stands out for me:

Reel:

The very first aspect of a submission I want to see is your work and that’s why the reel is the first thing I look at in a submission.  What really stands out in a reel to me is the actual scene work.  I’m looking for your work that shows a lot of the roles you mostly get cast in rather than whose the most famous person you’ve shared a scene with. Your reel should be about 2-3 minutes in length and I should (within the first 30-45 seconds) get a good sense of who you are as a performer. 

If you don’t have a reel, that’s fine.  Do you have a self-taped audition you’re really proud of? Oftentimes, a reel is filled with one and two line roles for actors newer in their career.  Rather than looking at the reel, I’ll ask for self-taped auditions so I can get a better sense of how you can carry a scene.  However, make sure it’s a scene from a role that you currently could be cast in.  If your background is comedy, I don’t need to see your best attempt at a Shakespeare monologue.  I want to get to know who you are through your work. 

Resume: 

Every resume is going to look different .  Make sure it looks legible and is well organized with your best credits up top. 

Personally, I also LOVE seeing theater and training on a resume. Put the names of the directors and teachers.  It’s a small town and if I see a name I recognize, it helps make yours stand out because we have a mutual relation.  Same goes for training.  Acting is a craft you should be practicing every day and I want to see the work you have put in.  

My biggest no-no for resumes is when I catch an actor lying on their resume.  We look at hundreds of resumes and when we see actors put “guest star” on their resume but watch the reel and the scene is one line and clearly a “co-star,” we know that’s an embellishment. Be honest  about your work history.  After all, you’re hiring an agent to make it a stronger resume in the long run. 

Headshots:

This is the very first introduction when an agent is submitting actors for projects and therefore needs to be your strongest marketing tool.  Why I look at a headshot later on in the review process is because ideally you already have headshots that look like you and tell the story of the types of roles you get called in for.  These are the materials I am going to be using to help get you opportunities.  It’s a weird process of looking at hundreds of photos of yourself and deciding which best shows you off.  Again, agents are experts in this and we’ll have you get new headshots if need be.  But it’s helpful for us to at least see what materials you are working with and not one of the first things I review. 

Intro:

Actors aren’t always the best at pitching themselves and that’s okay; that’s my job.  I’ve never been won over in a submission by someone finding the most creative way to present themselves.  Don’t overthink your intro.  Keep it simple and professional. Tell me who you are, what makes you unique and what you’re looking for in an agent.  Then, let your work speak for itself.  This goes for email subjects lines as well.  My personal preference is something as simple as, “Seeking Representation - Your Name.”  We’re not signing actors because they have the wittiest subject line, and when people get too creative, I may miss that it’s a submission and think it’s spam.  “Once in a lifetime talent - Open Now!” sounds like you’re trying to sell me something.  

Website:

Websites are helpful but rarely do they provide more information than I’m actually looking for on the onset.  But do make sure whatever you have posted, whether on your website or YouTube channel, is work you’re proud of. 

General Etiquette: 

No Attachments - Whenever possible, provide links, not attachments.  We’re moving quickly and I’d rather click a link to your reel on Vimeo/Youtube than having to wait five minutes for a video to download. 

Follow Up - The best time to follow up on a submission is when you’ve got an actual update.  “Hey, I booked this!” or “I just got pinned for that” are things that may sway in your favor.  “Hey, it’s been 6 months since I first submitted and nothing is new” just doesn’t get the attention. 

Referrals - I will always take a closer look at a submission if it is sent to us by a casting director, a manager we work with or an actor we represent.  Make sure to mention the connection or (if you feel comfortable) have them reach out and connect us.  That being said, make sure they are someone close to you who would do you that kindness.  Keep in mind that you’re asking someone else to go out on a limb for you.