Sunday, January 29, 2012

Getting Jobs in Entertainment question 1058: In June I'll visit LA for a week from Germany. How can I get in contact with a Talent Agent?

You must lay the groundwork now, in other words, before you get to LA. The mistake most people make is waiting until they are in LA and then trying to get in to see an agent. I can go into all of the reasons why this doesn't work, but why bother? Just know it is not a smart strategy.

Instead, make a plan.

1. Research the Talent Agents you're interested in meeting with and make a Target List.
2. Ask the people you know for referrals to your Target List and if they don't know those particular agents ask if they know any others with whom you could meet.
3. Reach out to your social media friends, letting them know you'll be in LA, that you have a target list of agents with whom you'd like to set up meetings and ask if anyone is willing to look at your list and help you.
4. If after all of this you still have no contacts to agents, it's time to reach out with a great cover letter and other marketing materials you use to the agents themselves.

Side bar.... is your plan to move to LA if you get representation? That's a question an agent will most likely ask so be prepared to answer.

Also, do you have an agent in Germany? If so, perhaps you want to ask your agent if he/she has connections in LA.

There are plenty of German transplants in Los Angeles in all areas of entertainment. While you are working to set up agent meetings, you should also focus some time on setting up meetings with these transplants.

For more tips and articles by top entertainment industry career coach, The Greenlight Coach, visitwww.TheGreenlightCoachBlog.com

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