I pride myself on being proactive, especially since it wasn’t ingrained early on. My family crest is just a photo of someone letting it go to voicemail.I received this question from a guy named Ryan: “I saw a job posting for working with an agent, doing clerical work. As an actor would this be a beneficial job? And what are your thoughts on it?”
Tricky one. I’ve never heard about actors working for agents. I do, however, know actors who have interned for casting directors and have gotten a lot out of it.
Attitude is the key to a casting internship. Chances are you won’t get to audition for anything they cast, but you can learn so much from just observing others auditioning. You’ll see the whole gamut, from nervous messes to needy hacks to name stars that bomb. (And you’ll understand why many A-listers prefer to “take meetings” rather than audition.) And you’ll see the one actor in each session who comes in and just hits it out of the park – and you’ll instantly became a better actor just from watching it.
Sitting in on auditions, or even better, being asked to be the scene reader for actors in them, is the major reason why an internship is a good idea. But if you find yourself doing no more than changing the tanks on their water coolers, kindly quit that bullshit immediately. You’re an actor, not their lackey. If they ever refer to you as simply “the assistant,” you walk. Being under-appreciated is my my third biggest phobia behind death and drag queens with no makeup.
Now, about working for an agent – that’s a bird of a very different feather. I’m not sure how it would be beneficial, unless they want to pay you, which would be a terrific day-job because it’s at least showbiz related.
Auditioning is our bread and butter, and that’s what you gun for. If you’re spending several hours in your busy week to learn our most important skill for free by helping out a casting office, then you’re looking at a big batch of pro-activity, professor. Hope that helped.
