How to get a manager for acting

To get a manager for acting, you need to create an acting reel, contact talent agencies and talent management companies, and get professional headshots. Here is more information on these steps and others you can take to get a manager for acting:

Create an acting reel. This is crucial. To get a manager for acting you must be able to show them some of your best work.

Student films, short films, and taped theater productions are great ways to start building an acting reel. An acting reel is an edited video of your strongest work as an actor. You must develop one.

The great thing about acting reels is that they are just clips, so even if the production you were in was lacking, you only need a piece of it that showcases your abilities as an actor.

Your acting reel should be in a frequent state of evolution, where you are continually adding more clips of impressive performances, and editing out those that are less flattering, or feel dated. It would be advantageous to seek out a good video editor when creating your acting reel.

Contact talent agencies and talent management companies. Agents and managers work for and advise all talent associated with film, TV, and theater productions.

These professionals can work for large companies like Creative Arts Agency (CAA), United Talent Agency (UTA), or other smaller agencies that focus on new talent. If you are just starting as an actor you may want to approach smaller talent management companies.

These types of companies typically have hungry managers that are looking to build new careers and create stars in the acting business.

Larger talent agencies, like the ones we've mentioned, focus more on established talent. That's not to say you shouldn't take a meeting with a manager from a big agency if you can get one.

You can contact them with email queries. You should provide your resume or link to your IMDb page if you have one. You should also include links to your acting reel or website if you have those.

Be prepared to send a lot of emails, and in many cases not even get a response. The important thing is not to get discouraged and remember that these places deal with thousands of inquiries from aspiring actors. If you remain consistent

Establish a strong social media presence. Social media represents a unique opportunity for actors in particular. Many can become self-made this way by gaining large amounts of followers or even paid subscribers.

You could create a low-budget sketch comedy show or some short-form films with you as the lead. Social media is critical to promoting yourself as an actor and getting noticed by managers in the industry.

If a manager sees you have a large social media following, they will know you have a marketable value already baked in as an actor.

Get professional headshots. Get headshots from a professional photographer. This can be expensive, but it's well worth it. However, you should only pursue this step, once you feel you have enough training and an impressive acting reel.

Move to Los Angeles or New York. These are by no means the only places you can become an actor, Chicago, for instance, also has a thriving theater scene.

However, if you are looking to break into TV and Film, Los Angeles is probably still the surest route. If you want to act on Broadway, you need to go to Broadway and move to New York City.

Both of these cities, as acting hubs, also have an immense amount of acting resources that you can utilize. Most big acting managers live in one of these two cities, so living in one of them for some time is almost always necessary.

Go on auditions and get rejected. Auditioning is one of the hardest parts of being an actor.

You are liable to go on hundreds of auditions and be rejected most of the time. This isn't the case for every actor of course, but learning to deal with rejection and finding the fortitude to keep going is an essential skill needed for most actors.

Learning how to deal with rejection is an important aspect of finding an acting manager as well, because you may experience rejection in this area too.

Network. This is another critical step to getting a manager. You should attend as many acting industry-related events as possible.

Many times you will find a lot of managers at acting-related events. These might be film festivals or large conventions or conferences where other actors will also be in attendance.

You should also network with other actors, especially ones that have managers, sometimes they can set up a meeting for you with their own manager.

Get literature on acting. There are many great books on acting, Stella Adler's 'The Art of Acting' and Konstantin Stainislavki's 'An Actor's Work' are considered by many to be two of the greatest books on acting.

However, there is so much other great literature on the subject. Do some research and read as much as you can. Anything you can read to improve your acting craft is a valuable asset to gaining a manager.

Consume other media on acting. In addition to books, there is a wealth of knowledge about acting in other formats, and the great thing is that much of this is free. Check out different podcasts and tutorial videos on the craft, and again seek to digest as much as possible.

There are also paid options in these areas, such as online courses like Matserclass, however, before spending too much money, make sure you gain enough knowledge and even some experience.

Join a theater program. These are ideal opportunities for people that want to pursue acting but don't have any experience. It gives you the ability to develop confidence in front of an audience and just in general as an actor.

It also has the benefit of one of the most important parts of acting which are interacting with other actors. You also have the ability to try out a variety of roles and see what kind of productions you are most suited to and enjoy the most.

In addition, in cities like Los Angeles and New York, acting managers often attend plays to scout out new and exciting talent. They sometimes attend smaller shows as well, so don't feel like you always have to go big with these.

Sign up for acting classes. Once you have a good initial foundation of what type of acting you want to pursue, take some acting classes. Many communities have small acting workshops that are appropriate for beginners and these usually aren't very expensive.

Acting classes can enhance valuable skills like focus, memorization, and improvisation. They also give you the opportunity to be mentored by an instructor and give you a chance to collaborate with other aspiring actors. This can also sometimes lead to unpaid and paid acting gigs.

Networking at these classes may also put you in touch with a talent agency or manager.

Apply to a formal acting program. This is not a requirement, however, many actors do choose to go this route. A formal acting program will expose you to essential knowledge and skills needed to become a good actor.

Formal acting programs help with learning how to use your body and voice to communicate specific emotions, and how to approach classical and modern scripts and plays. Another huge benefit of a formal acting program is that it will present you with networking opportunities.

Take any acting opportunity you can find. It is important to not turn down most acting opportunities unless you already have a wealth of experience and a stellar acting reel.

This means productions like student films or plays at local theaters. Even if the end result is an overall bad production, they are useful experiences nonetheless. You are sure to take away something that can benefit you along the way. And these also present opportunities for additions to your acting reel.