Casting Agencies Industry Overview

Learn to navigate the entertainment world with a talent agency
By Shalleen Mayes Casting agencies represent talent (actors, musicians or models) to make sure they get the best roles and the most money for their work. On the other end is the client, who is the business or agency that has the work for the actor. It's the job of the casting agency to protect the actor's interests, and they generally receive a 10% commission from the client for the work performed.

A casting agencies industry overview can give you background of the business before you contact a casting director at a casting agency. You might think it would be easier to contract for talent outside of an agency, but many actors and musicians must follow union rules. So to make your project a reality, you'll have to use established channels.

Follow these tips to ensure a good experience when working with a talent agent.

1. Find out who the talent agent is currently representing, which will give you an idea of the caliber of their talent.

2. Ask for references from talent agents.

3. Make a point to understand the rules and pay scale of the entertainment industry, which will help you when establishing budgets and timelines.

Locate a credible talent agent by looking at industry associations

If you're in California, you can easily find LA casting agencies, but you can locate talent agents in other areas as well. Look for talent agencies that are state-regulated, members of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Talent Association and Talent Managers Association.
Try:  Pursue relationships with talent agencies that are members of the American Talent Association. The Talent Managers Association website lists all TMA members.

Understand union rules pertaining to talent and casting agencies

When you want to hire an actor through a casting agency, you'll soon find out that the word in Hollywood is "union." The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is an AFL-CIO affiliate representing actors in film and other media, while the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) represents television and radio artists.
Try:  A SAG-member casting agency will ensure the production adheres to strict union rules including wages, safety and time worked. The Screen Actors Guild website has a wealth of information about the union. The AFTRA website lists AFTRA casting agencies.

Rely on casting agents to navigate child labor rules

If you're interviewing commercial casting agents to locate a child actor for your next 30-second spot, be aware of special rules that may apply to your production, including the number of hours worked to the subject matter of the work. Child labor laws vary from state to state. Some require a special work permit and parental permission, while other states have few rules at all.
Try:  The U.S. Department of Labor spells out state laws regarding entertainment work for minors. Child actors are exempt from protection by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act but may be members of the SAG or AFTRA unions. Elite Casting Network helps explain child labor rules.

• Make sure you have a budget prepared at the outset, so that you know how much talent you can afford before contacting a talent agent.