Bingo!

This morning I had my interview with the last of the three agencies who contacted me after my mass mailing two weeks ago. This agency is one of the more well known agencies in the commercial end of the LA acting business. I had investigated them thoroughly before today, and found them to be one of the more respected agencies in their field in LA. I could not find one person who had a bad word to say about them. Based on that investigation, I was prepared to say yes, if they offered to represent me commercially. They did and I did, and I now have an excellent commercial agent.

I am still looking for a theatrical agent, and that is not an unusual situation for relatively new actors in LA. Many, many actors, have two agents....one commercially and one theatrically (for film and TV). Of the two, the commercial agent is a bit easier to obtain, as they are more willing to take non-union talent that appeals to them.

I'm not saying I will not find a quality theatrical agent before becoming a member of SAG, but working towards my SAG card remains a top priority for me. Acting in commercials may also lead me to joining AFTRA, but you can join AFTRA any time you choose by telling them you want to, and paying the hefty initiation fee. AFTRA also offers another avenue to getting a SAG card, as after being an AFTRA member for one year, and doing some AFTRA contract work during that year, you become eligible to join SAG. I'm not sure of all the fine details involved, but in capsule form, that's how it works.

I guess I could best sum up my visit to the agency this morning this way. It was a good day....a very good day.

I was quite fortunate in that all three of the agencies I visited offered to represent me. The first two agencies I visited are smaller than the one I visited this morning, and are what is known as full service agencies, in that they cover both the theatrical and commercial side. It is doubtful that either would want to represent a non union actor who already has a commercial agent. Both of the other agencies have a lot to offer, but unfortunately I will have to call them and decline their offers of representation. These are good agencies, staffed by good people, but I feel I will be best served by the commercial agent I visited today, while I continue to look for a theatrical agent.

Tomorrow, I'm off for some R&R in my home near Seattle, returning to LA next Monday, the 22nd.

Talk with you next week.................