Firstly, you may wish to consider the agency’s size, as there are pros and cons to both small or more significant agencies. 

Large agencies will likely have more connections. Therefore, they offer more opportunities for discovery and could be able to send your child for more auditions. However, with this increase in business size comes, you guessed it, more children and other talent on their books competing for these auditions. 

One way to decide if an agent is likely to recommend your child over the other ones on their books is to look through the children they have already signed with. If your child is unique in appearance or their skills compared to others on their roster, it is more likely that they will be put forward for auditions. But, saying this, there is never a guarantee with any agent of any size. 

You may also wish to consider what type of roles the agent can offer your child. For example, if one agent specializes in film and another in theater, then you may wish to consider this as a deciding factor depending on your child’s strengths, talents, and interests. 

Without putting you off the process of signing with an agent, be prepared to do your due diligence to avoid working with a non-legitimate agent. 

One way to avoid scams is to ask the agent if they are members of a talent agent association, such as SAG or the Association of Talent Agents. Being a member of these groups means they are governed by certain rules and, therefore, legitimate. 

If an agent is attempting to make you pay a fee to audition, or asks you in any way to financially contribute to the promotion of your child within the agency, run as fast as you can! The talent agents will never ask you to pay for their services upfront. Instead, they make their income through commission once your child secures a job. 

Many people find more success finding a talent agent if they can obtain a recommendation from a casting director or a classmate's parent. Not only can this help you avoid being scammed, but you are more likely to be able to get your foot in the door by a referral from someone who has a personal connection with the agency. 

Additionally, it doesn’t help to mention that you are searching for an agent wherever you can. Obviously, you don’t want to alienate everyone you come across or sound like a broken record in conversation, but when the opportunity arises and you have a chance to speak to someone in the business, ask questions, and request references. Networking can be just as key as your child's innate talent at securing them an agent. 

In 2022, when we have a question about something, we tend to turn to Google for answers. And why should finding an agent be any different? Of course, you have to keep your wits about you and detect potential scams, but for the most part, you should be able to at least come up with a few starting points using an internet search. 

Participating in local or state-run events is a great practical experience. It can give your kids an opportunity to be seen by Talent Scouts and Talent Agents as well as other professionals in the industry. This can also help you in your networking endeavors!

For example, if you are in the Washington DC Metro area, you can sign up for the Lopez Spotlight Talent Competition, where your child can participate in our vocal competition and potentially be scouted by agents. 

Actors will rarely book a job unless they have professional portrait headshots taken, and the same goes for child performers. So if your child is ten years old or older, then this should be top of your to-do list before finding an agent. Not only will having professional headshots help your child look more serious to a potential agent, but they will likely need headshots when they book their first agent to send to casting agents. 

Headshots typically cost between $150 to $450. However, there is always an option to shop around or go with a more affordable student photographer.  

There is only so much information we can fit into a blog post, so chatting to other parents who are in your situation or have been through the process of finding an agent for their child can be invaluable. 

Consistency is key. As tiresome as finding an agent is, you can’t lose hope. There are many cases where actors have had to go through several 100's of agents to find one that works for them. So if you feel bombarded by letters turning you down, you just have to stay positive that you could be just one away from signing an agent. 

Once you fix a meeting with a potential talent agent for your child, they will probably schedule to meet you both, either in person or over a video call. In this case, we would be happy to provide one-to-one Coaching Sessions to prepare for an audition. In addition, our instructors have been in the industry for 25 years, so they have experience coaching kids and cultivating their raw talent to showcase to agents to land representation. 

For more information about private coaching services, get in contact with our friendly team today.