A lot of actors or creatives struggle with how to communicate with [their] representation, but I always just tell people, ‘You're hiring us to do a job, and our job is to help you.’ We are thinking about you guys and often trying to get [your career] really moving.
Angela Strange
Osbrink Agency Vice President of Operations
For many performers, being represented by an agent, publicist or lawyer can be a significant career milestone. However, it’s not only important for performers to ensure that their representatives are facilitating new opportunities, but that they are also playing an active role in further developing their work or brand.
The SAG-AFTRA President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement delved into the benefits and nuances of talent representation during the Finding Your Talent Team livestream on Aug. 10. The panel, which was moderated by TSMA Consulting founder and social media expert Ryan Walker, featured Osbrink Agency Vice President of Operations Angela Strange, LaPolt Law founder and owner Dina LaPolt, and Joneswork Vice President Jennifer Abel.
The panelists provided information about the different services talent representatives offer to clients, including updating resumes and creating portfolios, and the value they place on setting short- and long-term goals in the early stages of the partnership.
“It always starts with what happens in the here and now, and asking, ‘What do we have to do within a year, what do we have to do within five years?’” said LaPolt. “That's our goal for every client.”
“We have to be excited about the projects clients are interested in to bring really good work to the table,” added Abel. “I always want to make sure that I’m contributing something to the work that my client is doing.”
Other topics focused on the changing landscape of the industry, including the advent of social media, content creation and influencer marketing.
“SAG-AFTRA does have contracts that cover the growth [of content creation] in the last couple of years — from the Influencer Agreement to the Short Project Agreement,” said Walker. “There's a lot of opportunity there for someone to create their own content distribution [and] find that team that can work with you to really make some waves.”
Added Strange, “If you have a presence on social media, it’s [helpful] for your career because there's so many studios and advertisers who look at people on social media to see where they're willing to invest in people and money. They’re looking at your creativity and energy and if it aligns with their brand.”
The panel was followed by a Q&A session.
For other panels and interviews from the SAG-AFTRA PTEOE, visit sagaftra.org/videos.
The views expressed by the guests are their own and not that of SAG-AFTRA. Any mention of products or services does not imply SAG-AFTRA’s endorsement.
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