How to Find a Manager for Your Acting Career
It's said that there are two points in an acting career when a manager is incredibly beneficial--right at the beginning and when there is a substantial career to manage. Of course, there is much middle ground in between when a good manager can prove incredibly beneficial to an actor. A manager takes a more hands-on approach to an actor's career than an agent does so that extra effort and attention can really help.
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Instructions
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Assess whether or not you could benefit from a manager. If you are brand new to acting, a manager can be incredibly helpful. He will advise you on various materials you need such as headshots, resumes and training. He can also help you in securing an agent and pitching you to casting directors. Later in a career, a manager can help package you into films and other deals. He can also help manage the busy aspects of your career.
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Compile a list of prospective managers. Look at the manager's other clients and see if you would fit into her roster well. Sometimes, managers will specialize in certain types of people such as character actors, teen actors or comic actors.
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Write a unique cover letter that you'll use in a mailing to managers. Your cover letter should be well-written and sell you as an actor. You are trying to show the manager why he would like to work with you. Get creative with your cover letter. Keep in mind that managers in crowded markets read hundreds of these a month. Make yours stand out from the crowd.
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Send a mass mailing out to all the managers you wish to meet. You should include your headshot and resume in each envelope as well as your cover letter.
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Follow up with a postcard mailings to all the managers about two months after you send out your initial mailing. You may find that you receive interested calls after your first mailing so this step may not be necessary. If you didn't receive any calls, you can send this postcard mailing as a follow up.
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Perform in showcases and workshops. Many offer nights where you can perform for agents and managers. This is a great way to get a manager interested in you. Make sure the work you perform is well-prepared and suits your casting type. Always bring plenty of headshots and resumes to these events.
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Network. Talk to your actor friends that are happy with their managers. Ask a friend if she'd be willing to take your headshot and resume into her manager. A referral goes a long way in the entertainment business.
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Be an active participant in your career. Don't wait to find a manager to move your career forward. Submit yourself to as many projects as you can, including student films. Build enough material to put together a reel which you can use to market yourself to managers. Aim to do something productive for your career every day. Remember that a manager has to want to work with you. If you show you are a team player, he will be more inclined to want to be on your team.
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Tips & Warnings
Know that managers generally take 15% out of your gross acting earnings. Some managers do take 10% so inquire if the rate is negotiable before signing.
Most managers will require that you sign a contract with them. A standard manager contract covers a three-year period but you can ask for a shorter one-year contract. Some managers may be willing to offer this as a trial period for both of you.
Beware of any managers that charge upfront fees. Managers and agents should only rightfully take a percentage of your gross earnings.
