If you know where to find the top acting agencies, you will succeed in your acting career in Los Angeles. This is because acting agencies help the actors find the best-paid options for movies, TV shows, commercials, theater, etc. Overall, acting agencies are groups of talent agents who are connected to various acting directors. Therefore, they will find opportunities for you that you would probably have difficulties finding. Also, they are beneficial for casting directors too, as they help find and hire the most talented actors in accordance with the role.

When you sign a contract with an acting agency, they automatically take several responsibilities. Such is presenting some marketing tools about you to the auditions. One of the most crucial ones is your acting headshot. They can also suggest where to find a professional headshot photographer. Also, where to find good acting schools in order to prepare yourself for your acting career in Los Angeles. Besides, they present your resume, call and speak with acting directors about your advantages, and help in callback auditions. It is also essential to be able to negotiate for higher pay if needed. However, acting agents are not responsible for improving your acting, boosting your image, etc. There are specific things you will be responsible for yourself.

One research done taking into account several dimensions of client opinion, reputation, etc., introduces 6 top acting agencies, which you can find below.

William Morris Endeavor

According to research, this was overall the best acting agency that will help you succeed in your acting career in Los Angeles. William Morris Endeavor was initially created as William Morris Agency in 1989. Then, it united with Endeavor Agency and became the largest talent agency in the world. WME has offices in New York City, London, Sidney, etc. Overall, in 25 countries. About 3 million people work here. It represents some famous and loved actors of Hollywood such as Joaquin Phoenix, Millie Bobby Brown, etc.

WME works not only with actors but also with musicians, athletes, comedians, with other talents. As the top acting agency in the world, it ensures that you will get the role you want as an actor. However, it is also understandable that this agency will choose you if only you have an effective resume. Therefore, this may not be the best option for beginners. Although, there are some ways to impress WME and start working with it. Start with less famous and smaller agencies. Try to get substantial roles, which you can show in your resume then. Present yourself in a satisfactory manner, even through your personal connections. Try to be effective in your acting headshot and resume. You can also create YouTube and other videos that will be viral.

Creative Artists Agency

Creative Artists Agency’s main competitor is William Morris Endeavor, mentioned above. So, this is the second top acting agency in the world. It was founded in 1975 in Los Angeles. The latter ensures your rise in your Los Angeles acting career. Although it was founded in Los Angeles, it managed to spread worldwide. Now, CAA has agencies in the US, Asia, and Europe. CAA has about 2 million employees, less than its main competitor. It works with talents of television, sports, social media, etc. Clients include Jeremy Renner, Melissa McCarthy, etc.

As this is the second top agency worldwide, it also seeks to work with quite professional and already well-known actors. That is why, here too, you have to start with little agency and try to present yourself in a sufficient way while applying for CAA. Here, finding a professional headshot photographer will help you stand out. Using your connections may be beneficial too while trying to impress talent agents.

Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin & Associates

This agency is among the top acting agencies as the best for theater Los Angeles acting career. It was founded in 1957 in Los Angeles. KMR was initially famous as The Wormser Agency. When it opened its New York office in 2002, it quickly became one of the leading boutique agencies. Usually, acting agencies concentrate on finding good opportunities for actors in highly paid areas. Such are movies, TV shows, etc. The uniqueness of KMR is that it prioritizes the theater roles a lot, encouraging actors to find roles there. Hence, it prepares all the marketing tools, including acting headshots, corresponding to it.

However, Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin & Associates does not only concentrate on theater. Its clients also can land roles for commercials, TV, film, etc. KMR has given professional actors to famous shows such as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, etc. The most significant advantage of KMR is that it values every actor and seeks to represent those with disabilities too. Overall, every actor can contact KMR via email, as this agency is not as famous and large as those mentioned above. It is more “friendly” and beneficial for those who look especially for theater acting. It helps actors who just start their career and agrees to represent them.

Central Casting

You will not become famous in an acting career and get the leading roles as quickly as you may imagine. In the beginning, most of the actors start from background roles. Among the top acting agencies, we have searched for, the one which is beneficial for a background acting career is Central Casting. It was founded in 1925 in Los Angeles. At that time, about 35.000 actors lived in Los Angeles who were seeking background roles. After 90 years, CC became the top background acting agency and opened its offices in New York, Atlanta, etc. It has worked with professional artists like Will Ferrell and Eva Longoria.

One of the main benefits of Central Casting is that it suggests its own payroll services. This helps make sure that the actors they are working with will get paid by the workplace on time. Hence, when CC starts working with any production, it makes sure they use its payroll management services. CC is open to working with any actor. The steps are simple. You should find the application form on the website first. You will then visit one of the CC offices, complete some paperwork, get photographed for an acting headshot by a professional headshot photographer for the database, etc. Central Casting is open for every actor too.  

Gersh

Gersh is the best top acting agency for working actors. It was founded in 1949 in Beverly Hills. The founder was Phil Gersh, after whom the agency is named. Now Gersh’s two sons own the agency. Initially, it was founded in Beverly Hills but now has offices in New York too. During its existence, the agency represented actors like Jamie Foxx, Adam Driver, etc. Thanks to it, lots of nowadays famous actors got their roles in loved productions. Tobey Maguire landed his role as Spider-Man, for instance. Gersh works with talents of theater, TV, films.

Gersh is not as huge and famous an agency as WWE and CAA are. That is why it accepts to work with actors who are not that famous yet and are just starting their acting career. And, usually, the actors working with Gersh find themselves in larger acting agencies later, as they gain experience thanks to Gersh. For cooperation with Gersh, there is a need for industry referral. This is when someone in the actor’s network refers to him/her to submit materials. Actors with good representations and good working experience will have an opportunity to work with Gersh. That is why you should review your resume carefully and ask for help from a professional headshot photographer.

Boals, Winnett & Associates

Boals, Winnett & Associates was founded in 2002 in New York. As you have already noticed, this one is a bit younger agency but has already managed to become the top acting agency for beginners. It will help you in your film, television, and Broadway acting career in Los Angeles. This professional agency helped its clients get roles in Broadway, television, and film such as The Irishman, Mean Girls, Waitress, etc. BWA, during his existence years, has worked with famous actors like Isabelle McCalla and Mia Pinero. They have played accordingly in The Prom and West Side Story.

Boals, Winnett & Associates helps its clients in landing auditions, building resumes, etc. Therefore, it will make sure you are going to the right professional headshot photographer and have a high quality and powerful acting headshot. This top acting agency also makes sure you will have a well-organized shoutout on social media pages. If you are a beginner and are interested, you can submit the needed documents via email. In case of need, they will call you for an interview by appointment. Remember to connect via email, as phone calls or drop-offs are not accepted.

The costs of acting agencies

When the acting agency finds it convenient to work with you, the payment also will be included in the contract. Usually, if you get the role you wanted, you should pay some compensation to the acting agency. If you are a union actor, you will pay about 10% of your salary. Non-union actors pay approximately 20% of their salary. That is why most of the top acting agencies want to make sure you are a professional actor and you are going to have a promising acting career in Los Angeles. They want to make sure they will benefit from signing a contract with you. Also, remember that sometimes actors complain that the acting agencies speak about some upfront payments. Legitimate agencies do not do so. So, be aware.

Is using this service worth it?

You may think that you can present yourself perfectly too. So why is there a need for acting agents? The thing is that the productions do not always share all the role requests publicly. They share some of them with professional acting agencies to make sure they will find good actors for the role. The more experience the acting agency has, the much is the possibility of having strong connections with the acting directors. So, they will be the link between you. You may be extremely busy during your acting career in Los Angeles. So, acting agents are also for helping you complete some acting works you will not be able to complete. In that way, you can totally concentrate on your playing, and even have free time for your hobbies and the things you enjoy. Relaxation may be very beneficial for you.

Summing up

There are tons of acting agencies worldwide. So how to distinguish top acting agencies? The best method is to do it, taking into account several dimensions. For instance, as you have already noticed, we have separated top agencies for theater, beginners, background roles, etc. The idea was to find the best ones in different areas. In addition, we have also paid huge attention to client reviews and feedback. The best way to know about the agency is to consider people’s opinions who have already used the service. We have also paid attention to whether the agency was famous worldwide and to its reputation.

As you have also noticed, there are agencies founded in the 1920s and 2000s. However, the difference of over a decade does not make their high qualities differ. Indeed, the hugest agencies like WME and CAA will have more experience and other preferences of choosing actors than smaller companies. The reason is they want to make sure the contract and their work will pay off, and you will get the role you want. It is worth taking acting agencies. Especially when they have strong connections and can help you get the roles that are not offered publicly. These agencies will help you build the needed resume, with a suitable acting headshot done by a professional headshot photographer, validly present your experience. They will organize the meetings with casting directors and will do some part of your job, letting you have more free time.

So, hope this was useful and will help you succeed in your Los Angeles acting career.

You can view more Professional Headshots | Los Angeles Headshot Photographer on our home page.  Check out our headshot photography pricing/rates. 

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Professional headshots will help you to get noticed, while the weak ones may ruin your success in being chosen. What this means is, when the casting directors get thousands of headshots of actors, sometimes most of them look quite similar. Hence, they have a hard time understanding who stands out. They will try to pick the most professional headshots at first. If they choose your headshot, after this, only you will have an opportunity to show your personality besides your appearance.

If you go to the right Los Angeles headshot photographer, they will already know how to make your headshot stand out as an outstanding marketing tool. Yes, headshots are marketing tools in acting, as, depending on how you will present yourself, you will be either chosen or not. People usually try to pay attention to headshot pricing and then choose an affordable headshot option for them. But the most important part is to be sure the quality will be high. Even if you are quite far from photography, you can notice which headshot will make you stand out, which not. Below, we introduce some tips on what makes the headshot ruined and less effective and how to avoid it.

1. No Concentration on Eyes

It is not a secret that movies have an emotional influence on the viewers. And, oftentimes, we choose what to watch based on our mood. The ones who transfer the emotion and feeling to the audience are the actors. Hence, the casting directors will, first of all, look at your headshot. They will pay attention to whether your headshot is effective or not. Indeed, there are some deadpan characters for whose role it will be arduous to find the most efficient ways of transferring emotions. However, some methods can always be used for professional headshots.

One of the best ways to be effective is to do it through the actor’s eyes. Your Los Angeles headshot photographer will concentrate on your gaze in the headshot. Our eye contact and gaze behavior are some of the most critical parts of our non-verbal communication. They are parts of our body language, where we express ourselves parallel to or without words. Good eye contact can break the ice and make a connection between people, while a bad one can cut the link.

It is also essential that the casting directors are not only affected by your gaze but also see that it is natural. You have to see your nature in it too and be in your most relaxed condition. This is the key in professional headshots, and headshot pricing should, indeed, include trials of making you comfortable and natural. Indeed, as we mentioned in the Actors’ “Type” in Los Angeles blog, you can expand your characteristics and personality a bit to fit the character you want.

2. No Plan

To succeed in our initiatives, we need to have a clearly defined purpose and see the target outcome beforehand. Just as a business tries to make a final product to sell, you are trying to make a final professional headshot to be accepted for the role you want. Before doing a headshot affordable for you, you should do long research and understand your purpose. What genre of movies is the best for you? Which character personality suits your traits the most? What kind of shows are you the most obsessed with? Create a clear vision, also by using the methods mentioned in the previous blog on how to find your “type.”

It would help if you never left the question of understanding your headshot’s purpose to the imagination of the casting directors. You should show it on your own, without letting them come to a wrong conclusion. Indeed, we often have one professional headshot for several roles, like we adjust our resume for different jobs, but you have to be realistic. It is obvious that you cannot present yourself with the same headshot to get both the role of a kind, loving dad and a serial killer. Again, you cannot have the same headshot for the role of “girl next door” and “queen bee.” If you choose a place with affordable headshots, you can get two separate headshots for the two roles. But, again, make your purpose and vision clear, then discuss it with your headshot photographer in Los Angeles to find the best option.

3. A Wrong Background

Professional headshots’ main concentration is on the person. However, the background is also something noticeable and essential in your headshot. They try to choose beforehand what to hold the photo camera’s focus on before starting shooting. And, your Los Angeles headshot photographer will know that it should exactly be you. There should not be very colorful, huge, and distracting objects in the background. They will distract the attention of the viewer from your eyes to the background, which is not beneficial for you. The eye effect is essential, while the red picture in the background, for example, will catch the attention first.

Colors are significant. They should create the mood you want and be corresponding to the character’s traits you are willing to get chosen for. For getting the role of “bad boy biker,” you have to create a dark and mysterious atmosphere, indeed. However, pay attention not to blend into the background. Imagine you wear a black leather jacket that suits the mentioned role to get the headshot, and you have black hair. If you choose a black background, it will ruin your headshot. The latter will underline just your floating face. You will profit if you try to examine not only headshot pricing and lead yourself with them, but also the previous works of the photographer. This will help you to be sure he or she is good at this part.

4. Unprofessional Makeup

It is well known that women use makeup to look more good-looking and highlight their beauty in daily life. However, makeup is also often needed in an acting career, where you have to present yourself right under different lighting, for instance. But, before getting to the movie, you have to introduce yourself in your headshot right to be chosen. Professional makeup will make both you and your headshot look professional, while the bad one may spoil the opinion about you.

Here are some common types of good and bad makeup. We already said that eyes and gaze are a crucial part of your headshot as they create connection and underline your personality. That is why you have to be very attentive to your eye makeup. Too heavy eye makeup will hide the message your eyes should transmit. Make sure your foundation does not look like clay or is gray. Also, pay attention to matching skin tones. This is one of the most obvious problems that will make you look less professional.

Your makeup should be appropriate for you. It should be suitable for your age, first of all. If you are relatively young, do not use too dark colors. On the contrary, it is not appropriate to use the brightest colors if you are going to apply for the role of a grandmother. Examine your character beforehand. Understand its personality and traits. Choose makeup and colors based on it. Headshot pricing, indeed, will not include doing makeup. If you are used to doing your makeup yourself, this time, probably, you will need professional help. If you choose an affordable headshot, you will have the opportunity to save money for this. The professional will notice what you are doing wrong and advise on how to be more effective. Surely, as in the case of headshot pricing, you will look at makeup pricing too, but, again, try to choose a professional with high-quality works.

5. Badly Chosen Wardrobe

You should research beforehand to find out your “type” as an actor and find it out based on your personality traits and other dimensions. Knowing your type in advance will also help you to have an appropriate wardrobe for it. This is because you will already know that you are the best at serious roles such as a lawyer, for example. And, hence, you will have an appropriate wardrobe, including costumes and ties. For “bad boy biker,” as mentioned above, you will need a wardrobe full of black leather jackets, for example.

However, be attentive while choosing how to appear to your Los Angeles photographer to get your professional headshot. Your clothes should not be the first thing the viewer notices. On the contrary, it should be the last thing. Any distracting thing on your clothes or your clothes themselves can ruin your headshot. Such can be some shiny buttons or snaps, very light designs, etc. These will distract the viewer from your eyes, which is the most crucial part of your headshot. Headshot pricing often does not include clothing. However, you can discuss your appearance with your photographer and take advice.

Another aspect here is that appearance is not the most crucial part of an actor. The most vital is how the actor creates the personality of the role right, how he or she plays and transfers emotions to the audience. Hence, your distracting appearance in the headshot may tell the casting directors that you will appear with similar clothing if you get the role. In addition, this may suggest that you will choose something that will make you move with difficulty, for example, and disturb acting properly. That is why, while choosing a photographer for an affordable headshot and managing to save money for your clothing, try to be wise while buying clothes. Choose clothes corresponding to the role, but avoid anything distracting. 

6. Wrong Lighting

Light is one of the keys in photography. Not only is the photo successful with the presence of appropriate lighting, but also the lighting is what creates the wanted environment. With the company of shadows, you will create a mysterious atmosphere, for example. While a luminous environment will be a sign of lightness and easiness. No need to tell that you can make you more corresponding to the role you want in this way.

However, again, the most essential part of your professional headshot is you, not the environment. Your face and head are the things which should be seen the most obviously. This is because the casting directors want to know who they are going to work with. They want to know your exact appearance characteristics, and it would be great to see your eyes clearly. Imagine a shadow on one of your eyes; it will cut the link. Indeed, you will need some shadows for some edgier characters, but make sure to let your eyes be highlighted. Overall, make sure your headshot pricing includes this important aspect too, and discuss the lighting with your headshot photographer in Los Angeles beforehand.

Summing up the Professional Headshot Mistakes

To sum up, we went through how headshot shooting details may ruin your headshot and make you look less professional. Besides, we went through how to avoid those mistakes and get a strong headshot to get chosen for the role you want. Remember, your eyes and gaze behavior are the most important. Do not try to hide them; on the contrary, underline them. Also, pay attention to the lightning; it should neither cover your eyes nor other essential parts of your face. The casting directors want to see it. Do not forget to do research beforehand to find out your “type.” This will help you understand better what environment to create and how beneficially introduce yourself. Avoid distracting background and distracting clothing. Anything that can move the acting directors’ attention from your eyes you should avoid.

Indeed, your Los Angeles headshot photographer should know these details. Hence, you can always discuss them with her or him and get advice. Make sure the headshot pricing includes all the essential elements you already know about. Consider that makeup and wardrobe are your responsibility. Hence, pay attention to choosing an affordable headshot session to do your preparation correctly. If you want to get some information about pricing and find an affordable package, you can visit our headshot pricing page.

Hope this was helpful!

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You can view more Professional Headshots | Los Angeles Headshot Photographer on our home page.  Check out our headshot photography pricing/rates.