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StageMilk<\/a> \/ Acting Industry<\/a> \/ How to Get an International Acting Agent (Without Moving Abroad First)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Actors are always excited to work in LA, NYC, London, and other major hubs. It\u2019s a great ambition, but the industry is not as international as you might think. If you\u2019re dreaming of working internationally as an actor, you\u2019re absolutely not alone! But how do you actually<\/em> get a US or UK, or other international agent when you\u2019re based elsewhere?<\/p>\n The path that most people imagine isn\u2019t usually the one that works. The smartest path is to build momentum at home first. Then, once you have real credits and traction at home, international doors swing open much more freely! Below, we bust some big myths and dive into the smart strategy to sign with an international agent.<\/p>\n There are two main pathways to getting an international agent for your acting. It can be quite challenging to sign with an American agent if you\u2019re not already working at a high level in your own country.<\/p>\n Generally, the best path is to focus locally first: build credits, traction, and a profile where you are. Once you have that momentum, it becomes much easier to connect with agents in the US (and the UK) because you have a body of work that shows your ability and helps with things like visas.<\/p>\n There is another method, though, which is to just take the plunge and make the move! We\u2019ll discuss both methods in more detail below.<\/p>\n First, though, let\u2019s get clear on what you\u2019ll need when approaching any\u00a0<\/em>agent! This applies when looking locally and internationally.<\/p>\n It will be basically impossible for you to sign with an overseas agent without the following materials.\u00a0 Agents typically want to see:<\/p>\n The goal is to give them a clear sense of your range and your strengths as an actor. Quality matters more than quantity here! For an even more in-depth explanation, check out our resource on how to get an agent<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every day at StageMilk, we get questions centred around getting opportunities in bigger industries. The first, and undoubtedly harder, method is the \u2018all-in\u2019 approach.<\/p>\n If your heart is set on working in a certain industry, and you have the capacity to do so, go do it! Make a plan, set sail, and make that place your home. There will be issues and obstacles, but generally I\u2019ve seen most actors overcome these if the passion is there. This approach usually means starting from scratch and swallowing a big serving of humble pie as you move forward.<\/strong><\/p>\n Make sure that you investigate options for visas, work rights, and that you make sure you\u2019ve got a plan on where you\u2019ll live and how you\u2019ll make money. It\u2019s hard to be calm and confident actor if you\u2019re not sure where your next meal is coming from!<\/p>\n The second option (and our preferred advice here at StageMilk) is to focus local first. Build momentum in your own country or city. It\u2019s always the easiest path. Locally you already have connections, you understand the culture and accent, and everything just flows more easily. Because of that, you\u2019ll usually do more consistent and higher-quality work.<\/p>\n Things like independent productions are a great idea to build your profile. That way, when you do reach out to foreign agents, you\u2019re presenting yourself as a proven actor with credits and momentum, not just another hopeful among thousands. Additionally, it\u2019s virtually impossible to sign with an international (UK, US) agent without having a solid profile in your home country.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve established yourself locally, or if you happen to land a big Netflix or film role (which can happen anywhere, no matter how small the industry), it becomes much easier to sign with overseas agents and step into an international career. But you need to have that experience and profile behind you first.<\/p>\n Before you start to approach agents and ask them to consider representing you on the international stage, there are a few questions you should ask yourself.<\/p>\n If you are coming off a big win, like wrapping on a film or another great recent credit, now is a great time to approach! Agents like to see actors who are already in a place where the \u2018rubber meets the road\u2019. It\u2019s hard to get a new client from no credits to their first credit, so many feel more comfortable taking on new clients that are already rolling.<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s impossible for undiscovered talent to get signed, but especially international agents are more likely to take a chance if you\u2019ve got some recents successes to back it up.<\/p>\n Where are you looking t getting an agent, and do you know what\u2019s filming in that market? Do you have any sort of base or connection to the place your future agent is based?<\/p>\n The biggest filming market in Europe is definitely the UK. It\u2019s the largest in terms of box office gross and a major hub for both its own productions and international services, with London being the top film production city in Europe. That\u2019d be where you\u2019d find the most opportunity \u2013 but of course you need to take into account things like work rights, cost of living, and connections to industry!<\/p>\n Accent can definitely be a factor. Most American productions will expect a very strong, believable US accent. For many European actors, that\u2019s a big hurdle, even for those who speak English fluently. If you have a flawless American accent, that\u2019s a huge advantage. But if your natural European accent is strong and unique, it can also work in your favour, particularly for roles that require\u00a0<\/span>international<\/span>\u00a0or \u201cnon-American\u201d characters.<\/span><\/p>\n High profile actors usually have multiple international agents. For instance an established UK actor is likely to also have US rep. But this is only done by very successful or working actors. If you haven\u2019t already got lots of experience and serious credits in your own industry, it may be worth waiting before you approach.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t really have to be in LA anymore to book US work. In the UK or Australia often productions that are US based will also cast in other locations that they\u2019re filming, so you could be working on a Hollywood movie at home! Getting representation in LA is awesome and it\u2019s a good goal, even if you\u2019re not based there personally, but it\u2019s worth asking if and when you want to do that.<\/p>\n If you were an Aussie international mega-star, like say Margot Robbie, you might<\/em> have an Australian, UK, and US agent. But that\u2019s certainly not the norm. International agencies like CAA, WME, or UTA are powerhouses that have teams across the pond, and coordinate on your behalf. However, these agencies are incredibly difficult to get signed by and most actors will never work with them or will only work with them after solidifying their career. <\/strong><\/p>\n In general, people have one agent per major location, which is usually countrywide. <\/strong>In very big industries like the US it is conceivable that you would have a NY and an LA agent, but even then usually you would just have one and be based in one.<\/p>\n Now that you\u2019ve had a real think about whether you\u2019re ready and interested in overseas representation, let\u2019s look at one possible pathway. Remember that there isn\u2019t just one way to secure international representation.There\u2019s no set path. Some actors who\u2019ve moved to straight over to America just get an American agent with no trouble, others struggle for years.<\/p>\n Keep your mind open and explore all the possible pathways!<\/p>\n For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re an Australian actor looking at signing with a US agent. How do you go about that? Let\u2019s use our method of starting local and going global. Firstly, it\u2019s easier if you\u2019re Australian to get an Australian agent build up momentum here. Because you understand the culture you\u2019re going to have natural connections. You\u2019re also going to have the natural accent and all those other benefits of just being part of this community. Whereas, you potentially don\u2019t have that in America. Which makes it much more difficult to crack into the American industry.<\/p>\n It might take you a few years to do this, but it\u2019s time well spent. Once your profile is built up, you can talk to your agent about any US connections they might have and start reaching out to agents<\/a>!<\/p>\n At the end of the day, it\u2019s just about finding your own goals. But generally speaking, focusing local first is the way to go. The industry you\u2019re in already is going to be easier to get a foothold in and to build from there. Trust the natural system. It\u2019s great to have big, international ambitions as an actor, but equally important to enjoy the journey without getting too swept up in the end goal!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nHow Do I Get an Agent in Another Country?<\/h2>\n
Professional headshots, a strong CV\/casting profile, and a compelling reel<\/h3>\n
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Method One: Starting From Scratch<\/h2>\n
Method Two: Build Momentum Locally, Then Go International<\/h2>\n
Am I Ready to Get an Overseas Agent?<\/h2>\n
What momentum do I currently have as an actor?<\/h3>\n
Do I know the market I\u2019m looking to enter?<\/h3>\n
How\u2019s my accent?<\/h3>\n
Am I at the level of getting an overseas agent yet?<\/h3>\n
Do I really need an overseas agent?<\/h3>\n
Do I understand how agents work in different countries?<\/h3>\n
Case Study: Australian Actor Looking to Get an American Agent<\/h2>\n
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<\/strong>Whichever city you\u2019re in, focus there. Find a good agent who is willing to take you on in Australia, and work on building your profile.<\/li>\n
Basically every agent in Australia to some extent has connections that they work with in America, but those connections are obviously better with certain agents.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nFinal Thoughts<\/h2>\n