The Great UTA Hunt

July 21, 2005 2:22 PM

How can one get the United Talent Agency weekly job list?

Seeing the comments here, it sounds like one could get on it by joining the UCLA Professional Program. While this sounds like it would be my cup of tea (being an aspiring editor/screenwriter), I'm going to feel pretty gorram silly if there is a cheaper way to nab the list (and no, I don't know anyone in the biz to simply ask for it).

posted by blueneurosis to media & arts (3 comments total)

Well, you basically need to know someone who gets it.

If you go to this page and scroll all the way down, the guy gives an email address. If you email him, he'll send you a link to the list. I did this for a while. Basically he gives you a direct link to a page he updates with the list as well as a password for it.

The thing with the list is that within a few hours, the jobs listed have been bombarded, so the earlier you get it, the better. He tends to post the list a bit late at times.

However, short of knowing someone who will personally forward it, that website I linked was the easiest way I found to get access. (and it's free)
posted by unsweet at 4:53 PM on July 21, 2005

If you post on Craigslist LA with an offer of $50 I bet you'll be swamped with people begging to sell you the list.

That being said, if you don't know anyone in the industry, it's not clear that getting access to the list will help you all that much. Which is to say, if you don't live in LA, I would be very surprised if anyone returns your calls for jobs in LA. And if you do live in LA, you'd have to never leave your house to not know anyone in the industry. Are you looking for a job in LA? I used to look over the list when I first moved to LA as an aspiring editor (to which position I still am in the process of aspiring), and virtually all the jobs were for entry-level executive assistant type jobs, which were more or less useless to me. For a screenwriter it might be a source of more helpful contacts, though...
posted by mzurer at 4:53 PM on July 21, 2005

The list isn't the end-all, be-all. When I was repped by UTA I'd look at it for yucks, all jobs are posted anonymously, so you don't know exactly what job you're applying for -- and in this industry *who* you work for is key. Not all assistant jobs are created equally. I'd get you the list now if you if I could, but my relationship with UTA didn't exactly end favorably...

Like Mzurer hints at, if you're not in LA the list will do you no good -- people won't call you back. And if you are in LA there are more effective ways to get those entry-level jobs. Between MediaBistro's meet-ups and the semi-regular MetaFilter meet-ups, you're bound to spin an online friendship into a real-life industry connection.

I'd love to help you more, but I'm leaving LA in ten days so I'm not exactly a hot lead for an aspiring industry professional.

Good luck!
posted by herc at 5:56 PM on July 21, 2005