Other jobs ideas for a talent agent?

February 15, 2007 3:37 PM

Hi, All, Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated..What type of jobs would I be qualified for? For the last 8 years I've worked as a talent agent (representing actors, models, voiceover talent for commercial projects) and seek a job/career move into a different area/field. Side note: My prior experience is in the music business (primarily as a lyricist/songwriter/musician).

Although I plan to go back to college to finish a under grad (Psychology) and then seek a Masters (Clinical Social Work), I'm really trying to move into a work situation that my experience in the entertainment business can transfer over to. Being that I presently do not have a college degree, I've felt my job options have been rather limited. I also have a wife (who works) and a 2 yr old child. As a talent agent I work as a liaison between an actor/talent and a client (Casting director, ad agency, production company, end client) Negotiate rates for broadcast and non broadcast jobs (ex. TV/Radio Commercials corporate videos, etc.) Interview prospective talent to decide whether they rae marketable Direct and record TV and Voiceover auditions What I enjoyed the most about this type of work was educating the talent in terms of what areas they needed to improve, thus helping those I felt had/have an ability to be relatively sucessful in their careers. I'm planning on teaching some classes in the acting business as well, but that wouldn't be steady. Given that information, I was wondering if anyone had any ideas.. Thanks so much in advance

posted by bydar to work & money (13 comments total)

Human Resources perhaps? You could do HR just about anywhere...
posted by twiggy at 4:14 PM on February 15, 2007

Project Management
posted by rhizome at 4:17 PM on February 15, 2007

Casting?
posted by staggernation at 4:24 PM on February 15, 2007

I guess the real question is... why don't you want to be an agent any longer? What are the characteristics of the job that you want your next job not to have?
posted by staggernation at 4:26 PM on February 15, 2007

OK, that was poorly phrased. What aspects of being a talent agent do you want to avoid in your next job?
posted by staggernation at 4:27 PM on February 15, 2007

I'm thinking there are lots of professionals who need your services to improve their presentation. How you reach them, I do not know. But I have a hunch you have precisely the networking skills to figure that out and find them.
posted by Listener at 4:41 PM on February 15, 2007

You'd probably be great at business-to-business sales. Also, your description of your work as an agent sounds pretty much like human resources experience. Also, if you live near a community college, or a university with 'continuing education' classes, or a 'Learning Annex' type institution, you could probably teach a course along the lines of 'how to be an agent/how to get an agent/how the film industry works'.
posted by Kololo at 4:43 PM on February 15, 2007

Why I'm not interested in being an agent any longer. Well several reasons 1) Philosophically speaking, it's not very fulfilling in the sense that I contribute to commercials being made/mass consumption 2) An agency represents hundreds ot "talent" most (95%) of which will not get audtions or bookings so loyalty/trust become large issues in the sense that actors will work with multiple agencies often without their mother agency knowing.
3) The talent don't feel loyalty to them as it doesn't matter whom within an agency gets a booking as long as someone does..which explains the large size of talent pool.
3) I hit the financial ceiling already..In terms of salary and security it's very limited
So like many people I want to contribute something more meaningful. I like working with smaller numbers of people and more hands on. I do enjoy helping/providing information that can assist with change/progress..oh and being able to financially provide for my family would be nice..is that asking too much? ;-)
posted by bydar at 5:01 PM on February 15, 2007

So, do you want to continue working in entertainment, but from a different angle? Or do you want to switch to a different industry entirely?
posted by staggernation at 11:00 PM on February 15, 2007

I would suggest ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE for an advertising agency. I've been in the ad biz for years and it looks like your experience would easily be applied to this type of gig...
posted by iwishmylastnamewaswallace at 12:24 AM on February 16, 2007

Literary agent? Miss Snark gives a highly readable and hilarious introduction to that particular world.
posted by Happy Dave at 1:20 AM on February 16, 2007

When I composed this original post I thought of switching to another industry..well wanting to investigate how these skills without a degree could be applied to other jobs. I'm not opposed to staying in the entertainment field.
posted by bydar at 4:38 AM on February 16, 2007

producer?
posted by amtho at 5:18 AM on February 16, 2007