Can You Have Too Many Agents?

Quite often I am asked if it is permissible to have more than one agent.  That is a tricky question to answer because there are a number of factors to consider.

There are some markets where actors and models easily free-lance with a few agents. There are some areas, like Los Angeles, where you will only work with one agent per category.

You could have more than one agent, but only one for each part of the industry. For example, if you have an agent in Los Angeles representing you for TV commercials, no other local agent can represent you for that category. However, you could have another agent for TV shows and a different agent for voice over work. If you do not have an exclusive contract, and you can work with a few agents, there are some things to keep in mind before you try and work with every agent in town.

In some markets, like Atlanta, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, many of the casting directors only want an actor to be submitted to them through one agent.
If the actor is multi listed, and the casting director receives more than one submission for an actor through multiple agents, it is not uncommon for them to simply throw out
the head shot or delete the jpg. The casting director will not know which agent to contact for the talent, so it is easier for them to simply dismiss the actor for that project,
and find the talent with one agent submitting them.

The other problem that agents have with talent who are multi listed is that if a specific agent submits a model for a modeling job, they will tell the photographer
how much the fee will be for the talent. If the model is submitted by another agent, the photographer can play one agent off the other, and get another agent to underbid the
other agent’s fee. That makes it very hard and frustrating for agents. They get to the point where they don’t want to bother spending the time submitting the talent, because
they know there will be another agent who will ask for less money.

The other thing to consider before trying to multi list is understanding how much time do you really have for auditions and go-sees (the model’s audition).  If you are a full-time student or have a full-time job, you might not want to spend too much time attending auditions. Especially when you are first getting started, it generally works out best to have one local agent
(unless it is an area where everyone multi lists), get experience, and if you find that you want to continue in the industry in a more involved way, then perhaps begin looking for agents in other markets.

Let me know if you are working with more than one agent, and how that works for you! Leave a comment below.

About the Author: Aaron Marcus

Aaron Marcus has been a full-time actor and commercial model for over 33 years. His new book, How to Become a Successful Actor and Model is an Amazon Best Seller. Aaron has given his seminar: "Book the Job" over 700 times spanning 3 continents. He also offers online workshops. Aaron saves 5 days each month to give private on-line coaching sessions.