Talent agents search for talent, they also help models, actors, musicians, professional athletes, and various others find work in the entertainment industry. They connect the talent with the casting directors, production companies, photographers and advertising agencies that are seeking people to fill certain roles or needs for their company. They typically have access to casting services that are not known or available to the public. Agents work for commission, so they are paid a percentage of the talent that they are working withs earnings and works, in exchange for promoting and defending the talent through their career and future endeavors. Some agencies may only specialize in a certain area of work. A good example would be like an agency that covers theatre, film and television versus an agency that only helps those looking for film work. The only job is to get the actor or client in general auditions; at that point it is up to the talent to get that job. Agents will typically receive 10 percent commission for the work that they manage to find for the talent.
The talent manager helps the talent market themselves and help them make the choices they need to make to develop their career by guiding them on their headshot and resume. They can set up the meetings with agents, help pick out the best headshots, aid in the creation of the talent's resume and help them find a good agency. The manager will also help the actor ready themselves for the role they are seeking and give them all the needed information for that role. There is some blur between the duties of talent agents and managers. Some managers provide coaching to the talent before an audition. They can also help promote talent to agencies and help them decide on the best one to represent them. A talent manager may also advise talent on acting classes and coaching, find a photographer for their headshots and answer any questions they may have when it comes to their career in the industry. The talent manager will usually earn a 15 percent commission on any work their client gets, that they have found for that client in Philadelphia.
The Casting Director helps put together a team for movies, TV shows, theatrical productions, commercials, corporate videos, and music videos while working alongside writers, directors, producers, studios, talent agents and actors. They hold auditions for actors and also negotiate and manage any contracts with the talent. While they may work independently, sometimes they will be employed by a casting agency or studio. Upon casting for certain roles, they will send out “breakdowns” looking for talent that may match a certain ethnicity, age, appearance, language type or have certain talents and skills. Auditions are requested by the casting director through the talent’s agent. It is important for an actor to develop a good relationship with the casting directors in their area being that they may work together very often when the casting director is holding auditions. Casting directors also are known to handle the negotiating money, billing and scheduling with the actors and agents. Most of the Casting Directors tend to be associated with the national organization for professional casting directors, The Casting Society of America (CSA) in Philadelphia.
The producer works with the writer to produce a script for film, television series, theatrical production or commercial and also negotiates the contract of legal rights that will help pave the way for making a production come to life. When looking at film, the producer will be the one working out the feature-length screenplay, sometimes solo or co creating. They also have responsibilities with overseeing the casting, hiring the director, and assembling a top not film crew. They coordinate all of post production work with editing, soundtrack commissions and the promotional work done by the actors or actresses to promote the production while ensuring that there is a proper budget in place.
