One of the most common questions I receive through my blog and social media accounts is, “What actors do you represent? Can you represent me?”

Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming response, and this being a one-woman operation, I am no longer able to take on actors as clients.

However, I am able to help in other ways. This blog started out as a place for me to share resources with actors. It has grown into something much bigger than that, but we are still focused on helping actors with their careers. The information on how to work directly with industry professionals is here for you!

If you are serious about pursuing a career as a professional actor, please read the blog posts and follow the advice given. If you have questions, please ask them in the comments.

Actors who are just starting out sometimes have a hard time understanding the role of agents and managers in their career. Many people are confused about what a manager does, and whether or not they really need one. And even those who do understand the difference sometimes don’t know where to start in finding representation.

The truth is that you do need an agent and you do need a manager – but you don’t necessarily need them right now, particularly if you’re just starting out.

When I started acting, I had no idea how to find an agent or manager. But once I was actually working, I found them pretty quickly! From time to time, I would encounter an agent or manager on set who liked my work and asked me to come in and meet with them. Once I went in and met with them, they offered me representation and it was all very exciting.

Of course, it’s not always that easy. Not every actor gets discovered over lunch on set (or ever!). And even if you do get found in this way, there’s no guarantee that the person you meet is going to be good at representing you. In fact, some of the first agents and managers that approached me after seeing my work were kind of lame.

One of the biggest problems I have with actors is that they are very often their own worst enemy. Few actors really understand the business of acting and what it takes to get work. Many of the things they do and say actually work against them getting work.

On a regular basis I get emails from actors who are looking for representation, or advise on how to get representation. They will send me a resume, headshots, cover letter and reel link; or they will ask me questions about representation in general.

Here’s my advice: Don’t waste your time looking for an agent or manager. Don’t waste your money on headshots and don’t bother with a resume either. If you want to work as an actor then you need to go out and get work yourself.

If you are in a big city then the best thing you can do is go out and meet people. Go to industry parties, seminars, workshops, classes etc and network like crazy. There is no better way to meet people than face-to-face. The more people you know in the business, the more likely it is that you will find someone who can help you get work.

If you live in small city then this may not be possible but there are still ways in which you

I have a question…

I’m an actor in Canada and would like to know if there are any agencies in the US that will accept Canadian clients? I’m looking for representation in the US and don’t know where to start, or if it’s even possible.

Thank you.

Take a moment to think about what it is that actors do, or at least what we think of them doing. We see them on stage and screen, but they are not just performing monkeys. There is a huge amount of training, rehearsal and work that goes on behind the scenes before anything gets in front of the camera.

Actors are working professionals and should be treated with respect. This isn’t just a matter of being polite; it’s also good business sense. Having an actor like you can only increase your chance at hiring them again in the future, or perhaps even having them refer you to other actors.

Because of this, you will want to work with actors who can give you their best — and that means happy ones! So here are some tips for ensuring that your time with actors is as productive and enjoyable for everyone involved.

It’s a very exciting time to be an actor in Toronto. CBC has just launched a new comedy show called Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays, starring Matt Watts and Bob Martin, and the first two episodes have gotten rave reviews (and I don’t mean from my mom). I had the privilege of being on set for the pilot episode in early May, and it was one of the most fun sets I’ve ever been on.

Michael is a psychiatrist who suffers from panic attacks. He’s quite literally falling apart at the seams, but still has to keep his patients happy. The show is shot with a single camera in front of a live audience of about 50 people. The audience laughs at all the right times, which is kind of creepy when you’re sitting in it because you know that they’re only laughing because they’ve been told to laugh. But it doesn’t matter because you end up laughing along with them anyway and there’s nothing you can do about it.

I was cast as a lawyer who comes to see Dr. Michael for anxiety issues because he thinks his wife is going to leave him… and she does!

I felt it would be useful to demonstrate how a list of non-acting credits can be used to query industry professionals.

Below I’ve created a simple example using Canadian actors only.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive and I’m sure I’ve missed many great Canadian actors. It’s just that after a while the sheer number of Canadian actors becomes overwhelming. So before the project got completely out of control I decided to limit myself to ten actors.

I’ll start with Stephen Amell, star of the CW’s Arrow TV series:

1) Stephen Amell – Arrow (TV Series – CW), Hung (TV Series – HBO), Heartland (TV Series – CBC), CSI: NY (TV Series – CBS), Da Kink in My Hair (TV Series – Global), ReGenesis (TV Series – Movie Central & The Movie Network), Dante’s Cove (TV Series – Here! TV)

2) Tatiana Maslany – Orphan Black (TV Series – Space Channel), Heartland (TV Series – CBC), Being Erica (TV Series – CBC), Instant Star (TV Series – CTV & TeenNick), Flashpoint (TV Series – CTV & CBS)

3) Emily Bett Rickards – Arrow (TV Series –