I have one question… Do you ask questions?Do you walk into a meeting with an agent or manager ready to ask some questions? Should you? ..Well Keep reading.

It’s so hard to get these meetings that actors need to make the most of them when they finally happen. Too many actors “wing it” and just think a great meeting is about being charming. That’s a nice start, but it’s not very competitive by itself.

Many actors tell me that they were afraid to ask questions because the rep would lose interest or be offended. It is in an actor’s best interest to ask the hard questions up front so they might avoid months of regret.

I have talked to plenty of top agents about this and they say they have more respect for the actor that comes in and has great questions. It’s your career! If you can’t speak candidly with your agent then something’s wrong.

You also seem less desperate if you have a few questions for them. My friend Tom Harrison at Diverse Talent Group once commented to me that in his experience actors are the first people to walk into an office and give up all their power.

And while I might think that there are no stupid questions you can ask, that is not to say that all questions are wise.

There are lazy questions. Don’t walk into an agent’s office and ask them who some of their clients are. Walk in and tell them who some of their clients are. Show them you care enough about joining their client roster that you took five minutes to research it. Imdbpro.com has all the information you’ll need.

There are pointless questions. It doesn’t matter why they became an agent or if they like what they do. You also can’t rely on them to tell the truth. Can’t look on imdbpro.com for the answer to that one.

There are hostile questions. Don’t bring past experiences into a new office. If that last agent never got you out, don’t come into the prospective agent’s office complaining about the last guy. Also, don’t come in with a chip on your shoulder. Clean slate. But it would be wise to ask how often this agent’s clients go out and how often you should expect to go out each week or month.

There are too many questions. Choose your battles. Choose your questions. Twenty questions isn’t a game when you’re sitting in a top manager’s office, it’s annoying. Five is just fine if they’re the right questions. Each of you may have different needs, so you’ll ask different questions.

There are no questions. What!? This just seems sad. If you walk into an agent or manager’s office and you have no questions to ask them I am not sure you really belong in the room. Your research alone should lead to a question or two.

And sometimes it’s in the execution.

There are awkward ways to ask questions. Maybe don’t sit there with a list. Part of an actor’s job is memorization. Show us some of those skills right there in our offices. You won’t need to write them down if you carefully select those few choice questions.

Also, don’t just rattle off your questions like it’s a murder investigation. True, we might get some insight into how you’ll play a detective, but nobody wants to be interrogated in their own office. The best way to ask those tough questions is with a smile on your face, or at least in a non-confrontational way.

Here are just a few examples of great questions you can ask agents and managers.

“How many of your clients make a living from acting?“

You need to know this up front. So few actors make a living from acting that it definitely separates the great agencies/management firms from the average. And if a rep is being arrogant or throwing around attitude, it’s the perfect question to neutralize them.

“How many clients do you have at the moment?”

It’s a fair question. Of course, you can get a pretty good idea of how many they have up on imdbpro but still, it’s a fair question. You want to know that an agency is going to be able to give you the time and energy needed for you to be developed.

“How many clients in a given category will you handle?”

I know. You’re unique. There’s no one out there quite like you. Now wake up. Of course there are people out there like you. But does your agent represent ten of them? It’s one thing if they have ten other women in their 30’s. It’s another thing entirely if they have ten other leading ladies with blonde hair in their 30’s!

“How would you submit me?“

If they answer, “hard copies,” run! Seriously, you should know how they see you and the types of roles they would submit you for. The answer may seem obvious to you but opinions vary. You should know going in if they only see you as a day player.

“How often do we meet, speak, check in, etc.?”

Managers will generally spend more time with you because they have fewer clients. Again, it’s all relative but know how often will make you happy.

Some reps will never want to see you. This is fine if the reason is because they are out there helping generate auditions and offers for you. But if nothing is happening you need to find out how they’re spending their time. Which leads me to my next question.

“Do you make your living from talent representation?”

This is a question that may sound tough to ask but you’d be shocked at how many reps would give you a surprising answer. On one level, it’s none of your business. Maybe a manager or agent makes a ton of money on investments that don’t require a lot of time and attention. But on another level, it is absolutely your business to know if a prospective manager is doing this full-time. The answers might shock you.

You will learn a lot from their answers but even more from how they answer. If any of these questions seem to throw them off or put them on the defensive, they might not be the agent for you. You at least need to go into the relationship knowing they’re not looking at you as an equal.

Don’t let the numbers take away your power. Agents and managers need actors to make their livings. No, they don’t necessarily need you, but then you don’t necessarily need any one agent or manager either. Don’t jump at the first person that bites if you get a bad vibe off of them.

Actors should choose their questions carefully and not allow fear, or a lack of preparation, ruin their meetings. Remember, the only stupid question is the one you were too scared to ask.

—-This was a great blog written by Mark Sikes, a very well known casting director in LA. View his site at  http://more.showfax.com/columns/corner/index.html 

Now, go out there and get em! 

Andy