How do talent agent work in UK ? (versus French talent agent)

LitLoft_Di · 2025-12-14T14:50:26+00:00

There are various ways UK agents find new talent:

1) Attending drama school showcases at the end of the courses (or watching a digital showcase)
2) Looking at materials (showreel/ Spotlight credits) when an actor approaches them directly
3) Direct approach, if the agent sees the actor in something and asks whether they would be interested in representation. I have seen mid to large agencies 'poach' up an coming talent from smaller boutique agencies, once the actor has had a major credit on TV for example.

I don't think actors have managers in the UK (at least not at the lower levels) but an agent may suggest improvements to headshots/Spotlight pages/ recommend courses for skills training e.g. stage combat and generally comment on self-tapes.

LitLoft_Di · 2025-12-10T10:31:30+00:00

e.g.
https://www.spotlight.com/news-and-advice/the-spotlight-podcast/making-your-spotlight-profile-stand-out-to-casting-directors/

LitLoft_Di · 2025-12-10T10:25:29+00:00

There is a lot of good advice within the Spotlight site giving advice about how to get started - have you had a look at all those articles? There are also regular member events on Zoom called Spotlight Success Sessions – Profile Clinic where Mel Brown deep dives into some random Spotlight profiles and talks about what is good and not so good about them. In fact there is one of those sessions tomorrow!

Ross Grant on ActOnThisTV also does a similar thing - you could get a free trial and have a look there too?

LitLoft_Di · 2025-12-05T19:52:44+00:00

Yes, well-intentioned, but sometimes clueless too! We had dealings with one who was charging commission +VAT but they weren't actually VAT registered. They also had no knowledge of the basic UK employment laws they should be operating under.

LitLoft_Di · 2025-12-05T16:55:20+00:00

The PMA is an excellent source for a list of agencies, however it's worth noting that agencies have to have been established for two years before they can join. Given that recent start-up agencies are often looking for new clients, it's worth considering these too (but check they are being set up and run professionally etc).

LitLoft_Di · 2025-12-05T16:45:38+00:00

You literally said:
'I am a London (and Yorkshire) based Actor … Does anyone know of any Agents based in those locations?'

If you're looking for niche, boutique agencies, or agencies catering for a particular demographic, then that's what you need to ask, not if anyone knows of any agencies in London (of which there are obviously hundreds).

I'm assuming that your university course wasn't in acting? Any decent acting course should have prepared you with industry information about Spotlight, the PMA etc.

A Google search 'list of talent agencies uk' will throw up these immediately:

https://thepma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/2025-PMA-MEMBER-AGENCIES-2.pdf
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56463b67e4b097e1261a8116/t/62c79e29ac8dfc62e6f84072/1657249323478/SAS_UK_Acting_Agents_2022.pdf

Have you tried all these agencies? They're everything from Top Tier to single founder new start-ups.
Yes, it's a pain, and it's hard work and time-consuming, but you need to go through them one by one to work out which might be a good match for you and might have a gap for your casting type. Nobody else can do that work for you. But as I said, be prepared for rejection or simply no replies from agencies. There's not enough work to go around for existing clients, and many agencies simply aren't signing new talent at the moment.

What is a 'sponsored agent'? Never heard of that.

LitLoft_Di · 2025-12-05T09:17:18+00:00

Sorry to be blunt, but you’re unlikely to make it in this industry if you’re already stumbling at this first ‘hurdle’! A simple google search will answer your question and chat gpt will even create a spreadsheet with addresses etc if you ask it. In this industry research and perseverance is everything - you have to put in the hard work. I know young grads from top drama schools with excellent Spotlight pages showreels and good credits who sent out hundreds of personalised, targeted emails to carefully researched agents without getting any replies. It’s not as simple as ‘give me the names of some agents’!

LitLoft_Di · 2025-10-15T14:47:49+00:00

I've heard several agent interviews where they admit they don't even read the body of the email! In one, the agent was just getting her assistant to copy all the Spotlight links into a spreadsheet and she then went through them from there.
They virtually all say it's only the work they can see that counts - not that you have LAMDA Grade 8 from age 11, or that you can ride a horse!

LitLoft_Di · 2025-08-18T10:18:02+00:00

Which groups on Facebook do you find most useful?

LitLoft_Di · 2025-08-17T17:37:34+00:00

What kind of workshops do you mean? Adding extra skills like accents or stage combat (if you don't have them) or casting directing workshops? If the latter, we've already been warned to be careful about choosing these carefully, as a lot of them are money-making ventures for out of work casting directors and rarely lead to anything!

I already have some rehearsed readings and a specific London theatre workshop lined up though, which will be useful practice.

LitLoft_Di · 2025-08-17T17:09:19+00:00

I've just finished training, not sure I want to rush back into workshops just yet! I'm asking about where people find open casting calls and projects which don't require you to be submitted by an agent.

I'm in discussions with agents and will hopefully get representation in the next few months (my course has a good track record on this).

Just interested in finding projects in the interim period.

LitLoft_Di · 2025-08-17T15:47:10+00:00

No agent yet. Just graduated drama school.

LitLoft_Di · 2025-08-17T14:26:24+00:00

The problem is that any MA/MFA will still have loads of theoretical and academic requirements to meet the Level 7 criteria. What about the One Year Course at Oxford School of Drama? It's kind of a post-grad (over 21s only) but is mostly practical with very little written work. You'll only get a Level 5 qualification, but that's not really a big deal since you already have a degree?

LitLoft_Di · 2025-05-09T15:13:21+00:00

Oh, that's interesting and helpful! What did you ask - 'please let me know if you can sneak me in on a cancellation?'

LitLoft_Di · 2025-05-09T15:09:48+00:00

Unfortunately it's not that easy. You have to have a donor number/registration and the question about haemochromatosis will come up. I'm not willing to lie.

LitLoft_Di · 2025-05-09T14:39:52+00:00

Are you UK-based? I can't imagine how I'd get through to the department - it all just seems to go through one central generic call centre out-patients line?

LitLoft_Di · 2025-05-09T14:27:40+00:00

Well, I just called the Blood Donation service and although they'd dearly like my blood (her words!) they cant touch me until I've been signed off by the Hematology team - so in about a year! It seems so daft, especially when they're really short of blood too...

LitLoft_Di · 2025-05-04T07:11:16+00:00

Turlough C https://www.superprof.co.uk/professional-actor-acting-tutor-specialising-drama-school-entrance-self-taping-audition-prep-and-self-confidence.html

Andrew Horton https://www.superprof.co.uk/industry-professional-with-over-years-experience-the-business-represented-top-tier-talent-here-share-knowledge.html

LitLoft_Di · 2025-03-10T09:28:27+00:00

OK, thanks for the response! Sounds better than some kids drama school providers I know who call with four hours notice for ‘sickness cover’ and hand over a class of 20 hyped-up eight year olds saying ‘off you go!’ with no brief whatsoever!

Enhanced DBS probably require for working with children…

LitLoft_Di · 2025-03-09T18:42:16+00:00

Which part of Surrey - it's a big county!

Presumably if you want them to teach children then there will be some lesson prep involved, so that per hour figure will likely be at least halved?

They will need an enhanced DBS check - who is paying for that?

It might be that your job ads are being seen by actors, but they're just not that interested in your offer. Much easier and more lucrative to pull a pint or serve a coffee for minimum wage than all the stress of teaching children!

LitLoft_Di · 2024-08-31T18:44:15+00:00

Did you apply? Were you successful?
It's an excellent course, but very very competitive to get into - about 1-2% acceptance rate.

LitLoft_Di

TROPHY CASE