Hi! Everyone. I recently received what I would consider to be a discouraging email from my daughter's local agent. It stated that unless we are able to be in NY of LA for 3-4+ months at a time the chances of her doing anything are slim to none. We have attended an IMTA convention, and 2 agent showcases. 1 in NY and 1 in LA per advice of her out of state manager that she picked up after IMTA in 2007 but we still have no agency representation. I have made several requests for consideration for possible agency representation through CIF with those who state they are looking for new talent and have made some inquiries on my own for her but no one seems to get back to me. Am I to assume that Dominique does not have the look for commercial print or acting since we have not had any success with getting an agent outside of our local one. I am doing all that I can and know. She has taken numerous classes and workshops and we will continue to have her do so. We want to do all that we can to help but I honestly do not know where to go from here. Since the nearly 2 years she has been with our local agent she has only auditioned 3 times and she most recently auditioned for a commercial but she got that opportunity following finishing up with acting classes at a well known casting directors place in PA. Fortunately, she has a great attitude and says she is having fun just trying and is doing her best. I am looking for auditions as much as possible through a local listing on the internet but I don't know where else to look for opportunities.  Where do I go from here? We are not looking for stardom for her just an opportunity to do some commercials or commercial print work. As a matter of fact. Dominique loves to act and model but she will tell you she wants to become a lawyer some day but in the meanwhile until I am old enought to work at that I would like to act and model. I don't know how to answer her when she asks how can she get to be on an advertisement page. I guess I know now why CIF has a psychologist on staff, as a parent I sure can tell you I am very discouraged and don't know where to go from here or what to do. Any thoughts or advice would be so appreciated. Sorry for such a long message and thanks for any help and for reading.

Hi Gayle,

First of all, I think your daughter is beautiful and has a great look!  From what I gathered off your note, you live in the PA area??  Maybe her getting auditions and/or agent has to do with the location you're in?  In Texas, your daughter's look is all we ever seem to see in the breakdowns for print, commercials, etc.  In fact, we're in LA right now and finding that there are more opportunities for my son here than in Texas because of his look.  I guess what I'm saying is...maybe it's a geographical thing?  I don't know.  I can't imagine why she wouldn't be getting auditions, though, coming from what we've seen in Texas.  I think some of the best advice I've ever received was that "the acting career is not a sprint...it's a marathon".  That things take time to build and very few people have the overnight successes that we seem to hear so much about.  Hang in there.  If you have the resources, maybe try submitting her for things outside of the typical area that you've been looking.  Just a thought.

Blessings,

Candy

Hi Gayle,

I believe Candy is spot on, location is extremely important.  I see you are located in Ohio.  My husband's occupation took us to Canton, Ohio in 2006.  I completely understand your discouragement and have two recommendations that I hope will help. First, did you know there are numerous successful people in the business who were born and raised in Ohio?  Check out the biography on imdb.com of Katie Holmes, Dave Chappelle, Meg Morman, Drew Carey, Sarah Jessica Parker...wow, I could go on and on.  Have your gorgeous, talented daughter read their biographies and watch the twinkle in her eyes!  Secondly, if you haven't already, call Lynne Heyman at Heyman Talent Agency~http://www.heymantalent.com/.  Ask for her directly.  My daughter was signed with her agency but only for a short period of time as we were in Ohio for only one year.  She covers several states surrounding Ohio and with your daughter's looks and talents I have to believe she can get some exciting experiences.

Sure hope this all helps. 

Many Blessings,

Tracy

 Hi! Candy,

Thanks so much for the advice and kind words. You have a very handsome young man!! I am sure he will do well.  We do have her registered with the NY casting networks site and we try to submit for roles or print work as much as possible. We had attended an Agent showcase in LA and were willing to stay for awhile if needed but she was not picked up by an agent during the time so we ended up coming back to Ohio. I like the part about this being a marathon and I do know that it takes alot of perseverance. Thanks for taking out the time to help us it is definitely very much appreciated!!

Blessings to you as well!!!

Gayle

Hi! Tracy,

You have a very beautiful daughter!! What gorgeous eyes. I really appreciate all your help and advice. I was recommended Heyman Talent Agency awhile ago but at the time I did not inquire because she has a 2 year exclusive contract in Ohio with her current local agent. I did not know that Heyman covers other states as well, so I will definitely look into it. So, thanks so much for taking out the time to pass along the info. I wish you and your beautiful daughter much success!!!

Blessings to you,

Gayle

 Hi,

My name is Carey and I have an LA based management company.  After, reading your concern I have one question.  Can you and your daughter be on the East/West coast for 3 months?  I sounds like you are doing everyting you should, however, maybe there has been lack of communication on the agency side.  It happens all the time.  If she is not being marketed, they it will be slow going. You do need to be where the industry is.  Auditions are daily at times and other days you could wait for months.  Its all about right place right time.  I would like to hear more from you as to your daughters career.

I  

Hi! Carey,

 Thanks for your time and for responding. Dominique is represented by a local agent and she was picked up by a management company following IMTA but we still do not have any agent representation. Her manager was to find her an agent but after 2 agent showcases 1 in NY and another in LA, she still does not have 1 unfortunately. We were willing to go to NY or LA for summer but when her mgr. said she would aggressively market her 2 wks. before we would come, I did not feel comfortable as I could not understand why she was not being aggressively marketed all along. I know I am not an industry pro. but couldn't she have marketed her throughout the year and gotten some agency interest in her so that when it came summer we could have possibly been signed up with someone so that she could have possibly gone on some auditions over the summer? Coming to NY without her having an agent and having to leave my job and have no income coming in and having to pay for housing without her having an agent for her, I just was leery.  Maybe I am wrong in all this, and please correct me if I am wrong in how the steps are usually taken. Meanwhile, we keep seeking and praying. I am submitting her as much as I can and I am looking for auditons for her on my own. She is taking alot of classes and just finished up a 6 wk summer acting camp with a former LA acting coach and will be attending a workshop next wk. with an LA casting director and will hopefully be able to attend another workshop with another LA coach next month. She will be beginning dance classes in a couple of weeks. She has a great attitude in all this and knows she has to attend as many acting classes as she can.

    I appreciate your time and thoughts. Thanks!

  Gayle

 Dear Gayle:

 I also agree that Dominique has a great look. If you told me that she only wanted to act on TV shows and film, then I would say that she would need to be in NY or L.A. However, Ohio is actually a very good secondary market. I booked a great job for Nationwide Insurance that was shot in Columbus, and just last week had a wonderful print shoot in Cleveland with an incredible photographer, and a very creative ad agency. Both the photographer and ad agency are based in Cleveland.

 One of the problems that people have when getting started is not having the right kinds of photos that really represent them well. Quite often people only create fashion or glamorous looking shots that just are not right for them.You need to use your strength and not try to fit into a category that is not right for you. 

 If you get a chance to read my book, How to Become a Successful Commercial Model, you will learn how to create the right shots, market your daughter and even try and get work on your own. I would still send every job through an agent, but you can help your agent by marketing yourself.

As a suggestion, I would first create some strong commercial shots, then find an agent near you to help submit your daughter for jobs. If you follow the marketing suggestions I offer in my book, then you will be giving Dominique her best opportunity to work in the industry.

 She seems to have a great attitude, and so do you. This can be a frustrating industry, but each experience can help you get more work in the future.

 Best wishes.

Aaron Marcus

Thank you so much for taking the time out to respond to me! Can you guess, which book I recently purchased several months ago sitting on my desk, that I glance at nearly every day? Can you guess what website I have gone to,  to get modeling tips? That's right!! The Very impressive Mr. Aaron Marcus!!! What a miracle that I have your book and here you are taking out time to respond to me! I can not thank you enough!! I have been reading and we are trying to apply your advice and we will all the more continue to read cover to cover. I do have one BIG problem, I have a local agent who has told us that unless we go to LA or NY that her chances for getting work are too slim and unfortunately, that even included with them, commercial print. They say their opportunities for commercial print is too sporadic and doesn't come very often. So, I am completely on my own for this because of what they said and after looking on various sites for commercial print opportunites in Ohio, I have found only 1 that we were able to submit to. I just actually finished reading today about your tips about finding agents and wish I read your book about signing with agents page before I signed a contract just over a year ago that is exclusive for Ohio and we have not had even 1 commerical print Go-See. So, it is quite discouraging and we are just not sure where to go from here. I guess I know what I will be reading and re-reading for awhile.

I do so very much appreciate your kindness and your encouraging words. I will indeed do all I can to follow your marketing suggestions. Are you offering any workshops or seminars in my area? Any more advice or recommendations are welcome. We have had photos taken by some commercial photographers from Cleveland and I have been pleased. I guess I need to learn more on what to do for obtaining work, but through your book I am sure I will. Thanks a million!!

By the way, love your pictures on pages 22, 23 and 26 especially!

 Gayle, thank you so much for your kind words about my book. Gayle, there will be much more work available for Dominique as she gets older. Having said that, I would still try and get any work available in the Ohio area. You might be surprised what is out there. Try the Ohio Film Commission to see if there are any movies coming to town. Check out all of the local theaters for auditions. Maybe call some colleges to see if they need teens for up-coming plays.

 You also want to send photos to all the art/creative directors and photographers in the area.

Best wishes to you both.

 Take care.

Aaron Marcus