Acting Managers: Roles and Responsibilities
August 19, 2010 by Improv Site
Filed under acting techniques
Most all good actors and actresses will have an acting manager to represent them. It comes with the territory. Acting is a demanding career that requires you to be fully focused at all times. That’s hard to do when you are worrying about getting interviews, setting up auditions, negotiating your salary and so on. You need to be focused on your acting and that’s where acting managers come into the picture.
What are the roles and responsibilities of an acting manager? Your manager is the one that guides your career and they have a variety of responsibilities. Your whole career can be affected by the choice you make when you pick an acting manager to represent you. One of their main jobs is to find you work and if they do it well, you will both benefit.
They have the connections that will help you get interviews that you wouldn’t even know about without their help. They can negotiate and handle your contract and make sure you are protected and well cared for. They help to get your foot in the door and then it’s up to you to blow them away. If disputes pop up between you and a producer, your manager will be there to help resolve it and come to a solution that suits both of you.
Your acting manager will oversee your day and handle all of your business that pertains to acting. They set the direction that you need to follow so you have some type of order. This makes it easier for you to concentrate on your performance. Your manager can represent you to casting directors that can help to develop your career. They take a hands-on approach that is more personal than an agency and the extra attention can really make a difference in this very competitive profession.
Acting managers give you advice and counsel when it’s needed. They are your mentor and they have a huge impact on your future. This means that your career is greatly affected by the advice that is given to you by your manager. They help to shape your career by helping you gather the materials to further your career such as headshots, putting together resumes and extra training if needed.
A good acting manager will be paid a percentage of the money you receive for the jobs you perform after you get paid. They will not get money upfront. Normally, they make between 5 and 10 percent of your salary but this will vary. They should never charge extra fees so if they do; you need to find out why. They are committed to getting you work because that is how they get paid. An acting manager can be a huge access to your career. Choose wisely and you will both benefit.
