Are people just rude because it gives them some kind of self satisfaction? A misplaced feeling of power? I really don't get it!
I'm pretty sure we're all in agreement that this business is hard. Much harder than anyone ever truly is able to convey. (One thing my professors lacked was the ability to tell us all what we were getting into. Thank you professors for dropping that ball...that energy ball...)
That being said, shouldn't we all be in this together more or less?
I was contacted by an agency in PA recently. (Those clever few of you who know me better than others can guess who) I had not reached out to them. As far as I know I hadn't. Like all good actors I keep my log of mail outs and submissions. So they reached out to me.
First off, PA. It's not my market. It's not too difficult to get there. And I know plenty of people who do that trek on a regular basis. Hell, I know plenty of people who travel in from Long Island which at times could be just as much of a journey as the train to PA. So it's not unheard of. Ideally I would rather not go there but it's an option.
So I replied to their email with some simple questions. Mostly logistics.
Do you ever send your clients to auditions in NY (my primary market)?
Is there a sister or affiliated agency in NY you could refer me to if PA isn't too viable an option?
And of course lots of thank-you's.
The reply was 2 lines. Essentially saying they represent people in the tri-state area. Which I knew, but thanks. And to re-apply when I'm ready to travel to PA.
Thank you but no thank you. There are ways to say things and this was not it. It's a smaller market anyway and will not do much to push my career forward. I looked at it as just a possible something extra to have in my corner, but I feel like they're the kind of agency that just sends people out for whatever, over-saturating auditions until someone books it and they can get their commission.
Don't need em.
Don't want them.
But can't we just be a little nicer to people out there? Anyone else ever have issues with these smaller boutique agencies acting like this? As I write I also think it's an attitude they adopt because they think it's how the big agencies like Abrams operate.
**This is also a lesson in 'Trust your Gut. Nearly all of the comments online about this agency are negative. The only positive ones are THEY THEMSELVES defending their reputation. Red flag anyone? Way to help that reputation.
