Tips | eQuery Online

Who Should Use

What To Expect In Return

Submitting Your Demo Reel or Headshot

WHO SHOULD USE EQUERY ONLINE?

GEOGRAPHY

The eQuery Online service for actors is recommended primarily for actors based in one of the two major entertainment industry cities, namely Los Angeles or New York City, or those who can, and are willing to travel to one of those metro markets for auditions.

While the recipient list can include producers/directors, casting directors, agents/managers in other cities around the U.S. such as Miami, Chicago, D.C. etc. the list of individuals in such secondary markets may not be large enough to warrant a broadcast query if either L.A. or NYC is not included as one of the target markets.

REPRESENTATION STATUS

The eQuery Online service for actors gets results both for actors seeking an agent or manager, as well as actors already represented who want responses from producers/directors and casting directors. The online order form allows the user to custom tailor the query to his/her situation and needs.

HEADSHOT:

A professionally-taken 8x10 headshot is a necessity for anyone seeking to get acting roles. The headshot used should look like the actor. “Glamour shots” do not fit this definition. Investing the time & money to have taken a professionally done headshot shows a level of commitment on the part of the actor.

Those seeking to market themselves to the industry with a photo that is anything less should be realistic about the difficulty in achieving a positive response, unless perhaps the actor is mainly focused on gaining representation first and who is so strikingly good-looking that a prospective talent representative can’t help but respond. However even in such rare instances, the first instruction that potential agent or manager will give is for the actor to get headshots taken.

RÉSUMÉ:

Your résumé is a one-page list of your significant stage or screen roles, training/education, special skills, and your physical description (height/weight, hair & eye color) and contact information.

If you’re just starting out and haven’t had significant roles yet, you might include roles from scenes you’ve performed in acting classes to fill out the resume. If you’ve had no acting experience, and no classes either, one must again be realistic about the unlikelihood of a positive result in such a case. Again, even in the rare instance that a talent rep might be so enamored by your good-looks to consider taking you on as a client, one of the first things the agent will probably ask you to do is get some professional training.

The body of the résumé is traditionally formatted into three columns, one containing the name of the production, the second the name of the role you played (and perhaps the size of that role, i.e. “lead”, “supporting”, etc as well as the name of a recognized actor you may have played with), and the third the name of the director and production company. The accompanying graphic shows a sample résumé in this format.

[Click to Enlarge]

REPLIES:

Most recipients of the query won't respond.

Based on the volume of inqueries a producer/director, casting director or talent rep receives, it’s just not practical to send a return email to say "no thanks" to everyone. If you do receive them, consider it an extra courtesy.

Most replies are to express their interest for you to a) call them immediately to set up an audition time or b) send in a demo reel first as a precursor to scheduling an audition or c) send in a hardcopy of your headshot & resume, depending on the process they use or where they are in their production cycle.

SUBMITTING YOUR DEMO REEL OR HEADSHOT:

When fulfilling requests to mail your demo reel or hardcopy of headshot & resume, DO include a print out of their email request for it or a note reminding them that they've done so. Also writing "requested material" on the envelope, and/or a post-it note saying the same affixed to the actual reel or headshot (in case it gets passed on to them without the envelope by an assistant) is a good idea to distinguish it from the many unsolicited materials sent by other actors.

Don't expect your demo reel (whether on DVD, VHS, VCD) to be returned. Just consider the cost of the disc or tape the cost of doing business.

Contact

CONTACT:

It's not necessary for you to follow up after having sent your demo reel or headshot but you can if you want to.

Give them at least 1-2 weeks before following up by email or phone. It might take that long just for your reel or headshot to get to the top of their submission pile.