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May 15, 2012
Getting ready to audition in NYC or thinking about it for the future? Want to know what you need? INTRIGUE is here to help you bridge the gap from NYC foreigner to an auditioning Broadway local! There are 3 unique items to get started with. You need a proper headshot, a properly formatted resume, and the right agent! (agent not necessary to audition but highly encouraged) .
LETS TALK HEADSHOT!
Do you need to spend a $1000 for a headshot? NO! An agency will prefer you to have new head shots every 6 months. If you can’t do that then take new shots once a year. This may vary if your age and look does not change drastically enough. Remember you want the head shot to look like you so staying up to date with your current physical look and your current photo is important. A great head shot as of 2012 will range anywhere from $250 – $700 depending on the photographer demand, makeup & hair, and what package you may receive. Colored headshots is the current industry standard as of 2012. YOU WANT MINIMAL TOUCH UP AND NO AIRBRUSH. If you have a beauty mark on your cheek make sure the touchup artist does not remove it. It’s you and you are beautiful! Your eyes should be in focus with a healthy blurred background. Stay away from large plant life or parks as a background. To stay safe, find a brick background or any industrial look. A typical studio backdrop works as well. Below are a few links of only a few of many trending NYC photographers.
DIRTY SUGAR PHOTOGRAPHY - www.dirtysugarphotography.com
KEVIN THOMAS GARCIA PHOTOGRAPHY - www.kevinthomasgarcia.com
LEON LE PHOTOGRAPHY - www.leonlephotography.com
LETS TALK AGENTS!
Do I need an agent to audition in NYC? The good news is NO. Yay! But an agent helps tremendously. They help guide you to what auditions you should attend, submit you to casting directors looking for your type in a specific show, protect you in contract negotiations, and even have the opportunity to direct book you for a job (meaning no audition!). The longer you stay in the dance industry the more appropriate and necessary an agent will become. How much money does an agent get from a job I book? Good question! The typical fee is 10% of your gross. In any Broadway show and most jobs it comes out of your paycheck. If it is a Feature Film or any SAG job then the agency may receive a 10% fee on top of your check. So the job will pay your agents commission and not you.
Beware of bad agencies. If you meet an agent that asks for money up front. RUN OUT THE DOOR! Now they may suggest new headshots or even demand new shots to go with the current industry standard but that will be it. They could also suggest you submit yourself to an online casting website that requires a fee.
Meet with several agencies when searching for one. Make sure it’s a right fit. Some agents come with a year or so contract and other don’t. The name of the agency isn’t always the best match for you. You want an agent that you can talk to and not be lost in the shuffle. Try and meet with your agent at least once every few months to discuss what you can do to better your odds when auditioning. Call them once a week to stay in touch with auditions and build a healthy relationship. Below are just a few great dance agencies currently in NYC.
CLEAR TALENT GROUP - www.cleartalentgroup.com
BLOC AGENCY - http://nyc.blocagency.com/
MSA AGENCY - http://www.msaagency.com/
DDO AGENCY - http://www.ddoagency.com/
LETS TALK RESUME!
If you are just moving to NYC chances are your resume is either small or non existant. Not to worry! Every dancer begins with a small or empty resume. So what do I put? For the time being put any school project you may have done. If you won a dance title at a dance convention or competition put it down for now but at the earliest opportunity remove it and replace it with a professional working job. Think of everything you have done that you can put on there. Chances are it may sound better on paper than you think but never lie about a credit you never did. You may get caught and the last thing you want is to put any distrust or negativity onto a casting agent, director, choreographer or likewise. On the other hand there are always ways to making a credit you’ve done sound better than it may have been.
NEVER put any dates on your resume. Why? Because it ages you. You want to be ageless and coming across as experienced even if you are not. Keep your resume clean looking and easy to understand. Below is a template you can use to build your first professional NYC resume. You do not need to include every category if you haven’t been in a Broadway show etc.
Dance Resume Template (INTRIGUE)
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