Developing Talent Part 3: From Start to Finish
I'd like to take you through the entire process of getting someone started on the road to becoming a professional actor. More »

Developing Talent Part 2: The Adventure Begins
Now I'd like to take you through the entire process, using one of my actual clients. For the sake of discretion, we'll call her Holly. More »

Developing Talent Part 1: The Search for Fresh Faces
The entertainment industry is always hungry for fresh faces. This goes double during pilot season. That's why agents sign and develop young talent. We're all hoping to strike oil. More »

My Dinner With SAG
Last night, I decided to kick off the new year by having dinner with an old friend I haven't seen in a while. He's been going through a tough time, and I figured some good food and conversation might help. More »

Greetings From Bhutan
I know what you're thinking. What's a Hollywood type like me doing in this secluded place? Shouldn't I be in Aspen, hanging out with Brad and Angelina? More »

It's Resolution Time
As the year crawls to an end, I want you to take some time off from your acting career. Try to enjoy the holidays. The industry and all its frustrations will be here when you're done. More »

Not All Contracts Are Created Equal
As the year comes to an end, actors start thinking about all the changes they're going to make after the holidays. More »

Bring On the Gifts
It doesn't matter whether you're an established actor or you're just starting out. Showing gratitude is an important part of this business. More »

Happy Thanksgiving
The holiday season has a certain "circle of life" quality that I've always enjoyed. It starts with Thanksgiving, a day that allows us to look back, and it ends with New Year's, a day that inspires us to move forward. More »

Crazy is Just a State of Mind
Note to readers: Secret Agent Man is not available this week. He is on a medical retreat in Northern California. We received the following information from his psychiatrist, Dr. Jeffrey Newbauer. More »

An Open Letter to Workshop Companies
I'm sure you're busy searching for the stars of tomorrow, but if you have a moment, I'd like to point out a few shortcomings in the way you run your businesses. More »

Making the Jump From Co-Stars to Guest Stars
If you're just starting out, your first acting job in television will probably be a co-star role. That's where everyone begins. More »

A Halloween Tale
They belong to agents and managers and casting directors. These people used to be my friends. Now they're holding torches, chanting my name like it's a dirty word. More »

Lies From a Workshop
When I attend a workshop, the routine is usually the same. The evening starts with a group of agents answering questions, and then we watch a series of scenes and monologues. More »

Me and Back Stage
I started thinking about writing my own column. It would be brutally honest, the real deal from a working agent. But how could I possibly sign my name to something like that? I didn't want to hurt my career. More »

'No' is a Negative Word Used to Express Refusal
"No" is such a tiny little word. It has only one syllable and two letters. How strong could it be? Well, as we all know, it's one of the most common words heard in the entertainment industry, and it packs quite a wallop. More »

Stealing Clients 101
So how exactly do I find these actors? If you want to know how I sign established actors, the answer's simple. I steal them. More »

Zero-Budget Movies: Are They a Ticket to Sundance or a Waste of Time?
We live in a world where anyone with a digital camera and some decent software can create an actual movie. Filmmakers used to be the only artists who couldn't afford their own tools, but that's no longer true. More »

My Rebuttal
I realized there's a major disconnect between how actors see an agent's behavior and the reality behind our actions. More »

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Signing with an agent is a leap of faith. You hope for the best, but there's no way of knowing if the relationship is going to work until you're actually in it. More »

Agents, Actors, and Auditions
For an actor, change begins with an audition. It's the first step that might carry you off in many different directions. The same is true for agents. More »

There's More to Billing Than Meets the Eye
You want credit for your work. It's called billing, and next to money it's the most important deal point that agents negotiate on behalf of their clients. More »

What I Would do if I Were an Actor
My first move would be to make sure I'm ready to compete on a professional level. That means studying everything from scene study to audition technique to improv. More »

Your Special Skills
When it comes to submissions, every actor has the same question: Besides having a great headshot, how can I make my package stand out? Well, there are many ways to do this. More »

Casting Directors May be the Gatekeepers, But Agents are the Key Masters
The entertainment industry is like a private party guarded by the finest security team in the business. If you're not invited, then you ain't getting in. That's why you need an agent. More »