Latest / The Demia Avery Show / Who’s Got NEXT? CESD VP David Doan on the Future of Emerging Talent

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Who’s Got NEXT? CESD VP David Doan on the Future of Emerging Talent · The Demia Avery Show

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If you got a dream, come closer. [music]
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If you want to shine, come over. We're
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breaking all the rules tonight.
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Yeah, we stepping [music]
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in the spotlight. This the industry
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[music]
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where everybody trying to be
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[music] lights.
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>> [music]
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>> Hello everyone. This is Demia Avery with
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the Demia Avery Show, the industry. And
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my guest today has had the rare
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opportunity to see the industry from
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just about every side of the table as a
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talent manager, a casting director, and
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now as an agent. Along the way, he's
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helped cast shows like Victorious and
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Big Time Rush. And he earned a daytime
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Annie nomination for casting. And today,
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he helps discover and develop emerging
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talent as VP of emerging talent at CESD
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talent agency in New York City. So
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actors, you might want to pay attention
1:05
to this one. Please welcome to the Deia
1:07
Avery Show, David Don. Welcome.
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>> Thank you so much, Deia. I appreciate
1:12
you having me. H
1:14
>> You're quite welcome. And I am saying
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that right. The last name right is
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>> you are. Yep. Like phone.
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>> Got it. Got it. Got it. Now look. Okay.
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So like I said, you've been a manager, a
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casting director, agent. You basically
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sat in every chair an actor is nervous
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about.
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How has seeing the business from all
1:36
those different sides changed the way
1:38
you look at talent?
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you know, I think more so being on the
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casting side changes how I um how I am
1:48
an agent and you know, I was a manager
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first and that's kind of where I learned
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the business. But when I was hired at
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Nickelodeon, um just seeing things from
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the other side really changed my view of
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how this all works.
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>> Um you know, when you're a rep, an agent
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or a manager, you're fighting to get
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appointments and getting your actors
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seen. Back in the day when I started,
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everyone was going in the room for
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auditions. So, you didn't know what they
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were doing. You didn't know what you
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know was happening in that room. Now,
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it's very different because everything
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is self tape and we're seeing it come
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through our desks before it goes to
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casting. But just being on the casting
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side and seeing multiple people every
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day doing the same audition and
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different takes on it really kind of
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opened my eyes to what really works.
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Because if you're an agent and you see,
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you know, a couple auditions for the
2:40
same role, you can, you know, kind of
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identify what works within that small
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group of people. But when you're seeing
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a really large amount of actors doing
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the same thing, it becomes very clear
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what kind of pops and what works and
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what you know is people are responding
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to.
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>> Yeah. Now again, and you mentioned
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Nickelodeon and during the area like
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Victorious and the big time push. When
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you look at back at that time,
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>> uh, and you mentioned this briefly,
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>> what I guess still carries with you, is
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that, you know, from that time period,
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is that what still carries with you now
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going forward?
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Yeah, I mean it is a very different time
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in the industry. You know, uh
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Nickelodeon doesn't even have a New York
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casting office. Everything is kind of
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hired out through third party uh casting
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directors. But back in the day when I
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was there, yeah, we were seeing people
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in 1515 Broadway, you know, in in the
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MTV building where everything was uh VH1
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and all of that. It it was a very
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exciting time. Um, I think, you know,
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just what I carry is everything that
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I've learned from being in that
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building, not just at Nickelodeon, but
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just being in that massive building.
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>> Um, and you know, just learning that
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side of the business uh was a very
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valuable asset for me to as being an
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agent uh today.
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>> I would imagine with all those different
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uh companies, entities, is it was it a
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lot of chaos? Like fun chaos, good
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chaos? Oh yeah. No, it was a super fun
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building to work in. You know that like
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TRL was in that building if you remember
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back in the day where aging myself a
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little bit. But um yeah, it was just it
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was just a really fun vibe and
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atmosphere to be in. You know, really
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creative people um all seemingly loving
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their jobs and just a really great vibe
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uh to be in
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>> now. Okay. So, you're an agent now?
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>> Yes. with uh CESD when you're
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considering signing someone? What's
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grabbing your attention these days? And
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and has what you're looking for, has
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that changed throughout the years?
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>> Yeah, I think it changes all the time to
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be honest. You follow the trends
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obviously. You want to make sure that
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you have what people are looking for.
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Um, you know, I work a lot with young
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talent, um, with a very strong, uh,
5:10
emphasis on 18 to early 20s because that
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seems to be
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>> what everyone wants these days, you
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know, especially 18 to play younger. U,
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but I also work with a lot of young
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people, younger people, kids. Um, so,
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you know, it depends. You know,
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sometimes I look for
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actors of, you know, that might be
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different and unique that's not on my
5:34
list already. Um, you know, we try not
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to have too many of the same types on
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our list. Um, and just, you know,
5:41
interesting people with diverse
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backgrounds and skill sets. Um, I think
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is all something that we pay attention
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to. And like I said, it depending on
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what my list looks like currently, I may
5:54
be like, okay, I need this type or I
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need this, you know, ethnicity. I I
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don't have anyone in this category. So,
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I pay attention to that as well. But
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then there's also times where I will
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meet an actor where I'm like, I don't
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need this type.
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>> And they'll blow me away and I'm like,
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okay, I love this person. I want to work
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with you. So it's sometimes it's about
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type and age and sometimes it's about
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something completely different
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>> and you just kind of know when you see
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it
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>> if it's someone that you are responding
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to and agents are have all every we all
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have different opinions and different
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thoughts like I've certainly passed on
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people that have gone to become huge
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stars and you know and I've signed
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people that have never booked a job but
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it's not really about that for me I
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think it's about just finding people
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that you believe in and support and want
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to be a part of their journey.
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>> Now, you know what? It's so funny
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because I I know from our side of things
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and I want to know if this this happens
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with you too that a lot of actors that
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submit to you all
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>> they they feel like sometimes that is re
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a rejection on their talent as opposed
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to like I already have five of the same
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kind of
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>> right
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>> character and I mean not character but
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the actor
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Do you Yeah. Do you get that? And do you
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find that some people find it as being
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rejection?
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>> Um I do. I mean, if I responded to every
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uh submission email that I get, like
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cold submission in my email every day, I
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would not be doing my job because they
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come a lot.
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>> I do look at every, you know, email that
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comes in. Um, you know, if it's someone
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that is, uh, you know, sub submitting to
7:46
me that's in their 50s, I don't even
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look at their materials because I don't
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focus on that age. If it's someone that
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looks interesting, I'll pass it along to
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the larger group at the agency that only
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focuses on 18 plus.
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>> Okay.
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>> Um, but, you know, it's it's hard. It's
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really hard out there for actors. I know
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there's so many really talented folks
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that can't find representation, and it's
8:09
not always about their talent. It's
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sometimes about timing, finding the
8:13
right fit, um an agent that you know
8:16
really responds to your work or your
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materials. Um so yeah, there is I think
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a lot of uh rejection out there that
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actors feel from agents. Um and I I feel
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like most of it is coming that they're
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just not getting responses. Um, and so I
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encourage people to like follow up and
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you know it's because one at one point I
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may not respond to someone and six
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months later I might
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>> actually respond to someone and whether
8:45
it's in their materials or their updated
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marketing materials um head shot or you
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know even a self taped scene that
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they've done that you know will give us
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a sense of what they do
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>> is I think really helpful but yeah it's
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very it's very tough um I think for a
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lot of actors
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uh seeking representation
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>> today.
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>> Now, [snorts] okay, so actors I I get
9:10
this in my email and these are questions
9:13
that I get all the time, but the one
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question that I get most is they say
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that they hear the word marketable all
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the time. Like, you know, sometimes they
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have absolutely no idea what being
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marketable means. And and what would you
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say from your standpoint someone would
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be marketable to you?
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>> Um I think the materials really speak
9:38
volumes um as to if someone's
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marketable, especially if they're brand
9:42
new and they don't have you know
9:44
professional reel or a you know a a a
9:48
really stacked resume. Mhm.
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>> Marketable means someone that you can
9:53
see,
9:55
you know, a need for in the industry.
9:58
Like right now, there's a huge um need
10:01
for, as I mentioned earlier, that 18 to
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early 20s range that can play younger.
10:07
There's a there's so many shows out
10:09
there that want that right now. Um, you
10:12
know, uh, I think the only exception to
10:14
that is Disney Channel, which they want
10:16
real teens, but for the most part,
10:18
you're seeing all of these series come
10:19
out and they're you're they'll say 18 to
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play younger. And we still deal with
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certain types um, like,
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>> you know, the high school quarterback
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and, you know, the the cheerleader, you
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know, there are still those sort of
10:33
stock characters that people are looking
10:35
for. They're not as um defined as they
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were back in the day, I would say. You
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know, um like when I was at Nickelodeon
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and the during the Victoria search, they
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were very specific types that they were
10:48
looking for. Um so I think just being
10:52
mark marketable is being something that
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is of I mean that is just trending in
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the industry and that's always going to
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be I think the case with this age range
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of 18 to early 20s. Um, and just being a
11:07
specific,
11:09
you know, having your own sort of unique
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look and style and, you know,
11:14
>> right,
11:15
>> is is is I think also very important,
11:18
but then you have like those roles that
11:20
go to the people that are exactly what
11:23
they're looking for physically and, you
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know, uh, they present themselves
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exactly like what they're looking for,
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you know, and then, um,
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>> like I said, like the jock and the band
11:33
geek and there's all these sort of stock
11:35
characters, you know, that start that
11:37
they start with and this is the type
11:39
we're looking for. And then oftentimes
11:41
through the audition process that can
11:43
change.
11:43
>> Yeah.
11:44
>> And you'll see what they started looking
11:46
at has shifted a little bit. And
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sometimes that comes from the actors
11:51
that they're seeing and they're starting
11:53
to say, "Okay, now I can open my mind to
11:57
this character a little bit more." Um
11:59
because we've all seen roles that have
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been released one way and they go
12:04
completely other direction by the time
12:06
they're through the process.
12:08
>> Yeah. Because I would imagine and being
12:10
marketable kind of summing up what
12:12
you're saying, it's ever changing. So
12:14
what was what was marketable at this
12:17
point is something totally different
12:20
now. So I would have just just go in
12:23
there and just do you. You know what I
12:25
mean? because you just don't know and
12:27
you can't change your your you know the
12:32
whole personality of you by what every
12:35
which way that the wind blows because it
12:37
doesn't come across authentic. Would you
12:39
agree with that?
12:40
>> I totally agree with that. You can
12:42
certainly costume yourself up or you
12:44
know put your put you know certain
12:48
hairds or makeup to kind of uh hint at
12:51
what you think they're looking for. But
12:53
at the end of the day, they're going to
12:54
be looking for
12:55
>> the person that they feel is the most
12:58
right for bringing a character to life.
13:01
And when you're pretending to not to be
13:04
something else, especially with these
13:06
auditions, you're not bringing your true
13:07
authentic self to it. So, I think it's
13:10
helpful to to to just know that yeah,
13:13
you're going to you have to bring
13:15
yourself to whatever you're auditioning
13:17
for. And if you're going to be right, if
13:19
they're going to respond to you, it's
13:21
not going to be because of what clothes
13:23
you wore or how your hair looks or, you
13:26
know, how much makeup you have on or
13:28
whatever the case may be. They're going
13:30
to respond to the person.
13:33
>> Yeah.
13:33
>> But not the other stuff.
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>> Right. Right. Now, okay, you get a lot
13:39
of emails. We we established that. So,
13:42
they're hoping to get representation.
13:44
what makes you like when you get this
13:46
email, what makes you keep looking at
13:48
that person and what are some of the
13:50
things that can make you lose interest
13:52
very quickly?
13:54
>> Um, you know, I don't think it needs to
13:56
be there. I get a lot of emails that are
13:58
like really long, you know, like if
14:00
we're if it's not a referral from
14:02
someone. Yeah.
14:04
like a, you know, a casting director or
14:06
a manager or an acting coach or just a
14:08
client that is, you know, if it's not a
14:10
referral and it's a cold email and I'm
14:12
looking through it, I do quickly glance
14:15
through it and the first thing I notice
14:17
is what they look like, their age range,
14:20
you know, um what kind of materials they
14:22
have together, if they've worked before,
14:24
if they're studying, you know, who
14:26
they've studied with. Um, and I
14:28
definitely think it's super important. I
14:30
I get emails a lot that does that from
14:33
people that's like I want to be an
14:34
actor. How can I you know and but they
14:37
don't include anything about themselves.
14:38
I don't know. [laughter]
14:40
>> I want to be an actor. I get that all
14:43
the time. [laughter]
14:44
>> How can I submit to you? You know, I'm
14:46
like, well, by doing it this way, that's
14:48
not the the best way because I'm going
14:50
to ignore that email. But if you send an
14:53
email with
14:54
>> even if it's, you know, because I work
14:55
with kids as well, I don't expect them
14:57
to have professional thousand head shot,
15:00
but something that looks current that is
15:03
clear, you know, I don't need to see,
15:06
you know, people outside, you know, do I
15:09
don't need to see pictures outside of a
15:11
head shot, you know, and even if it's
15:13
not a professional headsh shot, right?
15:15
um something that you know can act as a
15:17
headsh shot that just shows me what you
15:19
look like and how old you play and and
15:21
all of that. But, you know, sometimes
15:22
people will send so much information in
15:25
an email that it's just overkill, you
15:27
know. Um, I know people send like to try
15:30
to capture your attention by, you know,
15:33
making a a reference to someone on my
15:35
list and they've seen their movies. And
15:37
I think that's kind of an interesting
15:38
way to kind of try to grab someone's
15:41
attention. But I think it doesn't need
15:43
to be souped up to where it's just a
15:45
bunch of, you know, uh, uh, words that
15:49
I'm not going to sit and read during my
15:51
day. So, I think it needs to be short,
15:53
succinct,
15:54
>> uh, succinct, and, um, you know, just a
15:56
picture, a resume, and a video link of
16:00
something. It doesn't have to be a
16:01
professional reel, but something that
16:03
shows me what you do.
16:04
>> Yeah.
16:05
>> Because without that,
16:07
>> you know, a picture only goes so far.
16:09
You can say, "Oh, they're they're cute.
16:11
That's someone I, you know, uh, don't
16:13
have their type, but I also need to see
16:15
some sort of video of what you do. Yeah.
16:18
Something, a self tape that you've done
16:20
or a monologue even. Um, but something
16:22
that just gives me a better sense of
16:24
what you are um, who you are as an
16:26
actor.
16:27
>> Yeah. Well, you represented talent at
16:30
different stages of their careers. What
16:32
happens when an actor is doing
16:33
everything right, but you and the actor
16:36
don't necessarily agree on what their
16:38
career should look like? how to how do
16:40
you navigate that relationship?
16:42
>> I mean, it's just it's communication,
16:45
you know? Um, if there's someone that
16:47
we're completely different, you know, if
16:49
we're on a different u wavelength of
16:52
what what we're thinking, then it may
16:54
not be the right fit.
16:55
>> Um, but I think for the most part, just
16:58
communicating um with your agent or your
17:01
manager um making sure that they know
17:04
what your goals are and what you're, you
17:06
know, interested in. I have many people
17:08
that won't do horror movies for example
17:11
or they won't do the multicam type of
17:14
shows like Disney Channel or it's a
17:17
dying breed I feel like these days but
17:19
they don't have that kind of comedy in
17:21
them. Um, so it's just knowing what the
17:24
strengths are, um, and what they're
17:26
interested in. And, um, you know, there
17:30
are oftentimes people are just not the
17:32
right fit for the right agent. And, and
17:35
that's not necessarily,
17:37
uh, meaning that they're not right for
17:39
the industry. But, you know, you you do
17:42
have to kind of be aligned um, in terms
17:44
of what you are
17:46
looking to do with, you know, uh, what
17:49
you what you're looking to do with your
17:50
career. Um, there are people that I work
17:54
with that, you know, never meet a
17:55
deadline and, you know, it gets
17:57
frustrating and like, is this something
17:58
you're serious about? Because there's so
18:00
many other people out there that really
18:02
want this. So, I think just making sure
18:04
that communication with your agent is
18:08
um,
18:08
>> you know, I have a lot of kids in in
18:10
college, too, and, you know, in high
18:12
school, and they have they have a lot of
18:14
things going on, and they can't always
18:16
make make deadlines. But if you just
18:19
communicate with us, um, I think that
18:21
it's easier to understand someone's
18:23
schedule rather than having to chase
18:25
after people when they haven't gotten
18:28
their tape in on time and haven't
18:29
emailed us about it. So, there's a lot
18:32
of that I think that goes goes with it.
18:34
But because I do work with young people
18:36
as well as young adults, um it
18:39
definitely is a different approach when
18:41
you're, you know, when your parents are
18:44
running the game or when you hit 18 and
18:46
you're in college and you have to be
18:47
more responsible um and, you know,
18:50
communicate for yourself. So, I I do
18:52
find sometimes that's a struggle when
18:54
when they cross over from graduating
18:56
high school to going into college. Mhm.
18:59
>> Um, and I'm I'm, you know, I understand
19:02
that it's not something that every kid
19:04
is ready to do on their own, but, you
19:06
know, we try to we try to make sure at
19:09
least the teens that are getting into
19:10
that, you know, junior, senior, and high
19:12
school world that they're starting to be
19:15
on the emails and starting to be able to
19:17
take some responsibility for for
19:19
everything and it's not all on their
19:20
parents um any longer.
19:22
>> Now, I'm glad you mentioned the parents
19:24
because I do have a question.
19:25
>> Yes.
19:26
>> Okay.
19:28
because you've worked with so many
19:30
parents and of course young talent. What
19:33
makes a parent an agent's dream to work
19:36
with and what you know what can a parent
19:39
do that makes you think oh lord this is
19:41
going to be a long relationship?
19:43
[laughter]
19:44
>> Yes. I mean um yeah I mean I've been
19:46
doing this for a little over 25 years so
19:48
I have definitely seen a vast array of
19:52
styles in parenting. And I think the
19:55
first thing is communication. As I
19:57
mentioned before, just making sure that
20:00
you're communicating with us. Like I
20:02
said, if you need an extension, let us
20:04
know. Um,
20:06
giving us information when you're not
20:08
going to be out of town. Just booking
20:10
out, making sure we know what's going on
20:12
with you, you know, and just
20:16
I think and just not being overbearing
20:18
or too much. There are a lot of young
20:21
actors whose parents um you know get a
20:26
lot of information from message boards
20:29
and all of this stuff and so a lot of
20:31
parents are in the know about what's
20:33
going on and what auditions are active
20:35
and you know so I think not putting not
20:40
uh
20:42
making your agent feel like they're not
20:44
doing their job um by you know oh I
20:47
heard this audition is out. why isn't my
20:49
daughter getting this audition? I think
20:51
there has to be a level of trust where
20:54
if there's not um it's not going to work
20:57
and that's going to just annoy your
20:59
agent. You obviously we want your child,
21:02
if this is a young actor to work. If
21:05
you're an adult, obviously we want you
21:07
to work. We don't make money until you
21:10
do.
21:10
>> Right? So, you wouldn't be on my list if
21:12
I didn't think you could, you know, have
21:15
the potential to book work. Um, but
21:18
there are oftent times, and and this
21:20
goes more with, you know, young actors
21:22
with the parents that they can see them,
21:24
you know, and I get this. I don't have
21:26
children, but if I did, I would think,
21:28
yeah, they can do anything. They're my
21:30
special child, you know. So, I think
21:31
sometimes parents can get um in their
21:36
head a little bit where they think that
21:37
their child is right for everything when
21:39
in reality they're really not. Um
21:42
[laughter]
21:44
>> so, we kind of have to like, you know,
21:46
give them a reality check sometimes like
21:49
this is not
21:50
>> this is not
21:52
>> what we should be pursuing there, you
21:53
know.
21:54
Um so yeah it's it's a lot of just trust
21:58
and communication and you know uh making
22:01
sure that we are
22:05
>> yeah that you're good and you know what
22:07
I I noticed too and and
22:10
>> every parent you know either whether
22:13
they have that dream themselves living
22:15
through their children
22:17
>> or they're just wanting their children
22:19
their ch their child is extremely
22:21
talented and they just want to do the
22:24
best for their children, but that they
22:26
do, I would assume, and I want to know
22:28
if you agree that they have to give up a
22:32
little bit of control. they have to give
22:34
up control and and let the agent
22:38
do or you know since the agent is the
22:41
one that's helping them get these roles
22:44
they have to like you said to have a
22:45
level of trust in that agent that
22:48
they're going to tell them the right
22:49
thing or do the right things or let that
22:52
be a real conversation between you guys
22:55
so that you know it's for the betterment
22:57
of your child. Would you agree to that?
23:00
>> Absolutely 100%. And you know, and
23:02
there's so many times where I'll get a
23:04
call or an email from a parent where
23:06
they'll ask about an audition and why
23:08
didn't we get this audition? I'm like,
23:10
well, because you're white and this is
23:12
for an Asian girl or, you know, and they
23:14
just don't have they don't have all the
23:16
information.
23:17
>> Right. Right. Right. There's a project
23:19
that we were working on where they
23:20
didn't hire the I mean this is just one
23:23
of a million but where you know they
23:25
finally hired the dad and so all the
23:28
auditions that they saw from different
23:30
ethnicities didn't matter anymore
23:32
because they now have a dad that they
23:34
need to match with the child that
23:35
they're booking and these kind of
23:37
examples go on and on but um but oftent
23:40
times that's where I think the
23:41
miscommunication comes with these um
23:44
message boards or whatnot where there's
23:46
information that is not fully accurate.
23:49
Um, it drives drives reps a little crazy
23:53
sometimes when we're constantly having
23:55
to answer those types of questions. So,
23:57
it goes back to trust. If you're not
24:00
able or willing to trust the agent that
24:02
you're with, um, it's probably not going
24:05
to be a long relationship.
24:07
>> Yeah. Yeah. Now, I have one more
24:09
question before we have a little fun.
24:11
>> Sure.
24:11
>> Okay. So, you've been doing this a long
24:13
time and you've probably had enough uh
24:17
times where you thought, I didn't see
24:20
that coming. What's one of the biggest
24:22
surprises in this business, you know,
24:24
that talent has taught you? What would
24:27
you what would you say?
24:28
>> You know, I would say, okay, there are
24:32
it's there's a lot of things that
24:33
surprise me in this business. Sometimes
24:35
it's just like I had no clue that this
24:40
person was going to like rise to the
24:41
challenge this quickly. You know, there
24:43
are a lot of people that are in this
24:44
developmental stage of their careers and
24:46
I sign developmental people because I
24:48
it's what I do and that's and I work
24:50
with young people and they're all
24:52
developmental really. But I think some
24:54
of the surprises is I, you know, will
24:56
work with a talent for four years or so
24:58
that I just believe in so much and
25:00
haven't booked one co-star, you know, or
25:03
anything, but I'm not dropping them. I
25:05
want to, you know, let's keep we're
25:06
going to keep trying this. And I think
25:08
the some big surprises what happens when
25:11
someone with zero credits books a huge
25:13
job, you know, and that is kind of like
25:16
the best feeling in the world. um just
25:19
to have,
25:21
you know, supported someone for so long
25:23
with no return of your investment. Um
25:26
>> to put it in those terms and then all of
25:29
a sudden they book us a huge job and
25:31
it's just like wow, wow,
25:33
>> it's not going to the usual people that
25:35
you think are the ones that are going to
25:37
book it, you know, the name folks.
25:39
>> Um so that's that's really fun for me.
25:42
um you know and then also the folks that
25:44
you do actually build and build and they
25:47
book these co-stars and then guest stars
25:49
and then they get their first series
25:51
regular you know I don't know that's not
25:53
quite answering your question but that's
25:55
the fun
25:56
>> of the job is telling someone
25:59
>> that they booked their first job someone
26:00
that you you know oh and then there are
26:03
many times this has happened to me which
26:05
I I also love where I sign someone and
26:09
the very first audition I send them they
26:12
And sometimes that can be bad as well
26:14
because they expect things are going to
26:16
be [laughter]
26:17
>> I have had I have had many many
26:20
experiences where someone I've signed
26:22
and sent their very first audition they
26:24
book a Broadway show or a series.
26:26
>> Yeah.
26:27
>> And then it it's harder to make sure
26:29
that you're like this is not how it
26:30
usually happens. [laughter]
26:32
So don't get
26:33
>> this is great. This is great. We're
26:35
gonna we're gonna keep it right here for
26:36
[laughter]
26:37
>> Exactly. But I will say more often than
26:39
not, I have um I have signed people that
26:42
have booked right away and and and that
26:45
is amazing and awesome, but it's also,
26:48
you know, where you need to like ground
26:50
them a little bit and say, "Okay, this
26:52
is this is not how it always works.
26:54
[laughter]
26:55
>> People put years and years and years
26:57
into this
26:59
kind of job like you just booked on your
27:01
first try." So
27:02
>> Wow. Wow. Okay, David. So, we're going
27:05
to play a little game. The game is
27:07
called yes, no, or it depends. So, I'm
27:10
going to give you something an actor
27:12
might do. You have three choices. Yes,
27:16
no, or an agent's favorite. It depends.
27:22
>> And then you have to tell me why. Okay,
27:24
you ready?
27:24
>> Okay.
27:25
>> You can't think about it too hard,
27:27
though.
27:27
>> All right.
27:28
>> Okay. The first one. An actor reaches
27:30
out to an agent on Instagram.
27:35
Um
27:37
it depends. [laughter]
27:39
It depends. I think that uh it is
27:43
not the best way to do it. But I will
27:46
say there are times where in the reverse
27:50
I have reached out to actors through
27:52
their Instagram. You know what I mean?
27:54
Um so I think it
27:58
it just it depends.
28:00
>> Yeah. [laughter]
28:01
I think it depends on what the what the
28:03
reach out looks like. You know, a a
28:05
simple inquiry that brings someone to
28:08
your Instagram page can absolutely get
28:11
an agent like, "Oh, who is this person?
28:14
This is really interesting." Because
28:15
like I said, sometimes just scrolling
28:18
through like Instagram. I don't even do
28:20
Tik Tok. I'm too old for that.
28:22
>> [laughter]
28:22
>> just like scrolling through Instagram, I
28:24
do find a ton of people that are super
28:26
interesting and I will from their
28:28
Instagram look them up to see if they're
28:30
represented.
28:31
>> Yeah.
28:32
>> You know, or if a lot of times actors
28:35
will put their rep their representation
28:36
on their Instagram to make it very
28:38
clear. I don't reach out to people that
28:40
have representation.
28:42
>> Um I just don't play that game. There's
28:45
actors to go around. But yeah, I think
28:47
it's it it depends. It's not something I
28:50
would say definitely no to. And I do
28:52
have people that reach out to me on my
28:53
Instagram. A lot of times they're like
28:55
hidden in that section where I don't see
28:57
them for that.
28:59
>> Yeah.
28:59
>> But then I'll look and I'll be like,
29:00
"Oh, wow. Look at all these folks." So I
29:02
will I'll check out their Instagram.
29:04
Sure. And if it's someone that seems
29:06
interesting to me, I might explore
29:09
further.
29:10
>> Awesome. Okay, next one. An actor
29:12
changes their look without telling their
29:14
agent.
29:15
>> No, no, no. [laughter]
29:18
I mean, no, you should not do that.
29:20
Especially if we're pitching you, you
29:22
know, uh, for something specific and
29:25
then you get a self tape back and
29:26
they're hair, they shaved their hair off
29:28
or dyed it a different color. I think
29:31
it's fine to do that, but I think it
29:33
needs to be um,
29:35
>> you need to have that discussion with
29:36
your
29:38
I think we could have an opinion on I
29:40
don't think you should do that or Okay,
29:42
that sounds interesting. um make sure we
29:45
have a current picture of you so we
29:46
know, you know, we're not sending
29:50
a headsh shot to a casting director and
29:51
they're going to be like, "What? This is
29:53
a different person." So,
29:54
>> don't change your look without
29:56
discussing your agent. Yeah.
29:58
>> Is the role could have been for for some
30:00
sweet woman with flowers dressed in
30:03
flowers and they show up with earrings.
30:07
>> Exactly. Exactly. So,
30:10
>> okay. So, an a an actor decides they're
30:13
going to move to New York with no agent,
30:15
no job, and $2,000 in a bank.
30:19
>> I mean, yes, go for it. I I moved to to
30:23
New York two days after I graduated
30:25
college. I I went to school for theater.
30:27
I I thought I wanted to be an actor for
30:29
a short period of time, but I moved here
30:32
with less than that in my pocket and no
30:34
agent, but a lot of friends that were
30:36
moving here at the same time. So I think
30:39
if it's an industry that you love and
30:42
want to work in, there's so many other
30:44
areas in which you can be involved as
30:47
well. Um most agents, managers, casting
30:50
directors, um many of them I would say
30:53
were actors when they were younger or
30:54
wanted to be actors when they were
30:56
younger. And when I moved to New York
30:58
and started waiting tables, uh I found
31:00
my way into an internship that was in a
31:03
casting office and I that's when I kind
31:05
of realized ah this is what I want to
31:08
do. I don't want to be an actor. I don't
31:10
have I don't have the nerve to do that.
31:12
Um but I want to work in the
31:14
entertainment industry. So if you if you
31:16
really want to do it, you have to kind
31:18
of take a leap. So, uh I don't think you
31:21
should make, you know, uh bad decisions
31:25
over that, but I think if you if you
31:28
want to if you want to do it,
31:30
>> go for it.
31:30
>> Yeah. Go for it. Go for it.
31:31
>> Yeah. [laughter]
31:33
>> Okay. An actor walks into your office
31:35
and says, "So, how long how long you
31:39
think it'll take you to make me famous?"
31:41
>> I would say, "Turn around, get out." No.
31:44
[laughter]
31:45
Except if it's a child. If it's a kid,
31:47
that's a very different thing. But if
31:48
it's an adult actor that just wants to
31:50
be famous, I don't want to work with
31:51
them. You know, if that's if that's what
31:53
their goal is, I want to work with and
31:56
most I would say agents and managers
31:58
would feel the same. They don't want
31:59
people chasing fame. They want people
32:01
that love the work. And cuz there's a
32:04
lot of jobs out there that, you know,
32:07
uh, are not going to make you famous,
32:09
you know, but it's going to make you a
32:10
better actor and it's going to make you
32:12
your next job more viable because you
32:15
have that experience and you have the
32:17
clips from whatever you you know, even
32:19
if it's a short film or something. Um, I
32:22
do I do make that exception with young
32:24
kids because I do hear that a lot with
32:26
the really young ones. They just want to
32:28
be famous.
32:29
That's [laughter] so and at that age you
32:32
don't know what exactly you need a
32:34
personality you need a support system
32:36
around you and you need um
32:39
>> you know you need to be having fun when
32:41
you're doing this and that part of that
32:43
with young people is the desire to want
32:46
to be on television or be famous or you
32:50
know do what they're seeing on
32:52
television and I think as you age as you
32:55
get older um your priorities shift and
32:58
it's not about being famous per se, but
33:01
it's about being a working actor.
33:03
>> Yes. Yes. Now, how about this one? An
33:06
actor puts represented by CESD in their
33:10
bio before you actually agreed to
33:12
represent them.
33:13
>> Oh, yeah. No, no, don't do that. No,
33:16
>> I'm fine with them putting that anywhere
33:19
once we're both on board with each
33:21
other, but yeah, don't don't put that.
33:23
That could work very very much against
33:25
you.
33:26
>> Well, that could be bad. Yeah. Yeah.
33:28
[laughter]
33:29
Director reaches out to me and said,
33:31
"Oh, your client so and so." I'm like,
33:32
"I don't know who that is." [laughter]
33:36
>> Okay, just a couple more. An actor sends
33:38
you a 14minute reel and says, "The good
33:41
stuff starts around minute nine."
33:43
>> Uh, no. Cut that. Cut that. Cut it to
33:46
where the good stuff starts. No one's
33:48
going to watch a 14-minute reel
33:50
>> unless maybe I it's a client of mine and
33:52
I want to see what they have and we, you
33:54
know, we're trying to figure out what's
33:55
best. uh to to use or to put out front.
33:59
But if you're just trying to get
34:00
representation and someone sends me a
34:02
14-minute reel, I will never watch the
34:04
whole thing. Um I will watch some of it
34:07
and if I'm intrigued, I'll watch a
34:08
little bit more or skip ahead and see
34:10
what else is on there and then want to
34:12
take a meeting to see who they are as a
34:14
person
34:15
>> cuz ultimately you want to like the
34:16
people you're working with. Um, there
34:19
are people that are super talented that
34:20
are just not nice people that I would I
34:24
I'd just rather not, you know, to be
34:26
honest. I I want to work with good
34:28
people and people that are kind and um
34:32
gracious and, you know, uh so yeah, I I
34:36
don't ever send a 14minute reel unless
34:38
unless an agent says, "I want to see
34:41
more.
34:41
>> I want to see the I want to see more."
34:44
>> Yeah, exactly. But I wouldn't start with
34:46
14 minutes because no one's going to
34:47
watch that.
34:48
>> No. [laughter]
34:49
Okay. So, the last one. An actor sees
34:51
you on the Demia Avery show tonight and
34:54
finds your email address.
34:56
>> Sends you their head shot before the
34:57
credits finish rolling. Yes. No, or
35:01
>> Yes. Good for them. [laughter] Good for
35:03
them. Absolutely. My email is super easy
35:05
to find. It's on our website. So, it's
35:07
not like it's a hard thing to get. It's
35:09
on IMDb. I mean, I think it's most
35:12
agents are pretty their their emails at
35:14
least are pretty accessible. But yeah,
35:17
like you know, of course, if if if
35:19
someone emails me and puts in the
35:22
subject line, they you know, and I I'll
35:24
pay I'll pay extra attention if that's
35:25
what they're, you know, uh if they're
35:28
they're being brought to me because of
35:30
this this interview, you know. Um
35:32
absolutely.
35:33
>> Awesome, David. Thank you. This has been
35:35
so much fun and thank you for giving
35:37
actors something even more valuable than
35:39
a list of dos and don'ts and a better
35:42
understanding of what actually happens
35:43
on the other side of the table. So,
35:45
thank you so much for hanging out with
35:47
me and
35:48
>> of course it's so lovely to to to to
35:50
meet you and and thank you so much for
35:52
having me and um yeah,
35:55
>> if I if I if I hear hear from anyone.
35:58
[laughter]
35:59
>> Well, you know, you might get a lot of
36:01
emails now, right?
36:01
>> I know. I know. I'm like, "Oh, maybe I
36:03
should." [laughter]
36:05
>> All right, everybody. Everybody
36:06
watching, you know what to do. Subscribe
36:08
to the Demia Avery Show, the industry
36:10
for more conversations with people like
36:13
David who really know how this business
36:15
really works. I'll see you next time.
36:17
Talk to you soon. Bye-bye.