Tony Nation of Actors Connection Reveals “How To Get & Keep An Agent”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 4, 2009 – Why is it so hard to get represented by a talent agent? And once you get an agent, how do you get them to keep calling you back for auditions? This is the battle cry of almost every actor looking to secure and maintain talent representation. Tony Nation, President/Partner of Actors Connection, New York City’s largest educational and networking studio for professional actors, reveals these secrets and more in a brand new DVD seminar available on Amazon.com called “How to Get & Keep An Agent,” directed and edited by actor turned filmmaker Michael Stever.
“As an actor, you’re a living, breathing product, but if you don’t know how to properly approach the industry and market yourself, agents won’t know what to do with you,” said Nation. “In my seminar, I share my knowledge and industry secrets that I’ve learned as both an owner of Actors Connection and as a professional actor myself.”
In the DVD, Nation offers an honest approach to securing and maintaining an actor’s relationship with his or her agent, while outlining the following helpful tips and tools: Knowing Your Type and What You’re Selling, Making a Great First Impression, Correspondence/Following Up, Creating the Perfect Cover Letter, Selecting the Right Headshots, Creating a Winning Resume, Reading/Interviewing for an Agent, To Sign or Freelance, Showcases, Classes & Networking Seminars and how to keep your relationship going once you’ve secured representation. This DVD will help actors learn all about talent agencies and how to select the right agent.
Many actors who have attended Nation’s seminars at Actors Connection have gone on to stellar success in the business including stage and screen actress Lori Hammel (Film – “Burn After Reading”; TV – “As The World Turns”; Broadway and National Tour – “Mamma Mia”), as well as news anchor, professional spokesperson/host and MediaImageCoach.com owner Patricia Murphy-Stark.
“Tony has a wealth of information for proactive actors,” said Hammel. “He knows the New York market and lays out an action plan step by step for getting and keeping an agent…Very informative – I took notes!”
Actors Connection is New York City’s largest educational and networking studio for professional actors that has been “Opening Doors” to New York’s top agents, casting directors and personal managers since 1991. Not only does it provide the highest quality audition technique classes in the Big Apple, it is also one of the most affordable acting schools in New York. With over 100 seminars, classes and special events a month, Actors Connection offers the working actor an extraordinary opportunity. Whether you’re seeking representation, focusing on new areas of the acting business, striving to improve your auditioning skills, or simply networking, Actors Connection provides you with ALL of the necessary tools for success in today’s acting market!
Tony Nation has thrilled audiences throughout his performing career from Off-Broadway to numerous regional theatres across the country, to film and TV, concerts and recordings. For two years, he hosted the national entertainment show PREMIUM TV and was most recently seen on the NBC-TV series CONVICTION as well as ABC-TV’s ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Tony also had the honor of being in the critically acclaimed American Photographer and Conceptual Artist Laurie Simmons’ first feature film-THE MUSIC OF REGRET starring Meryl Streep. Off-Broadway, he was one of the original cast members for FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2001: A Spoof Odyssey, which was awarded the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical Revue. Tony can also be heard on the original soundtrack for FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2001 on DRG Records. Memorable performances include three different productions of the Kopit-Yeston PHANTOM as the title character, Adam/Noah in CHILDREN OF EDEN at the Human Race Theatre, Lancelot in CAMELOT AT THE CAROUSEL, and the Prince in CINDERELLA at Casa Manana.
Having worked successfully as an actor for nearly twenty years, Michael Stever’s relationship with Actors Connection has been a long-standing one, yet didn’t begin until after he’d already chosen to explore the production end of the business. “It was really during my transitional phase about 10 years ago, while taking myself out of my own comfort zone that Tony and I met,” said Stever. “’We Open Doors’ is such an important and integral motto. It might be easy to assume that it means ‘We’ll open the doors for you so you don’t have to do any of the work,’ but nothing could be further from the truth. For those who are determined, driven and have a focus, working with Actors Connection can truly open doors within oneself, which are limitless. That’s the key to what makes Actors Connection special.”
Stever is now merging the perfect union of industry smarts and technical savvy. His short film, “Ghosts Of Zion & Michael Nyman,” was recently featured at the indie film website, Shooting People. Stever is a full-time freelance cameraman, filmmaker and writer shooting and editing mini-DV projects all over New York City. For nearly three years, he worked as Unit Production Manager on the critically acclaimed documentary, “Broadway: The Golden Age” and its two sequels. Recent clients include Broadway vets Mary Bond Davis as well as Judy McLane at West Bank Cafe’s Laurie Beechman Theatre, musical virtuoso Janice Martin, the Screen Actors Guild’s BookPals group, Barnes & Noble and PlayBill magazine columnist Ellis Nassour. He’s also the official cameraman for The Brini Maxwell Show podcasts.
