Talent scouting
BBC - h2g2 - Talent Agencies
Scouting for Talent
As a junior agent, you generally have to make the rounds. If you’re a casting agent, this means attending end of year shows at the drama schools and keeping an eye on early evening television in case there’s anyone worth poaching.
If you’re a literary agent (which means you represent directors and writers) you spend most of your evenings in fringe theatres, searching for the next Sam Mendes or David Hare.
And then there’s the showreels, and the short films, and the scripts. Lots of them.
If you are an experienced agent or belong to a large agency, the talent generally comes to you - often introduced by those on the production side. If a producer who has a good relationship with your agency finds a bright young writer, they will tend to push them your way. And there’s always that weather eye open for anyone who may be unhappy with their current representation.
