Agency Agreement

An agency agreement governs the ongoing cooperation between you and an agency that presents you to productions, pre-screens inquiries, and organizes bookings. It is not an agreement for a specific shoot, but for representation: what the agency is responsible for, what it is allowed to do on your behalf, and how it is paid.

What an agency takes care of for you

At its core, the focus is on placement and organization. The agency presents your sedcard to suitable productions, coordinates dates, obtains contracts, and is your point of contact if something is not right before or after the shoot. Reputable agencies also check the productions they refer you to, for example whether castings take place in a studio or a booked location and never in a private apartment.

What the agency does not take care of also belongs in the agreement. It does not shoot the content itself; as a rule, it is not a party to the model agreement between you and the production, and it does not decide your boundaries. The article How a Casting Agency Works and How It Makes Money describes what an agency’s work looks like in everyday practice.

Who pays the agency

This is the first question an agency agreement must answer. In our case, it is simple: The agency is paid by the production. Applicants pay nothing, neither for being accepted nor for photos, training, or registration.

Other models also exist in the industry, such as a placement commission deducted from the fee. In that case, it is crucial that the amount, calculation basis, and payment date are clearly stated and that the fee does not remain in an agency account. Upfront fees, before any booking has even been made, are instead a familiar pattern of dubious offers.

Commitment, power of attorney, and term

Agency agreements differ primarily in how strongly they bind you. A non-exclusive agreement allows you to use other agencies or work directly with productions. An exclusive agreement prohibits this, often for a specific territory or period, and should, in return, include a recognizable level of commitment from the agency.

Also check what the agency is allowed to do on your behalf. May it accept dates, sign contracts, or receive payments? Such a far-reaching power of attorney is rarely necessary. Most processes work well when the agency makes suggestions and you accept and sign for yourself.

Finally, the term: How long does the agreement apply, does it renew automatically, with what notice can you end it, and what happens with bookings the agency initiated before the end? Some agreements provide for continued remuneration for such follow-up bookings, and this should be limited in time.

Checklist for the discussion

• Who pays the agency, and will you incur any costs?
• Exclusive or non-exclusive, and for which territory?
• What powers of attorney does the agency receive, and which ones are expressly excluded?
• Term, termination, and arrangements for initiated bookings
• What happens to your data, photos, and sedcard after the agreement ends

A reputable agency answers these questions without evasion and gives you the agreement to read in advance. This entry explains the term and is not a substitute for legal advice.