If you’re like many of us actors, the moment you hear the words “contracts” and “legal matters”, you let out a massive groan. You with me?

Contracts are a necessary part of the entertainment industry but they’re also not the most fun part of what we do. Whether you’re in the legal know or not, it is VITAL that you understand how to protect yourself and your career interests. Now, don’t worry, we’re not going all the way to law school today, but I do want to cover the basics to make sure you are on the right path.

6 tips for a positive agency contract signing experience

1. Get an attorney to look at the contract

   Always ask an attorney to review the contract if possible. Even if you are an experienced actor and have been around the block a time or two with agents, it’s always better to hand over a legal document for review by someone who’s entire job is looking at contracts (AKA an attorney!). They can alert you to any unusual wording or clauses or reassure you that the deal is a really sound one. Better safe than sorry!

2. Be wary of any pressure from an agent to sign immediately

   Big red flags should be waving in your mind if an agent ever tries to tries to talk you out of having a lawyer look at the contract or tries to pressure you to sign right there on the spot. Honestly you should also be concerned if they give you a tight deadline to review and return the contract, too! Neither of those responses are normal or necessary in this situation so be extra careful. That’s shady, and we don’t want to work with shady folks!

3. Take note of the time frame of the contract

   A 1 year contract is typically the industry standard for agent-talent contracts in the middle-class working actor arena. Anything over 1 year is not standard and should be heavily questioned. Don’t be shy to ask why they’re proposing a multi-year contract, continue to question if they don’t give a clear answer. If you still like the agent but don’t want to sign a multi-year deal, let them know and request a 1-year contract instead.

4. Double check all payment clauses

   Make sure the agent isn’t trying to take too much in commission rates! In the entertainment industry, 10% commission on what you earn from jobs that the agent was involved with you booking is the SAG-AFTRA standard and anything over 20% is SHADY. You should also be wary of any requests for payment for fees, up-front costs of signing with the agency or any sort of “all inclusive” headshot package they might present. Those practices are not normal of well-respected talent agencies. Beware.

5. Know the grounds for termination of the contract

   Do you know exactly what has to happen if you or the agent wants to end the partnership? Make sure you are crystal clear (and okay with) the grounds for termination of this contract. The time frames, proof, communication specifics, etc. should all be clearly defined and within reason so that you can leave the contract if you need to without jumping through a million stressful hoops.

6. Reference the SAG-AFTRA website for helpful information

   If you want to compare and contrast the contract you are given with “industry standard” examples, the SAG-AFTRA website has an entire list of documents they approve of and encourage their SAG franchised agents to use (click here to visit). Remember, educating yourself on the business gives you power!

i signed my agency contract - now what?

Congratulations! Hopefully you did your homework and due diligence and made sure that your contract was safe and in your best interest to sign. Now that you’ve signed the talent agency contract you’ll need to send a copy to your agent. Typically, these days this can be done via email with an email extension that allows you to sign the contract digitally (it’s still 100% legally binding). You can then save the signed version and send it back to the agent or designated contact. You’ll also want to save a copy of the contract in a folder on your computer or in your Google Drive in case you need to reference it.

From there, your new agent should confirm that they received the signed copy of the contract and outline the next steps they’d like to you take to get set up as a new member of their roster. This often involves sending over all your materials (headshots, resume, etc.), linking your casting profiles to your agent, understanding the agencies rules and contacts, and any other instructions per your agent’s discretion.

Get the full scoop on the basics of entertainment industry contracts in the It’s a Slate of Mind episode featuring actor and entertainment lawyer, Michael Anderson (all tips above are courtesy of him!). Do you know a friend who gets super stressed out about contracts and legal stuff? Send them this episode to help them out! Here’s to being well-rounded, and legally safe, actors! Until next time, my lovelies!

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