Chantria Tram: For those actors out there who are complaining that there’s not enough work. Do you disagree with that? Do you agree with that? Is there enough work there for actors?
Josa Muale: Work is makes of it. There are lots of people sitting on stupid doing absolutely nothing. There are opportunities and people are not willing to take that opportunity. There is background work, there are working on student films. They’re independent films you’ve volunteered your time. And yes that’s your time, but you’ve got to take that moment out there because nobody is going to see you if you’re sitting at home waiting for the phone to rang.
Chantria Tram: Do you think it’s a good idea for young actors to get an agent, and when does someone know that they’re ready to come to an agent? Because I’ve seen actors who have taken one course and they think they’re ready to get an agent and you know sometimes it doesn’t work out with them because of certain circumstances so.
Josa Muale: you know there are so many you what, again nothing to be full failure but a try. Some actors they go and seek out an agent. There’s a lot of people who go and seek out an agent before they even get acting classes. Okay. they get out.
Chantria Tram: Do just they?
Josa Muale: No you know here’s a, I have somebody who I’ve known for quite sometime, we grew up together and she know exactly what I’ve been doing and so on and so forth. Which funny interesting because people that know and what I do they all come to me first. They’ll go everywhere else and the problem would come to me. So I just find that interesting. And she has a friend who is represented by an agent and again like he knows he figures, I’m going to be represented by this agent because my friend knows them and so and so forth.”
The truth of the matter is that and agent, a reputable agent is not going to represent unless he’s seen your work. And there are some agents that will take certain people because they have an ethic book, there’s not that work for ethic actress. And I’m ethic part of the way. I’m a woman, and I’m black and I’m big and beautiful. They, people again don’t understand the reality of the business and they’re quick to go and get an agent because they figured that what they have to do.
Well I have to go an agent I’ve been seen people, “Well you know finished this class, I’m willing to go to New York and seek my fortune. I’m going to L.A.” You know I’m like, “For what?” “Yeah I’m going to New York.” And I go, “Oh yeah, to vacation?” “No, to go and look for work and to get an agent in New York.” And then I’ll have people like, “Oh could you give me your contacts in New York?” I said, “No, because you need training. I will tell you some great schools in New York to go to. But an agent wants to see your work, they want to see their demo reel or see you in a play. And an agent will pretty much come up to you.
Chantria Tram: Yeah.
Josa Muale: But then you also have to be careful because there a lot of snakes out there. And a lot of people are fishes. They will swim for whatever you know so—
The thing the truth of the matter is you have to have a certain relationship with your agent because it’s a business. That is what acting is. At the end of the day, yes it is an art but It’s a business, when you’re talking about agents and so on and so forth and move and work. It’s a business. And the answer is, should they go and have and get an agent? I don’t know that it depending on the agent that you have may work and may not work. Some agents may say something hey you what got a great look. Go and get some training I will represent you, keep you under my wing and help you build your career. Some agents do that. And you have agents who have like look at the roster if they more than 50 people and there only one person, you can get in the door.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services