Found an agent

Just signed with the Maultsby Model & Talent Agency, which reps other actors in this area, including Ken Arnold, Regen Wilson, and Joe Hansard.

Maultsby is expanding. The agency currently covers the Southeast (which is getting a lot of new business, and where casting is running short of local actors and will readily accept video auditions), as

well as NY and LA (where casting still wants most auditions done in person, although the "greenness" of a link over travel may be having an appeal.) The agency is also in the process of opening an office in Florida.

The film industry is seeing an exploding market for feature films/documentaries in the under $5M budget range. This means more opportunities for non-name actors to gain significant speaking roles and work experience, often alongside actors who are better known. For example, actor Eric Roberts, brother of Julia Roberts, was recently a late addition to a local very low-budget Western, Day of the Gun, which is filming in Maryland and using many area actors. You can get a heads up on productions shooting in your area at this site:

http://www.thelocationguide.com/blog/category/on-location/

Since video auditions are become more common, it may also be a good idea to know how to self-tape. Some videographers will tape your audition for a fee (Studio Boh in Baltimore provides that service, for example), but if you're taping your own the SAG Foundation recently sponsored a presentation on self-taped auditions and posted it to YouTube.  Anyone can view Parts 1 and 2 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D79zOFTiLfs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9umJNHgRVwk

Auditioning for TV means watching the shows that are booking locally to get a feel for the pacing and tone.  You can access these on pay TV, but past episodes may also be available online for free so check these sites first:

http://webtrends.about.com/od/profile1/tp/Watch-Free-Tv-Shows-Online-Full-Episodes.htm

Yes, I am excited about getting an agent, although at this point in my career I hold no illusions and am still planning on doing 90 percent of the work myself.  An agent's real value comes in when you've booked a big role and you need someone to present your utterly ridiculous contract demands to the producer.  (The arrangement also allows the producer to say "no" without hurting your feelings.)

By the way, a decent book on the agent-actor relationship is An Agent Tells All by Tony Martinez, which is available cheap in an e-edition. More later, after I get all of my materials and headshots up online at the agency. I am told it takes a week to 10 days.