One of the most frustrating aspects of the acting industry is the silence. We don't hear back from auditions, and more often than not, we don't hear back from agents when we apply for representation. It's incredibly disheartening to spend hours researching agencies, crafting personalized emails, and honing your materials, only to receive nothing but radio silence.
If you find yourself in this position, don't despair. This article will help you re-evaluate your outreach strategy and identify potential issues that might be preventing you from getting the response you deserve.
Are You Targeting the Right Agencies?
The first question to ask yourself is, where are you currently in your career? and what agencies have you been approaching?
It's natural to aim high. We all have dream agencies and they are usually the same ones. But if you're building your first professional credits and exclusively targeting United Agents, Hamilton Hodell, or Curtis Brown, that might explain the silence.
Here's an important perspective shift: agents can be stepping stones until you find the right fit.
Some actors are fortunate enough to sign with one agent who represents them throughout their entire career. But for the majority of us, we'll have multiple agents as our careers develop and our needs change. There's no shame in this, it's actually the norm. Widen your outreach and you may see better responses in general.
If you're early in your career, focus on newer boutique agencies that are actively building their rosters and reputation. These agencies are often more receptive to emerging talent.
The most important question to ask about any agency: do they have working actors? Look at their client rosters on their websites or through Get Repped's database. Check what their clients are currently doing. Are they booking jobs? What kinds of productions? This will give you a realistic indication of whether the agency can effectively represent you at your current level.
Do Your Credits and Showreel Align?
One of the most common issues we see at Get Repped is a disconnect between actors' CVs and their showreels.
If you have television credits on your CV, agents will expect to see that footage in your showreel, especially top-tier agencies. The exception, of course, is if your show hasn't been released yet. But if it has aired, you need to get that material and include it in your reel.
Your showreel should reflect your best work first. The opening scene should correspond to the best credit on your CV. If you lead with a major TV credit on your résumé, that's what agents want to see first in your showreel.
Don't have a showreel yet? That needs to be your priority. Consider:
Auditioning for film school short films, make sure and get assurances to when the film will be delivered and what material you will receive. Consider working with reputable showreel companies that will shoot professional scenes for you or reach out to student filmmakers at institutions like the National Film and Television School or London Film School.
A professional showreel is non-negotiable in today's market. Agents will expect to see something of you on camera. If you don’t have a showreel maybe consider sending them some self-tapes you have recently done.
Does Your Spotlight Profile Have Missing Information?
A common issue we see at Get Repped is actors listing production companies for TV and film credits without including the distribution platform. Here's the thing: agents won't recognize every production company, but they will recognize Disney+, Amazon Prime, Netflix, BBC, ITV, and Sky so be sure to include in your credits.
Always include the distributor or broadcaster. It immediately signals the level and reach of your work.
Equally important: assess the quality of your credits. If you've worked on numerous short films, you may not want to include all of them on your CV, especially if you weren't professionally hired and paid. Remember, quality over quantity.
However, if a short film screened at film festivals, won awards, or featured notable talent, absolutely include it with that additional context in the description.
The Honesty Principle
This is crucial: be honest with your credits. Don't inflate roles or fabricate experience. The industry is smaller than you think, and exaggerations will be discovered eventually, usually at the worst possible moment.
If you're worried your CV looks sparse, don't try to pad it with questionable credits. Instead, reframe it in your cover letter. Position yourself as what you actually are: a new face, an actor who's recently finished training, someone offering fresh energy to the industry.
There's genuine value in being new. Casting directors and agents are constantly searching for undiscovered talent. Lean into that rather than apologizing for it.
Your Cover Letter: First Impressions Matter
I won't linger too long on cover letters since we have comprehensive blog posts about constructing them (check out our article "Cover Letters: How to Secure Meetings with Acting Agents"), but let me highlight the essentials:
Stay professional and concise. Make it easy for the agent to scan quickly. Most agents are speed-reading emails—help them find the important information fast.
Format strategically: Highlight your key credits in bold so they visually pop. Use short paragraphs with clear breaks.
Remember, the goal isn't to tell your entire life story in the email. The goal is to intrigue them enough to click through to your materials.
Include your casting type. Be specific about the roles you typically go up for. This is a good sign for agents and let them know you understand where you fit in the market.
Mention unique selling points. Are you also a qualified stunt performer? Do you have professional-level horse riding skills? Speak multiple languages fluently? Have a background in professional sports? These details add personality and expand your casting possibilities. Don't over-explain, just mention them briefly.
Agents receive hundreds of submissions weekly. Something that makes you memorable (in a good way) can make all the difference.
The Power of the Follow-Up
Here's something important to remember: agents' primary concern on any given day isn't answering representation queries.
On the day you sent your email, they might have been swamped with the work they do. Your email might have been skim-read or, yes, even deleted without proper consideration.
This is why following up is not only acceptable but often necessary.
If you haven't heard back after two weeks, send a polite follow-up email. Keep the same professional, concise format. Mention you're following up on your initial email.
We've seen tremendous success from Get Repped users who've employed strategic follow-ups. In multiple cases, actors who were initially ignored ended up securing meetings with those very same agents after a well-timed, professional follow-up. If you had a no or no answer from agent it does not mean you can never contact them, more often than not they won’t remember. If you have not had the response you expected, leave it for 6 weeks and try again, persistence is key
Seems Like Alot of Work? Let Us Handle It For You.
Researching agencies, finding contact details, tracking who you've contacted and when, figuring out who actually opened your emails – it’s a lot to keep track of.
That's exactly why we built Get Repped.
Our platform provides direct email contacts for over 1,000 agents and casting directors across all tiers, from top-tier agencies to emerging boutique agents actively seeking new talent. Every listing is cross-referenced with agency websites and client rosters, so you can quickly research whether an agency is right for you.
But here's what really sets Get Repped apart: email tracking.
You'll know exactly which agents opened your email, which ones clicked through to your materials, and which ones didn't engage at all. This data is invaluable for strategic follow-ups. If an agent opened your email multiple times and viewed your Spotlight, that's a clear signal they're interested, a perfect opportunity for a follow-up. If they didn't open it at all, you might need to try a different approach or contact another agent at that agency.
Get Repped also tracks all your applications in one place, so you always know who you've contacted and when. No more spreadsheets, no more guesswork, no more wondering if you've already approached that agency.
The platform is designed to save you hours of research time while giving you the data you need to make smart, strategic decisions about your agent search.
Keep Perspective and Keep Going
Not hearing back is frustrating, but it's not always about you or your talent. The industry runs on chaos, tight deadlines, and overwhelming workloads. Agents are juggling dozens of clients and hundreds of emails daily.
The silence doesn't mean you're not good enough. It often just means the timing wasn't right, or you haven't found the right fit yet.
Evaluate your materials honestly using the criteria above. Make improvements where needed. Broaden your target list to include agencies at different levels. Follow up professionally with agents who showed interest. And most importantly, keep going.
Finding the right representation takes persistence, strategy, and often more attempts than you'd expect. But with the right approach, and tools like Get Repped to streamline the process, you'll significantly increase your chances of success.
The right agent is out there. Keep refining your approach until you find them.