EDBI: The Casting Director, Talent Agent, and Actor Relationship
DATE: 10/17/2017
TIME: 7:30 PM
LOCATION: Manuel's Tavern
PRICE: FREE

There is a lot of confusion over what agents do for their clients and how to build relations with both talent agents and casting directors. We'll start with the difference between a talent agent and a casting director, when and how you get an agent, and how that relationship works from how much and when you pay them to whether these contracts should be exclusive or not, and why. We'll also discuss how actors and their agents should communicate to foster a healthy and strong relationship, and how an actor can build a relationship with a casting director and more!

Moderator
Robert Pralgo is an Atlanta-based Actor, studying and working the craft for about 30 years, and teaching for 10 years or so from LA to NY to ATL. Credits include: Dynasty, Being Mary Jane, American Made, Ride Along 2, Sully and numerous commercials.  He has never done anything in moderation so it seems strange that he has been asked to moderate this evenings panel. But he is Flattered to have been. 
 
Panelists
Dwayne Boyd is an Actor, Writer, Producer, Director and Instructor, who believes in delivering the true essence of himself in every aspect of the arts. His 15 years plus tenure in the film industry can be attributed to the mentorship of the legendary Writer/Director, Robert Townsend, with his latest accolade including the coaching of Janelle Monáe from the Oscar Nominated film, Hidden Figures.
 
Rebecca Shrager recognized her uncanny ability to match the right face to the right project while working as a stylist and production coordinator in the late 1970’s and early 1980s. Realizing the need in the Atlanta market for a more diverse range of talent, Rebecca utilized her background from the Atlanta College of Art, and went out into the community to photograph interesting faces. She then contacted local theater companies, and discovered an untapped source of talent not yet integrated into the world of film and advertising. Through her leadership and guidance over the past 34 years People Store has grown into one of the most successful and well respected talent agencies in the country.

Rita Harrell, CSA
Rita is Casting Director and Co-Founder of Big Picture Casting in Atlanta, Georgia. She returned to the casting field after a four year stint at People Store talent agency, where she became intimately familiar with the Atlanta market by serving as a voiceover and on-camera industrial agent. Rita shifted to agency work after living in New York City, where she worked in casting for theatrical organizations as The Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival, the New York Theater Workshop and the Williamstown Theater Festival. She continued her work in casting as a freelancer on various television and movie projects. Before moving back to her hometown of Atlanta with her husband Scott, Rita worked for two years in the east coast casting office at FOX Television. Rita has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre from Florida State University. 

Jen Kelley is the co-founder and casting director of Big Picture Casting in Atlanta, GA.  Prior to casting, Jen began her career as a talent agent in Los Angeles, California where she represented talent on sitcoms, feature films and national commercials. In 1996, Jen moved to Atlanta and joined one of the top talent agencies and after working in all departments, she became the Department Head of the Commercial Division. In 2011, Jen took her agenting skills to the casting world and became a casting director. With a desire to foster a more focused and creative involvement in the entertainment industry, she and Rita Harrell formed Big Picture Casting, Inc. Big Picture Casting casts principal talent for feature films, television, commercial, industrial and new media projects from coast to coast.  

This event is free and open to the public!