There are so many talents in the creative industries and we are lucky enough to be able to talk to Louise Gubbay about her work as an agent, and how she has built her talent agency and a stellar reputation with production companies as well as actors. Offering insights into the world of casting, Louise brings a fresh perspective to the world of film and TV sharing the journey with us.
Can you tell us more about yourself and your agency? How you started out and what do you do as an agent in the social media age?
Firstly, thank you for inviting me to do this Q&A! I sincerely hope everyone that reads this will find it of use.
After spending many years in different parts of the industry, my passion was to eventually become an agent and when the kids came along, I decided it was the right time to set up Louise Gubbay Associates back in 2006. I have always been a boutique agent representing actors across the board.
A few years later, I decided to set up an LA side to the agency! This certainly was not an easy task and took many months before I eventually became a US taxpayer! That was a hugely proud moment in my career! The only reason I eventually closed it was because six years of working from 9 am – 3 am Monday to Friday started to make me a tad tired! But it was a very rewarding time!
”I never trained as an actor and as I occasionally put out on Twitter, that was a good thing as, to be frank, I would be utterly shockingly bad but envy every actor who does their job brilliantly. When I see my clients on stage, I am like the proud mum in the audience and generally fighting back the tears! “
I believe social media is important for any business. It helps you connect with others, support others and promote yourself. The power of social media is extraordinary. For me though, the way I use social media is to announce confirmed castings of any of my clients and support other actors the best I can.
You have become something of a sensation on Twitter for your motivational Tweets and posts about your client's achievements. Can you tell us what is your thinking behind this and why you feel it is important to show support across the network?
I am not sure I would go that far but thank you! I didn’t use my Twitter that much until Covid hit us although I would always shout my client’s credits from the rooftops on it. It is a fantastic feeling when they get cast as we all know this is not an easy industry! There is a lot of rejection for actors, so when we get positive outcomes, I need to let the world know!
When the entire industry shut down back in 2020, I read many tweets of uncertainty from actors, some of who were the ‘class of 2020’ and others who were left with anxiety as to when and how the industry would reopen, much like we all were and I wanted to give support which has carried on to present day and will continue to carry on. I was (and still am) inspired by my actor John Craggs who runs The Actors Support Network (@network_actor ) and thought that if I could also offer support, then maybe it would give actors additional hope. At the best of times, the industry is not an easy one but actors need to keep believing in themselves, do what they need to do to market themselves and keep plugging away. Good things do happen in the biz and whilst some of the time, actors may feel negative, as I always say, a negative will turn into a positive at some point!
I am in my 17th year as an agent and like everyone has good days, bad days, frustrating days, and positive days but I still look forward to starting work on Monday mornings! The best part about our industry is anything can happen in the next five minutes and sometimes, it does exactly that!
My motivational tweets are usually thought of when I am walking Mr. Sweetface (aka Zeb, the double terrier) out in the gorgeous areas of rural Devon where I am lucky enough to live. It gives me a chance to think about actors who I do not represent and how I can help, advise or support them but predominantly, give them positivity. It is so important to me. Not every actor will have representation and those are the ones that need guidance to help make that happen.
What advice would you offer someone looking for an agent to represent them and if they are looking to join your books what would be the best approach?
It is so important for actors seeking rep to keep reminding themselves they too, are a business. Agents get a huge amount of representation requests throughout the year and so it is important to make sure you stand out.
There is no point in sending an email saying simply ‘Hello, I am an actor and looking for representation but I am working on my showreel’ for example. That is not selling yourself. I’m not saying many do but the occasional one does come in.
All actors need to have a showreel. Agents need to see if they can act. It might sound daft as they are an actor who is approaching an agent but if I had an email such as that with the actor wanting to meet up for a coffee, why would I take time away from my own clients as well as spend money on travel to meet that actor when I have no idea if they can actually act! It may sound harsh but it is reality.
Actors need to be happy with the package they are sending over to agents which would ultimately include headshots and some kind of reel. If they are starting out, it won’t be a professional reel with clips of scenes they have done on a professional level but they can create their own scenes and that is perfectly acceptable as long as the sound and quality are at a decent level. Something is always better than nothing! Actors are creatives, so create!
Also, and importantly, actors need to research the agents they are interested in. We don’t expect any actor to just pick one agent to approach at any one time but look and see which ones you think you could be a part of. Working with an agent is a two-way street. Both are after the same goal so it is imperative that both sides can work together. I cannot guarantee that I would get any new client seen tomorrow, the next day, or the next month. I am not psychic (sometimes I wish I was!) but the most important factor is for any of my actors to have that trust in me knowing that I am doing my job, which thankfully they do but also for me to know that those that who are also starting out are being proactive too. A saying I have had for years is to never wait for the phone to ring….
This industry is all about selling yourself so actors should pinpoint the highlights of their career achievements so far. This could be that they have just graduated or they have just been cast in a short film or that they have just finished in the West End. It doesn’t matter how big or small the credit is, it is simply about selling themselves.
Can you tell us what would you say to aspiring agents out there? Is there any advice you can offer to new and potential agents to help them grow?
If they really want to become agents, then do it! I feel absolutely blessed to have a job that I am so passionate about and feel the same enthusiasm today as I did on day one.
I have advised a couple of new agents recently who have got in touch and am very happy to do that as I was a new agent once. It is not the easiest career to get started but it is doable! Like any business, again, it’s all about marketing yourself, making contacts, and not giving up. When I see new agents on Twitter and see how passionate they are, I will always happily re-tweet them. Support goes a long way for any new business! Make it happen!
To learn more about Louise Gubbay and Associates or to get in touch see:
Louise Gubbay and Associates Website.
Louise Gubbay and Associates Twitter.
Louise Gubbay and Associates Facebook.
Louise Gubbay and associates Linkedin.