Agent Tells All An Uncensored Look at the Business of Acting

by Tony Martinez

'An Agent Tells All' is an uncensored look at the business of acting from the perspective of a working Hollywood agent. There is no other book on the market written by someone who is currently employed as an agent. In a frank and humorous tone, Tony Martinez lays out a detailed business plan to help actors achieve their goals. Some of the topics covered The Right Way to Get an Agent How a Meeting Can Go Horribly Wrong The Secret to Being a Good Client Do You Really Need A Manager? The Truth About Pilot Season It's time to stop listening to all the wrong people. 'An Agent Tells All' is the one book you need to take charge of your acting career.

216 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2005

Reviews

[Hai Le · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

Absolutely incredible. I honestly couldn’t put this book down. A MUST READ for all actors.

An Agent Tells All is a cheeky, humorous book detailing the life of a Hollywood agent, told in a very entertaining way. The years of experience that Martinez possesses makes his advice invaluable.

Having experienced thousands of actors during his time and signing only a fraction of them, the stories, antidotes, and failures make for a brilliant read. I must admit, at times when reading about some of the mistakes that Martinez has witnessed actors making and sarcastically poking fun at them, made me cringe. I’ve probably made about half of those in my career too.

This book is designed for actors looking to find an agent that hasn’t quite had much luck. Martinez gives you a detailed breakdown on the steps you need to be taking and where you might be failing. Although the book focuses on the LA market, the themes and references are universal.

Even if you’re not looking for representation, you should still read it and cringe at some of the things you’ve probably done/said whilst trying to find an agent, or perhaps things that you have done/said to your current agent... I know I definitely did.

5/5 stars.

[Sarah Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book maybe one of the most important pieces of writing for struggling actors in the film industry. Considering the amount of publication aimed towards enhancing an actor's career, this is by far one of the best out there.
The book is written by a currently working agent at the Greater Vision Artist agency, and along with his professional advice, he gives little pieces of advice that are gold for someone even considering the film acting path.
Tony Martinez tells it straight, with a casual tone and a no-nonsense attitude, with a decent amount of humorous in the midst of all of the information. It's definitely a good read for those who are just interested in the mechanics of getting cast, and is a must read for any actors headed to LA to chase the pipe dream.

The gist of this review: this book is fucking awesome and is must read for actors. It's hella rad and hella handy. The worst that can happen is you're told stuff you already know. :)

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tony Martinez's, An Agent Tells All is a book that should be always traveling right next to an actor. Martinez, a powerful Hollywood agent gives out his advice on how to get into the business. I belive Brian O'Neil's books are a little bit better on starting in the busines, but Martinez is better about how to stay active once you've just landed in the business. The most helpful sections are on what to do once you land a meeting with an agent, and what to do once you get an agent. Martinez also goes into depth on pilot season, telling all the business aspects of it, and what to look forward to as an actor going through pilot season in Hollywood. Again, anyone that wants to have a long career in acting should read this to help them steer themselves in the right direction.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Agent Tells All is a really helpful guide into finding and working with an agent. It gives an in-depth and entertaining look into the world of an agent and understanding what goes on there gives you a definite advantage. Martinez lays out what you need to do, keeps the book honest but never boring. I would recommend this to anyone looking to get into acting or even with experience.

[Cristal Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it in one day. It's written in a casual easy manner and Tony has a good sense of humor. I guess my favorite part is the list of things to do when you arrive for the first time in LA. I don't agree with one thing though, he says that if you want to be a serious actor you have to go to LA, but nowadays you might just get lucky in Bollywood, or France. I'm sure Jean Dujardin agrees. Point is, you never know where success might knock on your door. LA is just the best place to "raise your odds", then again I'm of the opinion that if you're competing with 500 Little Mermaids for the role of Ariel in LA vs 10 Little Mermaids in Arizona... maybe you should try Arizona. Eventually, you could still move to LA, but I wouldn't recommend starting there.

[Bt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. I found it informative and it was interesting to hear from an agent's point of view. It was well-written and the author's voice stayed interesting to read. Some of the information wasn't relative to me, as I don't live in LA, but overall, it was a pretty good and useful read.

[Tiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not aspiring to be an actor... No, thank you. I needed to read this for reference reasons. It was very easy to read and follow, very concise, and I think it was just what I was looking for to answer some of the questions a few "google searches" weren't covering. Done and done.