Dear Mr. Gold,

How's this for a project?  This week, I did the big mail-out to all the agencies in LA in hopes that I will find my Ari Gold.  (as Sheriann said, "is this like Coyote Ugly?"  why yes, Sheriann, yes it is!).  I went and bought the Yellow Book, which comes out once a season, and lists all of the agencies in the area including: if they are taking new clients, what kind of new clients, and how they would like to be submitted to.  I filtered through all of that, and came up with 65 agencies to mail to, and 30 to email.  Here we go.  Stomach cramp.  

I realize I have been in LA for some time now before doing this and I am in no delusion that time is of the essence.  I see it on my forehead.  Nonetheless, I had been putting this off for so many reasons:

1. going to Peru

2. Had to have the right headshots, and then had to have them edited, formatted, printed, etc

3. Waiting for the next yellow booklet to be released

4. Thought I needed more time in acting class

5.  Needed to think about really wanting this.

6.  It's scary.

It's so hard for me to ask things from people.  I like to count on myself to make things happen, but in this place, you need people to help you get in the door.  

So, first order of business after sifting through the above list of poor excuses was to write a cover letter.  This pretty much explains who you are and what you want from these people, but it's not as easy as it sounds.  Most cover letters read like stereo instructions, boring and to the point.  This letter, along with anything else you send in the envelope, are all made to sell yourself; your personality, your charisma if any, and anything else that might shed light on who you are as a person.  After all, these people are not just presenting your skills to a potential employer like so many other jobs.  Agents pretty much present the essence of your being to directors and producers, trying to convince them that throngs of people will relate to you and admire.  Dramatic?  Well yes, it's what I do.  

This is what I ended up with:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Talent Agency

address

Los Angeles, CA 

Dear Mr Agent:

I am writing in hopes that you might be interested in indulging an underachieving Asian girl’s quarter life crisis.  After wallowing in the sorrow that comes with realizing boredom in one’s first career, I have decided that A: much to the chagrin of my sterotypically overachieving family, I will not be fulfilled by a collection of post graduate degrees, and B: Getting what you want is mostly having the balls to attempt it.  Acting is what I wanted to do before I knew what a job was.  So here I am, back to the ambition of my free-thinking youth.  I am most interested in television, film, and commercial acting experiences. 

I graduated from Gonzaga University with a degree in Nursing, and have been taking cold reading and scene study classes with Doug Warhit in Beverly Hills for the last 9 months.  I have also taken various workshops with industry professionals during this time.  I am definitely a developing actor, but am ready to start auditioning.  I was last seen in a pilot called “All the Wrong Reasons” last year.  

I have included my headshots and resume, for your review, and will be following up to confirm receipt of my portfolio package.  Please feel free to contact me if there is anything else you might need to know; I am available to rendezvous at any time. 

I am enthused and highly motivated in taking this step toward my goals.  Thanks so much for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.  

With warmest regards,

Mingni Sun

I know I KNOW, I used the word "balls".  I actually simmered over that word for an embarrassingly long time.  I realize that the very term might be horrendously offensive to some readers.  However, after carefully contemplation, I could not find any other alternative phrase that carries the weight of the original.  Furthermore, I am the girl who would use balls in a cover letter, and whomever gets the privilege/curse of representing me is going to have to be someone who is okay with it.  Thirdly, there is such a thing as style points, and if nothing else, I want style points.  

Soooo....... yeah.  Hope something good happens!