TAKING THE NEXT STEP!

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I GRADUATE FROM BARBIZON? HOW DO I PREPARE FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER?

Becoming a Barbizon Graduate is exciting! Congratulations and welcome to the industry.To prepare for a successful modeling and acting career, you will first need your marketing materials—

We recommend all models and talent have at least one professional headshot for castings and project submissions, in addition to regular snapshot photos for agency files.
If you are pursuing modeling, you must have a portfolio with at least three or more professional full-length photos, as well as a headshot. 📍TIP! Fashion models between the ages of 16 to 19, who are just starting out, will only need regular snapshot photos (known as "digitals") when applying to the major fashion agencies.
If you are pursuing acting, dancing and/or singing, you must have a resume. NO exceptions. If you need help formatting your resume, please refer to the sample resume provided by Barbizon. 📍TIP! A typo on your resume can leave a bad impression—be sure to spell-check!
To increase your visibility in the industry, it is highly recommended to create an Instagram page. Although it is not strictly necessary, it is considered very beneficial as it provides a platform to showcase your work, build your personal brand, and potentially attract new opportunities. If you are under the age of 18, a parent or guardian MUST monitor your account.
It is optional to have a website and it is not important when you are first starting out but it can support your career as you begin to grow.

I HAVE MY MARKETING MATERIALS! WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?

Once you have your marketing materials, the next step is to begin building your resume and portfolio. One of the best ways to do this is to join a casting site for job opportunities!

Click on any casting site to learn more about how to join!

BACKSTAGE
(for actors and models)

CASTING NETWORKS
(for actors and models)

ACTORS ACCESS
(for actors only)

CASTING FRONTIER
(for actors only)

PLAYBILL
(for theatrical actors only)

If you are interested in background/extra work, check out these casting sites—

CENTRAL CASTING
(for background/extras)

GRANT WILFLEY
(for background/extras)Follow @gwcasting for upcoming castings.

WALDRON CASTING
(for background/extras)Follow @waldroncasting for upcoming castings.

⭐ IMPORTANT!
All casting sites charge a monthly/annual fee to join.
(Playbill and the background sites are free.)Backstage and Casting Networks are popular sites for new models and actors. We recommend joining one (or both) to get started.📍TIP! If you love a bargain, Backstage often has special offers throughout the year. Check their site frequently, particularly a week or two before an upcoming holiday, and you might land a 50% off coupon code.Keep in mind—most castings will be found in the bigger markets. If you live in one of the smaller markets, there may be fewer opportunities.

WHAT OTHER WAYS CAN I GET EXPERIENCE AND EXPOSURE?

If you live in a smaller market or are not ready to join the casting sites, and/or if you are looking for additional ways to get experience and exposure, we encourage you to continue your career development by participating in a few of these activities:

Showcase Events
After-school Performing Arts Programs
On-camera Workshops
Learning an instrument
Dancing and Singing Classes
Background Work
Student Films
Reading plays and acting books
Summer Acting Camps
Church Choirs or local Community Theaters
Talent or Pageant Competitions
Industry Seminars | Meet N Greet
Networking Events
Vision Board and Journal Writing
Model Test Shoots (*TFP)
Internships at agencies, casting offices, studios, etc.
Instagram collaborations

*Trade For Photos - This is a great way to build your portfolio at no cost. It means a photographer is building his/her portfolio and will photograph you so you can build your portfolio. The trade is photos for both of you.

IS BARBIZON AGENCY MY AGENT? DO I NEED AN AGENT?

The Barbizon Agency welcomes all Graduates to the agency and is currently accepting submissions from the age of 5 years through adult.If you are interested in representation with the Barbizon Agency, please submit your information and marketing materials 👉🏼 here.The Barbizon Agency cannot promise representation or work (no agency can), but we believe in every Graduate and are committed to providing you with the professional guidance and direction you need for a successful career.📍TIP! Agents expect a high level of commitment from the models and talent they represent. You must have a flexible schedule and availability to accept castings and bookings when needed, or it will be difficult to book you for jobs. If you are under the age of 18, a parent/guardian must also accompany you.Finding time for everything can be very overwhelming, especially if you have work, school, or other obligations that take priority. If you or your parent/guardian have limited availability, you might not be ready for representation with an agency. Focus on the casting sites and other activities instead. Stay involved in your career development and continue to build your resume and portfolio, and representation will happen naturally.

⭐ A MESSAGE FROM BARBIZON AGENCY
There are NO fees to join Barbizon Agency. We only make a commission-based percentage if we book you for work.If you live in one of the smaller markets, Barbizon Agency will have fewer opportunities for you. Please consider seeking additional agency representation local to your city/state to help develop your career.

⭐ REMINDER!
Agencies take a commission fee only when they book you for work. If an agency asks you to pay a fee upfront for representation, they are not a real agency.

WHAT IF I AM UNDER THE AGE OF 18? DO I NEED A CHILD PERFORMER PERMIT ?

In New York state, any model or talent under the age of 18, must have a valid NY Child Performer Permit before they can be hired for work.Even if you live in New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, or any other state, if you are under the age of 18 and would like to work in New York state, you need a NY permit.Performer permits are normally required in the larger markets, such as California and New York. Some states do not require permits, but whenever applicable, you must apply for a permit in each state you work in.Your NY permit is valid in New York state only and is NON-transferable to other states.Choose a button below, for more information about the CA or NY performer permits.
(You will be redirected to the state website.)

For all other states, visit the U.S. Department of Labor for an overview of permits 👉🏻 here.
(Or, for more detailed information, visit the official state website.)

⭐ IMPORTANT!
When applying for the NY permit, select 12-Month.
(Do NOT select 15-Day.)

IS THERE ANY OTHER INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? WHAT IF I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS?

The Barbizon School of Manhattan and Barbizon Agency would like you to stay in touch with us throughout your career. We are excited to share in your journey, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have along the way.

To learn more about the industry, visit the Barbizon FAQ page 👉🏼 here

This Career Guide has been provided as a courtesy to Barbizon Graduates.

Thank you for your interest in representation with the Barbizon Agency. We are a non-exclusive agency and work with freelance Models and Talent.Our mission is to guide and nurture careers.If you would like to be on file with the Barbizon Agency in consideration of castings and bookings, please complete the submission form below.All fields with an asterisk*must be filled in.

Submitting this form is not a guarantee of work.

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