Booking agents find talent and book them for events. There is no mandatory career path, but agents must be enthusiastic and passionate about the entertainment industry. To start a new agency, they must register with the Treasury Department and obtain a tax identification number. Agents can find bands online and promote their events through flyers and advertisements. To gain experience, they can intern with a talent agency and obtain a license from the Department of Labor. A booking agent’s salary is commission-based.
Booking agents work in the entertainment industry, discovering talent and booking groups or bands for venues or events. To become a booking agent, there is no mandatory set of university courses or career path. Booking agents must be enthusiastic, motivated and first-timers. They must be passionate about the entertainment industry and willing to navigate it on their own.
To become a booking agent, an individual can either work at a booking agency or start their own. To start a new agency, first review state employment agency employment laws. The booking agency must be registered with the Treasury Department and a tax identification number must be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service. The company name must be published in a newspaper for four straight weeks to spread the news. The person setting up a booking agency must go to court with proof of publication, and the publication and court fees must be paid.
To become a booking agent starting a new establishment, it is important to find an appropriate location, such as a bar, nightclub, theater or lounge. Look up information online at the location and contact the owner letting them know you would like to work with the booking agency location. Finding a band is the next step, and a booking agent should have around ten bands he or she regularly works with. Again, the best way to find them is by searching the internet; check out all websites and social networks. Finally, promote the program on your own or with a public relations group using flyers, advertisements, and anything else you can think of.
For those wishing to become a booking agent in an established practice, a good place to start is to intern with a talent agency to gain experience booking small talent, interviewing actors and managing small assignments at the agency. In addition to gaining valuable experience and building a network of contacts, booking agent jobs may become available at this location. The intern can also work as a promoter to train actors and artists, taking care of public relations tasks. This will give the person who wants to become a booking agent a greater familiarity with certain markets or demographics.
Before a person can become a booking agent, he needs a license, which can be obtained from the Department of Labor. The procedure and documentation involved with this license differ by state. Once a person is licensed to hold a booking agent job, it is a good idea to join a group such as the Association of Talent Agents (ATA), an organization comprised of current and former booking agents that offers valuable resources. The booking agent can start building a client list by conducting broadcast calls, placing an ad in an industry magazine, or using referrals. A booking agent’s salary is commission-based, and most agents receive between 10-20% of talent earnings.
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