Episode 7 / Liam Tiesteel, Director of LJT Talent Management
/by Roj Whitelock
London-based photographer and HSM Associate Member
Liam Tiesteel, Director of LJT Talent Management, shares LJT's open book approach and how they select performers to represent, life working as a performer and an agent and - of course - some great advice for getting headshots.
How Do You Choose Who To Represent?
Note: View on YouTube for captions.
"For us, what we're looking for in a client is individuality. Someone could be the most talented person that can be, you know, the highest kicks in the room or the best singer in the room. But if they're not an individual and they don't bring a personality, we can't work with that."
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How Do You Choose Who To Represent?
Sure. Yeah. For us, it's very much we've always got open books. We've always got space for people that we need. If we have holes in our books, if we have people working for numerous amount of years, we need to find somebody to kind of fill their spot. For us, what we're looking for in a client is individuality. Someone could be the most talented person can be, you know, the highest kicks in the room or the best singer in the room, but if they're not an individual and they don't bring a personality, we can't work with that. What we like to do is take people on board that we see potential in and we like to nurture talent and really give that personal management and really help people through their careers rather than just taking them on board and being like, here's an audition. We're like, here's an audition. What are you going to sing? Do you need any help with this? Any suggestions? These sort of things are really having a sort of nurturing and safety environment so they can come to us at any point that they need. For those people that we feel maybe aren't right at the moment, we always encourage people to always come back in a few months time because maybe they just aren't right at the moment for whether it be talent or maybe we have someone that just already is similar to them and we never have two people of the same. For us, it's very important that we always keep everyone individualised. So someone could be absolutely amazing, but if we already have you on our books, we can't take you, but that doesn't mean that that person doesn't then book a show for 2 years and then we have a whole book for that person. So we always encourage people definitely to come back.
Yeah. I think the big thing for me is very much especially like when you're a graduate that first six months graduation you change so much like you will change how you look so your headshots that you get when you graduate 6 months later maybe you've got a facial hair then or you change your hair colour you know you found yourself because you finally go into the adult world - scary part of the industry - so then you kind of need to think to yourself after six months time if you apply to an agency 6 months ago are you that same person. If the answer is no reapply because then it's a fresh application. You're a fresh person, you're a fresh individual. And also ability wise if you've put so much work and ethic into this, you know, this craft, whether it be singing, dancing or acting or all three, the more you work at it, the better it gets. And obviously the industry is changing. So you need to keep up with what the industry is looking for as well.
How Does Being A Performer As Well As An Agent Help?
Yeah. I think for me it's what I enjoy is being able to balance obviously my own personal career, but also being able to nurture and help talent myself. I think because we come from a fresh, younger perspective, we understand how it is to also be in these scary rooms, to not get auditions, to get auditions, to get rejections, to get offers, you know, all these amazing things. And we enjoy that sort of thriving aspect of knowing how it still feels to be a performer. So, if a performer comes to us and says, "Hey, I'm absolutely terrified for my audition or I can't make an audition because I have to work my 9 to 5 job in London to pay my rent." We understand that as performers ourselves. So, we like to bring that sort of approach to our agency careers. Of course doing what we need to do as agents, but also bringing that personalised approach as performers as well.
What Should Performers Think About When Getting Headshots?
Yeah, I think with the way the industry is, it's so important through your Spotlight profile, through your CV to have a headshot that represents you. So, when you're picking your headshots, don't think, what do I look the best in or what do I look the best in this angle? It's about castability. You need to see a headshot and think, if you want to be in this certain show in the West End that looks like this character that you think that you could be. So, it's very important to be very representative of what you want your career to go down rather than thinking what do I look best in. Asking for people's advice, asking your agent, friends, friends and family, all these people, they're going to give the realistic opinion of this looks correct for your castability. I think choosing your own headshot can be good. It's great. But I think having an outside opinion is really important.
How Should The Talent/Agent Relationship Work?
Yeah, I think it's so individualised. I think every agency works very differently. For us personally, as we, you know, we are a nurturing personalised management, we love it when our clients message. So, if you see a casting that you're like, I really want to be in the room for this. So, you really want to have an audition or do the job, send me a text and I will get back to you. I will always talk to you and tell you how we can achieve that together to get you in those rooms to make sure the audition goes well. And also, I just like to know what's happening with my clients. You know, at the end of the day, this is a professional relationship. It's about nurturing you and, you know, working together to get to where we need to be at the end point. But also, I need to know who you are to actually tell teams about you. So, if I don't know your real personality, I can't sell you to a team. So, I really want to get to know who you are as an individual. You know, I love to have catch up with with my clients, whether that be over the phone, in person, via Zoom, whatever it is, to kind of make sure that we're on that level playing field of if you are getting rejections, you never feel scared to come to me as your agent. I'm just Liam. I'm just a normal person in this industry, but I'm here to support you and really nurture you through all that.ext goes here
