You probably have a good idea of when and why you need an agent. You probably have a slightly-less-clear-but-still-pretty-solid idea of when and why you might need a manager. But those are only two of the people an actor may have on their team over the course of a career. Looking beyond representation, one of your next hires will likely be a publicist. So how do you know when the time is right, and what can you expect from this partnership?
When Should You Hire a Publicist?
The easy answer, of course, is 'when you've got something to publicize.' Tah-dah, end of blog post!
Of course it's not that simple. First and foremost, the time to hire a publicist is before your big exciting role/project/event. Once the thing has happened, you may have some great buzz around you, but it's too late for a publicist to help you capitalize on it. Publicity is all about what's next.
How long beforehand depends on how much lead time is required for the kind(s) of publicity you want — and it's probably more than you realize. Print publications often plan content several months in advance. Other kinds of media have shorter lead times, but you may need additional time to give your publicist what s/he needs in order to pitch you, like a professional bio or press page on your website.
Don't worry about starting too early... a good publicist will listen to what you want and tell you when it makes sense to start and how long you can expect the project to last. So the more time you give yourself and this new member of your team, the better off you'll be.
How Do You Find the Right Publicist?
Hiring a publicist is a lot like hiring an agent or manager. There are huge, high-profile companies, boutique, one-person operations, and everything in between. Some publicists only work with celebrities or specialize in specific aspects of the industry. If the role you're focused on is on a network comedy, for example, you probably want to find a publicist with experience and relationships in that area.
Your agent and/or manager may have publicists they've worked with before, or whom they know through other clients. Your actor friends may also have insight and experience that can help lead you to the right person (or away from the wrong one.)
Just know that hiring a publicist is like hiring anyone, in that you'll want to talk to a few to get a sense of what you do and don't want. Don't rush it, and remember that the right person for someone else may well not be the right fit for you.
In our next post, we'll talk about what you should (and shouldn't) expect from a publicist, and what they should and should not expect from you — including how much it all costs. In the meantime, if you have questions about how publicity fits into your acting career, ask away!