Key Takeaways:
- Animal talent agencies handle more than animals. They provide expert staff and logistics.
- Handlers are essential to ensure the animals’ safety and performance on set.
- Animal actors and models need specialised training. They’re not interchangeable props.
- Agencies match animals to roles based on skills, temperament and the brief.
Knowing how to find animal actors or filming with animals in general can be a bit tricky. With many animals hired for film, television, adverts and print, it is easy to assume that working with these actors is an easy task but that’s not always the case.
What you never see is that behind their captivating performances in all forms of media is a sophisticated network of professionals who make these moments possible. Chief among them are animal talent agencies.
Animal talent agencies generally have a high level of professionalism. When anyone who is filming with animals seeks the services of a talent agency, the agency not only provides trained animals but also expert handlers, behaviourists, vets and logistical coordinators to ensure the safety and comfort of the animals. These teams also ensure that the animals are ready to deliver on cue.
In this article, we will discuss the challenges that those who hire animals for film or other media productions might face and explore the benefits of working with a professional animal talent agency.
The Complexities of Filming With Animals
Animals are not props. They are living beings with instincts, needs, fears and limitations. This means that their behaviour on set must be managed with care and empathy.
Unlike human actors, animals require specific environmental conditions to perform safely and effectively. For instance, they must be desensitised to lights, cameras, crew members and often unpredictable shooting environments.
As you may have suspected by now, it requires a lot of work. This level of conditioning is not achieved overnight. It is a product of ongoing and highly specialised training provided by experienced professionals.
The Role of an Animal Talent Agency in Filming With Animals
To bridge the gap between the entertainment industry and trained animal performers, an animal talent agency is often needed. A film director might not have access to the type of talent needed for a specific role, while an animal trainer might not have the connections to place the animal actor in the suitable role. Bridging this gap is how these two come to work with an animal talent agency.
Animal talent agencies solve this challenge by maintaining a roster of animals to hire for film, TV and other productions. When filming with animals, each of the animals is accompanied by a professional handler and has a training history. This is primarily meant to match the right animal with the requirements of a production.
There are also instances where producers might have highly specific requirements of the type of animal and skills that it needs to have. In such cases, the producers can let the animal talent agency know their brief in advance so that the requested animals can be trained and prepared to work on set for filming.
The Value of Professional Handlers
If you really want any shoot involving filming with animals to be successful, you cannot do away with professional handlers. These are the people who serve as both the trainer and guardian of the animal.
Reputable talent agencies will often have highly qualified handlers. These people should have several years of experience, industry know-how and adaptability to on-the-fly changes on set, on top of undergoing regular checks like DBS checks.
Curated and Continuous Training
When filming with animals, the animals booked through reputable talent agencies will also undergo curated training that is specific to their roles. This may include basic obedience, behaviour-shaping exercises and environmental acclimatisation.
For such agencies, their philosophy when looking to hire an animal for film or any other production will most likely be grounded in positive reinforcement and animal welfare. Each training session will be designed to build the animal’s confidence and enthusiasm for performing.
This is not something you are likely going to find when filming with animals without the help of a creditable talent agency, considering how time-consuming it can be.
Working With The Animal Talent Ltd
The Animal Talent Ltd is the leading UK agency for animal casting, training, and on-set management. We are committed to animal welfare, ethically trained talent and fully vetted staff in our work.
Our animal agents have a lot of experience working with production staff, and we openly communicate with our clients to guarantee shots that go smoothly on the day.
If you are going to be working with animals, contact us now to ensure the success of your project.
