Meet Lana Barkhordarian Burstein: SF Mama and Talent Agent
Lana Burstein
“Be a team player and get experience on the client side so you know what it's like to be in their shoes.”
What do you do and what led you to this career?
My path to where I am today actually started way back when I was a little kid at around 11 years old. I loved the entertainment industry - I had no desire to be on camera but felt at home behind the camera. My friends and I would use our Super 8 camera to make game shows and cooking shows, and in high school I would shadow my sister at work (she was a producer for a news magazine show), and read celebrity autobiographies and biographies instead of the classics we were told to read. In college I had internships at local news stations where I was writing news teases for the 6 o'clock news and interviewing baseball players in the locker room after games (even made Barry Bonds laugh once!) As a result, I went on to be an ad agency broadcast producer then became a talent agent back in 2017.
However, after having my 3rd baby, I knew that it was time to shake things up a bit and do something different. I have always had a knack for matching people (matching people with jobs, boyfriends/girlfriends/spouses, and models for photo shoots.) The casting phase, when I was a producer, was always the part I looked forward to. While some producers dreaded listening to hundreds of voiceover auditions or audition tapes, I relished in it. I became the producer that would take the lead on casting for certain projects especially when other producers didn't have the bandwidth. So naturally, starting a talent agency was my next step.
My business partner, Catherine Wold, and I both wanted to create an agency that focused on representing "real people" and voice-over. When we started over 2.5 years ago, we didn't even have a proper website and a small roster. Now we've grown and rep over 300 people for on-camera and over 100 voices. Our talent have booked jobs for clients like Carnival Cruises, Facebook Portal, Google, eBay and a bunch more that we can't talk about until the spots/projects debut later in 2020. All of my past experiences gave me the confidence to pursue my dream career. Fast-forwarding from my Super 8 camera days, I am the founder of Shortlist Model + Talent Agency, a talent agency that I am deeply passionate about.
What are the names and ages of your children?
Sasha, who is 6.5, Audrey, who is 5, and Layla, who is 3.5.
What has been your biggest career achievement thus far?
No matter the type of job - big or small - I am elated. We have some people that booked exciting projects that I can't talk about until 2020.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being a mother?
When I witness my girls using good judgement - whether it's on the playground or when they are at home.
And what is the most challenging?
Dealing with tantrums. Someone please help me in that department.
What is your best advice for someone new to your industry?
1. Be a team player (say yes instead of no. Let your agent do the dirty work.)
2. Get experience on the client side so you know what it's like to be in their shoes.
3. Remember, you are representing your talent, so always keep them and their future in mind when negotiating deals.
What is your best advice for a new mother?
Read Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman - that book is one of the key tools that helped me feel like "I got this" when I was about to give birth. The chapter about sleep was especially helpful! I read it each time I was pregnant.
What's next for you? Do you have any exciting projects coming up?
We are trying to network with more clients to get more opportunities for our talent. We are always on the hunt for new faces and voices. We also have some exciting projects coming up in 2020 that we can't wait to talk about later.
Follow Lana at @shortlisttalent, @art_byLana, and @lanabark