Today we’d like to introduce you to Mrs. Lisa Lopez.
Mrs. Lisa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m the mother of two sons. The oldest son started modeling at around five but quickly lost interest, so he started playing sports. So, when the youngest son (Justin Myrick) came along, I didn’t think he would be interested, but I was very wrong. He loves the arts! He would get cast as the lead in his elementary school plays, then he started doing church plays and community theater. He loved all of it! Eventually, my husband and I took him to meet with a talent agent in Charlotte, and she offered to represent him. After working with him for a year, she said he needed to be in a larger market. Fast forward a decade, thanks to my husband, he worked the markets in LA, NY, and Atlanta (at different times), so my hubby and I learned a lot about navigating the industry and made a lot of contacts. I used to teach at the community college, and word spread that our son was doing national TV commercials, modeling jobs, and movies. People would stop by my office at the college to ask if I could help their kids get started in entertainment. Then they started saying that we should have our own talent agency. I would always say, “If God wanted us to have an agency, then He would give us one.” Several years later, we started Stisa Talent Agency to help actors from the Carolinas break into the industry. It worked, and our people can be seen in projects for most major networks, movie studios, and streaming platforms.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Operating a talent agency in a competitive field takes work. The entertainment circles were closed to outsiders, and we had to rely on our previous contacts to gain entrance into it. We had to get to know many players (i.e., casting directors, production companies, etc.). We must continuously prep our actors to work with the casting directors and production companies. Each role is different and requires different things from our actors (affectionately known as Stisa family members). It’s like trying to hit a moving target.
As you know, we’re big fans of Stisa Talent Agency. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We operate differently from a lot of other agencies. Although we’re agents, we act a lot like managers; that makes it feel like family. We consider ourselves momagers and dadagers to everyone. All of our Stisa family members have direct access to us. That’s unheard of in the industry. The actors have a chance to meet each other throughout the year. Most agencies specialize in a specific type of actor or model, but we differ in that regards too. Our Stisa family is very diverse. We range in age from four to late 60s. We’re comprised of all races, ethnicities, abilities, body types, and genders. We are proud of the fact that all of our actors get auditions! We love watching the actors grow in confidence and abilities, and we celebrate with them when they book TV shows, movies, or commercials. Many of them came to us with no experience and nothing on their resumes, but now they’re SAG-Eligible. They’ve worked with well-known celebrities and held their own on different sets for various networks. For some, that could only happen because Stisa Talent exists.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Spartanburg, SC, is pretty cool. It’s not big, but it’s not too small. I like the fact that it’s centrally located between Charlotte and Atlanta. The winters are mild, and the cost of living is affordable.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://stisatalent.com/
- Instagram: @stisatalent
- Facebook: @stisatalent
