People Store Atlanta
A major Atlanta talent agency known for placing actors in high-profile film and TV productions
Overview
People Store, now rebranding as FORMATION Talent Agency, is one of the most historically significant and active talent agencies in Atlanta, founded in 1983 by Rebecca Shrager and now led by president Rick Estimond. Located at 645 Lambert Drive in Atlanta, the agency has been a driving force in the Southeast talent market for over four decades, growing alongside the extraordinary expansion of Georgia's entertainment industry from a modest regional market into one of the top three production hubs in the United States. The agency operates as a boutique firm representing actors, writers, filmmakers, and creatives, with recent expansion into literary and digital representation across multiple mediums that reflects the evolving entertainment landscape. People Store's longevity and reputation have made it one of the first agencies that casting directors call when staffing major productions in the Georgia market. The 2025 rebrand to FORMATION Talent Agency signals a new chapter in the agency's evolution, expanding its scope while building on the four-decade foundation of relationships and industry credibility that Rebecca Shrager established.
People Store's track record of talent discovery and career development is among the most impressive of any agency outside Los Angeles and New York, with notable alumni including Chase Stokes, who broke out as the lead of Netflix's Outer Banks, Antonia Gentry, the star of Netflix's Ginny and Georgia, and Storm Reid, who has appeared in major productions including The Last of Us, Euphoria, and A Wrinkle in Time. These career launches from an Atlanta-based agency demonstrate that the Georgia market has genuinely matured to the point where talent can build nationally significant careers from a Southeast base with the right representation. The agency's ability to identify and develop talent that goes on to achieve this level of success speaks to the quality of its scouting, the strength of its casting director relationships, and the effectiveness of its advocacy for represented performers. The commercial division has been consistently one of the most active in the Southeast, generating a high volume of audition opportunities that keep represented talent busy between theatrical bookings. People Store's efficiency and professionalism in dealings with casting offices have earned it a reputation that makes casting directors receptive to every submission the agency sends.
How It Works
Actors seeking representation with People Store can submit through the agency's website at peoplestore.net with professional headshots, a current resume, and a demo reel that demonstrates on-camera ability. The agency also holds periodic open calls and workshops that provide additional pathways for prospective talent to be evaluated in person. People Store looks for actors who are trained and ready to work at a professional level, with the preparation, reliability, and on-camera skills necessary to succeed in Atlanta's demanding production environment. Given the agency's position as one of the most active in the market, competition for roster spots is significant, and submissions that demonstrate genuine training, professional polish, and clear marketability make the strongest impression. The agency's expansion into literary, digital, and filmmaking representation through the FORMATION rebrand means that creative professionals beyond traditional actors may also find representation opportunities with the evolving agency.
Working with People Store provides actors access to one of the highest volumes of audition opportunities available through any Atlanta agency, as the firm's decades-long relationships with casting directors and its reputation for sending professional, prepared talent ensure that roster members are regularly seen for projects across film, television, commercial, and print categories. The agency's casting director relationships span both the local Atlanta casting community and the Los Angeles and New York casting offices that regularly cast Georgia-based productions from out of state, providing geographic breadth in the opportunities available to represented talent. The commercial division's exceptional activity level means that actors receive consistent audition flow for national and regional brand campaigns alongside theatrical submissions for film and television projects. The agency's experienced agents manage all business aspects of representation with the efficiency and professionalism that the high-volume Atlanta market demands. People Store's boutique approach, despite its market prominence, ensures that talent receive genuine attention and strategic advocacy rather than being lost in an impersonal mass-submission system.
Who Uses It
People Store's roster represents a carefully curated selection of actors and creative professionals who meet the agency's standards for talent, training, and professionalism. The roster is diverse in terms of age, ethnicity, type, and experience level, reflecting both the agency's commitment to inclusive representation and the diverse casting needs of the productions that shoot in Georgia. Both SAG-AFTRA members and non-union performers are represented, with the prevalence of major studio productions in the Georgia market making union membership increasingly important for accessing the highest-caliber opportunities. The agency's recent expansion into literary and digital representation means the roster now includes writers, filmmakers, and digital content creators alongside traditional actors, creating a multi-disciplinary creative community under the FORMATION umbrella. The actors who succeed through People Store tend to be those who are proactive about keeping their profiles updated, attending agency workshops and events, and responding quickly to the high volume of audition opportunities the agency generates.
Pricing & Plans
People Store operates on the standard commission-only model, with no upfront fees, registration costs, required classes, or ongoing charges to represented talent. Commission rates follow standard industry practices, typically ranging from 10 to 20 percent depending on the type of work and applicable union agreements. The commission-only structure means that the agency earns only when its clients earn, creating properly aligned financial incentives. For actors in the Atlanta market, where major production bookings command compensation rates comparable to other top markets and the volume of available work continues to grow annually, the standard commission rates represent strong value for the quantity and quality of audition opportunities that representation through one of the market's most active agencies provides. The financial terms are transparent and clearly communicated in the representation agreement.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
People Store's four-decade track record and proven ability to launch major careers — including Chase Stokes, Antonia Gentry, and Storm Reid — demonstrate that the agency can deliver career-making representation from an Atlanta base. The agency generates one of the highest volumes of audition opportunities of any firm in the Southeast, with particularly strong commercial division activity. Deep casting director relationships spanning Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York provide access to both locally generated and out-of-state production opportunities. The boutique approach ensures personal attention despite the agency's market prominence. The FORMATION rebrand expands the agency's scope into literary and digital representation, providing forward-looking coverage of the evolving entertainment landscape.
What Could Be Better
The agency's high activity level and substantial roster mean that competition among represented talent for the best audition opportunities can be intense, as multiple roster members may be appropriate for the same roles. The FORMATION rebrand and expansion into literary and digital representation may create a period of transition as the agency evolves its identity and operational focus, which could temporarily affect the stability of the existing acting representation model. The boutique label may understate the agency's actual roster size, and some actors may find that individual attention varies depending on their booking history and career stage. The Atlanta market's increasing competitiveness as more agencies and relocating talent enter the ecosystem means that even strong representation does not guarantee consistent booking activity. Newer actors on the roster may face a period of proving themselves before receiving the same level of submission activity as more established clients with longer track records at the agency.
Our Recommendation
People Store is an excellent choice for Atlanta actors at various career levels who want representation from one of the market's most active and historically successful agencies, with a proven track record of launching nationally significant careers from a Southeast base. The agency is particularly well-suited for actors who thrive in high-volume audition environments and who are proactive about seizing opportunities quickly in the fast-paced Atlanta market. The expanding scope under the FORMATION brand may appeal to multi-disciplinary creatives who combine acting with writing, filmmaking, or digital content creation. If you are a newer actor seeking your first major agency representation in Atlanta, People Store's accessibility relative to the most exclusive boutique agencies makes it a strong candidate for your first professional agency relationship. The continued growth of Georgia's production market means that actors represented by one of the market's premier agencies are positioned for increasing opportunities in the years ahead.
Pro Tips
Stay proactive in your relationship with People Store by keeping your profile, headshots, and reel consistently updated with your most current and strongest work, as the agency's high-volume submission process relies on accurate, current materials to match you with appropriate casting opportunities. Attend agency workshops, open calls, and events whenever they are offered, as these touch points strengthen your relationship with your agents and demonstrate the engagement and commitment that earn more aggressive submission activity. Build the strongest possible self-tape capabilities, as the pace of Atlanta casting demands the ability to produce broadcast-quality auditions on very short turnaround. Study the careers of People Store alumni like Chase Stokes and Antonia Gentry to understand the trajectory from Atlanta representation to national careers, and use their journeys as motivation and roadmap for your own career development. Take advantage of every booking to deliver your absolute best work and build positive relationships with casting directors, directors, and producers, because in the Atlanta market a strong performance can lead to direct requests from production teams that bypass the standard audition process entirely.