Entertainment Agent Blog

Now, there’s a good chance at some point you were confused at what the difference was between an artist’s manager and agent, or just did not correctly understand each position.  I touched upon this in another post about different job titles you will run into in Hollywood, but let’s get into more detail.

Teamwork:
For one, agents tend to work in teams, whereas managers are often a single individual working directly with the client.  The manager may be part of a management firm, but there still usually is one manager assigned to a client, where agents may have 1, 2 or 3 most often.

Compensation:
Agents are strictly held to certain standards by law.  One such standard is that they wouldn’t be allowed to earn more than 10% from their clients (varies by state, see here).  Managers tend to have much more freedom, although it could be controversial if rates get too high (see Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker).  Managers can expect around 15%.

The Job:
To simplify, agents procure new employment for their clients, while managers deal with the day-to-day interests.  Essentially, the manager is much more intimate as being the life-coach essentially, as well as planning the path to success for their client (and themselves!).  Let’s end this by noting that even with an agent, that’s not to say a manager won’t try to procure employment for their client.  While it may be forbidden in some areas, it may not always be enforced.  While the agent is revising contracts on new deals for the client, the manager is working to coordinate efforts between all involved in the client’s life (manager, agent, publicity, lawyer, assistants).

Longevity:
In either case, some see it as a good thing and others bad, don’t expect to be with the same client for more than a few years.  Surely it happens, but agents typically have many clients, so it can’t happen with all.  While managers might have a better chance, it still isn’t guaranteed.  In either position, you’re likely to meet and engage closely with many different characters and personalities.  It’s a great career path for someone who likes change.

These are just a few small changes between the two.  Some want to say they’re vastly different, but that all matters on perspective.  There’s been plenty of people to transition from agent to manager over time as well.  Whatever you decide to pursue for yourself, always leave your options open.  If you start with small-time clients, there’s a good chance you’ll act as manager and agent all in one.

Being open to change is important in this business.

Step 1: Get a job in the mailroom of a major agency.

Step 2: Fight to maintain a solid workload, social life, and sleep schedule.

Step 3: Realize step 2 is hopeless; continue struggling on in the mailroom.

Step 4: Decision time…
a: I have my BS/MBA/JD, and experience far beyond answering phones and running errands.. Why am I wasting my time babysitting others and dealing with this guy’s stress?  That’s it, I’m out, back to the job market!
b: The normal person might need their sleep and socializing and free time.  But me?  This is it.  This is my passion.  I live for this…

Maybe you got to Step 4.  Maybe you chose ‘b’.  I sure hope you chose correctly!

You really can’t know what the best choice is until you at least get to the point where you know enough first hand about the job and what it takes to rise to the top.  In my opinion, waiting until you have enough experience is too late.  If you have interest in any job, it’s best to research what you can NOW.

“The Mailroom” by David Rensin is an engaging collection of countless anecdotes from former mailroom employees, of various agencies.  Many people talk about how the entertainment business can be shallow and one of the most cutthroat industries out there.  These numerous aggregated accounts only reaffirm that notion, but it is incredibly entertaining to hear!

I would say this book is awfully informative as well.  It definitely provides a laundry list of names.  Some you will see in future studies and current Hollywood-related affairs, others you will never see again.  The real lesson is seeing what the mailroom workers have gone through in their experiences.  Some are hilarious, while others frightening.

As far as this book in your journey, I highly recommend you give it a read.  It’s easy and fun to read through, but also prepares you mentally.  Hollywood is like nowhere else, and this is just a glimpse in it.  If you think you’re still interested, if you still think you have it in you, go for it!

It is unbelievable some of the stories you’ll hear in this book, so read on…

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Let’s hope that wherever you are in your journey to becoming an agent, you are studying all you can.  After all, knowledge is power.  Information is a necessity, especially in a job like agenting.

However, one must ensure they truly understand what they are studying.  It goes beyond who the latest hot producers are, which agents signed who, and what Japanese conglomerate is taking over another Hollywood studio.

You need to know the sellers and buyers.  The Agents, Managers, Studios, and Producers, mainly.  I will assume the others you can figure out yourselves, but these are four sectors of the entertainment industry you must understand.

Agents:
This is where you likely would like to fall.  Let’s hope you understand this role, but if not, let me shed some light.  An agent is a seller.  They represent what seems to be an ever expanding variety of individuals: actors, directors, writers, musicians, athletes, and producers make up the main focus.  Looking deeper, you’ll see there’s agents for models, make-up artists, chefs, stuntmen, and many more individuals.  As time goes on, and technology evolves, we have seen more and more job-types taken in under the agent’s umbrella.
The agent’s main job?  Negotiating future work.  Procuring work is the main focus, while negotiating for highest income is important, especially as agents get paid through commissions.  It is important to remember, while you can be very powerful, you will still be on-call to some exhaustive personalities.

Managers:
Amateurs often misconstrue managers as playing the same role as agents.  Managers are sellers, and also work on their clients commissions.  However, while agents are looking for future work, managers tend to focus on the present.  Their relationships with clients tends to be much more intimate, and also tend to work with fewer individuals.  While agents are on-call to these individuals, managers have the luxury of spending their days with the clients.  Managers also have to provide insight to clients for their best interests.  Making suggestions that some of these egos will listen to is no easy tasks.

Studios:
Studios are large buyers in the entertainment world.  Essentially, they decide on what movies to make, and what large sums of money to give the agents/managers clients (i.e. actors, producers, directors, writers, etc).  Power shifts over time, between studio to studio, as well as studio to agents.  Packaging projects really altered this field when agents took the upper hand in bringing entire products elements (actors, directors, writers, producers) to studios as an all-or-nothing deal.  This is largely attributed to Michael Ovitz.

Producers:
It isn’t easy to distinguish a producer among a buyer or a seller, as they mainly float around in between.  They work with the much of the main talent, such as directors, writers and actors, as well as the other necessities, the wallet of the operations, which is often studios.  It is a rather luxurious position to hold, as you have great power over the making of a movie.  At least, as long as the movie takes off at the box office!

You may not have learned everything from this, but hopefully it either served to clarify the positions, or strengthen your current understanding of such.  Remember, to quote entrepreneur Jim Rohn, “formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.”

Interested in agenting?  I hope you don’t have your heart set on that 9-to-5.

Being an agent means many things.  First, in many of my blog posts you’ll notice how much I emphasize continuous learning, and the ever-changing field of entertainment.  As an agent, you need to know everything going on all over tinsel town, and understand you can’t ever know everything.  You also need to see the future, where the business is headed in 3 months, a year, 5 years, ten years, and on.  This is important for the longevity and earnings of your clients, which correlates directly with your own longevity and earnings.

With that said, you should expect to wake up and begin thinking about work.  When you get out of work, assuming its 5pm if you’re lucky, or 10pm, which is more probable, you aren’t off the clock, so to speak.  This is your time to make more phone calls, catch up on the day’s happenings, and plan your next moves.  Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, be aware of everything going on around you, and don’t let a free minute pass by that you can’t capitalize on.  But do make sure you take some time to rest your brain, you’ll likely be running on way too much caffeine for the last 12 hours anyhow.

Also, you’re not going to be your own boss anytime soon either.  Expect your boss to seem needy to you.  In reality, they’re just incredibly busy people who are juggling dozens of incredibly busy, often needy, clients of their own.  This is Hollywood, and egos rule the land.  Therefore, on your way home, expect at least one phone call with another chore to take care of, or to just listen to your boss talk.  There’s many different personalities out there, and different agents will have different methods of relieving their minds and responsibilities.  As an assistant, you’re there just for that.

When entering college, multiple different people told me, Work, School, Play.  Choose two, ’cause there’s no time for all three.  Now, I proved them wrong in being able to do all three, or at time making Work and Play synonymous to make it easier.  However, it undoubtedly does have some truth within.  It is much harder to get up the next day and work a non-stop 12 hour shift when you’re hung over.  I won’t tell you how to live your life, but if you really want to be successful, try to keep it to one or two drinks.  After all, going out after work is important to relax, socialize, and network with other agents, clients, and power players.

Oh, and take advantage of weekends!