Which agent should I choose?
I have the opportunity to sign with one of two agents: one deals strictly with screenplays and supposively has good connections and the other seems to be more geared towards novel and book authors but has several screenwriter clients.
The first one doesn’t seem all that interested and seems to just want to have me signed on should lightning strike but the second one seems very enthusiastic about working with me. Both have offered me contracts but the kicker is, neither is in L.A. or New York. Should I sign with either and if so, if you were in my shoes, which one would you prefer?
Thanks for the site and thanks for much inspiration.
– Brad R.
Orchard Park, NY
Tell each agent you’d like to speak with two of their clients. Just a phone call. If they’re real, above-board agents, they won’t have a problem with this. I’ve spoken with potential clients on behalf of my agent several times, and it’s no great hardship.
When you talk with these writers, here’s what you want to know:
- How quickly does the agent return phone calls?
- What meetings has the agent set up for you?
- Have you sold anything? Been hired on any projects?
- On a scale of 1-10, how satisfied are you with this agent?
I suspect Agent #2 will score better on these criteria. The fact that he/she doesn’t live in Los Angeles, and isn’t exclusively a screenwriting agent, are certainly big minuses. However, enthusiasm gets you a lot. If you think Agent #2 passionately believes in your talent, go for it.
And now for the standard disclaimer: You are still responsible for your career. Signing with an agent guarantees you nothing. You will need to hunt out work, develop pitches, and generally scramble until you get your first few jobs. Your agent can help point you to the lake; you have to catch the fish yourself.
Articles
August 29th, 2005 at 10:33 am
A director friend once told me “You pay your agent ten percent of your salary — assume they do ten percent of the work.”
August 29th, 2005 at 3:35 pm
Brad,
Don’t sign with either of them. Just hold out, keep writing, and wait until you get an offer from an active, recognizable agent or manager in LA. That’s your highest percentage strategy if you really want to be a pro screenwriter.
The chances of you seeing any results from either of these people is virtually nil because producers, studios and networks resist dealing with agents and managers outside of LA and New York. Why, because there are way, way too many agents and managers in LA with crap client lists already. Producers, studios and networks are thinking, “All the serious writers are already here in LA, trying to break in, so why am I listening to this cat in St. Louis or Chicago or wherever?”
It can happen, but it’s a low percentage strategy for you. The lowest, actually. You really need to move to LA, and your best bet is to hit up all the managers. If you’re not moving to LA, you can still get reads from these people. There are dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of managers, many of them refugees of the studios cutting back on their first look overhead over the past six, seven years. Or they’re agent trainees who couldn’t get promoted, or didn’t want to get promoted, or development people striking out on their own.
They’re hungry, connected, and their core business is discovering new talent, because often they’re working out of their apartments, and won’t be poaching John August or Scott Frank. They’re diggers and they want to hear from you.
Heck, even the bigger management companies will sign new writers, so you might not even have to settle for some guy in his underwear, sitting in his kitchen with a phone and a laptop.
But again, you really gotta move to LA. It happens other ways, people get discovered out of New York, or they win a contest, or some hungry manager will read their stuff, but you’re not playing the percentages if that’s your strategy.
The likelihood is that it will take years of effort before it happens for you, and when it does happen, it’s going to be because you’ve gotten a legitimate rep to back you up–someone studios, networks and producers are eager to hear from.
Again, don’t sign with either of those agents–it’s extremely unlikely they’ll be able to help you. Or worse, it could be a major headache down the road. Just focus on your writing and getting better, and try to get reads from LA based reps.
Hope this helps.
Ben
Los Angeles
August 29th, 2005 at 3:45 pm
Moreover, Brad, I DEFINITELY wouldn’t sign with either of these agents without having spent at least a year trying to land an LA or NY based rep (LA is better).
Ben
LA
August 30th, 2005 at 2:58 am
If you want to sign with one, sign with the enthusiastic guy. Successful literary agents live all over the country, not just New York and LA.
August 30th, 2005 at 4:26 am
Agent #1 sounds pretty well ruled out — outside the main arena, and not all that interested in you.
If you considered yourself a born novelist with an eye on the screen, then agent #2 might well work out fine for you.
But if all your ambitions are in screenwriting then I’d be wary of throwing your lot in with an agent whose dealings are almost all literary. It’s a different business with different contacts, networks and working rhythms.
If enquiry reveals that agent #2’s screenwriting clients are a select bunch of heavy-hitters, ignore everything I just said.
August 30th, 2005 at 7:33 am
Listening to all these comments, it’s sounds like an awful lot of “be wary” “they’re the boogeyman” kind of mentality. Get real. The truth of the matter is you need someone to help you and here are two people offering. That doesn’t happen often at this stage. The key is that they’re there to”Help you”, not do it for you, just as John said.
Since you’ll be doing alot of work yourself regardless, why not have an extra hand to guide/push? So they’re not in LA or NY, who cares? Would you rather sit there “Whoe is me” over not having the right person or be thankful you’ve got anybody? Two heads are better than one. Maybe it’s not ideal, but it’s a big step in the right direction.
Talking about playing the percentages, people change agents, managers all the time. Vince Vaughn just had two hits and his firm dumped him. C’est la vie.
So play the percentages by making a deal (seems like #2 is best) that you’ll work together for a tryout period or on a contigency basis or at least with the understanding that and you will continue to market as you’ve been doing, both to producers and agents/managers and if somthing bigger breaks, that’s the business.
Don’t listen to advice telling you to shoot yourself in the foot, you get ahead by taking smart advantage of opportunities when they arise, not holding out for the best ones.
August 30th, 2005 at 8:33 am
I’ve got to agree with Derek. If anyone is interested in promoting you welcome them with open arms, but a closed check book. No reputable agent will ever ask you for any money, lunch maybe.
You just have to shamelessly promote yourself (and your services) out as much as possible.
Example: Visit my website. At iRegift.com you can turn any unwanted gift or
gift card into cash. It’s easier than eBay!
http://www.iRegift.com
: )
August 30th, 2005 at 10:23 am
Yeah, I’m going on the assumption that you’re pursuing screenwriting, since this is a screenwriting blog. If you’re more of a novelist/fiction writer, then yes, go with one of them. Lit agents are all over the place. I have a buddy who writes books and his agent is in San Fran. But if you’re a screenwriter, and you’re serious about making it your profession, the only entertainment agents and managers worth having are in LA and NY.
It sounds close-minded, but that’s the way it is. Ask anyone who’s been in the biz for a decade and they’ll tell you the same thing.
Yes, people can find other ways in, but that shouldn’t be your strategy. Having a bunghole rep that no one in LA cares about will be a bigger headache than it’s worth. They’re not going to be able to take a spec script out effectively, they’re not going to be able to put you up for open assignments, or get you meetings, because (entertainment) agents outside of LA don’t have those relationships. They have some other core business, and they ‘dabble’ in entertainment. So on the off, off, impossible chance that something sells, you’re stuck with them for however many years you signed a contract for.
Then you have to hire an LA based manager to actually do the work you need done, and you’re out another 10%.
If you’re a good writer, you deserve better.
So here’s what you do–try for a year to get repped by a reputable agent or manager in LA, because the benefits of doing that outweigh the risks associated with being repped out of St. Louis.
If you can’t get an LA rep, then you can consider these other two agents, but avoid signing a contract with them if you can. Just shake hands, or limit the relationship to just one or two scripts, for a finite period of time, like a few months. That’s enough time for the agent to take it out on spec. If the agent says, “We need to package it, I need more time,” forget it. A) you shouldn’t be writing material that needs to be packaged, you should be writing studio type stuff that an agent or manager can turn around and take out on spec. And B) this agent won’t have the relationships necessary to package a piece of material, so you’ll be wasting time when you could be submitting to LA based reps.
This is all a long-winded way of saying you don’t have to settle for crummy representation outside of LA or NY. There are tons of managers in LA who will read your stuff, and take you on if you’re good enough. I believe this is a great time for new writers because there are so many droves of hungry, energetic managers out there who want to hear from you, and who will hustle for you.
You read Variety every day, right? So pick the names out and start approaching them. And get yourself a Hollywood Creative Directory, and find out whom you should approach. Make a list and attack.
And move to LA.
Read what everyone else has to say, but this is the best advice you’re going to get.
Ben
LA
August 30th, 2005 at 12:04 pm
Still sounds like a load of bullshit to me. Wait a year for a might or try for a sure thing now… hmmmm… gee tough. The only downside to signing now is if you’re stuck in a contract you couldn’t get out of if something better HAPPENS to come along. That’s it. No other crap about meetings and packaging and shit because that’s not a choice you have now anyway (if you’re not in LA, what difference does it make if your LA agent gets you a meeting?) Maybe these guys can do it, maybe not, but they’ve got a better shot than you AT THE MOMENT and you should take advantage of it.
I believe it was “playing the percentages”? What’s the percent chance of getting something happening from a) the manager you have or b) the manager you want to have, but don’t?
Bottomline you want a sale or an assignment, right? Well if you’re wasting a year contacting these mysterious managers eager to represent you (like the other 2 million writers are), then you’re not working as hard on getting what you ultimately want. If this break gets you a step closer or frees you up some to do it, why the hell wouldn’t you?
The ONLY good advice there is move to LA. Til we sell something (by our hard work or another’s) we’re beggars, not choosers. Stop listening to nay-sayers who for some reason are trying to blow your opportunity.
August 30th, 2005 at 12:49 pm
If you do sign with either of these two agents and are worried about getting tied down for a long time with a crappy agent when you might find someone better down the line all you have to do is add a clause to the contract. Just have something state that if the agent doesn’t find you work within a set period of time (like 4 months) then either the agent or yourself can end the contract by sending a certified letter stating that you wish to end the relationship. In your letter request that the agent sends you a list of all the places (if any) that they took your script. That way you can at least see what the agent is capable of.
August 30th, 2005 at 1:45 pm
Enthusiasm goes a long way, but information is key.
August 30th, 2005 at 2:14 pm
John,
Derek thinks Brad should settle on one of these two agents who aren’t in LA or NY because a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. I think Brad should spend more time shopping (especially if he hasn’t already), since there are so many hungry, eager managers in LA now, whose core business is finding and breaking new writers.
What do you think?
Ben
August 30th, 2005 at 7:43 pm
Sheesh, I only wish I had this dilemma.
September 1st, 2005 at 8:36 am
I’m sorry, but is no one taking issue with Brad’s use of the word “supposively,” which DOES NOT EXIST!
September 1st, 2005 at 9:30 am
DRIVER
Where you headed?
PASSENGER
Airport. Take the 44 West — it’s faster.
DRIVER
Might be better to take East Parkway. It’s supposively faster. Less traffic.
DRIVER suddenly turns around to look the PASSENGER full in the face.
DRIVER
Hey, aint you that famous screenwriter guy? I’m writing a movie too y’know.
PASSENGER
No kidding. Suppove you just get me to the airport, genius.
September 1st, 2005 at 12:45 pm
I’m with Trey. Rather than signing with agents, writer in question should sign on for some grammar lessons.
September 7th, 2005 at 12:22 pm
I went with my first agent because she’d been my book editor on my debut novel and she was moving into representation. I had no agent and she was keen to have me. She wasn’t by any means a disaster but she was a modest performer and when the world looked at me, she was the filter through which they saw my potential.
When we finally parted company it was because it looked as if my shot at the business had played itself out and nobody out there wanted to take a serious look at my stuff.
But because at the core of every writer there’s a nugget of ego denser than a white dwarf star I tried my luck with one of the big agencies. There I was looked upon as ‘relaunch material’ but, luckily, the relaunch worked and at last I got a career. Material that previously would have been handed off to a reader or, worse, returned unread, now got read by the players themselves.
My point is that my first agent wasn’t a stepping stone.
September 7th, 2005 at 8:31 pm
I’m a native NYer, writer, actor, blah, blah, blah. I haven’t found an honest agent yet. All wannabees! I’ve sold stuff on my own to major late night shows, History and Discovery Chanels, and never really made any big money. Sold 2 scripts to people who have cashed in mega times more than I could ever dream about. Sold them outright. And gave up all copyrights. I have several great scripts that have been read by at least 10 A list actors. They all want to do it…but I can’t afford them or can’t find the money to afford them. I’ve been offered drug money and mob money, but I can’t do it that way.
So anyhow, I enjoyed and learned some things from the comments made and would say don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions. It’s your work.
January 29th, 2008 at 8:48 am
[...] This blog relates to my mine because a chunk of it has to deal with questions concerning the film industry and budding filmmakers hungry for knowledge on how to be successful and break in. Some of his blog topics are Starting Out in Hollywood, How do you become successful?, and Which agent should I choose? [...]