Agents and managers are a lot like the Israelis and Palestinians. Our views are different, there’s a lack of trust between us, and we uncomfortably share the same piece of real estate.
I’ve been an agent for over 10 years and when I started, 25 percent of my clients had personal managers; now it’s more like 75. Why has that number tripled in such a short period of time?
Well, thanks to reality television and runaway production, there’s less work to go around and the business has become very competitive. So it makes sense to have extra people on your team, even if that means paying out more commissions.
Unfortunately, a lot of performers don’t understand the difference between agents and managers. Hell, I’m not sure I do. It’s a blurry line, but you need to know the basics if you want to create an effective team that can help advance your career.
To begin, an agent works for a talent agency that is licensed by the state and in some cases, franchised by the union. That gives us the legal right to solicit employment for our clients. It also allows us to negotiate contracts on their behalf. Managers, on the other hand, do not have to be employed by a management company. They can work on
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