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CYBER BULLY - WYNONA LEIGH McCULLOUGH
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WYNONA LEIGH McCULLOUGH!
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Produced by Herb Middleton
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CASTING NETWORKS' THE NETWORKER: WHAT'S THE DEAL? "RED FLAGS" or "HOW TO LOSE AN AGENT IN ONE EASY STEP"
Don't be THAT actor!
Sharing another great article by Adam Lieblein from Casting Networks' THE NETWORKER.
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
by Adam LiebleinRed Flags
or
How To Lose An Agent In One Easy Step
During the sixteen years I owned a talent agency, I had the sad responsibility of releasing many clients who displayed behavior that can be characterized as a “red flag.” In this context, a red flag refers to any action that causes great stress to the staff of the agency, or shows signs that the actor is becoming overly needy or “high-maintenance.”
There are times when some agents will grant a bit of leeway and flexibility to some clients. They may put up with bad behavior from actors who may be high earners or someone who may have other value to the agency. But generally speaking, which is all I can do in a short article, there are certain behaviors that are unacceptable, and will cause an agency to cut ties with an actor in short order. Maybe it will take a few of these to push them over the cliff, but during a stressful day, red flags will have drastic repercussions. Also, when agents review their client list from time to time, the first people to be dropped are the ones who annoy them. Here are some examples of behavior that will do more than just ruffle an agent’s feathers:
Call the agent every day and ask, “What’s up? Is there anything for me today? Has it been slow? Are you submitting me on anything?”
When an actor says these things, he implies that the agent isn’t doing his job. If you just need to talk to your agent, there are other more creative and less insulting ways to do it.
Frequently ask to reschedule your audition times for series regular roles during pilot season.
These are the most potentially lucrative bookings for any actor. The auditions are tough to get, so when you get them, you really need to go. What is more important? If you aren’t performing emergency brain surgery on the President of the United States, then you should make yourself available, and get the proper coaching before you go in.
Forget to show up for an audition and hope nobody notices.
If you are running late to an audition for any reason, you need to call the agency and let them know. If you made a huge mistake, and forgot to show up for an audition, you need to call your agent and confess your sins. You should know that the casting director will realize that you didn’t show up, and they will call and talk to your agent about it. It embarrasses the agent, and may cause the casting director to call in fewer actors from that agency in the future. That’s bad for everyone.
Complain about your agency on social networks.
Seriously? You just tweeted that your agent hasn’t gotten you an audition in a month? You blogged about your search for a new agent? And you thought your current agent wouldn’t notice or care that you shared that on the web? Wrong. Keep your eyes open for a tweet that you’ve been dropped from their roster.
Be difficult to work with on the set. Whine and complain a lot.
When you are fortunate enough to book a job, you need to make lasting friendships on the set. People need to like you, and enjoy working with you. If they don’t, and if you piss people off, guess who gets the phone call? That’s right. Your agent. If an agent gets that call, it tells them that you don’t value your career as much as you should. They will tend to release actors who give the agency a bad reputation. Don’t be that person. Be professional. Be nice. Be fun to work with.
Be late for your early morning call time on any production.
Oh, boy. It’s 6:20AM and your call time was 6:15. You’re late. Nobody can reach you on your cell. The production team will call your agent and wake him up. He will frantically try to reach you using every contact method the agency has on file. Every minute you are late costs the producers extra money. The casting director will hear about this. Your agent will be more than a little upset. Unless you’ve been pinned under a train and the jaws of life are being used to free your legs, there isn’t an excuse that will placate the people who have depended on you. You should have planned ahead to be early. Traffic isn’t an excuse. A power failure causing you to miss your alarm isn’t an excuse. Use two alarm clocks, place one of them on the other side of the room, and make sure one clock runs on batteries in case of a power failure.
Leave drunken messages on your agency’s voicemail after hours.
After a night of drinking with friends, that great idea you just had to share with your agent can wait until the next day. Nothing good can come of a late night drunk-dial to your agent’s office. The first time a client of mine called me at 1AM, slurring his speech while thanking me for doing such a great job for them. I was flattered, but slightly annoyed. The next time it happened, I was a bit less flattered, and much more irritated. The third time… well, you get the point.
I could continue listing issues like this for pages upon pages. The bottom line is that if you think a specific behavior is questionable, and might be considered a red flag by your agent, you are probably right. Don’t do it.
Now, when I share these thoughts with my students, many of them have asked me why I focus on these issues rather than on the behavior of an agent that might be considered a red flag to the actor. That’s a good question. There are agent behaviors that an actor should watch out for, and I will review those in another article. But those issues are less frequent, and less important in the overall process.
For every actor who has an agent, there are dozens of actors seeking representation. Actors are relatively easy for an agency to replace. This is not true in reverse. There are a limited number of agencies, and it’s much more difficult for an actor to find a new agent than for an agency to find a new actor. It’s just the way it is. And that’s the deal.
Adam Lieblein is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theatre Film and Television, and spent eight years as a producer of films, commercials and television projects until 1993 when he opened a talent agency. Adam was the president of Acme Talent & Literary for sixteen years, and together with his eighteen agents represented actors for film, television, commercials, print modeling and voiceover work, and writers for film and novels. At the end of 2008, Acme’s several divisions were sold to other agencies, and Adam returned to the business of producing and teaching at UCLA. In 2011 Adam was recruited by Casting Networks to work in Business and Product Development.
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CASTING NETWORKS' THE NETWORKER: THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AGENTS & MANAGERS
Sharing a very informative article from Casting Networks' THE NETWORKER:
WHAT'S THE DEAL?
by Adam Lieblein
The Biggest Differences Between Agents and Managers.
Or
Show Me The Money!
This is one of those articles that is going to get me into trouble. Why? Because there are some good managers out there that will disagree with some of the facts that I present and with the opinions I share with you about this topic. Some of you will refuse to accept my premise, in spite of—or because of—my experience and vantage point. There are also some actors who will believe me, but will refuse to admit that this information applies to them or to any manager whom they may be working with. With that said, I’m going to share this information with you anyway. Just in case. Feel free to tell me I’m wrong, even though I’m not.
What do agents and managers do? How do they become agents and managers? What are they legally allowed to do? What are they prohibited from doing? What do they charge? Who needs them? Let’s see…
What does an agent do? Agents solicit work on behalf of an artist. They are employment agents. They submit and pitch their talent to get them auditions. They negotiate the bookings. They collect the money. That’s it. Everything they do revolves around the solicitation, negotiation, and collection.
What does a manager do? Managers provide career guidance. That’s it. That includes many tasks, but in the major markets in the USA (such as California and New York), managers are NOT legally allowed to solicit work or negotiate work, although most of them will attempt to do exactly that.
How does someone become an agent? To become an agent in major markets like California or New York, you must either be hired by a licensed talent agency, or apply for their own license. Licensing involves a lengthy process of regulatory paperwork filed with the State, which involves fees, fingerprinting, background checks, affidavits of character, insurance bonding, facility permits, establishing trust accounts, and adherence to a long list of regulations. Beyond these steps, a talent agent must either become franchised with the various unions, and/or become a member of the Association of Talent Agents or the National Association of Talent Representatives. It’s an arduous process that is meant to weed out the unqualified opportunists.
How does someone become a manager? They look into a mirror and say out loud, “I am now a manager.” It’s like magic.
What is an agent prohibited from doing? It’s a long list. A licensed and bonded agency is highly regulated, with laws in place to prevent actors from being taken advantage of. Rules prevent agencies from producing films, television, or theatre. Agents cannot charge commission beyond a certain percentage. They cannot hold onto client funds for longer than a certain period of time before processing the payment for the talent. The form and terms of representation contracts must be approved by the State, and no other contracts are valid. There are too many rules to list in an article of this size.
What is a manager prohibited from doing? They cannot solicit work or negotiate the work (unless at the request of and in conjunction with a licensed agency). Otherwise (unless they violate any general business or criminal laws), they can do whatever the heck they want. They can produce, hire their actors, take huge commissions, take kickbacks from vendors (photographers, coaches), own a school, charge random fees to their talent, or whatever. There are practically no rules. They are unregulated.
What do agents charge? With few exceptions, agencies charge ten (10%) percent of gross fees earned by the talent for jobs booked by the agency, with many exclusions dependent upon union rules. This does not apply to modeling or most non-union jobs.
What do managers charge? Managers usually charge fifteen (15%) percent of gross fees earned by the talent for jobs booked by any source, either during or prior to the time the actor signs with the manager. Some managers charge much more. There are no restrictions on what fees can be commissioned.
Who needs an agent? Every actor who wants to work needs an agent. This is not just my opinion. It is a well-known fact.
Who needs a manager? Kids and stars need managers. Almost anyone else who hires a manager is probably making a mistake. In contrast to the above statement about agents, this is purely my own OPINION. Keep in mind that I developed this opinion while I was an agency owner for the better part of two decades, so take it or leave it. But I will attempt to justify my opinion.
The fact that anyone can become a manager has led many unqualified people to become managers. One might assume that any person who runs a talent management company must automatically be qualified to give great advice to actors, and to promote an actors career effectively. Sadly, there are way too many bad apples in this basket. Many managers are failed actors, or former agency assistants who have been fired but are too lazy to go through the licensing process. Others are opportunists who have had minor success in some area of our business and are trying to gather as many talented people as they can, and sign them to contracts so that they can collect a piece of any success they may achieve. These players attempt to justify their existence through showmanship, and they go out of their way to take credit for things that others do on behalf of the talent. They may take credit for getting auditions, or for negotiating a higher rate of payment. They may try to help coach their clients for big auditions, so that their talent will feel as if they couldn’t have booked the job on their own. The bottom line is that most of those people are just being tricky. These guys are playing a numbers game, and hoping to hit. They are gambling on the future of developmental actors.
Some managers are highly experienced, and come with an impressive pedigree. Some are or were attorneys, and others were successful agents or producers. These people can either be very productive for almost any actor, or very counter-productive. It all depends on their motivation, how much they value you as a client, and what they actually try to do. There have been some high profile legal cases (Marathon v Blasi) in which some great managers have found themselves in a tough spot with their star clients because they apparently overstepped their authority and behaved as unlicensed talent agents. The courts didn’t approve of the behavior, and it cost everyone a ton of money.
Beyond the lessons that can be learned from the bad managers, and the over-zealous top managers, ask yourself as an actor (who is not a child or a star) what you think you could gain from adding a manager to your team. Most of you won’t be able to find a good reason. Be honest, and let’s think this through.
If you are really, REALLY green, and either don’t have an agent or don’t have an open line of communication with your agent, then you MIGHT be able to benefit from the help of a good manager. If you have several different agencies representing you for different areas (voiceover, print, commercials, theatrical), then a good manager may help you with scheduling and following up on payments. If you are brand new to Los Angeles and need help navigating the territory and choosing the right classes, photographer, showcases and other services, then a good manager might be able to help you.
But what if you are in a reputable acting class, have great pictures and a good agent, and you’ve been auditioning regularly for a few seasons? What would you gain by adding a manager to your team? That’s the bigger question. Some great managers will have the right answer for you, and will convince you that they can help. But unfortunately, most managers are not great, and they may also have an answer that will sound good, which can mislead actors into believing that they truly need their help.
The point of this information is to teach you to be careful when it comes to interacting with a manager. Use your due diligence when a manager approaches you for representation. Ask tons of questions. Be skeptical. Find out whom they have represented in the past, and how they have helped build their careers. Ask them why they want to represent you. How do they intend to assist you? You may just get lucky. You may have found a good one. Given the odds, it’s not likely, but it’s possible. Someone has to win the lottery, right?
Nobody ever thanks me for this information when they first hear it, but some students have told me they wish they took my advice years earlier. And that’s the deal.
Adam Lieblein is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theatre Film and Television, and spent eight years as a producer of films, commercials and television projects until 1993 when he opened a talent agency. Adam was the president of Acme Talent & Literary for sixteen years, and together with his eighteen agents represented actors for film, television, commercials, print modeling and voiceover work, and writers for film and novels. At the end of 2008, Acme’s several divisions were sold to other agencies, and Adam returned to the business of producing and teaching at UCLA. In 2011 Adam was recruited by Casting Networks to work in Business and Product Development.
Original article from THE NETWORKER: http://blog.castingnetworks.com/category/us/whats-the-deal
THANKS FOR THE INFO, ADAM!!! YOU ROCK!!!
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L&L ACTORS ROCK!!!
L&L'ers are on FI-YAH!!!
BUSY BUSY BUSY week, commercially & theatrically!
LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
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INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2
Rockstars BRYNN & MADISON BOWIE return as "Kali"
INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2
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| "Kali Lambert" with mom "Renai Lambert" (ROSE BYRNE) |
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CANON wins 2013 EMMY for BEST COMMERCIAL
BEST COMMERCIAL OF 2013
L&L rockstar MARC LIEBER
in the Emmy-winning CANON "Inspired" ad!
in the Emmy-winning CANON "Inspired" ad!
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BIG HUGS & CONGRATS to
FRANCENE SELKIRK CASTING!!!
FRANCENE SELKIRK CASTING!!!
From AdWeek:
Grey's 'Inspired' Ad for Canon Wins 2013 Emmy for Best Commercial
CANON wins BEST COMMERCIAL Emmy! CONGRATS to L&L's MARC LIEBER & #AwesomeCD FRANCENE SELKIRK! http://t.co/IoDW7541Ay 🌟 #LLTALENTACTORSROCK
— Lara Holmes (@LaraLLTalent) September 16, 2013
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