The Bitter Script Reader offers some sage advice on how to choose…erm, advisors?
How to Vet a Potential Agent or Manager
by The Bitter Script Reader
I often get asked for advice about pursuing agents and managers. A lot of the questions I get revolve around how to get an agent to read your work. It’s not often I get asked questions that deal with the scenario of “I’ve caught him, now what do I do with him?”
So let’s say a potential rep likes your work and calls you in for a meeting. What now? The most important thing to remember is that it might not always be best to go with the first agent or manager to show interest. Not all agents and managers are created equal, and if you’re selecting someone with that much power over your career, it’s pretty damn important to determine if they’re right for you.
The best rep isn’t necessarily the guy at the fancy agency with three letters. There are pros and cons to everyone. It certainly sends a message about your place in the food chain when your rep is that bigshot WME agent with half of the hottest writers in town on his client list. On the other hand – with that many whales demanding this guy’s attention how much of a priority do you think you’ll be?
In that light, the advantage of going with a smaller rep could be that you’re more of a focus for them. Also, they might have a little more hustle and the virtues of that can’t be over-estimated. But then again, smaller reps might not have as many doors open to them.
So how can you break the tie? After polling a number of professional, working writers I know, I’ve distilled their advice into several questions you can ask in that initial meeting to figure out if this rep is the right rep for you: