Feeling out an agent

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  • Feeling out an agent

    Not literally :P But I'm in contact with an agent from NYC who said he read my script a few times and that he "likes it." And on Monday he'll get back to me with notes and a strategy for me/my script.

    Obviously I want what all of you(us) want: not to be hip pocketed but to be officially represented and all that fun stuff. How long can this go on before he officially wants to rep me? Do I do re-writes for him? (I don't mind).

    What kind of things can I say to him to kind of get the wheels turning and let him know I'd kill the last unicorn to be repped by him? -- but not so desperate?

    Thanks guys! I appreciate all the feedback and insight. I'm stoked to play this right and get things going.

  • #2
    Re: Feeling out an agent

    Ask him if this is an offer of representation, and if it's not, decide whether or not you can use his notes. If not, walk away. If so, do it and see where it goes.

    But if this guy is in NYC, he may not be worth it. There are precious few reps in NY who can do much for you since the business is in LA, and right now I can only think of managers, not agents. Unless this guy has a really great rep around the screenwriting community, I'd keep looking for someone else. You don't have to go home with the first guy who tells you you're kinda pretty but you can use some work. Hold out for the great guy who thinks you're really hot.
    Chicks Who Script podcast

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    • #3
      Re: Feeling out an agent

      The top agent I can think of in NYC is Ida Zinitti at Paradigm. She's the only major lit agent in NYC that I can think of off the top of my head, but I know most of the big companies have one or two in NYC, but the majority of work is done in LA.

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      • #4
        Re: Feeling out an agent

        Originally posted by emily blake View Post
        Ask him if this is an offer of representation, and if it's not, decide whether or not you can use his notes. If not, walk away. If so, do it and see where it goes.

        But if this guy is in NYC, he may not be worth it. There are precious few reps in NY who can do much for you since the business is in LA, and right now I can only think of managers, not agents. Unless this guy has a really great rep around the screenwriting community, I'd keep looking for someone else. You don't have to go home with the first guy who tells you you're kinda pretty but you can use some work. Hold out for the great guy who thinks you're really hot.
        That's good advice. The agency is Gotham Artists Agency. They seem pretty legit. Have you (or anyone) heard anything good/bad about them? The agent is James. I guess I'll wait to hear back from him Monday. I'll ask him about representation and gauge his response from there.

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        • #5
          Re: Feeling out an agent

          Originally posted by Filmmagician View Post
          That's good advice. The agency is Gotham Artists Agency. They seem pretty legit. Have you (or anyone) heard anything good/bad about them? The agent is James. I guess I'll wait to hear back from him Monday. I'll ask him about representation and gauge his response from there.
          I looked this guy up. Gotham Artists Agency is one guy - James - based out of New York. He has 5 clients with IMDB credits, some actors, one producer of short films, and a few writers. One of the writers is also an actor. The other two writers have almost exclusively soap opera credits. Soaps are often written and shot in New York.

          This is not to be confused with Gotham Group, a fairly large successful management/production company in LA.

          Take from that what you will.
          Chicks Who Script podcast

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          • #6
            Re: Feeling out an agent

            Originally posted by emily blake View Post
            I looked this guy up. Gotham Artists Agency is one guy - James - based out of New York. He has 5 clients with IMDB credits, some actors, one producer of short films, and a few writers. One of the writers is also an actor. The other two writers have almost exclusively soap opera credits. Soaps are often written and shot in New York.

            This is not to be confused with Gotham Group, a fairly large successful management/production company in LA.

            Take from that what you will.
            Hmm, that sounds weak. Maybe he wants to expand? If he can get my script out there and shopped around then... whatever, right? Wish he was bigger. What would you do?

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            • #7
              Re: Feeling out an agent

              Originally posted by Filmmagician View Post
              Hmm, that sounds weak. Maybe he wants to expand? If he can get my script out there and shopped around then... whatever, right? Wish he was bigger. What would you do?
              You gotta do you, so go with your gut first. Do what feels right.

              BUT...

              Here's a guy who has not committed to sending your work around. He wants you to do revisions first. This costs him very little and you a lot of time. If you think he's got a great vibe and his notes are spot-on, maybe this works for you. But he's not in love with your script, and that's a big of an issue, I think.

              If the agent is not in love with your voice and your script, he's not going to work as hard for you. It's going to be a lot easier for him to forget about you when the first roll-out of your script doesn't get any takers. AND since this guy doesn't have a huge successful track record, he's got an uphill climb as it is.

              That being said, I have friends who have reps with very shallow IMDB pages who get them meetings and have great reputations around town. Not every gig ends up on IMDB. Could be, this guy gets clients work that goes uncredited. Could be he gets them in rooms all over town. I don't know. Your best bet would be to ask one of the reps on this board if they know anything about the guy. Try PMing one of them.

              Do you like this guy? Do you feel like his plan for you is in line with your plan for you? Does he seem enthusiastic about working with you? Do you like his notes? Then do it up.

              But don't just go with this guy because he's the first one to respond to your work. Set some standards for yourself. Because often having no agent is better than having an agent who doesn't work for you.
              Chicks Who Script podcast

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              • #8
                Re: Feeling out an agent

                If he was with a bigger agency that had an office in LA...it might be worth it. But this guy is a lone wolf with limited business in NY when most of the decision makers are in Los Angeles...The fact that he lacks enthusiasm for you is probably a sign that he's not all that interested anyway...which is probably a good thing for you.

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                • #9
                  Re: Feeling out an agent

                  Originally posted by Gillyflower Cooms View Post
                  If he was with a bigger agency that had an office in LA...it might be worth it. But this guy is a lone wolf with limited business in NY when most of the decision makers are in Los Angeles...The fact that he lacks enthusiasm for you is probably a sign that he's not all that interested anyway...which is probably a good thing for you.

                  Yeah. That's a lot of good stuff to consider. I don't think he's not enthusiastic about it. I mean he read it a few times, wrote up notes, and is gonna come at me with a strategy and said notes. It's hard to say no to an agent when no other agency has shown an interest for my script. Aren't all boutiques "lone wolves"? Maybe I'll suggest to be hip pocketed by him. If he finds a buyer/assignment then awesome, if I find another agent then I can leave him and sign with someone else. I just really don't know what he can do with this yet, could be lots, could be nothing.

                  ill wait to see his next move and hopefully I'll get a better read for him.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Feeling out an agent

                    Originally posted by Filmmagician View Post
                    I'll wait to see his next move and hopefully I'll get a better read for him.
                    It's possible what you've written is something that someone he knows might be looking for. You could ask him.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Feeling out an agent

                      Originally posted by Richmond Weems View Post
                      It's possible what you've written is something that someone he knows might be looking for. You could ask him.
                      That's a really good point. I'll definitely ask him that.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Feeling out an agent

                        For me, it's all about enthusiasm.

                        My writing partner and I have had two different managers. The first was a recognizable name with a long resume and a deep history. But she never seemed that excited about any of the scripts we brought it.

                        After we left her, we found a new manager who was younger and less established. She was just starting to build a name for herself but did so rather quickly. She adored our writing and couldn't wait get our stuff out. In the past year and a half, she's gotten our work out all over town, set up dozens of meetings, and never stops advocating for us.

                        Sure, everyone wants that power agent at CAA who can just tell a studio "buy this" and have it sold, but until you can get that, trying to find someone as excited about building your career as you are.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Feeling out an agent

                          Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
                          For me, it's all about enthusiasm.

                          My writing partner and I have had two different managers. The first was a recognizable name with a long resume and a deep history. But she never seemed that excited about any of the scripts we brought it.

                          After we left her, we found a new manager who was younger and less established. She was just starting to build a name for herself but did so rather quickly. She adored our writing and couldn't wait get our stuff out. In the past year and a half, she's gotten our work out all over town, set up dozens of meetings, and never stops advocating for us.

                          Sure, everyone wants that power agent at CAA who can just tell a studio "buy this" and have it sold, but until you can get that, trying to find someone as excited about building your career as you are.
                          Yeah I feel somewhat in your ladder position. He likes the script, took me 2-3 emails to get him to offer representation, but nothing will happen if i say no and everything can happen if i say yes.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Feeling out an agent

                            Originally posted by Filmmagician
                            So he just offered an agency agreement to start submitting to studios and networks as stuff. I feel I want to give him a chance as he's giving me. There's power on boutiques ... Right? :/
                            You should ask him for his strategy and he needs to be specific, which means specifically which companies is he going to send to and which people at those companies.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Feeling out an agent

                              Originally posted by Geoff Alexander View Post
                              You should ask him for his strategy and he needs to be specific, which means specifically which companies is he going to send to and which people at those companies.

                              Okay, I'll do that. I guess I shouldn't seem overly enthused in that same email or accept right away?

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