Manager question

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  • Manager question

    I've had a manager for 6 months. He's a little bit of a big name, but he literally has done nothing with me for those 6 months. I'm the lowest man in the pecking order; they haven't even sent out my stuff or helped develop my ideas. I've been patient, but now I have another person interested me. Would it make sense to ask my current manager if he plans on sending out my stuff in the near future? Should I mention someone else is interested in me? I don't want to appear like I'm playing them off against each other. Is it like dating? You don't start dating someone new until you're official broken up.

    JD

  • #2
    Re: Manager question

    Doesn't matter if he's a big name or not, if he hasn't sent you out in six months, it's time for a new manager.

    Though I do have to ask, are you in LA? If you're not that could be part of the problem. But not all of it.

    Never be timid with your reps. I did that with the first couple and it got me nowhere. If you're unhappy, they need to know.

    You'll need to fire them before looking for another. It's just the ethical thing to do. Be honest. You're not happy and you want to move on to someone else. They'll understand. I'm actually about to do this myself. It's never easy, but you have to keep your eyes on the bigger prize.

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    • #3
      Re: Manager question

      Originally posted by hockeyjason View Post
      I've had a manager for 6 months. He's a little bit of a big name, but he literally has done nothing with me for those 6 months. I'm the lowest man in the pecking order; they haven't even sent out my stuff or helped develop my ideas. I've been patient, but now I have another person interested me. Would it make sense to ask my current manager if he plans on sending out my stuff in the near future? Should I mention someone else is interested in me? I don't want to appear like I'm playing them off against each other. Is it like dating? You don't start dating someone new until you're official broken up.

      JD
      My first manager was a bit of a big name, too, and she did nothing for me. Why should she? She has clients that studios are pitching assignments to them.

      It wasn't until I found a younger manager with a fire in her belly and a genuine love for my work that things started taking off for me.

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      • #4
        Re: Manager question

        Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post

        It wasn't until I found a younger manager with a fire in her belly and a genuine love for my work that things started taking off for me.
        Her email?

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        • #5
          Re: Manager question

          Are you actively querying, stating that you'll be glad to have your big-name manager send the script to them? Just because he/she is ignoring you doesn't mean you can't use their representation to your advantage. Hey, they paired with you, after all.
          (You should, of course, check and make sure your manager is good with that)

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          • #6
            Re: Manager question

            Originally posted by hockeyjason View Post
            I've had a manager for 6 months. He's a little bit of a big name, but he literally has done nothing with me for those 6 months. I'm the lowest man in the pecking order; they haven't even sent out my stuff or helped develop my ideas. I've been patient, but now I have another person interested me. Would it make sense to ask my current manager if he plans on sending out my stuff in the near future? Should I mention someone else is interested in me? I don't want to appear like I'm playing them off against each other. Is it like dating? You don't start dating someone new until you're official broken up.

            JD
            Have they said they haven't sent out your stuff or are you assuming because they didn't tell you they did, or you haven't gotten any meetings? Just trying to get a bit more information about the situation.

            Either way you need to have a conversation with this manager and just ask. "Hey, I wanted to talk about this script, or that and what's next. I have a couple ideas I'm working on..." or whatever the conversation is but communication is the biggest key and if they don't want to or give you answers that suggest you should move on, then move on.
            Quack.

            Writer on a cable drama.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Manager question

              I have a sense that this is going to be easier for me to say, than for you to do, but...

              Here's the thing, you got a manager once, and you can get one again. Don't let fear stand in your way.

              My mom said to me, "What would your decision be if there was no fear?" And then I know what I have to do, no matter how dreadful it is.

              Ask your manager what the status is on each of your projects. Who has read them and what was their response. Tell them that you want to be as effective as possible and want to know what the next six months will look like. Tell them that you want to start your next project and would like their opinion on what they feel has the best chance to sell, think hard about your choices, send them to your rep, and then go write that one best thing.

              If their response is positive and engaging you'll have to decide if that's good enough and whether you feel it's best to stick around. But I think Ducky has a good point, don't assume anything-- ask them outright. They're your manager and you have a right to ask.

              Like I said, easier for me to say than you to do. The thought of it gives me hives.
              "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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              • #8
                Re: Manager question

                Originally posted by nearmint View Post
                Her email?
                Well, now she is one of those bigger names -- her management career blew up a lot faster than my writing one

                She's easy to find if you check all the right lists.

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                • #9
                  Re: Manager question

                  You hear this over and over, but you really are your own rep until you need a manager or agent to send your stuff out there. I haven't had good luck with development side with reps at all. One big rep I was with, I was with the young hungry manager, he would try to give us notes and get us to the promise land, then we show it to his bosses who said yea/no and they would say no. But not have any notes. They even said "you're the writers" but they didnt' say "let's send it out" very frustrating. I think I've had only bad luck with thse things and my experience seems to echo most people I've talked to from this board, except the few success stories. But the key is that it had nothing to do with the manager or how you act or following up or a lot of bullshit. It was about the material.

                  So you write a great script, you get a rep, they send it out and it sells, new ballgame.

                  The truth is, you're on your own until you get to a higher level, but see it as a good thing. Anytime I got opinions it just got in the way of the work.

                  I had 2 specs go out, 2 different places, big names. Both were written BEFORE we were with them and we got few notes. They signed us because of them. Pitch them ideas, treatments, script, rewrite script over and over and still don't send it out -- then you want to die!

                  So back to you -- you have a Script X you think is ready to go out -- you send it to them and tell them I want you to send this out for me. What got you signed in first place?

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                  • #10
                    Re: Manager question

                    If a manager doesn't get back to you, and it's a frequent thing, and they're not developing anything with you, drop them. It can't be a one-sided relationship.

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