My own manager

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  • My own manager

    I do 90% of my writing with a partner, and together we have a manager, but Ihave written a couple features on my own as well. I talked to my partner about showingthem to the manager, and he asked me not to, saying that we should only presentourselves as a team. I understand that. I also understand that he mightalso be a little hesitant because the stuff I've written on my own is verydifferent from the stuff we write together (a lot of high concept actionscripts).

    So is it bad form for me to look into separate management just for my ownstuff? Is it disingenuous to our manager and the managers I might speak with? Wouldmanagers even be interested in me, knowing the work I write with my partnergoes to someone else?

    Anyone else have a similar experience?

  • #2
    Re: My own manager

    Speak to your manager about it. Suss it out first, by asking them whether they are only invested in the partnership you have with your co-writer and if they would ever consider something from one of you individually.

    Then you'll know whether or not you need to find another manager for strictly your own projects.

    My $0.02.

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    • #3
      Re: My own manager

      You should feel more than comfortable showing them to your manager.

      But, you should also keep in mind that sometimes (not all), your writing is not at the same level on your own, so be prepared if he says to focus on the team stuff.
      twitter.com/mbotti

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      • #4
        Re: My own manager

        You can't go looking for other managers without talking to your manager first. You have a pre-existing professional relationship with him. I find it likely that your choice is going to be either repped by him or not - if he doesn't like your solo stuff, you can accept that, or you can find new rep.

        I think your writing partner is in the wrong here. You guys need to be able to have side projects. I think you need to keep yourself fresh by doing some stuff just for you. (Been there. Trust me). I think it's wrong for your writing partner to say "don't show this to people."

        But you and your writing partner need to have a discussion, and you need to have it now. Because here's the issue:

        Let's say you're working on stuff on your own, and he isn't. And let's say one of your solo projects gets some traction, and now you have work on it, for money and stuff.

        What's he supposed to do? Twiddle his thumbs while you do something else? If you're working on your own stuff and he's not (whether or not his own stuff is screenplays), you guys are setting yourself up for problems.

        So I think that's the real time bomb here, that he's justifiably concerned about. And you guys need to talk about it. Because it's not fair of him to say, "No, don't do your own stuff," but it also has major implications for his career path.

        Similarly, no manager is going to want to manage you if some other manager might set up one of your projects, and suddenly he's got no commission, and a client he can't get work for because you're already working. (Even if some of that work came off of the effort he put in to launching your career as part of a team).

        Good luck.

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        • #5
          Re: My own manager

          I'd tell your writing partner you'll approach the manager and you're being resepctful in telling him/her that. If you're honest with the current manager and tell him you're seeing if there's interest, you're not hurting that relationship. Some managers shop specific things, if he's not into the solo stuff, a good manager should wish you luck getting it to someone who is. Side note: I'm curious, does your writing partner write his own stuff or is he/she more of your sounding board/editor. i'm always suspicious when someone doesn't want you to get your own stuff out there.
          Last edited by Celtic1; 05-17-2012, 09:57 AM. Reason: spelling

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          • #6
            Re: My own manager

            Originally posted by UnequalProductions View Post
            do 90% of my writing with a partner, and together we have a manager, but Ihave written a couple features on my own as well. I talked to my partner about showingthem to the manager, and he asked me not to, saying that we should only presentourselves as a team. I understand that. I also understand that he mightalso be a little hesitant because the stuff I've written on my own is verydifferent from the stuff we write together (a lot of high concept actionscripts).

            So is it bad form for me to look into separate management just for my ownstuff? Is it disingenuous to our manager and the managers I might speak with? Wouldmanagers even be interested in me, knowing the work I write with my partnergoes to someone else?

            Anyone else have a similar experience?
            Before you show your script to anybody, you should try to figure out what's wrong with your space-bar.

            Comment

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