Do I need an Agent ?

In the traditional media world, the answer is yes. An agent can open doors that you can't open yourself. Tom Cruise has one. So does Harrison Ford, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison. Stephen King has one. Almost all successful authors have literary agents, and speakers have booking agents. If you have success as a novelist, playwright, actor, director, and even producer or on-air talent, and deal regularly with big media companies, you should have an agent. Licensed agents recognized by major media companies bring you credibility that you can't get any other way. Agents know things -- they know which director needs to work, and which publishers are looking to get into the teen paranormal business, for example. It's a fact that most media companies won't look at material that's not represented, whether by an agent or a production company. If you're not represented and they do decide to review your idea, the company will make you sign a release that prevents you from suing them if they create a show with a similar idea. Agents are important. But agents don't get you work. They get you meetings and the opportunity to sell yourself. Then after you get the job, they make the deal for you. For this service, agents generally get a 10% commission on your earnings. An agent that works hard for you -- sets up lots of meetings, negotiates deals, gets you auditions -- is absolutely worth the money. But what about when you're starting out? Do you need an agent then? Even when you're starting out an agent can help you. But you might have trouble finding one. Because agents are paid on commission they want to make sure their clients can get work before they add a client to their roster. Therefore, the best way to get an agent is to show them your talent. If you're an author, send them your book. If you're an actor, get them to see you in something. Show them a video of your speaking. Put your work on youtube and send them a link. One way or another, get known -- at least a little bit. This will not be easy. It's likely your work will be rejected a lot at the start. But if you don't want to be rejected every day, pick another line of work. As I wrote in an earlier post, even if you have a best seller or a hit film, not everyone will like it. One important point -- do not pay an agent to make appointments for you. If anyone asks you for money before they send you to a meeting, walk away and find another agent. As always, before you sign any contract with anyone -- producer, agent, media company, etc, -- get that contract reviewed by a lawyer that represents your interests. I'll be writing in future posts with more details about how to get agents and the difference between an agent an a manager.