Guest Blog: Talent Agency Assistant

The Wave-inatrix is proud to present yet another in my ongoing series of guest blogs. My friend, who shall remain anonymous because he too wishes to lunch in this town again, works at, suffice it to say, a very, very big deal talent and lit management company and is on a first name basis with people like Lindsay and Cameron. He was nice enough to take a few minutes to give Rouge Wavers his perspective. So without further ado -

****

Was I secretly happy last week when I found out that the script I had recommended for our client to PASS on about a year ago, was now in danger of, gasp, going straight to DVD? Okay, maybe not “happy,” but vindicated is probably pretty accurate. Do I feel vindicated now that a movie born from a script I loved has had very mixed reviews this past week, many of them blaming the direction? Lest anyone try to read between my lines, let’s just say I read for a talent manager with an A-list clientele (Oscar winners, tabloid queens, icons and everything in between; if there is anything these days) and every day I am exposed to the gamut of your hopes and dreams on a page.

I’m sure many of you aspiring writers are wondering how we get the scripts we read. I’d say depending on the client, upwards of 90% comes from the client’s agent. However, due to the nature of our clients (and my very well-connected boss) we are also referred projects. Mind you, these referrals come from trusted sources (although there are a few favors), and are often repped writers and “real” projects, but for someone without any representation and with the right connections, the referral is really your only shot in the door; we don’t deal with unsolicited material as we have more than enough material to vet already and, of course, the legal issues. But even if you have that friend in the know, I strongly caution you not to use your inside man until your material is absolutely ready because we readers tend to remember names and keep track of what we’ve read and if you’ve disappointed us once or as I have come to think of it, “wasted my precious time” (and I used to be a nice person), don’t expect us to look forward to reading your next project. How do you know if you’re ready? Read the good stuff from the top writers and see how you compare – what does theirs have that yours doesn’t. You will start to notice similarities and patterns that transcend genres. In my opinion, rising tension is the most commonly missing element of a novice’s screenplay. Not giving me a reason why this movie should be made is a close second. Another way to tell if you’re ready (caution, shameless plug) is to consult with a professional like the Wave-inatrix.

What I like? Hard to give a definitive answer except I know it when I see it and even then it’s not always the most important thing. And this should make you feel good, sort of. The first thing I look for obviously is quality, which after you’ve read enough becomes quite evident before even page 10 (this newfound skill is both a blessing and a curse as there is nothing worse than being 10 pages in at 11:30pm and realizing you’re gonna be going on five hours sleep the next day all so your boss can tell the client he should pass on this abomination because ____ (boss inserts your comments here). Then almost as important, I think: is it a good role? How would actor x fit into this role? Has actor x done this role before? Depending on the actor, is this an “awards role”? Or for maybe another actor, will this romcom help the public see actor y in a new light and broaden their appeal? Will this be a blockbuster and help persuade the financiers that actor y is worth their quote and can in fact “open”? And from there, and not necessarily in this order, the pedigree of the project is taken into account. Who’s attached to direct or produce? What have they done before? What’s their track record? What actors are attached? How is that actor doing these days - on the way up or the way down? Okay, I lied, this is what goes through my boss’s head, but he’s cool enough to let me try to figure it out and offer my opinion. I’m being groomed to do his job someday.

Even after all of these considerations, the actor will still do what they want for a million different reasons that, until you’ve worked in this business for a little while, you never would have thought possible. Sometimes it’s money. Sometimes it’s relationship or friendship closet-skeletons like former flings, estranged lovers or ex-best friends who are attached to the movie – and the actor just doesn’t want to work with them. Talk about something a writer can’t predict and has no control over.

I hope what you’ve learned from my perspective is that screenwriters basically have no control over anything EXCEPT putting their best product out there. And if you do this, I truly believe, because I’ve seen it happen, that your great script will find its way into the right hands. Why? Mostly because people in this town of favors and outsized egos crave the opportunity to be able to deliver quality material to the right person. They will say they “discovered” a brilliant new writer. So don’t worry about the unknowns; just focus on writing a great script. Be that hot new discovered writer. You’ll make my day.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.