Editor’s
Note:
Working
with Lynette Carrington has quite arguably been the most successful,
progressive, and enduring collaboration that I’ve enjoyed in my five years as a
podcaster and blogger. I defy you to find a more astute and altruistic business
person in the indie community.
As a
Lifestyle Editor and journalist for Arizona Sports and Lifestyle Magazine (and TV
show) she brings an enthusiasm to her work that is nothing short of contagious.
She’s also been fortunate enough to have interviewed some of the biggest names
in the entertainment business – always asking relevant questions and gathering
interesting bits of information for her readers.
In her
capacity as a publicist, Lynette puts her clients’ needs first and is always
willing to share helpful advice with others when asked – even if she’s not
involved in the project directly.
In today’s
guest post, she helps to draw some clear lines between the roles of agent and
publicist and offers up some best practices in dealing with each.
Lynette,
the floor is yours…
CJR
Agent. Publicist.
That’s the Same Thing. Right?
By: Lynette Carrington
I am often
approached by fledgling actors, actresses and entertainers that are seeking a
publicist. Sometimes, one of the first questions is, “How soon can you get me
work?” I’m not sure why, but it seems some in the entertainment industry think
that a publicist is an agent or an agent is a publicist; or that an agent,
publicist and manager are the same thing. Let’s cover just a few basics on
talent agents and publicists.
An agent
is typically with an agency (although some work independently) and they work to
get their talent paying jobs. In return, the agent takes a percentage of money
the talent earns from doing that job. Most of you reading this probably know
that and at this point I’ll inject some advice. As some of the strongest words
of caution I can offer to talent that don’t yet know the ropes, finding an
agent can be tricky. There are so many fly-by-night agencies that will dazzle
you with name-dropping, claiming they discovered Brad Pitt or that Chris
Hemsworth took classes with them, etc. Be extremely careful with any agency
that relies on making you “star struck” but has nothing of substance to show in
terms of what jobs they are getting for their clients. Red flag. HUGE red flag.
Also, too, realize that every star has to start somewhere and even big name
stars may have taken classes with many outlets or coaches prior to hitting the
big time. No agency should try to lay claim to a star’s success in an attempt
to separate you from your money or in a bid to get you to sign a contract. Agents
or agencies that use this technique are banking that you’ll want your career to
look just like that of Robert Downey Jr. or Jennifer Lawrence and you’ll do
anything or spend any amount of money to make it happen.
Don’t fall
for it.
The better gauge is to do your research. Before you commit to an agent or agency, get on to IMDb and look up your potential agent or agency. Who else do they represent? What kind of work has their current roster of clients been getting? Who have they represented in the past? Are they strictly booking commercials and industrial films or are they booking well-known network television shows and major films? Don’t be afraid to ask for the professional credentials and/or license numbers for agencies. Also, ask to get professional references from production companies, clients and/or corporate accounts. If a personal reference is what you want, just hop in the Internet, type in the name of the agent or agency and the word “complaints” after it. This should give you some idea if that agency is on the up-and-up or on the take. Also check the Better Business Bureau. If you hear an “agency” advertising on the radio that a big casting agent is in town casting for some huge company, just remember it is going to be a cattle call where you’ll be herded in with hundreds of others and in many times, you’ll be pitched classes and photos. That’s how they MAKE that money to run those radio ads. Be smart, don’t waste your time and don’t get suckered.
Another
red flag is any agent that promises you work or says they already have work for
you before actually signing you or having you seen by a casting agent or
director. (On a related note, a casting agent or director should not be your agent. In most cases, that
is a conflict of interest and will be viewed by some as unethical.) No good
agent should ever promise or guarantee you work. This brings me to one of the
biggest, muddiest and nastiest problems that I’ve encountered with agencies.
Some agencies make the lion’s share of their money off of selling you photos,
classes or both. There are some known agencies that have been around for
decades and that is pretty much all
they do. They make money off you in that way rather than getting you actual
work, leaving you bitter, frustrated or thinking that you are lacking in talent
because you’re not booking work. What do you think that agent will tell you
when you complain that you’re not getting work? Yes, they will very likely
suggest that you need new photos and more classes.
That being said, some agencies will have a small roster of photographers they utilize because they truly are good and can photograph to industry standards (sorry, Olan Mills isn’t going to make the grade, here). Either way, make an informed decision. I have personally encountered agencies that will tack on multiple hundreds of dollars to a photo session through a referred photographer because you need “professional photos”. Why pay $2,000 for your photos when your “agent” might be pocketing half of that money? You should be free to pick and choose your photographer and it would be best to ask your agent’s advice if you are going to use a photographer of your own. If an agent ever insists that they do your photos or that you absolutely must use this or that particular photographer…RUN, as quickly as you can.
An agent
or agency should not charge you a “fee” for representation; another red flag.
However, it is very common that you might have some incidental fees for a video
that needs to be made to show some basic skills or representation of yourself. You
might have to pay a small fee to maintain space on a casting database in
connection with your being a part of an agency or buy comp cards. Each
situation will vary, but you should never feel like you’re being gouged or
pressured into something that costs a lot of money.
Remember, your agent makes money when
they book work for you and you’ve completed the job.
If money
is an issue for you, be up front with your agent before you sign on so you know
exactly what fees you’ll be responsible for throughout the year. In nearly
every situation, you should never sign on to an agency hoping that being an
actor, actress or model is going to financially support you.
Moving on
to publicists…a publicist gets publicity for you and publicity can come in many
forms. A publicist is not an agent. A
publicist will not typically be out looking for jobs for you. Rather, a
publicist will help to find you publicity for accomplishments, awards,
participation in different types of films, milestones in your career, etc. A
publicist might maintain your social networking accounts and help to engage
your fan base, although not all publicists do this. Sometimes that task falls
to a manager or someone who does nothing
but social networking.
Places
that publicists within the entertainment field seek publicity and related
attention include radio, podcasts, television and cable shows, websites,
magazines, local newspapers and possibly trade publications. If you are an
actor and just starting out on your first indie film, you shouldn’t expect that
you’ll see your name splashed across People
magazine or on CNN. That being said, if you do have something that is
newsworthy, a good publicist will find a place to get you at least some level
of exposure.
I am a
publicist that does not work with an agency. I am independent and I keep that
in perspective. I am a fantastic choice for the right type of client who is
either getting started or who has achieved some measure of success. Would I be
right for someone like Tom Cruise or Hugh Jackman? Of course I could easily do
the work, except I’d have to take my expertise to an agency that would offer
the technical and logistical support that would fall along the lines of what
someone of that stature would require. Being a publicist of someone on the
A-List often includes not only a publicist, but an entire support team that is
comprised of many people.
Since I am
not typically working with A-List actors and actresses (I do that in a
different job as a writer, journalist and television host), I can indeed assist
my clients with assorted other tasks that they don’t have time to do or for
other requests that will naturally sound better coming from a publicist. I know
that may sound a little funny, but there is definitely a protocol, lingo and
considerations that are involved in my line of work. Knowing how to approach a
magazine with a newsworthy item will differ from approaching someone that has a
podcast, which in turn is different from what I might say to a newspaper.
As a
talent, when you approach a publication yourself, you will frequently not get
the same reaction or response from a publicity outlet than if you had a
publicist do it on your behalf. Typically, those within the media know that a
publicist is in the business of handling schedules, following up and working at
a level that is productive to both the client and the potential publicity
outlet. We speak the lingo and know how to act as a conduit between a talent
and publicity outlet. Having a publicist can often put you ahead of the pack,
too, because publicity outlets are used to dealing with industry pros.
Other
tasks I have dealt with under the publicist umbrella: putting out press
releases, checking on a client’s property, updating and optimizing IMDb pages,
securing legal representation, fielding fan mail, finding film festivals,
industry networking, arranging red carpet appearances and yes, even dealing
with online client defamation and stalking. Most publicists just deal with
securing publicity, but since I’m not held to the constraints of a large
agency, I have more flexibility to assist my clients with associated management
tasks.
How
do you know when it’s the right time to hire a publicist? Once you’ve gotten to
the point where you are busy enough auditioning and working that you don’t have
time to maintain your own business affairs, it may be time for a publicist. If
you are booking progressively more high profile jobs and roles, that may also
be a time to consider a publicist. Or, you may just be looking for someone to
field inquiries on your behalf. A publicist can be a great supplement to
someone in the entertainment industry when the time is right. Join me on my
always entertaining journey here on Facebook.
Nice post thanks for sharing with me.
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