Breakfast with Sharks by Michael Lent

Author:Michael Lent [Lent, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780307419965
Publisher: Crown/Archetype
Published: 2007-12-18T05:00:00+00:00

FIVE WAYS TO IMPRESS YOUR AGENT

Many writers go to great lengths to procure an agent, only to let their promising relationship slip away through lack of due diligence. Usually this occurs when a beginning writer assumes that all his or her hard work on the business side is over, and now the agent will be 100 percent responsible for generating opportunities and deals. Problems can arise when the same writer then turns in a new spec that’s less than a home run, then sits at home and waits for the phone to ring, berating the agent when it doesn’t. A healthy client/ management relationship evolves and matures over time following the initial honeymoon period, and a good client stays involved in helping to shape his or her career. Here are five ways to ensure that your relationship stays positive and continues to grow:

1. Be knowledgeable but not pushy about the industry. Not long ago I had a script going out wide (sent to dozens of potential buyers). I submitted the following list to my agent:

20 producers who I felt might welcome the submission

6 execs who were fans of my work

10 directors whom I considered right for the material, several of whom had active production companies

5 actors who developed their own material and might be willing to buy my spec

Result: My agent was impressed that I had taken the time to research the market and compile the list.

2. Be productive and prolific. Agents love self-starters who don’t need to be cajoled into finishing and polishing their work.

3. Always write on the side. Even if you are a writer with a lucrative studio assignment, you are still essentially a gun for hire. Agents like to be surprised with spec scripts that capture your true ability and aesthetic.

4. Be professional. Follow up introductory meetings with a thank-you note. Send a copy to your agent of any correspondence going to the studio or production company. Don’t force your agent to clean up your messes. For example, I know of a writer/producer who didn’t like the amount of money the studio was offering for last-minute changes on her green-lighted project. The writer instructed her agent to demand a certain amount of money, then hopped on a plane for Las Vegas. Careers were on the line, so the studio execs caved, but the writer earned the enmity of many people who vowed never to work with her again.

5. Be a good listener and don’t tell tales out of school. Schadenfreude is a sport in Hollywood. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, it’s not enough for you to succeed but your friends have to fail in the process. Agents are excellent at sizing people up, so will quickly note whether or not you, too, have this tendency. If you do, the agent will automatically devalue in their minds whatever comes out of your mouth regarding the business.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.