From Concerned Mom: Hi, I have had my first encounter with a manager who really wants to sign my 12 year old daughter. I have to say, he was a very nice guy, but I felt as if I was talking to a car salesman. Can I expect all of the managers I meet to behave in this fashion? He wants to sign her for 3 years which he says is standard, is this true?
Also, I've read that it can be very helpful to have a manager at the beginning of your career or later on if your career becomes too busy to manage on your own. How important do you think a manager is to get started vs. going for meeting with agents instead? I feel I have a very good sense of where my daughter needs improvement and additional experience but I lack the business contacts.
Additionally, this manager is as I said, is a very nice guy, very full of energy but has only been in business 2 years. I get the impression he would work very hard for my daughter, but is it a big disadvantage that he is new and may not have a lot of contacts in the business???
Also, I've read that it can be very helpful to have a manager at the beginning of your career or later on if your career becomes too busy to manage on your own. How important do you think a manager is to get started vs. going for meeting with agents instead? I feel I have a very good sense of where my daughter needs improvement and additional experience but I lack the business contacts.
Additionally, this manager is as I said, is a very nice guy, very full of energy but has only been in business 2 years. I get the impression he would work very hard for my daughter, but is it a big disadvantage that he is new and may not have a lot of contacts in the business???
Hi Concerned Mom. I am not sure why you are seeking the services of a "manager". If you live in a large market like LA or New York, and your daughter is talented, has training in acting and performance skills, and has acquired some solid professional or semi-professional experience, then a manager might be helpful in further developing a career. If you are in a smaller market like Chicago, or Seattle or Pittsburgh, then there is no need for a manager - there are a small number of agents through which most paying work goes and getting a manager would be no real advantage. In a smaller market, there should be no problem "signing" with a legitimate agent if your daughter is talented, skilled, eager, hard working and has some experience (local theatre, local newspaper/magazine modeling experience, extra in a film.)
But if you feel you still could benefit from the services of a talent manager, I would not sign a three year contract. That is not "standard" and it will cost you a lot of money to try and get out of if you find out the "manager" is ineffective or not really doing much for you. Also, you will have to pay the "manager" a percentage of your daughter's earnings - for three years - even if this "manager" turns out to be a dud.
If you do decide to sign with a "manager" the contract should be very specific about what services are to be performed, how often and during what time frame. For instance, the manager will arrange X number of appropriate agent or casting director interviews or auditions within X number of months.
Also, the contract should be very specific about under what circumstances the contract can be terminated.
I strongly suggest you take a copy of the contract to a lawyer who is familiar with entertainment law, and have that lawyer look over the conditions of the contract. This will cost you several hundred dollars, but it will cost you many thousands of dollars to sign a contract (especially a 3 year contract) that turns out to be a bad mistake to have signed.
If the "manager" balks at letting you have a copy of the contract for a lawyer to review, then immediately leave the office and don't go back.
BTW, "very nice guys" are the best scammers. If they were creepy, no one would trust them enough to fall for their scam.
