Myth: Do You Really Need An Agent Stories

I know they are the best possible advocate to have to get quality folks to read/consider your s-plays. Folks that can and have the ability to either get it to the studios/big production companies and/or or packaging agencies.

But what if you can't get by the agent gate-keepers? Those guys should be the ones setting up security barriers outside our embassies and supervising blast-wall construction in Iraq! They wouldn't let a silent, ice-cold, grape Kool-Aid fart circulate through the office a/c filter, let alone allow a struggling s-writer to peddle their wares in those hallowed halls. Well, I might be exaggerating a bit. Perhaps another flavor of Kool-Aid might sneak past.

There are strategies and tactics in existence to infiltrate the system. In fact I have a partner whose only job is to type into Final Draft,from audio tapes, the sceenplays I lay out the vocals to--- AND infiltrate H-wood. He is very determined to 'go over-the-wall'. He's gotten us in--sans agent-- to appointments with many top players in th game. On ballz and guile alone we pitched The Firm---an agency in Bev Hills that reps Snoop, Korn... clients like Samuel L Jackson etc. Got us into see Usher's manager who now produces movies. Meetings with Brian Hooks... a producer who also starred in THREE STRIKES and co-starred in FOOLS GOLD. We even dined with the notorious Suge Knight on the roof of The Peninsula Hotel... he loves their Turkey Tacos. Watch that last step... it's a doooosey!

Met Beyonce's peeps... her Daddy Mathew. Met with both the exec prod and prod team of one of Angelina Jolie's flicks. Invited for a meeting at SCARY MOVIE producer's home. Met with Eddie Olmos. Met with exec V.P.'s of the NFL. Eddie Murphy's producer on many Eddie flicks. The list of those infiltrated and the stories of what transpired and how he got in go on and on.

Wow. With such a sterling list how could you bomb out? Well the list was visited over a period of a few years. Not a month. I'd like to believe the timing just wasn't right. The truth is... the property just wasn't right. That's what the market will tell you. Though if I'd brought some heavy coin to the table I'd be inviting you all to the premier!

The point is that there are ways around the gatekeepers if you keep on keepin on. I'll toss some classiied details on some of our missions if this thread shows an interest. Keep swinging for the fences.

Hill- Whoops. I left the wrong impression. We didn't crash our way in. We... mostly my partner... wrangled official meetings. However the steps taken to wrangle said meetings were indeed unorthodox and extraordinary. I agree. Definitely uncool to bug someone at their own crib. Some things... a man's castle, need to remain sacred.

I do admit there were some 'crashings' of other events though. No stone unturned, scorched earth approach. Never say never. Time marches on.

Hill---That quote is sooo on the mark. I see lots of ok... cool quotes in here. But in this instance that one is a resounding inspiration. Is that a proper sentence? Oh well... I needed that and it hit me. Thanks.

I was on my way to a meeting in what I thought was Bev Hills. I queried, got an invite to Atchity Prod. They've done a few kinda 'big' flicks, top stars. The PO Box was Wilshire Blvd-- but the meet was set for Fairfax Ave. over in what I guess was N. Hollywood. I went to the PO addy just to see what was what. Nosey Bastard. Anywho I roll into ritzy section of Wilshire and follow the dots to THE BASEMENT where a chinese laundry-- I crap you not-- well.. a Chinese Dry Cleaners is the mail drop. I'm thinkin', Ms. Wong... the producer, must be tied in with the Tong. For the record there were no chickens hanging or opium pipes smoldering. She was just 'floor-showing' the fancy address for those seeking to be duly impressed. That would be me of course.

Off to Fairfax. The numbers on the addy keep luring me to some rotten-looking blocks that are not at all intoxicating. Unless you count the remnants wafting out from the bottles of the many Winos populating the vicinity of my quickly fragmenting dream meeting. It's a raggedy one-level apartment complex. Chain link fences are the decorator touches I most remember. I park across the street at a haunted liquor store and I'm like. F####. I knew it was too good to be true. But me being a true trooper I march to the porch... yeah a porch... and knock.

I enter into a veritable Boiler Room. As soon as you walk in BAM-- a row of computers and a bank of phones. One for each station. I think there were 4 or 5. Whoa! I half-expected Alec F'n Baldwin to step out and demand my sales numbers for the Glengarry Glen Ross accounts. Phones were buzzin, fingernails snapping off and their shards flying through the air as the keyboards got pounded silly. The Assistant rolled me out of the 'living room' and past the kitchen to the bedroom... er office. On the waltz over I damned-near opened the fridge and glugged milk from the carton I was so out of sorts. OK... I think. Worst case scenario I get a message and a maybe a 'happy ending'.

The room is crammed to the rafters, I mean jamm-ass-packed-to-the-gills with scripts stacked everywhere. I think I may still have a tv pilot secreted in my person... it shimmied it's way into the crack of my ass as I tried to avoid knocking over the stacks. The Big Cheese herself joins us. She's a sharp, sharp decked out femme fatale, hair to her knees. She glosses over the frenetic environment saying they also run an international 'editing' service. Cool. We get down to biz. She says she's interested in stuff from fresh writers. They groom em. Work hand-in-glove on the s-plays and when it's time, they package with Agency. CAA as it happens. (Them cats are everywhere it seems) They, Ms. Wong and partner come on board as producers. They alternate on projects. He is exec prod-- she prod. Then they switch hats on the next one. Sounds good to my tender ears. Anyway she wanted to see the secured exclusive rights contract... cool. The she wanted requested copy of script. I left one with her. I live 'bout an hour from LA. Halfway home I get call. She's read 30 pages and offers a contract to represent as manager. I don't have an agent and so I say right on. The relationship never got off the ground.

I got the contract in the mail, signed it, sent it off. She calls me back. It seems on the screenplay I'd left my partner had put his name under mine on the title page. I was just starting out. My partner would fly out and get the story rights signed by the subjects... I wrote the scripts. He did the final draft stuff off my tapes and made copies etc. That was his role. We were to be partners if we got to act as producers, I was to get writing credit... he gets 20% of any writing monies. No screen credit 'cause I write entire script. But he thought I was gonna leave him 'behind' and 'slipped' his name on the title page. The main lady says, Whoa... who is dude? Sorry, but we are pros and we don't get tied up with shenanigans etc.

It's funny the things that get in your way. I can laugh about it now. But it was embarrassing and frustrating, but it also taught me a lot. Besides I told myself, 'What the heck can a boiler-room operator do for me anyway?' I tried to justify my boo-boo. I saw her as unprofessional when in reality it was me that was the amateur. Anyway... had a nice memory and walked away with a war story. Enjoy your day all.

Odo--- hello. You sound in the know. Terrific. I think they have connections and obviously have made some movies. Tim Allen and Angie Jolie vehicles. I never got to meet Ken Atchity her partner. Can't confirm what the 'boiler' was for either. But it was about 4 years ago so if they were promoting that or another venture it would make add up. Multi-tasking. Gotta pay the bills. I just remember heading south on Fairfax from the 'good' and wealthy district and it got progressively worse. It has to in any direction from bev hills... I think N. H-wood stuck in my head 'cause I went to see another cat at another time and he had the same PO box in Bev thing going on. The meet was on Vine and I remember thinkin' 'oh no. Shades of Chi-Li Wong. And Vine... where I went, was so far from The H-wood and Vine days of yore I had envisioned. In fact the guy I met with shared an office with a carpet cleaning company. Big-ass broken window on the first floor greeted us. Upstairs in the 'office' were two desks and four chairs... a computer and phone on each. And all that separated them was a portable wall divider. Lots of 'brothas' in the vicinity in the neighborhood too, now that I think back. Anyway, we meet this guy we called the mad 'Whisperer'. He claimed to have a music background and now in film. He could have told me he was Sidney Potier... I seriously couldn't hear 2 out of 20 words he whispered.

I leaned in with a very interested look... whisper. Whisper. I asked him to speak up. Whisper. I was stumped. Then I heard him actually SPEAK to the person on the other side of the divider. I thought... ah-ha! This creep is actually moonlighting a 'production' entity out of his real job as a carpet cleaning rep! At that point I had to stand up and shake his hand. The Nutz on this guy! As my partner and I left I thought I heard him whisper that he had an in with Denzel Washington. But then again he could just have well said he was having problems with his washing machine. Who the hell knows? The devil's in the details. Live and learn.

Ice. Hi. The thread was meant to address the myth that one needs an agent to get anywhere in Hollywood. And it was intended to evoke success... and horror stories related to getting meetings without an agent. So even though the horrors did in fact go down, the bigger picture I was woefully trying to paint was that the producer meetings happened at all given that they were all arranged sans an agency rep. And several non-horror successes were alluded to.

The 'crap' would not have necessarily been avoid had the meetings been set up by an agent. Well, the Whisperer would have been vetted, but The Wong fiasco was an encounter that was a result of my sojourn in search of an agent.

In the initial post, non-horror stories included taking meetings at The Firm... actually that was with Kevin Berkey, Snoop's personal manager, and another meeting with Usher's manager. Chilling at a meeting with NFL honchos. Being invited to the home of a SCARY MOVIE producer, meeting with Eddie Murphy's peeps, and a handful of other name producers. Those examples should prove to be positive examples, divulged to encourage those who are over-the-barrel with the issue of garnering an agent. No small feat when working w/out a net... er agent. Opinions... stories from everyone are welcome.


It's probably a given that some horrors will emerge, but we can all benefit from those. I wish to strongly encourage everyone that wishes to get in the h-wood s-play game to get an agent. But if frustrated in that endeavor... go guerrilla by all means. And any strategies and tactics posted for the march to victory will probably be kinda cool.

clad said:

Have you had any luck getting an agent? I have run into so many scam artists and dead ends. Any advice you can me? clad

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Clad-- brought this from the p.m. Gotta get these outta the shadows. Don't sweat it. Most everyone is, or has been in your boots.

The key for most is the query letter. To be able to write a compelling on is a gift. Period. It also needs to go hand-in-glove with a script that appeals to the marketplace. (But just because the Q letter is not bagging the bear doesn't men your s-play isn't the best ever)

You may try another approach with agents. Because agents, if you can land one, help tremendously... but are not mandatory. Go at them with the the rights to a fascinating story/person AND the screenplay. That way you have a baby 'package'. The agent (or most likely the agent's assistant) will perceive you as different from the begging masses and might be curious to see what ya got that was so damned fascinating to you that not only did you write a s-play about it... you secured the friggin' rights to the property to boot. Hmmm. Maybe it's marketable and hey... the rights are already in place. Worst case, the bozo can't write... but maybe the story is hot. Agent can bump the story to another client and maybe get somebody to pay him for the re-write. He smells a commission. best case scenario you got past the gate-keepers and now have an orthodox shot at hitting home run. Or even a single. You are in the game.

Me. I was fortunate to get a top-notch agent for my proposed Non-fiction book. Out to top publishers as we speak. In s-play efforts, I've had two. It's tough slogging so I figured hmmm. I'll acquire rights AND write the screenplay and approach production entities on my own. No home-runs hit yet, but I'm in the game meeting with real players and enjoying it. I could be firing out beg letters and waiting for the long-shot. ecided to make my own luck.

But I say this again. If I had a good agent I'd quit bugging people and sit back... let them market my work... and really, really enjoy myself. I'm not an agent hater. Remember. Don't hate the player. Hate the game.

HillGate--- I understand them going silent. Ent. lawyers sure as heck know what they're doing and convey instant respect to the other side of the table. Your deal was set. Strong move to put the 20% out and see what leverage agents they could bring/add. Zip.

What would some of us others do in that same spot? W/ out knowing all the particulars of the deal points, but assuming they were standard to the industry---if anyone has an interest as to what standard to the industry deal points are, I'll post--- I suspect I might have been tempted to tack on the agent for that 10% surcharge, assuming the agent was established. Different ball of wax if lightweight.

(But I must insert the caveat that, you HillGate, pointed out... you had a 'hot-shot' Ent. lawyer. That makes a huge difference. A run-of-the-mill lawyer... Ent. or otherwise is just OK. The Jer Zimmer type... United Talent Agency power broker-types can do more for you than just about any agent. So I will say up front the dynamics of you foregoing an agent are apparently much different in an all things being equal equation the average 'everyman' will run across.)

By obtaining the hallowed 'roster spot' I would increase my odds for future works being delivered to readers/production entities... and studios that can actually buy my work product. The exposure of my abilities to the industry entities might lead to offers of pitch sessions, re-writes of existing projects, or the welcome mat being tossed out regarding future spec scripts. Maybe my dream/desperation of landing a top agent is showing. Think?

My top writer in H-wood friend whose virtues I constantly extoll... for a time, had a top Ent. Lawyer and an agent but that was at a packaging agency and that would seem to make some sense. Anyone wants to know why I'll post.

Hill-- were/are you operating outta Canada? I know some people over there who make a ton of movies!

Ice---- you enjoy a terrific situation. Congrats! To even get letters... much less 6 pagers indicates you possess great skills. I believe you are on the cusp of great success in your endeavors. I believe you to also be quite modest. I SUSPECT YOUR GIFTS ARE MUCH GREATER than you let on. Ant stories on how the options---small successes, but successes nonetheless would be of much interest to the thread (and I).

Thanks

Ice... you're definitely in the game and swinging elbows! What's the deal on 'episodes. I'm 'doy' as to what's up on that.

BTW a brush Sundance had to get the juice pumping.

I love the idea of getting right into the actual/physical making of a project. Just haven't done one. BUT I do have a clooose friend that has been involved in over a hundred films... cinematographer... producer... director... with a production company... all the cameras and sound equipment, editing suites etc. Offices in Toronto, Vancouver, Santa Monica... and now one in Dublin. Maybe when I quit tilting at windmills and trying to hit a home-run in the majors... I'll set my cap and package up a small indie film. Maybe I'll post and get some real talent.

I'm wondering... do those dropping in on script related stuff just breeze thru and don't engage? C'mon. Names are being named. Real events are explained. What to do... how to avoid. Better learned the easy way here than the 'hard' way. (and by looong way, I mean 'years' long)

I'm edging over to the point where I just might hit him up. I've never really explored 'shorts'. Don't know much, if anything, about them. But with my friend's experience... he's not tip-top 'A' list but he's always working. Always. He's done everything from Charles Bronson films to 2nd unit action for Sidney Potier to lead guy on Chris Farley Tommy Boy films. But he concentrates now on keeping his crews and equipment on hire and does a lot of low-budget producing/directing cinematographer on films that toss in Armand Asante and Gary Busey other faded name types. He also does a lot of chop-sockey and horror stuff. Anywhere in the world at any time.

Maybe I'll look into the mechanics of a 'short'. I always thought as a last gasp I'd try a indy horror low-low budget. But I saw something... was it... Coffee and Cigarettes and it looked like a on set deal with dialogue. Made a splash. Didn't look all that difficult. But I think it had a few 'quirky' name talent.

ICE--- talk about fortitude out in the boonies! Well done. I've digested all the how-to books. My local s-writing 'critique' group consisted of about 6-7 people. One was a guy who was an 'A' writer for TV movies. 'Ambush in Waco' Tanya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan Story. If a controversy arose in US events... they sent him out for MOW. Paid about 150k-175k. Another guy... meetings were once a week at his folk's house and his dad was in the group too... did a flick for Spielberg and also wrote a movie for Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. Kevin Costner too. He's did 'Submariner' and then Captain America and has just signed to do the re-make of Robo-cop. He wrote 'Wolf' with Benicio Del Toro and Hugo Weaving which should be out this month. So Homie is blowin up! The point is I had some damned good help. But you, oh devotee, are awesome. It sure helps to be next to LA. But maybe grab a someone interesting's life rights and you write s-play and market as package. Can do every bit of it, via email/snail. All of it.

Paid critiques... classes... coverage are a racket, IMHO. You either got it or you don't. One used Syd Field on s-play book and one usedLinda Seger book 'How to make a good script great'. Might set you back 20 bucks. Those are the only tools any writer needs. Period. That's all we used. Period. The rest mean nothing.

Hi Ice... I'm a horror fan of sorts myself. I think they would make for great fare as a low-risk low dollar gig. The kids eat this stuff up.. If you hit the right button---franchise!
I've never asked a favor of these guys. I was making more dough than any of them in my 'real-life' job and I didn't really do the 'meetings and all that thing'. But the allure of H-wood appealed to me and I had all these ideas and projects demanding to hit the page.

I went on hiatus for a few years. Clocking the 9-5. When I was 'active' I went to Disney studios to meet with Emilio Estevez on a horror piece I wrote. My friend had just got paid 70k ... his 1st gig to write an action piece for E. Didn't get made. My friend says hey... E. and his producer read your horror script, loved it, want to chat. Did. Was cool. Sent to a few studios. No go. I went back to real life. My friend then embarked on his top-5 writers in H-wood career. That's what resurrected my writing. He now gets a million smakerroonees per s-play. Got my attention. I so here i slog. But not content to shake H-wood... I'm burning candle at both ends. Books. Something's gotta give!

I'm gonna take what you said and keep on keepin-on. Thanks Ice Maybe we'll join forces some day and shine! Red carpet dreams can and do come true.

Best