the easiest way to get an agent

I agree that it is a good way to get an agent, get a deal first and the agents will come.

But keep in mind that everything is relevant and proportional.

If you have a million dollar deal from Paramount, you can call William Morris and the likes and they will gladly rep you for their 100K, but if you have a 100K deal, you can forget WM, ICM, and the big boys.

But, it is easy money for them, so why not?

An agent is supposed to take you and if it is a one shot deal they may get some money, but not enough to warrant taking you on as a client for a year.

The easiest way to get an agent is to write great scripts, get some buzz about them (comps, coverage, read requests, word of mouth, etc) and if they read it, like it, it is marketable, and you can show talent with multiple scripts of similar calibre, they will sign you.

JUSTIN, two parts here. Number 1. Are you saying you have found representation by using this tactic? If so Id like to know if you'd share with whom, to earn some credibility to your name, and your advice.

Number 2, is the problem I see with this tactic altogether. It all comes down to your writing, and what type of agent you want to settle for. Heck, just about any con artist can get whatever credentials it takes to market himself as an agent. A good writer who deserves representation shouldnt have to worry about finding an agent or a manager, because a good writer will have taken time to perfect the craft. Will have taken time creating very good compelling stories. A good writer will have good works to show a quality agent, that will show consistentcy in that persons writing.

Becareful what you wish for people, you might just get it.
You want an agent, theres plenty of fake ones out there. I'm interested to see how many query letters youve sent out, and the types of responses you get.

I get the impression your looking for the easy way in, and you might get just that. Whether you stay in, is an entirely different story. Its true writing SKILL that keeps you in. So if youre doing anything and everything just to "get in" (represented), you just might get that, but if youre writing skills arent up to par, youre going to find yourself kicked off the block.

Do the work! Let your writing speak for you! No easy way to it, cause if there was, everyone would be "in". You either have the skills needed, or you keep working at them until you have aquired them. Theres no easy way whatsoever. And there shouldnt be.

So good luck trying to find an easy way in. Everyone else, I hope its a hard and testing process. This way it will feel so much better when youve earned your way in.

Good luck to you all.
Even you Justin!

My question was did you find representation for yourself, plain and simple. For your own writing projects

It is safe to assume that the vast majority of screenwriters here (not including novelists who are repped for that purpose) are not repped. That includes Justin. So why drudge up what is obvious.

Just to keep things honest. As of this week, my manager of over a year, has decided to move on (retire) and I too am one of the unwashed masses.

That is not to mean that Justin (or anyone in the same boat) is more or less credible or appreciated. We can all learn from his/our experience, observations, talent and even his/our mistakes.

Just take with a grain of salt and shake.

On August 20(a Friday) JUSTINO posted this question on Done Deal.

Does anyone know of a list of good film sales agents? You know, the reps that show around completed films and who negotiate deals with distributors?

Two days later(on Monday the 22nd) he's suddenly an expert...Geez.

Writer!. No one likes a stalker.

How about I start deleting threads that become a tit for tat between two or more hostile members-- or I could just ban...

Money talks

If you have money you will always get some kind of attention.
You can buy your way into almost anything.

The problem with your "easy" way is you've got to have other people who are willing to invest in your work or put their hard earned money on the table for you. That means they either really trust you and like you or they've seen your writing and really belive in that.

If you have friends in the industry that have bucks and will go to bat for you then you are halfway there. All that's left is to deliver.

For the rest of us it is ALL ALL ALL ALL about the writing, and the querying, and the networking, and hard work.

Best of luck to you Justin.
Hope things work out.

One would assume that with a deal on the table--any agent would be willing to represent the writer or writer/director. However, agent representation--for any situation--is not a gurantee.

Read the Wordplay column entitled "Cover Me." It's #39. The second to last paragraph, just before the link to Sample Coverage #5, reveals the difficulty to get an agent to represent you.

thanks for the great advice!

So all I need is an indie director friend who has completed a film, and I'm all set. Great! I'll start looking for one right now, and I think everyone should do the same.

You really ought to consider a weekly column packed with helpful insider tips like this little gem. I'm sure people would willingly pay a subscription fee.

-Derek
Derek's Web Page - stories, screenplays, novels, insanity.

You misunderstood.

Justin said that an agent would be willing to rep his director friend, not him (or the screenwriter for that matter). Only to rep the sale of that film.

What Justin meant is get a sale and then agents will be receptive to take your money and rep you.

But I ask why would I want to give an agent 10% of my sale for negotiating when a lawyer would be much cheaper at that point. Unless the agent was willing to take me as an ongoing client on not just rep this one shot deal, I would be crazy to give money away like that.

And there lies the problem. Would an agent take a newbie on full time and for long term for one sale? Not unless this writer can prove he is a screenwriter and not a one hit wonder.

As for a shady way of getting an agent. How about this scenario. A writer convinces a friend to pretend to be a producer and strikes a fictitious deal. Writer pretends to agree to give him a script for 25K (writer take out a mortgage and "loans" the money to the filmmaker who returns it later). Contact an agency to rep the deal. Writer give the agent his 2.5K, the filmmaker a grand for his troubles.

So, for 3.5K the writer has an agent. The film mysteriously goes belly up and never gets made. Just never tell him the truth.

So, based on Justin's theory, anyone with money and a filmmaker friend can get an agent.

Then again, don't you think agents would know this scheme and others?

Funny ways and means

Justin and I have had our differences, but in this case, I applaud his chutzpah. Whatever it takes, so long as nobody gets hurt, and it's original, to get your foot in the door and meet the people, then all's fair. Oblique is a good tatic to use, and very effective.

Once you have a good script, get in and sell the sucker any way you can!

Crashing parties? Been done, too often.
Stalking? Illegal, and can get you shot.
Buy the house next door? Too expensive.
Hang out where they hang out? You could develop a drinking problem.
Landing a helicopter on his front lawn? Maybe, if you're a pilot.
Raming their car? Too risky, except in LA where traffic rarely moves.
Fake an appointment? Yeah, if you're a good actor and the secretary is a total idiot and/or unarmed.
By claiming you're a reporter? Not too difficult, except to arrange.
Query letters, etc? Hurts the postman's back carrying all of 'em in and the garbage man's back taking them out.
Running naked down Wilshire Blvd? Only if you're into comedy.
Writing more scripts? If you have the closet space to store them.
Web page? Jury is still out on that one.
Approach the seat of power? Yes, the man's secretary. She runs the joint.
Money? Works like a charm, every time; 2-5% on the current deal, subject to certain conditions, standard commission rates on the next. Consult your attorney.

Oh, and, Joe; WM and I think ICM are 15% now. They didn't like the 10% cap so they made a "rules adjustment" about eight months ago. Others will follow their lead so get a grip.

Enigma said:

Oh, and, Joe; WM and I think ICM are 15% now. They didn't like the 10% cap so they made a "rules adjustment" about eight months ago.

Click to expand...

The horror!. I wish I could be repped (in this case raped) by those guys. The extra work I would get by being their client more than makes up for the extra percentage.

other ways to get repped:

deal with the devil

send 'em hookers with your name on their naughty parts

blackmail

get sent to prison

give them a free trial roll of toilet paper with your script written on it

instead of writing 'wash me' on their windshield, write your script. may take awhile.

become an agent yourself, pretend you're your own client

rewrite their bible and insert pieces of your own script, then make it seem like your 'the chosen one' through a series of comical antics ala 'three's company' or 'i love lucy'

join the masons. they control everything. good if your car breaks down, too, just use the secret mason signals to let passing masons know a brother is in distress

start a cult

insert 'buy xxx's script' into their fortune cookie

put up fliers for your lost dog, then throw your dog into their yard. offer a reward. strike up a conversation. 'oh, you're an agent, huh? well, this has turned out to be *both* our lucky days, because it just so happens....'

sky-write parts of your script. someone's bound to see it

replace in-flight reading material with your script. disguised as a sky hop, 'misplace' their briefcase and laptop

have an affair with his wife. tell her you need tons of money so you can buy her hawaii, but first you need an agent

pose as a police detective and ask to see your script because it may contain secret information about aliens and you have to get it back for national security reasons. just leave a message with the secretary. give 'em a chance to find the script and read it

invite them to a secret wedding between jennifer lopez and (insert name of anyone. wanna marry her? take a number and she'll be in with you shortly). hire lookalikes and go through with the whole thing so you get plenty of chances to talk to him, preferable while he's liquored up

offer to be his indentured servant for two years as long as he makes an effort to sell your script

get a sex change operation then seduce him. alternately, if you're the opposite sex, get hot. alternately, if you're the *same* sex, drop whatever belly flop preventing you from bending over and grabbing your ankles

become their children's teacher, have the class do as homework your script. tell them to be sure to get their parents to help write a detailed analysis, else they'll fail and will never go to college

get some actors to enact a phony segment on jerry springer and other talk shows. string them all together and make a disk out of it and your movie is half done

tackle a hired thief as he running down rodeo drive after purse-snatching their wife's gucci handbag

replace their real newspaper with one you made, mention yourself several times

replace their favourite cd's with the same ones only with subliminal message embedded saying to rep you

or just be creative.

I have never laughed sooooo hard.

Thank you for making my week.

I think I'll start from the bottom of the list and work my way up.

Steph

Joe Calabrese said:

But I ask why would I want to give an agent 10% of my sale for negotiating when a lawyer would be much cheaper at that point. Unless the agent was willing to take me as an ongoing client on not just rep this one shot deal, I would be crazy to give money away like that.

Click to expand...

If you have a few scripts laying around besides the selling script isn't that adequate? Doesn't everyone have at least 3 to 5 scripts laying around besides their first selling script? I'm a newbie and even I have written a few already.

GonnaBeFamous said:

If you have a few scripts laying around besides the selling script isn't that adequate? Doesn't everyone have at least 3 to 5 scripts laying around besides their first selling script? I'm a newbie and even I have written a few already.

Click to expand...

I don't follow you.

you're welcome.

i think what GBF is suggesting is that if you essentially buy your way into representation by having a deal already on the table, that if you show that agent additional scripts of good quality they'll be likely to give you ongoing representation beyond negotiating that one deal. something like that, right?

certainly you should have other scripts. were i an agent in this situation and the script was good, i'd be interested in seeing another. i mean, that's their job, right? to take on scriptwriters that make sellable product? by 'good,' of course, i mean what people will buy. we had a saying in the factory concerning the quality of what we made as a supplier: 'the part is perfect if the customer buys it and doesn't send it back.' 'good' is what people will buy. hell, that's 'perfect.' if your blatant rip-off of 'sideways', called 'upwards' and replacing wine with cigars, is bought, that's a 'good' script, no? lol.

after the agent made their easy, easy money off you, would they be interested in more? i'd venture to say yeah. maybe 'likely' is better. that is, of course, as long as you make it known that you're interested in representation. i wouldn't expect them to ring *my* bell. i'm pretty sure they'd have a lot of questions for you, too.

what does any agent want? to make money off of you on a consistent basis, right? while they'll be more than happy to take your money for not having done half the work, you'd probably better have more material for them if they ask, 'what else do you have that we can sell?' the more the better.

i don't know if the scenario of bringing in an agent for the negotiation and giving them full commission would work if that was contingent on the agent taking you on as a client. i think all you're buying, at best, is a chance for them to look at your other material. considering their viewpoint, i certainly wouldn't make any promises without seeing everything you've got... but i'd sure as hell take your money if you're going to give it to me.

Yeah what preyer said. Only a one script person would have to worry about not getting representation from an agent if they need to close a deal. If you have 2 or 3 or 5 scripts laying around besides the one that is going to sell you should get representation. I don't see how an agent wouldn't want to represent someone who not only has a sale to be done but has OTHER scripts written which shows he didn't spend 10 years writing one script or that he put all of his energy in one script.