Although I feel I hardly need to explain or defend myself in such an inane forum as this, I'm going to take one last shot at it.
First, Attorney Jaws: You're two for two with me, Cello-guy. Literary agents are, in fact, licensed and regulated, not simply "registered" as you erroneously claim, by the Labor Commissioner of the State of California under the Talent Agency Act, which does not differentiate between agents who represent writers in the motion picture and television fields, and agents who represent such other types of talent as actors, singers, dancers, newscasters, directors, producers and others in the same fields. Such agents are required to complete considerable documentation, provide fingerprints, acquire a Talent Agency Bond and follow a lengthy and specific set of rules and regulations which, if violated, can result in expulsion from the field. This includes, among other things, obtaining the written approval of the Commissioner as to the form of services contract which agents can require their clients to execute. The net result is memorialized in a license, not a "registration certificate", signed by the Commissioner and issued to each agency and required to be on display in the agency office, kind of like what attorneys hang on their walls. Let me also add something you probably don't know about attorneys in California; many of them mistakenly believe that because they are licensed as attorneys they can perform services as agents, notwithstanding not being licensed as such by the Labor Commissioner. As a result of the inappropriate performance of such unlicensed services, attorneys can be and have been forced by the Commissioner to disgorge any commissions or other forms of compensation they have been paid by clients who invoke the Act, and are subsequently required to cease and desist such illegal services. So, for any of you uninformed attorney/wannabe agents lurking around this site, take it as a word to the wise and do your own homework.
Now, Mr. Justino IV or XXV or whoever you are today: At the end of this post you'll find my resume. It speaks for itself. Now, let's see yours....
And by the way, spelling, punctuation and syntax count, which probably explains why you're stiil a wannabe.
Ms. LeBouef and Ms. Worth and the rest: I've already explained why I send people to Mr. Young's site to decide for themselves if his services are desirable (and, BTW, he's not the only one I occasionally recommend, depending on the circumstances). I've also stated unequivocally that I don't receive compensation from him or anyone else for the referrals and frankly, I don't really care whether or not anyone thinks it "looks bad". I do it to help writers who appear to me to need the help and, as I've previously said, many of them are grateful for it. If anyone is offended by this, I suggest you examine your own motives.
My resume follows.
EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
More than forty years as a Hollywood-based talent agent and consultant, primarily in the literary and packaging fields, with considerable operational and management experience. Worldwide contacts and relationships include top executives, talent and creative artists at networks, studios, distributers, independent production companies, book publishers, interactive multimedia publishers, technology and software companies.
SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS
Established the literary department of Agency For The Performing Arts (APA), a medium-size, full service international talent agency, after a merger with my own successful independent agency. Before joining APA, owned and operated The Stuart M. Miller Co. literary agency for more than five years, with all representational and business management responsibilities for a staff of five people and a list of twenty-five to thirty clients, including Academy Award winning screenwriter David Ward ("The Sting"), Emmy Award winner Caryl Ledner ("Mary White") and Timothy Harris & Herschel Weingrod ("Trading Places", "Twins" and "Kindergarten Cop").
Other major clients represented have included Aaron Sorkin ("A Few Good Men"), Mark Victor & Michael Grais ("Poltergeist"), Barry Blaustein & David Sheffield ("Saturday Night Live" and "Coming To America"); novelist James Ellroy ("L.A. Confidential"), Eric Bercovici ("Shogun", "Tai Pan", "Washington Confidential"), MTM Enterprises co-founder and former NBC Chairman Grant Tinker ("Tinker On Television"), as well as Academy Award and double Emmy Award winner Abby Mann, eight time Emmy Award and double CableAce Award winner Stan Daniels & six time Emmy Award winner Ed. Weinberger (co-creators of "Taxi"), four time Emmy Award winner Allan Burns, (co-creator of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"), double Tony Award winner Rupert Holmes, Academy Award and Emmy Award winner Arnold Shapiro ("Rescue 911"), and such distinguished and successful producers as David Brown, Joe Wizan, Michael Levy, Ron Roth, Steve Mills and many others. Actively supervised or was the responsible department head for the packaging and sale of such network television hits as "Home Improvement", "Roc" and "Rescue 911" and many network and cable movies, specials and other programs.
Also led APA into the New Media space in the mid-1980's, in the early days of the entertainment technology revolution. Responsible for the representation of such high profile clients in the interactive multimedia business as Greg Roach/HyperBole Studios ("The Madness of Roland", "Quantum Gate","The Vortex: Quantum Gate II", "The X-Files"); Peter Adair & Haney Armstrong ("In the First Degree"); Kinetic Visuals ("Shuttle Commander: NASA Flight Simulator"); Doug Barnett ("Return to Zork"-Designer); Michele Em ("Return to Zork"-Writer); William Colby, former Director of the CIA ("Spycraft: The Great Game") and Intermetrics, Inc., a high technology software supplier to such customers as the Sony Gameshow Network and Compaq Computer Corporation.
Prior to assuming responsibility for APA's new technology activities, formed and ran the agency's iterary department for twelve years, during which time managed the growth of the department from four agents and a support staff of six, to twelve agents and a support staff of fifteen. Increased annual billings from less than $2 million to over $30 million. Also created the formal tri-department structure (literary, talent and personal appearance) utilized by the agency.
In 1995, re-established The Stuart M. Miller Co. as a literary and interactive multimedia agency representing and packaging film and television writers, directors and producers, interactive multimedia content and technology creators, and a broad range of intellectual property in both the traditional linear media and the emerging and expanding new media. Recent deals have included sales of original screenplays to Pariah, Cosmic Entertainment, Ivan Reitman Productions, Jersey Shore, Destination Films, Radar Pictures and Bel-Air Entertainment, the sale of the autobiography of original U.S. Mercury and Gemini astronaut Gordon Cooper to HarperCollins Publishing and the sale of first-time author Daniel Price's novel SLICK to Random House, as well as the licensing of new content to AtomFilms and technology to the USC School of Cinema-TV. The agency has also provided consulting services to such major clients as America Online, Compaq Computer Corporation and Human Code, Inc.
Additionally, have considerable agenting experience in the book publishing world as a pioneer in the representation of rights for the novelization of motion picture screenplays and teleplays to publishers in behalf of writers and producers. Subsequently, was responsible for the sale and licensing of more than 50 original books to most of the major American publishing companies. Have developed and maintained relationships with many publishers, editors and book agents.
RELATED BACKGROUND
Featured panelist and speaker at major schools and industry events such as NATPE, NAB, CES, Intermedia, Digital Hollywood, Digital L.A., Digital San Francisco, Writers Connection, American Film Institute (AFI), Computer Game Developers Conference, South By Southwest Multimedia Conference, UCLA, USC, Loyola/Marymount, Southern California Writers' Conference, Santa Barbara Writers' Conference, Society of Southwestern Authors, Mid-Oregon Production Organization Network Conference and many others. Spearheaded APA's participation and sponsorship activities at the Toronto International Film Festival, the largest and one of the most important film festivals in North America. Interviewed by and quoted in numerous publications including: Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Daily Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Daily News, Red Herring, Interactive Weekly and others.
CAREER HISTORY
1995- THE STUART M. MILLER CO.
Owner/Manager, Independent Literary and Interactive Multimedia Agency
1982-1995 AGENCY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, INC (APA)
Executive Vice President
Head of New Media Department 1994-1995
Senior Vice President 1984-1994
Head of Literary & Packaging Department
Vice President 1982-1984
Head of Literary Department
1977-1982 THE STUART M. MILLER CO.
Owner/Manager, Independent Literary Agency
1974-1977 THE BLOOM/MILLER ORGANIZATION
Partner, Independent Literary Agency
1967-1974 MEL BLOOM & ASSOCIATES
Agent, Independent Literary Agency
1964-1967 THE MITCHELL J. HAMILBURG AGENCY
Agent, Independent Talent and Literary Agency
ORGANIZATIONS
1994-1995 ACADEMY OF INTERACTIVE ARTS & SCIENCES
Board of Directors
1978- ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURES ARTS & SCIENCES
Member
1990- ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES
Member
1985-1998 AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE
Member, Third Decade Council
1992- ASSOCIATION OF TALENT AGENTS
Current Member; Board of Directors 1992-1995
1998-1999 DIGITAL HOLLYWOOD AWARDS
Board of Advisors
1993-1996 STUDIO VILLAGE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Board of Directors