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MANAGEMENT FOR ACTORS

More often than not, when we think of managers (or "personal managers" as they are often referred to as), we think of actors.  Indeed most of the successful stars have managers.  Many, in fact, have a manager, but not an agent.  When speaking of actors, both the agent and the manager are an important part of the support team.  The question is, when does an actor appropriately need a manager?

The answer is different from actor to actor.  Most commonly, actors who are very successful will have a manager to oversee and direct their career.  They will help making the difficult decisions and keep a career on track.  The other common demographic is new actors.  One of the most difficult aspects of breaking into the business is getting signed with a good, licensed agent.  That is often a "cart before the horse" situation.  New actors often look to a manager to put the cart in its place to the talent can break through.

CALIFORNIA TALENT WILL YOU MANAGE ME?  OUT OF STATE TALENT

 

The question that all actors have to ask themselves is if professional management is going to help them.  Obviously, if your already successful, you will know when you need the help.  What about when you are new?  The first question is if you really have talent?  Everybody thinks they do, but not everybody does.  If really can't act, having a manager will not make a difference.  If you don't have the talent to succeed, you won't.

What if you do have talent?  Everybody has heard stories of "being discovered."  It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.  People also walk into great agencies and get signed right off the street.  Again it doesn't happen often, but it does happen.  Are those good things?  The answer is "sometimes."  This industry is not about charity.  If you get signed or discovered, it is because the agent who "discovered" you thinks you can do something for them.  That "something is to make them money.  That isn't a bad thing, it is reality.  What you have to decide is if they will work in your best interest or theirs.  It is a critical question.  Sometimes it is good to get professional guidance to make sure the decisions they are making are good for you and good for them.  There is most definitely a difference.

In the end, deciding on management is a personal decision that only you can make.  If you are new and are having trouble getting signed, a professional manager can help you evaluate your training, your coaching and your collateral materials.  A manager can help you develop a strategy to get a proper reel together, get into the unions and get yourself signed.  More importantly, a good measure can help you establish reachable goals and benchmarks to make success possible, or to help you decide when to walk away.

For many, there is no substitute for good management.  Many new actors would never succeed without the guidance a professional manager can provide.  Management only works if you are poised for success.

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