A MOMDear Mom
Thanks for the thoughts of my Mom. I've been away from my blog for a
while as I really don't know what to say as we are in waiting game
right now.
First off I need to know where you live because if you are in LA I am
not the person to talk to. I did not represent my son in LA. I do not
recommend it unless you have a law degree or an agency license. (something to think about are you talking about working as a Talent manager or a proactive parent?) Casting
directors and agents do not look kindly on mother managers. In addition
the market in LA is totally different from any other market and you
must have worked in the business for a very long time before you become
a manager.
A good manager already has relationships with casting directors and
agents. In addition to knowing the producers in the area. I already had
worked in business as a teen and my kids started int he biz at a young
age. I didn't manage my child without help until he was well known by
local casting directors and producers and that was only in the SF
market until he got an agent in LA.
It is much too costly to become a corporation and it isn't recommended
unless your child is earning a three figure income. It also is costly to
keep it up since a acting career is not consistent.
You only need file a DBA and have it published as a fictitious name statement in your local newspaper
.For me we were first doing workshops for parents so that's how the DBA as Bizkids Talent Group came about..
I would really think about how your child will benefit from you being
there manager. What can you offer that a established manager can't
and vice versa. Do you have the confidence to Network and Smooze
with Agents?
If you call will they listen? LA is a tough tough world out there.
That's why I went to a well known established manager when my son
became a teenager in the LA market. I knew I could not open every door
for my son. I did not have the long term established relationships with
casting directors in LA.
I do wish you the best of luck and recommend you pick up some
management books at Samuel French if you want to go forward. Look at
what actors want in a manager. The Personal Managers guide by Acting
world books is good and also read Bonnies' columns on Showfax.
http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/ Or
better yet get her book
http://cricketfeet.com/smfa/ . You could use her guide that give adult actors
the info to manager there career and apply it as a parent.
Just remember as your child gets older it can be difficult to have a
mother relationship and a manager relationship. Its easier for the
child to argue with Mom that it is with there manager. When it comes to Teens I belive having a manager is much easier on the mother child relationship.
Best
Shawn
On another note it is very important to be a Proactive Parent who manages there child's finances and deals with contracts, agents, studio teachers and Production Team. You also work as your child's publicity manager sending postcards and updates to casting directors. This means you are very involved in your child's career. However, you leave the
majority of the submission process to your representation. (Note I didn't say all as agents don't submit on everything) It also means that you leave the main decision of what headshots to use with your representation. You can always have your own you submit on other projects the agent doesn't submit to. You also ask for help when things are slow like do you need new headshots, new classes, a new look?
So hopefully I have explained the difference between becoming a full fledged Talent Manager or being a Proactive Parent that is managing your childs life.
Do you deserve that 15%? Can a parent really become as child's manager without hurting the relationship with the child and the agent? Can a parent get the child in on every audition in town, go to producers and get generals. That's the difference too.
As always there are exceptions to the rules and this above is just my opinion.