ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXScreenwriters: what's the point of having an agent?
9 years, 11 months ago - David Hughes
I'm in the market for a new agent after my previous agent (at Curtis Brown) did precisely nothing for me – except hook me up with a cadre of time-wasting producers who cost me nearly three years' worth of productivity.
In the same period, I managed to sell a film to Bryan Singer's Bad Hat Harry Productions (a deal I made myself), get a feature film made from my script (Where the Road Runs Out, which premiered at the San Diego Film Festival where it won Best Film and Best Director), write and/or rewrite a number of other scripts – including two highly commercial original feature films praised by The Blacklist and Slated – but got precisely zero actual screenwriting work from my agent. Clearly, they wanted me to do all the actual work/make connections etc. and only step in when the deal was ready to do, at which point they would get their percentage for basically rubber-stamping the paperwork.
I always got the sense they were too afraid of would-be producers (even the "cappuccino producer" type that hangs around in Soho House and Groucho's but never actually produces a film) to ever take my side against them in a negotiation – and this was theory was semi-proven by the fact that one of the producers for whom I was endlessly writing treatments ended up being offered a job at Curtis Brown, creating a huge conflict of interest. No wonder that deal ended up going south.
A screenwriter friend said that, in her experience, UK agents are good only for packaging end product and helping with the paperwork -- not for actually getting you work, paid or otherwise. I must say that's been my experience of late -- handy to have someone to pass the paperwork too, in theory, but in each case they failed to flag up issues in the contracts which came back to haunt me later.
So... can anyone tell any POSITIVE stories about agents in the UK?
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9 years, 11 months ago - Rossa McPhillips
This situation sounds dire, but as I'm keen to enter TV writing, I hear it's still prudent to get an agent. The big ones, like Curtis Brown, are unwelcoming - even when they come to speak at events. Does anyone know any agencies actively looking to expand their list of writers?
9 years, 11 months ago - Nick Goundry
Hi David. I don't have any positive stories, although I've been in situations where I wished I did have an agent. So your experiences (including those you outlined in your book) aren't encouraging!
Several years ago a US producer wanted to option one of my feature screenplays and I ended up doing a pretty poor negotiation having had only a brief meeting with an entertainment lawyer. I rather hastily joined the Writers' Guild of GB to try and get some support, but the producer wanted to hurry things along and I ended up signing before the guild had time to offer advice.
More recently my understanding has been that agents are generally a good idea and can help facilitate 'first contact' (as it were) between inexperienced writers and willing producers, but I'm not sure how true that is. And that's perhaps less relevant for you.
You're still looking for an agent despite your experiences? And has development moved along with the script you sold Bad Hat? I remember the story had a hook that suddenly became quite timely!
9 years, 11 months ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc
Reminds me about a guy called James when I was at Rank's. A smoothy socialite (would be called a Sloaney today) who ran up huge expenses and produced nothing. I recently met a guy for my www.MargeryBooth.com and he wanted £1,000pm retainer so I wondered if he had a dozen clients paying him that, it would provide a pretty good lifestyle. Our project has already attracted a lot of talent who have sufficient faith in a female lead proven espionage genre that they are happy to defer, so why can't an agent?
9 years, 11 months ago - Ivo Marloh
I've written several produced features, some with big Hollywood talent, I am in post on a feature doc and prep on another, and all of it — ALL OF IT — self-initiated. I used to have an agent and ditched them for the exact same reason as you, David. They did zero. In the US and Canada agents seem way more proactive, but the whole UK film industry always puzzles me. They never seem to "do" anything apart from a very few select big budget films (packed as you say), TV and as a tax-break service industry, yet the arrogance and snobishness is breathtaking. Small and mid-level films in the UK? Forget it. Just look at the UK industry people at festivals like Cannes, Berlin or TIFF, they pretend they are busy (but in reality just busy sipping cappuccinos and adjusting their shades) and back in the UK they sublet their apartments (or something I can't figure out). Even my producing partner who's directed for Eastenders, Hollyoaks, Call The Midwife, and loads loads more doesn't actually 'get' any work from her agent (Creative Talent), just gets advice. All the directing gigs she gets through connections. So, beats me what they are there for really, and how they can make a living. I've got a US/North America agent who sometimes deals with UK as well, but tbh my UK activity is fairly limited.
9 years, 11 months ago - Peter Spencer
It's a weird one - I have never been able to get an agent and so have quit trying, and yet I know writers with nothing filmed at all or nothing sold/optioned who have agents. I have three features behind me and three on the way, all high concept with decent budgets. And all the scripts sold, and work found, came from my own efforts.
9 years, 11 months ago - Alève Mine
Way to go, Peter!
9 years, 11 months ago - Dan Selakovich
Peter, that is completely bizarre. You have a proven track record, and nothing? Sounds like you don't need them!
9 years, 11 months ago - Dan Selakovich
I have to say that after reading this thread, I picture all U.K. agents like Ricky Gervais' agent in "Extras" played by Stephen Merchant.
9 years, 11 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy
@Alève Mine I'm not writing a pitch to sell something I'm giving away for free. I don't write pitches to persuade homeless people to accept my spare change, do I? Mind you, I'm becoming so leprous in appearance in my old age that I probably will have to talk people into taking my spare change soon.
9 years, 11 months ago - Alève Mine
Alwyne you can't pass on pitching, one way or another. Get a strong coffee and go for it, man!
9 years, 11 months ago - Dan Selakovich
Well, if you want to get a Hollywood agent, all you have to do is show them that your films made a profit, and you'll be golden. Even if they lost money, that would still get you a decent agent here (especially if you wanted to write for television).
9 years, 11 months ago - David Hughes
Of course I may yet have the last laugh. An A-list Hollywood writer has come aboard my Bad Hat Harry thriller and a script my agent said would never get sold movie is now the second highest rated project on Slated.com!
With a financial score of 96% and a screenplay score of 78%, analytics predict a projected global box office return of $10m.
From the above experiences it sounds as though a lot of UK agents need a wake-up call.
9 years, 11 months ago - Lynwood Shiva Sawyer
Same here. Several produced features with name talent and one cult film (SPACE AVENGER dir. Richard Haines), all through personal connections.
One of these days I'm going to meet an agent with a bigger Rolodex (or actually e-address book nowadays), than I have, but so far that day hasn't arrived.
Actually, my first agent, Bertha Klausner, did, but she stopped working when she turned 90, still sending my stuff out to producers and actually getting good responses. Alas, her agency sort of crumbled shortly afterwards. God bless her wherever she is now.
9 years, 11 months ago - Peter Spencer
I know, Dan, the producer on my Christmas script has produced 34 films so he must know something, but clearly whatever it is agents want, I don't have it. On the plus side this has taught me to always ask for the money, not just take the first offer and also to go through contracts with a fine toothcomb and make changes that suit me.
9 years, 11 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy
With reference to the coda of my post a few minutes ago... have just seen that to give a script away on the Script Pitch bulletin it seems I'll have to, well, pitch it. I'll pass on that bit of typing. But if anyone is interested, PM me.
9 years, 11 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
You've identified the primary purpose of agents - to absorb 15% of your fees. You've probably missed their secondary purpose which seems to be to prevent people from offering you money (writer I approached with cash option never even had it passed along by agent, after 7 weeks of stalling and lies from agent). Third comes the slowing down of already negotiated deals by being self-important dicks. Fourth is the trying to prove to their clients that they're worth the oxygen they breathe by arguing for unreasonable clauses considering the client's value.
Ok, some of those were actors agents, but I know for sure there's some talent I would not approach again, no matter how ideal the role, because their agents were arseholes about everything (including wanting to rewrite the standard Equity/PACT contracts without adding value). One wanted to add favoured nations, image clearance, etc to an Equity minimum day player. Another similar one tried to withhold her semi-named talent (who'd already accepted) against casting day players from her (so she could hold us to ransom, I guess, based on her attitude. That semi-name should switch agents immediately, BTW, as she nearly cost him thousands of pounds by empire-building).
In fairness, there are some great agents out there who genuinely seem to want to do right by their clients, but there are some absolutely useless or even toxic parasites too. Pick your agent with care, ask other clients but also ask producers who deal with the opposite side of the equation for candid opinions. No agent by far beats a bad one.
9 years, 11 months ago - Dan Selakovich
It seems to me, at least from here in Los Angeles (I know nothing about the U.K. industry), the principle roll of an agent is to get your work in front of the decision makers. Nobody here takes unsolicited scripts. (But having said that, I've optioned a couple of scripts with really solid producers without an agent, but I knew the producers or knew somebody that did.) So that's not nothing.
No agent is going to find you work, unless it's a huge agency like CAA. They do package deals with their writers, their actors, and their directors. That can be both good and bad, but it is what it is. Those types of agencies have a lot of power, and if you're a director with a great script, they can push the thing into areas where you could never do on your own. BUT you'll be writing Hollywood scripts until you die (unless you have a couple of hits, and can do what you want).
The mid-level agencies like Gersh, can get you paid what you're worth. They know exactly who to send your script to with the best shot of getting it made. And if you're a director, they can get you single shot TV episodes between features.
The smallest "one-man-shop" agencies are really hit or miss. Most of them shotgun your script to everyone and that's worse than having no agent at all. Production companies will not trust them after a few scripts (if you're a production company that only does horror, and this agent has sent them 3 romantic comedies, they'll just stop reading scripts from that agent). Not all small shops are like that. Some have a solid reputation and are trying to build their brand to become a mid-sized agency.
I know a few incredibly successful writers. What they all have in common is an agent and lawyer. The successful directors I know have an agent, lawyer, and manager. As a side note, they all complain about their manager, but they also hold onto them. If I'm looking for an actor, I ALWAYS call the manager and not the agent. Managers tend to want to build careers for their actors. Agents want that 10%.
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of idiot agents here. But a lot of really good ones, too. The U.K. sounds godawful!
9 years, 11 months ago - Ed Griffiths
Advice I've been given (bearing in mind I'm unproduced so far) is that, at least in this country, it's much better to have sound legal counsel and advice. I vividly remember a 'Meet The Agents' day sponsored by my course tutor when I did a Screenwriting MA back before graduation in 2007. Almost without exception the agents talked about what they would NOT do. Eg. - find you work or at least bust a gut trying to do so. At the top end of the industry agents and producers and investors and the like DO know each other, but that is something you graduate to. Here and across the Atlantic. At the bottom end you're fending for yourself. So I would say find a good media-savvy lawyer or two, pay for that kind of advice only and ferociously network for yourself instead...
9 years, 11 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy
I acquired an agent back in the mid 90s. He was the boss of a long-standing, respected agency that dealt in novels and scripts. In the 5 years I was represented by that agency, the only fruitful thing to come out of the association was that he persuaded a German publisher to hand over money owed to me... revenues from a publishing deal that I did myself before I became a client of the agency. However, submitting material to one agent and seeing nothing fruitful happen is easier than sending out unsolicited material to countless publishers and production companies and also seeing nothing happen. When I no longer had an agent, I soon gave up sending out material.
On the subject of my material, I'll be offering a short film script free on Shooters later today to any suitable taker.