What’s the deal with getting an agent or manager?  How important are they?

From Reuters

Dec. 23 2009- An unknown director shoots a short film that cost 300 dollars (USD) to make, puts it on YouTube and ends up signing a reported 30 million picture deal. While this may sound like the stuff of an urban or rather Hollywood legend, the fact is, it just happened to Federico Alvarez. The 31-year-old producer from Uruguay was an absolute unknown when he uploaded his short film “Panic Attack” to the internet just 5 weeks ago. A few days later he was an internet sensation and one of the hottest new filmmaking talents in Hollywood.

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(SOUNDBITE) Filmmaker Federico “Fede” Alvarez saying:

“I posted on a Thursday and by Monday my mailbox was full with all e-mails from Hollywood. It was like, what? It was crazy. So, over the next week I started to get a lot of email from here like, ‘Oh your short is great, we want to meet with you.’ So, I was like ok let me go over there.”

Once in Hollywood, Alvarez’ services were heavily courted by studios and A-list power players. The now former advertising executive, who previously made a living shooting commercials in his home country, reportedly inked a 30-million dollar deal with “Spiderman” director Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures to direct an original film.

(SOUNDBITE) Filmmaker Federico “Fede” Alvarez saying (English):

“The great thing is that something happened and that is why everyone is amazed. In just three days in the city like Hollywood to have all this stories of people sleeping in their cars forever to try and get a gig. It was great to have three days in the city and to get a movie deal.”

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“Panic Attack” is just under 5 minutes long and depicts an alien invasion with giant robots and certainly gets your attention.

Alvarez told Reuters that his upcoming film will also involve an alien invasion, but will differ from the original short.

Thanks to John Russell from Reuters Los Angeles for this article.

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WILL YOU get a 30 million dollar deal by posting something on the internet? No guarantees. This is the exception not the rule. In the case of Alvarez this filmmaker took things into his own hands and created an opportunity for himself, which in turn generated huge interest. Who knows how many of these he made before the right person (and millions more) saw his work.

Creating opportunities for yourself is the only guaranteed way to get the attention of agents, managers, producers, people who can make the difference in you building a foundation for a solid career with true success or you wallowing in a used rubber career of excuses, ‘could have/used to know’ stories and mediocrity.

One of the biggest misconceptions we hear from performers is thinking that they need an agent or manager first, which will in turn provide them with a career. Dead Wrong. Stop wasting time mailing things to people with false expectations about the perceived outcome. There isn’t an agent or manager on earth who will provide you with a career and any who promise this deserve to be hung by their short and curlies. Like any other business if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. There are agents and managers who can take your career to the next level but you must give them something to work with. As the performer (mime, actor, juggler, magician etc) you and you only have the power to give agents and managers a reason to pay attention to you.

This begins with being honest with yourself about your strengths and your weaknesses. Stop asking your family and friends if you’re good enough. They’re supposed to say yes. Watch American Idol or any talent reality hybrid show. Most of those horrible auditions are a result of delusional people who have been told all their lives by friends and family that they’re the next big thing.

How do you stand out above the rest?

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1. PUT YOUR TALENT TO THE TEST. Take your act or a portion of your act as it is and hit the streets. Find a street corner with lots of foot traffic and see if anybody stops to pay attention. The objective here is to find out what you’re made of and how passionate you are about your craft. If you can stop people on the street for GOOD reasons you have something to build upon. The more you do it the better you’ll get. Give yourself four tries minimum. Instead of a hat for money which makes people feel obligated put a sandwich board or piece of paper and a pen out there and ask them to write down what they did or didn’t like. Nobody stopping? There’s room for improvement – keep going, it will work. If this scares you find another vocation.

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2. REHEARSE YOUR ASS OFF Take the feedback from your street gigs, get in the mirror and implement it. Some of the suggestions from the public may seem silly but take everything in, try it and throw out what doesn’t work. Some of the best advice you’ll get comes from some unlikely sources. The fact that the sources aren’t related to you tells you they don’t have any reason to lie. Practice makes perfect. Sounds simple but you wouldn’t believe how many performers simply don’t rehearse. Everyday work builds power. Remember – feedback is a two way street and requires discernment on your part. There are people who like to give feedback just to prove that they’re intelligent (but aren’t) and then there are people who honestly just tell you like it is. You want the latter.

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3. FIND A MENTOR Find someone who is already successful at what you’re doing and ask them to mentor you, tell them what you’re trying to do. So many performers are following in the footsteps of someone with war stories but have never been on the front lines. There is no grey area when it comes to advice. Find the real people who are already doing what you want to do. Don’t have Internet? Pick up a phone book. Not sure what to say? Here’s a start:

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Dear SoandSo,

My name is McLovin and I am a senior citizen pig juggler. I caught your act the other night at the Poontang Cafe and was wondering if I could buy you a coffee sometime to discuss the possibility of mentoring. I won’t be badgering you for autographs or anything, just honest feedback and hopefully a chance for you to share some of your wisdom with the next generation of senior citizen pig jugglers. I can be reached at 999-999-9999 or 999@gmail.com.

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You get the idea. Again, use discernment. Don’t expect John Leguizamo or David Copperfield to call you back right away. There are plenty of wonderfully talented working magicians/speed painters/actors/whatever that are more accessible and it’s going to take work on your part to contact them. The Internet has made it easier than ever to find people.

REMINDER:

Don’t stop until you get a mentor. If you get discouraged remember that it’s part of the journey.

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Once you have a mentor in place remember that it’s about the journey not the destination. If you create something with honest feedback, integrity and killer talent agents and managers will find you. It’s a fact.

-Kahlil Ashanti

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