Tuesday, May 29, 2007

How I Gots Represented

Just had a question regarding representation in the comments section, so here goes my tale:

To date, I've had 1 agent and 3 managers. Zero Script Sales. 5 Options.
Note: 1st Option (4th script I wrote, it was called Good People) was optioned independently.

Got my first Manager back in '98. Super nice lady, had a good head for the business. At that point, I had been listing my scripts in a Spec Script Marketplace type of thing she was running and she was about to start up her own management company and grab some writers who had been listing there. So I jumped on-board. She gave great notes on some of my earlier scripts and we had some buzz, but no sales or options. Then she got in a car wreck and was unable to continue managing.

She hooked me up with an agent who took me on. Interesting dude. Older gent, the 1st time I met him in Beverly Hills we went for a ride in his fancy car (A 1920ish-style oldie) to chat and he got a case of road rage and almost beat down the driver of a car that beeped at him. Yikes. But I had no other way in at the time, so I hung in there. We had an odd relationship.

He had no assistants and answered his own phone in a different voice, then would always connect me with himself. Yeah, that'd be a red flag. But we did have 2 options (A Couple Of Joes & The Money Shot) so we had some success. I let him go once because we'd go MONTHS without speaking, and he fumbled the buzz I had after almost winning the Austin Screenplay Competition in '03 (set up zero meetings, etc) - and I had some nice buzz!! I decided to go back after a lack of options, then eventually ended it for the same reasons after another year.

Then came my next manager. He was actually one of the producers who optioned Good People, and we kept in touch. So I got with him, but we had 2 problems: 1. He was a friend. 2. He was also working for a pretty major director (still does) and had little time to actually handle my stuff. I mean, I know he sent some of my work out (although I have no proof), but he'd never give me any feedback or follow-ups. Plus, one time I was contacted by 2 production companies about my scripts and he told me he'd send them for me.

I heard nothing back and when I dropped them an e-mail, they both said they were never sent scripts. Thing is, this guy was super busy, and I should have known my screenplays would not be of any priority.

Then came my most recent manager. He found me through the Movie-bytes website called WinningScriptsPro. The Manager/Friend got miffed that I was going to defect to New Manager, however, I thought it best for my career, especially since Manager/Friend seemed way too busy to handle my scripts. The kicker? He hasn't talked to me in over a year now. Sucks, because he was a good guy.

Working with New Manager is great. He's very hands-on with my screenplays and WILL NOT send them out before they're ready, even if it takes countless re-writes. Brutal, but smart in the long run.

In a nutshell, that's my story.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

thankd for that, people like me are curious (and by me I mean the Unsigned)

Lucy V said...

Having gone through several agents myself that I've worked for or been prepresented by, it's nice to hear other people even in the US of A have had similar experiences! One of my agents went totally mental and another is now in jail! ; )

Piers said...

Can't be that good a guy, if he's not talking to you any more.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing, Pat. Definitely some cool stuff to look back upon once you're on top. So, for the most part, would you say living on the east coast hasn't held you back? I always hear this push about living on the left coast being absolutely necessary(at least until you've made a name for yourself), but I like to believe that if your work kicks ass, everything will work itself out in the end.

Patrick J. Rodio said...

I think it would certainly help if I lived on the west coast. It'd be easier to set up meetings, etc. and I'd do it but can't for family & other ($$$$$) reasons.

Team Brindle said...

Thanks for sharing! We out here w/ less experience appreciate it.

Anonymous said...

You're one step closer than most...keep chipping away.