How do I get an Agent or Manager?

Let’s start off this blog with the most popular question I get. There is not one right way to get one. I’ve seen writers get signed for all kinds of reasons.

The most important thing is talent. If you are really an amazing writer, don’t worry, agents and managers will come to you.

If you are a good or decent writer, you can still get signed. Yes, it’s true! If you are a good in a room, that is a huge benefit. Let me put it to you this way. I would rather sign a decent writer who is amazing in a room, over a talented writer who is a dud in a room. Remember, being a writer is a job after all. When you are put up for writing assignments and meet with executives for rewrite jobs, executives want to work with people they will get along with.

Most writers make getting an agent or manager their focus. Trust me, if you write a great script, an agent or manager will come to you. If this has not happened yet, and you have had your script out in the world for a long time…go back and do more work on your script. Focus on writing rather than getting repped.

So if you really think your script is amazing and you don’t have an agent or manager there are several ways to expose yourself to the entertainment community. You can try what most writers do and submit query letters. Don’t send query letters by snail mail. No one reads those. Well, maybe the interns do, and they make fun and keep the worst ones to share around the office. Sometimes, if your script has a real catchy logline, then you can try email, but most agents and managers will delete after reading the subject line. At this point, my eyes are trained to delete query emails the same way I’ve been trained to delete viagra emails. In my opinion, one of the best ways for a brand new writer to get exposure is to submit your screenplay to screenwriting festivals. A good one is the Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship. You may not get many agents calling you, but if your script is good, you will get managers and smaller producers calling you. They have more time to read these scripts and they will request the top 5 scripts of the competition. Once this happens, your script will make it’s way around town, maybe not the right way, but you need to start somewhere.

There are many other ways to access a rep. Try interning for a management company, agency or reputable production company. You can be a reader and do work for free. After you read enough scripts, the manager or agent will be more than happy to read your script! If you do happen to live in Los Angeles, being in the right social circles helps. You can meet plenty of managers and agents at parties, and more than likely they will be drunk…they will agree to read your script.

Above are the best ways I think to access agents and managers. Just remember, in the end, it’s an organic process, if you have an amazing script, you will have agents and managers knocking on your door.

Here is a quick summary of ways to get an agent or manager:

• Submit your screenplay to screenwriting festivals.
• Intern for an agency, reputable management firm or production company.
• Attend entertainment mixers and parties. Get business cards and send them scripts the following week.
• Meet other writers who have agents. They can send your script to their own agent.
• Send email queries (low percentage unless your logline is amazing).