First few seasons of Entourage are pretty realistic. Like there is a scene where Piven's character learns James Cameron is directing a movie and totally flips out, that isn't unrealistic. He wouldn't sprint to the covering agent's office though, he would just summon them to his office and ask why the dude didn't know. If he didn't have a good answer he would get reamed. As for assistants, the stuff where they banter with clients is realistic, especially hot girls. Also the appearance of a laid back atmosphere where in fact things are tightly scripted and the whole scene is set up for the client's benefit. That definitely happens.

There is literally nothing to do. It's incredibly boring. You literally spend most of the day watching TV when you're in the mailroom.

Which reminds me, once hired it's basically impossible to get fired. You can sit down in the mailroom forever and pull a paycheck. I knew a guy who was down there for over a year doing absolutely nothing. There is an incredible amount of waste in the company because the people in charge don't have the time or interest in monitoring things. The $50k it costs the company to keep a worthless assistant is one supporting actor's role in commission.

Why did you work for three different agents in two years? Is it common for assistants to circulate between the agents?

Also,

How about any films that i can watch?
Anyone?

Riverman's thread + Ari in Entourage pretty much sums it up well. Most of the other movies deal with the studio development world which is a slightly different beast

fun thread

Needs more stories tho. For example, some Lea Michelle stories?

Great thread thanks Riverman.

Care to say a word or two about the merger? Always heard it was somewhat of a hostile takeover by Ari and them but don't know anything about it really.

What was up with him getting fired from an agency way back for stealing files, how shady or common was that as far as industry standards go?

Ok a couple ideas for things to talk about

1. Story about a specific celebrity in detail. (good or bad)
2. Top five insults you heard
3. Top agent VS Top agent fight story
4. Most epic story you can think of in general

What was the best movie you found for a client? Does the Agent tell you good job or do they just say get back to work and find another one?

How hard is it to get represented by wme? Are they picky or will they take on anyone and just give them to a junior agent who will ignore them until they break out

Definitely a takeover. William Morris was very weak as an agency but was sitting on some very valuable TV packages, had the best music department on earth (huge money) and had a few really elite motion picture agents (an area where Endeavor was weak). As an aside, Endeavor's MP lit head, Tom Strickler, was an amazing guy, but he quit during the merger and the department hasn't recovered.

Ari is an amazing agent but not that great of a leader. He is awkward in front of crowds and is so direct and abrasive that he turns people off. His style worked at Endeavor because it was small and everyone was so young and hungry. It doesn't work that well at a mega-company, lots of people don't respond well to getting called out and screamed at all the time. Still, he is undeniably brilliant. I sat 20 feet away from him and heard every conversation, they guy is always 4 steps ahead and knows how to influence people.

Him getting fired from ICM was nothing. He was plotting to start his own company, they found out and fired him. Totally standard. ICM is now the laughingstock of the agency world and will probably merge with UTA soon.

tsetse fly

cool thread, enjoying it.

Differs by department, but it's hard.

In MP lit, you have to have significant credits or write a hot spec. As a director, you have to direct an amazing short or be the understudy of a huge client.

In TV lit it's a bit easier but still not easy. Being repped by WME is huge if you are in TV because they can plug you in to all kinds of great stuff that you otherwise would have no shot at. The agency represents a ton of top showrunners (Dick Wolf, David E. Kelly, etc.) so they can put writers in their shows pretty easily.

In talent, you have to be really good or make a ton of money. Once signed, you have a year to book jobs or you get cut. It's pretty brutal.

I honestly don't know much about reality other than that the money is huge and everyone involved in that side of things is a ****ing tool.

Typical day in the life:

Arrive at 7:30am, check voicemail and email, print anything your boss will need, bull**** with other assistants for a while, etc. btw if you care about moving up in the world talking with other assistants is really important because you can get information that makes you look good. Like if your boss has a client who really wants an acting job and you know it's been offered to another agent's client, casually ask them what's up with it and pass the info along to your boss. When everyone is repped one of two places, there is a ton of inter-agency competition for jobs and agents don't say **** to each other. It's a really brutal business and beneath the smiles these people are ruthless.

Anyway, phones and emails start at about 8:30 and don't stop. Every single thing any client is doing is your responsibility. They have a meeting? Send them the address, directions, credits of anyone in the meeting, and relevant script (where are they? these people move around a ton, and if you don't get them the script you're in big trouble...and they don't answer their phones or respond to emails). They have a call? God forbid they actually dial themselves, so you have to confirm what number they'll be on and call them to connect. They are having lunch? Make the reservation and get them a table where nobody will bother them. They want to go to a concert? Call the music department and get them front row. Yes tickets went on sale 5 months ago and the concert is tonight, nobody cares. Just ****ing make it happen.

Anyway, the boss is CONSTANTLY on your ass for all sorts of bull****. Who is covering x project? Who is directing? Miguel Arteta? Who the **** is that, get me his credits. Where does the movie shoot? Vancouver and Miami? Get me the exact dates for each location as well as a day out of days for the character. Who represents the director? Oh we do, call his agent. You left word? Tell his assistant I need him now. Is the agent in the office? No? Where is he? You get the idea. Meanwhile the phone is ringing every 30 seconds.

It's basically this all day. You get the idea. I'm not saying it's a super-hard job, but you have to be able to multitask or you're going to get killed.

What do you guys use to get information on movies, tv, etc.? Aside from word of mouth, is there some database out there? Or do you use IMDB constantly?

Like you keep mentioning getting someone's credits...how do you do that?

Great thread

Am I going crazy or did you miss these?

Yes, totally standard. You work for someone for 6 months to a year then move on. You're there to learn.

If you suck, you don't move on because nobody will hire you. That's the clue to start looking for a job outside the company.

Agents talk about their assistants all the time, they know who is good and who isn't. Occasionally there are pissing matches over who will get a really good assistant who is looking to move desks.

Clients don't often stick up for assistants because agents are very, very careful to appear nice in front of clients so they don't know how bad it is. Every time they call or meet a client, things are scripted. Of course there are situations like Matt Damon / Patrick Whitesell where they are legitimately great friends, and that's different. But most agents aren't super close personally with their clients.

At Christmas clients send gifts to assistants, which is really nice. Jessica Alba gave all her agents' assistants (she has like 6) full day spa treatments, for example. Most clients gave me gift cards to various places. Some gave booze or cash. Usually about $100. One assistant got a case of Johnnie Walker Blue from a client, but I don't remember who it was (sorry).

Nobody cares what kind of car you drive, but everyone knows who comes from money and who doesn't. In a business so fixated on money, it's no surprise that everyone pays attention to that kind of thing. These people are smart and hard working but incredibly superficial.

Yes, you can get free tickets to all kinds of **** if you care to go.

I didn't miss this but it's going to take me a long time to respond and I'm hungover as **** right now.

great thread thanks for doing it.

What's the deal with client to agent loyalty vs agent contractual obligation to the agency?

Is it just always an open risk for the agency that a client to agent relationship could cause the loss of a good client if the agent leaves? In trying to research the merger I came across the Richard Abate stuff about him leaving ICM with his clients in which there was some legal stuff involved but they didn't get into it.

I get the idea that clients themselves can fire/leave the agency at any point (right?), but for agents what's in the contracts in regards to them leaving with clients etc? No compete clause stuff or what?

Thanks again, and hydrate, man. Or better yet, pickle juice.

Any interesting hookups we would never guess among actors and actresses?

Is anybody more notorious for sleeping with other actors/actresses than the rest?

Is Denzel cool? He's my favorite actor and it would kind of suck to learn he's on the prima donna bad list.

Is Ashley Judd's marriage to Dario Franchitti legit, or is she a notorious hollywood slut?

Great thread, hope it's not dead yet !

If the thread lags and if people are interested I can talk about the differences between the big four and everybody else. The dropoff from UTA, WME, CAA, and ICM to the tier below them is HUGE, and after that it's many shades of grey from Innovative, Paradigm, APA, Gersh etc on down to the three-person (or two or one) operations.

I've always been interested in Ari Emanuel. What's he like/ any great stories?