Talent agents have been part of the American entertainment fabric since the vaudeville era of the 1890s, but held fewer cards to play--especially in film, where the major movie studios essentially decided which actors and actresses worked, or not. Once the studios' power diminished during the 1950s and 1960s, talent agencies took on greater importance--which also coincided with rock 'n' roll's rise as a mass entertainment medium, fueled by millions of teenagers armed with disposable income. By the 1970s and 1980s, five major players had arrived, including Creative Artists Agency (CAA); Endeavor Talent Agency (Endeavor); International Creative Management (ICM); United Talent Agency (UTA); and William Morris Agency (WMA), one of the oldest and longest-established in the field. Between themselves, this group exercised tremendous leverage in the acting, literary and musical fields, frequently serving as an unofficial pipeline of industry gossip and bellwether of trends--a power that only grew during the rise of Internet and digital media in the 1990s.
Talent agents essentially match clients with talent buyers--including cruise lines, to film studios, music venues, modeling agencies, and record companies--in exchange for a commission. The rates are typically 10 to 20 percent for each job the agent sets up. Agents normally present solution for specific needs, whether it's finding a supporting role in a character drama, or type of persona required for a 60-second commercial. The agent presents the client's qualifications--such as a head shot, model portfolio, or music demo--and, if the buyer approves, progress to arranging details of the particular job. In some instances, the talent may sign a multi-year agreement with an agent, once he's proven himself commercially--starting a relationship that will bind them together for years to come.
The larger the agency, the more specialized the agent. Smaller one-, two- or three-person agencies may require a greater body of clients to bring in enough commissions to make their business adequately profitable--such as commercial and voiceover talents, who need representation as much as their film and TV counterparts do. Modeling agencies handle the beauty pageant and fashion worlds, while music agents typically deal with acts that have established themselves at least as a solid local or regional concert draw--though some may also secure auditions for cruise ship musicians, who form a separate category unto themselves. Literary agents work on landing deals for aspiring and established authors, as well as related exercises--such as movie treatments of a popular book, or audio and video rights.
The type of representation that's required depends greatly on the individual agency's style and philosophy--larger agencies may take on more clients, yet lavish individual time and attention on a handful of top moneymakers. Still other agencies may choose to represent only one or two acts, or a specific artistic genre, with greater hands-on guidance--which may or may not be suitable for the prospective artist. A careful review of the agency's guidelines, talent roster and other acts' recommendations are considered the best way of determining if the talent will flourish there--or wither on the vine. Artists with crossover dreams also require special attention--an actor nurturing rock 'n' roll dreams may require a separate agent to represent their wishes in that area, for example.
In the public mindset, agents' and managers' roles are frequently confused--partially because these roles frequently overlap. This is especially true in the independent music world, where fewer resources tend to be available. For practical purposes, however, only agents are empowered to negotiate contractual arrangements for their clients, while managers can only initiate them. Also, managers play a greater strategic role in their clients' careers, while agents tend to focus more on contractual and scheduling issues. Lack of understanding of these functions may open the door for talent agency scams,whose practitioners demand large amounts of money upfront before any work is actually done. This is the opposite practice of reputable agents, who don't charge money until they secure a paying job--but may recommend steps that cost money, such as photos, or training, for example.