Chris Jones Blog

I have signed with a Manager in LA

OK, so I have now signed with a Manager, here in LA. His name is Andy Trapani, and I met him in the Bahamas, where he was a judge at the festival. At the award party he said he would like to talk to me about repping me, so we talked, and after coming to LA and meeting further, he is now my manager! FANTASTIC! This all happened last time I was in LA, and I wanted to update you with where we are at, TODAY…(Andy also produced 'The Haunting in Connecticut' which is on relase in the UK now)

First off, the business is in dire shape over here. The credit crunch has really locked down all risk taking. People are downsizing and there is a sense that no-one’s job is secure. So people are making safe bet movies and TV. Add to that the looming SAG (Screen Actors Guild strike) and it makes for a terrible situation. It seems that until recently SAG was offering a guarantee that if you started production, a strike would not affect you even if it took place – but now that guarantee is off the table too, so you could be halfway through a shoot when SAG strikes and the whole film would shut down. So no-one os prepared to go into production. Madness.

Then add to that the anxiety that two major agencies may be merging (rumour rumour), William Morris and Endeavour, and it’s chaos.

Soooo, amidst this madness, Andy sent out Gone Fishing to all the major and bigger agencies, to people he has a relationship with. So far about half have come back, and EVERYONE loves the film, but they have passed for a number of cited reasons… ‘The current climate…’ being the biggie. BUT… One agent LOVED the film. I mean REALLY loved the film. And he wants to meet… Let’s see how the remaining agents react and then we can strategise our meetings.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author

www.livingspirit.com
[email protected]

Agents calling..

Since the awards, nominations and press around Gone Fishing, I have had some serious interest from agents, both here in the UK and in Los Angeles, which is incredibly exciting.

I don’t want to reveal who and what is on the table right now, this is of course a negotiation, but I thought I would recap some of the points that I have heard when chatting to other film makers who have representation… Here are a few comments I have picked up…

1. Agents can get you in the room, but YOU get the job. They are also good at getting the deal improved once you have the gig.

2. Agents can help in packaging a film, by putting the cast, script and director into a ‘package’ which can make it more attractive to backers, especially studios in Hollywood.

3. Agents like clients who are hot - where the phone rings FOR the aganet, effectively meaning they don't have to do anything except field offers. 
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4. Some agents have a bad reputation... But, I have found individual clients who contradict that reputation, so you can’t really believe the gossip.

5. An agent / client relationship should operate like a partnership and include a mutual healthy respect. It’s even better if you like each other.

I have not made any choices yet, and I will keep you up to date with what happens.

Onwards and upwards!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author
www.livingspirit.com
[email protected]

The first Meeting With An Agent... More Questions now...

I had a great meeting today with Sara Putt and Kate Watson of Sara Putt Associates at Shepperton Film Studios, agents who could be repping me. Of course this process is kind of like dating, you try each other on for size, see if it’s a comfortable fit and if it feels right. The meeting was bisected by a screening on 35mm of Gone Fishing, where it looked and sounded truly amazing – thank you TO the Pinewood Group for generously facilitating this.

So much was covered in the meeting, but Sara put it so very elegantly and simply. She suggested I consider exactly what I want out of the next two to five years in my career, and ask, ‘what can I do without an agent?’ Then ask, ‘and what can I do WITH an agent?’ And the difference between the two is what an agent should offer, and then some too. Let that inform my choices, rather than just following industry myths.

She also explained the difference between an AGENT approach, with personal interaction but perhaps shorter reach (due to it being one or two people), and an AGENCY approach, with less personal interaction but with longer reach, and longer client lists (and I would be at the bottom very probably) – kind of the supermarket approach to agenting. Which would be right for me?

I am going to try and see some more agents in the coming weeks, it would be silly not too -  and I would  also welcome a more indepth and specific chat with Kate at the agency – I feel there are great opportunities ahead.

Changes are afoot!

Chris Jones, Film Maker and Author
www.livingspirit.com
[email protected]