Agent vs. Manager? What Writers Need to Know!
In today's episode, Sandy breaks down Agent vs. Manager and the important facts screenwriters need to know.
Plus, Sandy dives deep and shares the latest details of the courtroom drama centered on screenwriter Kurt McLeod and Zero Gravity Management over an alleged conflict of interest arising from Zero Gravity Management's negotiation of his deal to write Copshop.
Copshop written by Kurt McLeod is a gritty action-thriller where a wily con artist, Teddy Murretto (Frank Grillo), deliberately gets arrested by rookie officer Valerie Young (Alexis Louder) to hide in a small-town Nevada police station from a lethal hitman, Bob Viddick (Gerard Butler). Viddick manages to get himself locked up, turning the precinct into a high-stakes, single-location cat-and-mouse game, escalating into all-out mayhem with the arrival of another, crazier assassin.
Executive Producer Kristin Overn
Creator/Executive Producer Sandy Adomaitis
Producer Terry Sampson
Music by Ethan Stoller
1 Hello, my name is Sandy, the social media director for the
page, international Screenwriting Awards, and your
host for the Writer's Hangout.
A podcast that celebrates the many stages of writing, from
inspiration to the first draft, revising, getting a project made
and everything in between.
We'll talk to the best and the brightest in the entertainment
industry and create a space where you can hang out, learn
from the pros, and have fun.
Hey writers, it's Sandy.
I'm coming to you from Studio City, the crown jewel of the San
Fernando Valley, where a new ride at Universal Studios called
Fast and Furious.
Hollywood Drift is coming this summer.
I have never seen a single Fast and Furious movie from this
enormous franchise, even though I still find myself thinking
about how odd it was to deal with one of the stars of the
movie.
But that's me because there are currently 11 feature length
movies in the Fast and Furious franchise as of April 2026.
Good for them.
Writers, I'm always on the lookout for articles I think
you'll find interesting and learn from.
And I was reading a Hollywood reporter article about a
screenwriter who accused his managers of failing to tell him
that the movie he wrote and sold had a substantial.
Increase in the budget because a star became attached.
So I'm gonna be reading that article to you, and we're also
gonna talk about what an agent does versus a manager, and
hopefully you'll walk away with some knowledge and understanding
a little bit more about.
The village you can create around you for your very best
writing.
Now up first, what is the difference between an agent and
a manager?
I'd say the major difference between a manager and an agent
Are these things, licensing and union status, legal ability to
work on your behalf?
Uh, number of clients and most important commission rates.
I'm gonna break it down.
Agents are licensed professionals focused on booking
work, negotiating contracts, and managing immediate employment
opportunities.
Typically taking a 10% commission.
Now how does a talent agent even get a license?
I looked this up for you guys.
I had no idea.
I actually never really even thought much about that before,
and the bar doesn't seem very high to me.
One part of this does you must apply to the California Division
of Labored standards.
Enforcement DLSE, submit a talent agency license
application and pay$225 for the license, plus a$25 annual filing
fee Requirements include a 50,000 surety bond submission of
live scan, criminal background check, artist approval
contracts, and proof of character references.
Okay, now managers offer long term career strategy, brand
building and personal guidance, often.
Taking 15 to 20% commission.
Again, agents are licensed while managers are generally not.
in my opinion, the most important part you need to think
about.
Managers can attach their name to your project as producers.
You know, you would think if you're struggling, you just
don't care.
But you also gotta think about the long game.
Have you ever heard of the Brillstein company founded in
1969 by Bernie Brillstein?
The Brillstein company is widely recognized as a pioneer in
talent management taking.
Producer credits, but it was not the first in the history of
Hollywood.
although it was arguably the most successful, to
institutionalize the practice early on Bernie revolutionized
the role of manager by transforming it from merely
taking a commission, usually 15% into a.
Production focused role, often taking producer's fees and
backend participation by packaging his talent into
projects.
So rather than just representing talent, Bernie used his stable
of comedy writers and performers such as those from Saturday
Night Live and the Muppet Show to develop projects and serve as
executive producers.
I think that's the first time I recognized, or I heard of the
name.
Bernie uh, Brillstein was during the Sad Night live era, during
the early days of Sad Night live.
some of Bernie's early producing credits were he haw and the
Muppet Show later as Bernie.
Brad Gray now, Brad Gray, he served as chairman and CEO of
Paramount Pictures for 12 years.
So Bernie and Brad decided to form Brillstein Gray
Entertainment in the late, I would say eighties.
The company, um, they were everywhere.
They became a powerhouse producing, hit films like
Ghostbusters And the Blues Brothers and TV shows such as
The Sopranos, the Steve Harvey Show.
and just shoot me.
Now, don't get me wrong, there were other agents and managers
involved in production before and during the Bernie Brillstein
era.
There was Freddie Fields and David Begelman, Google Hy Kids
who were both agents and producers in the sixties and
seventies.
But again, Brillstein is credited with making this
management production hybrid model a standard.
You know, Money making practice.
Now, should you hire a manager?
some writers say yes because being able to say yes, you have
a manager gives you clouts, period point, blank stop
sentence.
You see studios have a strict no unsolicited submission policies
to avoid legal liability.
What does that mean?
If you do not have a agent manager or entertainment
attorney, or a family member that is ahead of a studio, and
you send them your script unsolicited, that email package
will be deleted.
So having a manager that is a big gate opening up on your
behalf.
I think the biggest reason a writer hires a manager is that
it's always been easier to get a manager than an agent.
I'm sorry.
That's just the way it's always been.
Managers tend to take on developing talent who need
career guidance, whereas agents are more selective, typically
signing.
Artists who are ready to work, having experience already, and
you can work immediately.
There's a saying in Hollywood, an agent, gets you your second
job.
That means you have to find some success on your own before an
agent will consider taking you on.
And Hey, the good news, the reasons for managers considering
to sign you are.
more numerous than, say for an agent if you've won a
screenwriting contest.
Say you have written and directed a short or a vertical
series, or someone at the Studio network or a development exec
picks up the phone and sings your praises or sends them a
text or an email.
Those are the kind of things that a manager takes into
consideration and will sign you an agent.
A lot of times they want you to get your first film job on your
own and your first staffing position before they'll take you
on.
So take that all into consideration.
Now.
I'm going to read.
The article about the screenwriter who was suing his
managers because they withheld information he feels would have
garnered him more money.
It's from the Hollywood Reporter and written by Winston Cho, A
writer's screenplay is optioned for a fee tied to the film's
budget.
That budget is later increased when a big name is brought on to
Star.
Are the writers, managers who are also producers on the movie
obligated to disclose the bump and renegotiate.
Their clients pay.
The answer to that question could be yes.
With an appeals court reviving a lawsuit from screenwriter Kurt
McLeod against Zero Gravity Management over an alleged
conflict of interest when it negotiated his deal for writing
Cop shop, gonna interrupt myself And just give you a quick
synopsis of Cop shop, which is a tough title to say, is a gritty
action thriller where a Wiley con artist named Teddy
deliberately gets arrested by rookie.
Officer Valerie to hide in a small town, Nevada Police
station from a lethal hitman, Bob Vick, and that's Gerard
Butler.
And I assume Gerard Butler is the big name that was.
Attached to Cup Shop, which increased the budget.
Now, where was I?
Uh, going back to the article that last sentence Kurt
Paraphrasing is suing zero gravity Management.
Over alleged conflict of interest when it negotiated his
deal for writing Cop Shop on Thursday the ninth US Circuit
Court of Appeals reversed dismissal.
Of the suit from a federal judge who found last year that zero
Gravity founders Eric and Mark Williams don't have to face
claims accusing them of prioritizing their payouts for
producing the movie at the expense of their client.
By failing to disclose that the film's budget had been
substantially raised.
So basically they sided with zero gravity management saying
you didn't have to tell the screenwriter that the budget was
increased and the legal back to the article.
The legal battle started in 2022 when McLeod sued zero gravity
for breach of contract and fiduciary duty, among other
claims related to his compensation for co-writing.
The screenplay for the 2021 movie starring Gerard Butler
McLeod's pay was tied to the film's budget with a cap of
125,000, which he was initially told would be 3 million to 10
million according to the complaint filed in California
federal court.
He later learned that it settled at more than.
45 million after Butler came on board.
I'm a very bad whistler.
In Hollywood.
Managers, unlike agents, are barred from producing titles in
which their clients are involved.
In Hollywood managers, unlike agents, aren't barred from
producing titles in which their clients are involved, which I
said before.
At the top, writers, managers can become producers on your
projects where agents don't back to the article, but there's
obvious conflicts of interest.
Consider a case like McLeod's in which more money.
Pay to the producer manager out of a film's budget can mean less
money for the writer client.
In those instances, it's the fiduciary duty of the manager to
put the client's interests first.
Looser restrictions around the involvement of managers in the
productions of titles in which their clients are attached.
Are among the reason why agents are increasingly opting to go
into management.
There are two deals at issue.
In this case.
In 20 11, 0, gravity and McLeod reached a two year
representation agreement, which gave the Williams.
15% of the writer's earnings and the right to serve as producers
on any film made from his screenplay.
McLeod ultimately wrote the script for cop shop.
Under that deal after that representation agreement expired
in 2013.
McLeod said he reached an oral deal with the Williamsons to
continue serving as his managers in dismissing the lawsuit, the
court rebuffed that assertion, finding that both sides.
Agreed for zero gravity alone to be McLeod's Manager in
Thursday's ruling.
The court pointed to evidence of the Williamson's personally
agreeing to represent McLeod.
Quote.
McLeod presented evidence from which a reasonable jury could
find that the Williamsons were parties to the oral agreement
and served as McLeod's personal managers under the terms of that
agreement.
End quote.
The court cited testimony indicating that Mark Williams
best known for executive producing and writing Ozark,
which coincidentally was created by Bill Dubuque, who is a grand
prize winner of the page.
International Screenwriting Awards.
Back to the article, discussed his dual role as manager and
producer on Cop Shop, his listing as a manager on the
Writer's Guild of America website, and evidence that he
conducted himself in that role.
For the movie.
The ninth Circuit panel concluded that McLeod could have
obtained additional compensation had he known of the increased
budget.
The Williamson's, for instance, had the option of tapping into
their own producer's fees, possibly netting, McCloud,
hundreds of thousands of dollars more.
The legal saga includes an arbitration with the Writer's
Guilds of America over writing credits for the film over
allegations that Mark Williams took undue credit for co-writing
the screenplay.
The guild concluded that the story by credit should be McLeod
and Mark Williams while the screenplay by credit should be
McLeod and Joe.
Carnahan Cup Shops Director McCloud accused zero gravity of
fabricating documents to credit Mark Williams as an author on
the script, The only part of the lower court's ruling that wasn't
revised related to the fraud claims arising out of the chain
of title for the film.
The appeals court found that there's nothing false or
improper about Mark Williams obtaining shared by credit.
Absent a settlement McLeod's claim for breach of contract,
breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of implied covenant of
good faith and fear dealing will be considered by a jury.
just a quick thought in, in Mark Williams' defense, I agree with
the Writer's Guild that he.
Probably deserves a story by credit.
I'm sure he read every single draft of Cop Shop and he gave
tons and tons of useful notes.
I'm sure he did a lot of development on the script as
McLeod's manager and yeah, that means a lot.
What do you think about this writers?
I'd love to know whether you have managers and what you think
about them and what you think about them being attached to
your work.
and what do you think about McLeod's situation?
Heck, it sure would be nice to have someone to nurture your
voice, help polish your scripts for the market.
Help secure an agent for you, and act as a devoted.
At the kit and I've heard grumblings on the other side,
that managers take Advantage of writers that don't know what
they're doing and attach themselves to projects and take
a lot of credit.
But again, if a tree falls in the woods and nobody's there.
To hear it.
Does it make a sound?
I am so glad you spent this time with me, writers.
I could not do this without you.
Otherwise I'd just be talking to my cat, Sophie, Joe.
and that's a wrap for the Writer's Hangout.
Thanks so much for listening.
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Remember, keep writing.
The world needs your stories.
The Writers Hangout is sponsored by the Page International
Screenwriting Awards, with executive producer Kristen
Overn, Sandy Adamides, And our music is composed by Ethan
Stoller.
Alexa, you are gaslighting me,