Most people consider agents and managers to be the key to success in Hollywood.
They think as soon as they find a manager or agent, they will then have an indelible connection to the industry and the work will just keep coming.
This is a misnomer.
Some very high level agents and managers can literally make deals happen.
But for the most part, they are just another tool in your tool belt.
They can help bridge connections, they can be an official face for you when trying to get meetings. But the majority of the legwork will still be coming from you.
TV Writing Agents vs. Managers
First of all, let's take a look at the difference between agents and managers. The differences are small and not quite what you would expect.
Traditionally, agents were the ones who handled your deals and managers were the ones who strategized and molded your career.
Today, they all do everything.
But here's the key difference for the up-and-comer...
It is nearly impossible to get an agent without any connections in the industry. It is much easier to get a manager.
Managers, depending on the person and the management company obviously, are much more likely to sign somebody with few or no credits. Managers are more likely to find a script that placed far in a competition and take an interest.
This is far less common with agents.
I say the following with the caveat of "try absolutely everything when trying to break in..."
BUT when deciding where your efforts are best utilized, a manager will be an easier get than an agent.
The goal should not be exclusively representation
In the TV writing game, agents and managers are great to have. But they should not be your main goal when trying to break in.
You should be writing. That goes without saying.
But you should also be building your network in any way you can. That means meeting other writers, talking to producers, trying to get meetings with anyone and everyone.
Most agents and managers are hesitant to invest in anyone who doesn't have credits, or doesn't have momentum. But a network of people who can vouch for you can at times supersede that.
Other times, a great recommendation can get you in with the right manager and agent.
Your TV writing jobs will come from your network, rarely from your rep
In the first writers' room I ever worked in, there was a monthly chat around the table where the writers all discussed their dissatisfaction for their agents.
I was an assistant at the time and had never had a rep. But the general consensus seemed to be, "I find every single job myself based on the other writers I already know."
Knowing a showrunner, or a high-up writer, will be much more important in getting staffed as a TV writer on a show than having an agent.
Agents can help. But at the end of the day, it's your network that matters more.
Image Source: YYES
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