# Composers and agents/representation



## Mike Marino (Feb 23, 2011)

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this forum and wanted to get your thoughts on something. As an aspiring film composer I've noticed that there are a number of composers who have "representation"; an "agent."

My questions are:
1.) Where do you find agents/agencies that help a composer to find work?
2.) Do they really help?
3.) Are they really worth it?

As far as myself, I'm a professional musician in Orlando, Fl. and began scoring films about a year and a half ago. I don't know, maybe that information will help to lead answers in one capacity or another.

Thanks,
Mike Marino
http://www.mikemarinomusic.com (www.mikemarinomusic.com)


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## midphase (Feb 24, 2011)

There has been a discussion on this very section recently about agents which you should probably read.

As far as where you find agents for composers...certainly not in Orlando!


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## RiffWraith (Feb 24, 2011)

midphase @ Thu Feb 24 said:


> As far as where you find agents for composers...certainly not in Orlando!



What - agents don't go to Disneyworld? :lol: 

Getting an agent is like getting credit. You can't get credit if you dont have any. But you have to establish credit in order to get credit.

Getting credit is like getting an agent. You can't get an agent if you haven't scored any feature films, but you can't score any feature films unless you have an agent.

That about covers it.


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## JohnG (Feb 24, 2011)

There is about as much clarity on getting an agent and getting into the studio system as there is about becoming an astronaut. Less, actually.

My own belief is that the only useful call you can make to an agent is, _"hello, I am up for [major video game / feature film with name actors / television series on Fox / NBC / CBS / ABC / etc.] that is being [produced / distributed] by [name of studio or distribution company or big game company that everyone has heard of.]"

"The discussions have gone fine so far but I think I need some help at this stage and also in parlaying this into further results with my friends [name of working directors / producers with whom you have had discussions]."_

No matter how many low-budget and student films one has done, even if they won first prize at Cannes or Toronto or Sundance, absent active discussions and meetings with well-known entities or stars, it is extremely difficult to get any attention from agents. Moreover, having wasted a lot of time on it some time ago, I recommend against chasing them without a serious opportunity available.

Finally, if that happy day comes, use the leverage of a good opportunity. Sure, it may cost what seems like a lot of money, but I personally believe it's worth it.

Not everyone does, though, so ask around and form your own view. Things are so weird out there that maybe my own views are wrong now.


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## poseur (Feb 24, 2011)

RiffWraith @ Thu Feb 24 said:


> midphase @ Thu Feb 24 said:
> 
> 
> > As far as where you find agents for composers...certainly not in Orlando!
> ...



ha!
yes, of course..... and, no.

i scored my first feature film, for a studio, without an agent;
if i can do it, others surely have done so, too.
to be fair,
it seems like the folks involved in the hiring-approval did already have some confidence
that i'd be musically & practically "capable", though.

dt


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## poseur (Feb 24, 2011)

JohnG @ Thu Feb 24 said:


> *Things are so weird out there that maybe my own views are wrong now.*



ha!
that there's a quote for the ages, john.
thanks!

dt


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## midphase (Feb 25, 2011)

poseur @ Thu Feb 24 said:


> i scored my first feature film, for a studio, without an agent;
> if i can do it, others surely have done so, too.
> to be fair,
> it seems like the folks involved in the hiring-approval did already have some confidence
> that i'd be musically & practically "capable", though.



Your situation is a bit different I think (from what I know). It sounds like you were already doing a lot of work on high profile film and you probably had some solid relationships at a high enough level to allow you to merge into composing without the need for a middle man.

I'm just speculating here, but I suspect that your path has been fairly unique to your particular situation.


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## poseur (Feb 25, 2011)

midphase @ Fri Feb 25 said:


> Your situation is a bit different I think (from what I know). It sounds like you were already doing a lot of work on high profile film and you probably had some solid relationships at a high enough level to allow you to merge into composing without the need for a middle man.
> 
> I'm just speculating here, but I suspect that your path has been fairly unique to your particular situation.



that's all pretty true, mid-;
but, i know i'm not alone in this "method-of-entry", and,
maybe more importantly,
i don't think there's any regular, clear path, in this crazy-assed career,
at all.

i think folks who wanna do this just rely on their desire & their wits,
rather than seeking one of those vaunted regular, clear paths, endlessly.....
i believe that the biz is a clusterf•••, iow:
i see it in much the same way as i see
attempting to be a musician or composer, for life, even w/o films/hollywood/etc.....
make your own way, as best you can, and as consistently & persistently as you can:
get your music heard, and as broadly as is possible.....
..... where your own imagination & ingenuity might actually create many of those possibilities.
dude.

dt


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## midphase (Feb 25, 2011)

Yeah I agree...I have always felt that people who follow the same exact paths as an established composer hoping to get the same results are fooling themselves.

Our business is changing a great deal, there are some of us who have been already impacted by this change, and some who have luckily been able to surf the previous wave until now, but who will more than likely have to deal with the massive change soon enough.

When I speak to my fellow colleagues, I don't know anyone who has a particularly positive outlook on things, everyone seems rather unsure of where things will be 10 years from now, or beyond.

One thing that I do feel is probably accurate is that there will be less working composers in the future. The current numbers of people attempting to write music for film and TV right now is an unsustainable number. It will all come down to how many of them (us) will be able to stick it out while the large majority is getting out of the biz. I predict that in about 10 years more than 50% of current "composers" will have moved on to some other career.


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