Talent Management
The business of representing and guiding the careers of actors, musicians, directors, and other entertainment professionals.
Definition
Talent management involves representing entertainment professionals, negotiating deals, securing opportunities, and providing career strategy. Managers differ from agents—they focus on long-term career development rather than just deal-making, often providing more personal attention and strategic guidance.
Managers typically work with fewer clients than agents, taking higher commission (15-20% vs. agents' 10%) but providing more comprehensive service. They guide project selection, connect clients with agents, publicists, and other professionals, and help build sustainable careers rather than just chasing immediate opportunities.
Why It Matters
The right management can make or break careers. Managers help talent navigate critical decisions—which projects to pursue, when to negotiate for more money, how to balance commercial and prestige work. Poor management can lead to career stagnation or damage from bad choices.
For emerging talent, finding quality management is often the difference between breaking through and remaining undiscovered. Good managers leverage relationships and strategic insight to create opportunities talent couldn't access independently. They're partners in career building, not just service providers.
Examples in Practice
A manager guides an actor from supporting TV roles to film leads over five years through strategic project selection and relationship building that opens doors to A-list opportunities.
A musician's manager negotiates their first label deal, retaining rights that later prove valuable when the artist becomes successful and can renegotiate from strength.
A manager's poor advice leads an actor to turn down a career-defining role, demonstrating how management decisions directly impact long-term trajectory and earnings.