Talent managers are those professionals who help artists manage their daily affairs and commitments. These people help actors find parts, auditions and agents; they help singers produce their records and plan tours and concerts and promote and advertise artists. Furthermore, a talent manager could also be the one who discovers a young talent and directs him in the right direction. Starting a career in this industry is a great idea for those interested in helping other people reach their full potential as an artist.
Steps
Step 1. First of all, you need to be passionate and have some experience and contacts in the industry
As with talent scouts, talent managers have often been artists themselves or are otherwise connected to the entertainment industry, having a career as a teacher, producer or theater critic. Other talent managers, on the other hand, come from the world of talent scouts, deciding then to focus on the career of only one of their clients.
Step 2. Decide what kind of artist you would like to work for
The part of show business you would like to be a part of should naturally be the one you feel the most affinity for. If your passion is music, you should become a musician manager; if you love theater, you should work with actors. If you are interested in the whole entertainment world, you might also work with multifaceted artists who try their hand at more than one field.
You should also identify the type of person you would like to work with. While talent agents represent a large number of clients on behalf of the agency they work for, talent managers typically represent only one individual or group of individuals. We can say that, in some respects, being the manager of an artist is like being married to that artist
Step 3. Develop the skills and knowledge needed to be a talent manager
There is no particular course that is mandatory to take to become a talent manager, but many of the essential skills are learned by studying. Available to the aspiring talent manager are courses in marketing, communication, public relations and human resources, as well as art studies that will help you better understand the creative minds you will be dealing with.
Obviously, it is possible to complement the lessons with self-taught study. If you want to work for movie stars it is important to know the world of cinema, and, seeing at least the great classics such as the films included in the American Film Istutitute's Top 100 is a must. If you want to work with musicians, get a musical culture by reading publications like "Billboard". If you want to teach an artist everything you know, you obviously need to know everything
Step 4. Work with a successful talent manager
Contact a talent manager company or a booking agency. If you can't find one to work with right away, you can take your first steps into show business by also working for producers, directors or casting directors. No matter where you start from, observe who knows more than you and gain as much experience as you can.
Depending on the type of talent you decide to work for, you may choose to move to a big city full of talent, such as Rome, Milan or, thinking bigger, New York, Los Angeles or, if you like the country, Nashville. In any case, before taking the plunge you will need to learn the trade and gain experience, which is possible even in a small town
Step 5. Look for important opportunities
As you gain experience, look for opportunities to help other managers review scripts, plan tours, or create promotional packages. One day, you may be completely entrusted with a customer.
Step 6. Join a professional organization
Joining associations such as the Talent Managers Association (TMA) will increase the opportunity to learn the trade by working with more experienced colleagues, as well as create a vast network of opportunities for you. The TMA maintains an online register of its members, who are required to follow the association's code of ethics.
Advice
- The qualities that an aspiring successful talent manager must possess are: perseverance, dedication and desire to do.
- The reward and satisfaction of being a talent manager is not only to do the job you like, but also to help others work with their passion and share successes with them.
