Do I Really Need a Manager if I Have an Agent?

For many performers, making a decision on whether to secure an agent or a manager is a big part of the business of their career. 

By definition, an agent is a person or entity which is legally permitted to negotiate or procure work opportunities and advise or counsel a performer about any aspects of their career in any and all areas where SAG-AFTRA has exercised jurisdiction. Whereas, a manager is defined as a person or entity which is limited to counseling and advising any performer in connection with their career goals. 

Agent vs. Manager

Agents submit clients for auditions and negotiate contracts and wages and working conditions on their behalf. Their primary focus is finding you work. In California, agents must be licensed by the state. In addition, in order for our members to hire them, these licensed agents must also be franchised by SAG-AFTRA. An agent is the only person legally permitted to procure work for you in the entertainment industry. They may represent many clients — even those who are similar to you. For their services, agents can take only 10% of a client’s earnings, but only in certain areas, for the work they procure, including theatrical, commercial, voiceover, dance, music or broadcast.

Managers provide career guidance and can also provide business management services to you. Their primary purpose is to focus on a performer’s overall, long-term career path. They are not regulated or licensed by any state. They can work on their own or for a management company or be a family member.  Managers tend to represent a smaller number of clients, sometimes only one, allowing them, in theory, to give each client more personalized attention. Managers generally take no more than 10%–15% of a client’s gross earnings from any work in the entertainment business. 

SAG-AFTRA’S Professional Representatives Department assists members with their agency relationships and their dealing with any affiliated personal managers. The department may be contacted at agency@sagaftra.org or personalmanager@sagaftra.org or (323) 549-6745.

Advantages of Having a Manager

• An established  manager may have contacts within the industry that your agent does not have, broadening your access.
• A manager may have, in theory, fewer clients, and may be able to give more hands-on attention.
• An established manager can help your career with advice and help you make key decisions, such as choosing marketable headshots or building an effective demo reel, and assist your agent, if so delegated, with auditions and meetings with industry professionals.
• With more people working on your behalf, you may benefit from additional exposure.
• One of your manager’s primary tasks should be to help you procure an effective licensed and franchised agent.

Disadvantages of Having a Manager

• Paying an additional 10%–15% in commissions.
• Legally, a manager cannot submit you or negotiate for you, unless they do so under the control and at the direction of a licensed/franchised agent.

Advantages of Having Only an Agent

• Only one 10% commission to pay.
• Only an agent can legally submit you for a job and negotiate your contracts.

Disadvantages of Having Only an Agent

• May not have access to as many contacts as you might have with a second member on your team.
• May not get as much hands-on attention.

Are Managers Essential?

Although many members agree an agent is essential, some performers feel a manager may also be helpful, while others don’t see the need.  

In the former category, actor Thomas Ochoa finds a manager indispensable, because his manager “helps with the bigger picture parts of my career, whereas my agent is more responsible for day-to-day submissions and maximizing the offers that come in. My manager is who I partner with to make sure my materials and approach are optimized, and then we give those tools to my agent so she can do her part.”

“Having both an agent and a manager is helpful, especially when establishing your career, for a few reasons,” states actor-writer-producer Paget Kagy. “Firstly, if you don’t know whether you’re going to ‘click’ with a particular agent — happens all the time and it’s no one’s fault — having a manager helps you navigate those waters; and if the agent relationship isn’t working, you have someone who can vouch for you if you need to find a better fit. Secondly, I personally feel I can express myself more candidly and freely with a manager, since he or she oversees the trajectory of your whole career. Thirdly, the morale of having support from two people creates a stronger mastermind of collaborative energy toward building your career.”

“Most of my career, I didn’t have a manager,” relates former L.A. Local President Patricia Richardson. “I thought managers were for people who had more than one career: singer and actor, actor and stand-up comedian, etc. I also was not making a ton of money … I couldn’t imagine [paying] 10% more to a manager, and eventually 5% to a lawyer on big, complicated contracts.” 

After her agent “lost interest, partly because I stopped working off and on to be with family  … I decided to get a manager, and what a good idea that turned out to be — more people pulling for you, bringing their contacts, knowledge, taste and relationships into your career. I regret not doing it sooner.”

On the other hand, L.A. Local 2nd Vice President David Jolliffe notes, “I only have an agent. It’s worked for me.”

Actor Pamela Guest says, “The only time I’ve ever had a manager was when I didn’t have an agent.” With both an agent and a manager, she adds, “Roughly a quarter of your income is gone before you ever see it — but it could be worth it.”

“I have nine agents. They are located in different markets and areas of the country as well as overseas,” relates voiceover actor-singer-songwriter Jewels Jaselle. “I mainly work in the voiceover industry and don’t see it being necessary to have a talent manager because all of my agents keep me quite busy. I feel that if you have strong agent representation, a great rapport and relationship with them along with an outstanding work ethic, that can be all you need to grow your career.”

Advocating using only an agent, actor Jeffrey Reeves states, “I color inside the lines. So, I’m a fan of regulations and union protections. Talent managers cannot legally procure work in California under California Department of Industrial Relations regulations, whereas talent agents can. It seems to me, managers available to me at my level are submitting talent for work just as a talent agent would. So, I don’t see a reason to double up on representation and commissions, especially when it requires being complicit in undermining California regulations. I prefer the protection SAG-AFTRA contracts provide in matters of representation through talent agents. Since our union doesn’t have a franchise structure, with all of its inherent protections, in place for managers like it does with agents, it makes sense to me not to deal with them until an agreement is in place. I’d love to see a dialogue to revisit and reestablish our franchise agreement with talent managers.”

So, Do I Really Need Both an Agent and a Manager?

The consensus among performers is that it is a personal decision, depending upon the level one might be in his, her or their career.

Actor-singer-songwriter-screenwriter-producer Ben Dukes advises asking, “Where are they in their career? What do they plan to do? What is it they need ‘managed?’ If you have an agent who is getting you out, getting you seen, getting you work  … and you’re not overwhelmed with your schedule or lost trying to figure out what direction to move in, you may not need a manager.” 

Ochoa cautions, “If you’re newer, and just not booking super-big jobs yet, consider how much commission a potential manager will take before signing. Your agent is capped at 10%, but a manager can ask for more under certain circumstances. Mine only takes 10%, but I know some people whose managers take more … and that can be a lot for actors just getting started.”

Photo: Clockwise from top left, Thomas Ochoa, Paget Kagy, Patricia Richardson, David Jolliffe, Ben Dukes, Jeffrey Reeves, Jewels Jaselle, Pamela Guest.