@Lee-White Thank you for this topic being addressed.
In addition to the many great interests others have noted above, it would be good to hear of the downsides to having an agent. I know @Will-Terry has some great thoughts about this, particularly in regards to contractual constraints & obligations. It would be good to get other issues to consider as well. Plus, a checklist of what to look out for and guidance on how to resolve these potential issues (hopefully before they become a contracted issue!).
I’m interested in thoughts on having multiple agents (e.g. one agent for publishing/gaming/etc. work and one agent for advertising/editorial/etc. work); whether that is possible, advisable, and what issues to prepare for.
I think that the key issues for me are:
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When am I ready & when should I seek an agent (I copy/pasted some of your advice on this from a previous post below)
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With so many agents, how do I best filter out which are best for me (and how do I even find the “right” agents when there are so many out there - It’s easy to know about Shannon Associates or Andrea Brown Lit, but there are many small-to-mid agencies that might not so readily visible) (Large agencies like Shannon Associates or Bright Agency builds confidence over their capabilities, industry relationships, professionalism, & “trustworthiness”; however, this also drives questions as to the attention they give to representing each artist specifically/intimately, so how do I determine whether a large agency or small agency/individual is best for me?)
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What are the pros/cons, mutual expectations, contractual & other issues to consider & prepare for, etc. (one point to cover would be on contract dissolution should the illustrator seek to move on to another agent or not being represented at all - including any expectations of client engagement restrictions and continued payout to agents post-contract-dissolution)
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What is the illustrator-agent-client engagement process (e.g. marketing, RFP & negotiations/end-client contracts, agent/illustrator Account Executive duties (account management), agent workflow involvement, billing, taxes, conflict resolution (including typical litigation/arbitration responsibilities & expectations), etc.)
Since I’m assuming that you will likely be recording this, I’d expect that you wouldn’t want to be so negative on or give too much endorsement of specific reps, but it would be nice to have some agents or resource lists identified with any commentary possible.
Just making note here, but in a previous post >>, @Lee-White, you mentioned to another person on here:
1. There is no reason to submit until you get the kinks worked out of your portfolio. To submit too early "just to see what happens" wastes the agents time and makes it seem like you don't know what they are looking for. Agents want people who are profitable out of the gate for them OR they see a huge potential with their work and are willing to get it to that next level. Those artists are typically at about 90% entry level and just need a few slight tweaks to be industry ready. Or, the work is already pro level and they just need to be introduced to the right people.
2. Submitting too early will give the art director an impression of you that may not be changeable as time moves on. (first impressions are strong!). You want that first impression to be "OMG! this artist is awesome!" Not "eh, it's ok, but they need polishing".
Hang in there and really figure out where you want your work to go. Sit with it and take time with it. It will develop naturally and you will know when you are ready. Signs that you are ready are things like:
• You are winning contests that you enter.
• you are getting scholarships for your work
• people are asking to buy your work
• you are being contacted for interviews or artist spotlights, etc.
• people are wanting to hire you
• experienced people (like me, will, jake, or your instructors) are telling you to get your work out there or introducing you to connections
If none of these things are happening, you probably aren't ready yet.
Thanks!
This is why it is good to have an online portfolio and to share your work online, you never know who is looking.