Managers For Actors
Agent + Manager = 25% of?
What The Manager Does
Like talent agencies, managers help find work for talent. Unlike talent agencies, which are “franchised” by the actors unions (Screen Actors Guild [SAG], American Federation of Television and Radio Artists [AFTRA] and Actors Equity Association [Equity], managers need no franchise. This leaves actors wide open to abuse by unethical managers.
Managers receive 15% commission on whatever you gross from work they get for you. Plus you still have to pay your agent 10% above that. Unless you are extremely desperate to work, and don’t mind paying 25% of your earnings to those two sources, you should think twice before working with a manager.
Managers do have professional organizations, which lend credibility to their business. But my advice to those of you just starting out is to avoid having a manager represent you. Unless you have achieved at least some prominence in your career, and you and your agent can’t handle your affairs, you really don’t need a manager.