|
TALENT & BOOKING AGENTS
Talent and booking agencies are in the business of booking artists for work.
Agents are important because they help to keep you working by soliciting your live show to different club and concert promoters,
nightclub owners and managers, college events, city and county music events, regional live performance venues, etc. to get
gigs for you or your group.
The different unions – AFM, AFTRA, and SAG, govern licensed booking agents, so the majority of talent agencies
do have to follow certain regulations.
|
AFM - AMERICAN FEDERATION OF
MUSICIANS |
|
AFTRA - AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TELEVISION & RADIO ARTIST |
|
SAG - SCREEN ACTOR’S GUILD |
CHECK THE AGENTS
REPUTATION
Make sure when choosing a booking agent, you do
similar background checks as mentioned in the previous chapters – Check for their clients. Also, find out if there have been any complaints or lawsuits, and what the outcome was. Note: Make sure the agency has the connections with the
right promoters and clubs to keep your money coming in from live performances.
HOW LONG DO I CONTRACT WITH THEM?
Seek only to sign with a talent and booking agency for at most, one year. This way, you will be covered if things don’t go well between your agent and
yourself. There are actually many, many booking agents out there, so finding another agent to represent you should not be
too difficult. If you really want to feel secure with this decision, when
you’re seeking out the right agent, you should have enough confidence in your personal manager to assist in handling this responsibility (see Personal Management). Now,
maybe you’re beginning to understand the importance of getting good management.
COMMISSIONS - HOW MUCH?
Expect to pay nearly all talent
and booking agents a commission of 10% of the income that’s generated by their bookings. And although it’s not
always possible, seek to pay on your “net” take. Of course, whatever the commission is, if the agent is keeping
you paid, and the gigs are good, don’t stress. The bottom line is, “If you’re planning on performing…
so that money is always being generated night-to-night, you will need a good talent agent!”
TOP Talent Agents
– Booking Agencies – USA
For performing artists
& musicians
Music Powers has
contacts for many of the best and most reputable Booking Agents / Talent Agencies that do bookings for both concerts and clubs
in Atlanta, GA., Los Angeles, CA, and New York, NY. Most
of these agencies also have relationships with promoters, colleges, regional venues, and nightclub owners that book performing
artists and musicians in Hip-Hop, Rap and R&B music. And the Music Powers Resource website directory
has more listings. The MP24 site includes regions like Chicago, Miami, New Orleans, Vegas,
and more.
|
|
