Back in the good old days it was customary for production companies to employ sales representatives that were exclusive to the company. Dispersed throughout the country, East, Midwest and West, a unified force was assembled to benefit the greater good of the company. In doing so, those individuals were part of a team. A synergy was developed between executive producers, directors and the people who were busting their butts to sell them. It was an alliance intended to profit all parties.
But then the climate for which this relationship flourished began to change. During this transformation, economic times took a hit. Production companies mindful of their decreasing budgets had to provide the same level of service but for a lower bottom line. As the cost of production rose, markups decreased. Overhead was slashed, which had an adverse effect on the sales reps, resulting in reduced commissions.
Like an approaching storm, precautions were made in order to withstand the changing climate. The onus became survival and not prosperity. In an effort to reach a middle ground, sales teams were allowed to leave their exclusive ranks to take on more clients in an effort to augment the reduction in fees.
As the problem was further exacerbated, more and more companies joined the fray until the sales people became wholly owned selling machines rather than managing partners working toward a common goal. Directors had to accept that the sales rep was now trying to sell a larger roster, built from many companies. The synergy was lost.
As is the case with most companies, they start with a “star” director, a reputable name in the industry who has an established base of clients. From there, the company expands, maximizing the talent it has to complement the varying styles and sensibilities each individual director exudes.
What became an ostensible practice was sales reps working for multiple production companies choosing those “stars,” directors they knew they could sell. In doing so, a company of eight directors was reduced to a company of a few viable visionaries. Building the career of a young director became an even more challenging task.
Since the practice of selling multiple companies became an industry standard, I have been discouraged. Independence does not always breed good fortune.
Recently, my company has returned to the days of old. The company retains our entire sales force. They still sell other companies, but in a non-conflict environment. We have come to find that this approach is equally rewarding for both the sales team and directors. Peter McCann, head of our sales force says, “I believe so strongly in the talent of the directors, the strength of the EPs and the overall vibe of the company. Most of all I love the relationship and daily banter I am able to have with the directors about their careers, which is difficult to do when representing several different companies.” It reminds us that though we must be vigilant of change, there are always lessons we can learn from the past.
Michael Romersa is owner/executive producer of Reactor Films, Santa Monica.
Oscar Nominees Delve Into The Art Of Editing At ACE Session
You couldn’t miss Sean Baker at this past Sunday’s Oscar ceremony where he won for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Editing on the strength of Anora. However, earlier that weekend he was in transit from the Cesar Awards in Paris and thus couldn’t attend the American Cinema Editors (ACE) 25th annual panel of Academy Award-nominated film editors held at the Regal LA Live Auditorium on Saturday (3/1) in Los Angeles. While the eventual Oscar winner in the editing category was missed by those who turned out for the ACE “Invisible Art, Visible Artists” session, three of Baker’s fellow nominees were on hand--Dávid Jancsó, HSE for The Brutalist; Nick Emerson for Conclave; and Myron Kerstein, ACE for Wicked. Additionally, Juliette Welfling, who couldn’t appear in person due to the Cesar Awards, was present via an earlier recorded video interview to discuss her work on Emilia Pérez. The interview was conducted by ACE president and editor Sabrina Plisco, ACE who also moderated the live panel discussion. Kerstein said that he was the beneficiary of brilliant and generous collaborators, citing, among others, director Jon M. Chu, cinematographer Alice Brooks, and visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. The editor added it always helps to have stellar acting performances, noting that hearing Cynthia Erivo, for example, sing live was a revelation. Kerstein recalled meeting Chu some eight years ago on a “blind Skype date” and it was an instant “bromance”--which began on Crazy Rich Asians, and then continued on such projects as the streaming series Home Before Dark and the feature In The Heights. Kerstein observed that Chu is expert in providing collaborators with... Read More