Andy left, and the entire conversation seemed somewhat disjointed, as if it lacked a clear purpose, leaving people perplexed.
In reality, Andy's visit to Village Vanguard today was merely a passing one, an impromptu decision to probe things out. He hadn't even done any research beforehand. If he hadn't met Renly, he wouldn't have had any regrets. He would have just sat in the bar, sipping on whiskey, and then headed to the airport. If they did cross paths, he intended to see the real person and compare the image from rumors.
After all, the present Renly was still just an image from hearsay. "The Pacific" hadn't been broadcasted yet, and media reviews, audience feedback, acting abilities, and more were all yet to be measured. There was no need to hastily jump to conclusions. Of course, if he was blown away at their first meeting, he might sign a management contract on the spot.
However, the outcome of their meeting far exceeded his expectations.
This young man of only twenty displayed a calm and wisdom beyond his age. Unhurried, neither humble nor arrogant, he had clear goals and unwavering determination. At first glance, he appeared to be an unrealistic idealist, but in reality, he had a clear understanding of his future plans, and even ambitious aspirations.
Andy knew that Renly wasn't the type to be easily manipulated. Collaborating with someone of such a distinct personality was bound to have its ups and downs. But this was a double-edged sword, capable of forging legends or destroying reputations – the key was how much strength Renly truly possessed, whether he accurately judged his own talents, and whether he understood the boundary between self-confidence and arrogance.
Andy's definition of Renly was that he would either become a megastar or fall into obscurity. Finding a blurry middle ground would be difficult. So, he wouldn't reach a conclusion lightly. He needed time to judge, and he also needed more information for examination. "The Pacific" undoubtedly provided the best platform for this assessment, not only due to the series itself but also Renly's performance during the show's promotion. These would all serve as Andy's criteria for judgment.
Of course, Andy had also considered the possibility that other agents might get ahead during his observation period. However, he believed Renly wasn't someone who would easily compromise. Just as he extended an invitation today, Renly wouldn't readily accept. Renly needed to evaluate Andy as much as Andy was evaluating him. If Renly acknowledged Andy's abilities, then whether Andy extended the invitation today or a year later, the result would be the same. And if Renly decided against him, the timing wouldn't change the outcome either.
This was why Andy chose to leave. He didn't delve further into his role as an agent, didn't mention the possibility of a contract with Renly, and didn't even explain the purpose of his visit today. He had inexplicably appeared and now was leaving suddenly. Andy believed Renly was an intelligent person, and he understood his intentions.
Indeed, Renly understood even without explicit words. The subtle cues were enough for him to deduce the reality.
Similarly, Renly wasn't rushing to make a decision. Just like the other agents who had shown interest in him earlier, he decided to observe further. Not because Renly was overly confident and wanted to select a bigger agent, but because he clearly understood that while agents choose artists, artists should also learn to choose agents. It was a two-way selection process.
Strictly speaking, artists and agents were in an employer-employee relationship; the artists hired the agents, making it a buyer's market.
In Renly's perspective, compared to abilities, resources, and connections, an agent's broader vision and values were even more crucial – in simple terms, it was about the artist's career planning. An agent with long-term perspective, a panoramic view, and a sense of weighing benefits could propel an artist to greater heights. Conversely, such an agent could also become a grave for burying the artist's potential.
Generally speaking, an agent's influence on an artist could be divided into three aspects.
Firstly, there was the matter of benefits and trade-offs. An agent's remuneration came from a percentage of the artist's earnings, usually ten percent for the five major talent agencies, and eight percent for other agencies. This implied that the higher an artist's earnings, the greater the agent's income. Therefore, many agents would continually encourage their artists to take on commercial films, sometimes even sacrificing the artist's interests for short-term gains.
Edward Norton was a classic example. He was eager to be a part of Paramount's production "The Score". The film had Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro as headliners – a collaboration that was the first of its kind in their acting careers. Edward was ecstatic. In the end, his agent struck a deal with Paramount. Edward's successful participation in "The Score" came with a condition – he had to appear in another Paramount production afterwards. Influenced by his agent's urging, Edward agreed.
The terms of this contract were fulfilled a year later when Edward appeared in the commercial film "The Italian Job". However, he was dissatisfied with the script and, despite multiple communications with the director and writer, he refused to be part of the project. Paramount insisted on him fulfilling his contractual obligation and completing the shoot.
Upon the film's wrap, Edward parted ways with his agent. "The Italian Job" flopped at the box office.
Secondly, there was the agent's eye for selecting projects. Generally, an artist's choice of work was heavily influenced by the agent's recommendations since artists had limited sources of information. This meant that an agent's taste would significantly impact the quality of the artist's projects.
People once wondered how Nicolas Cage became the king of bad movies. It originated from his frantic signing of films to repay gambling debts, but the catalyst was his agent's severely misguided judgment on scripts, leading to a series of disasters.
Additionally, there was another scenario where an artist expressed interest in a project, but the agent felt it might flop and substituted it with a different recommendation.
The most famous case is that of Sean Connery. During the turn of the century, he was interested in fantasy-themed stories. "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Matrix" both entered his radar, but his agent deemed these projects too complex and likely to flop. As a result, Sean was advised to pass on them and instead choose 20th Century Fox's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". The outcome was crystal clear.
The last aspect was handling crises. The collaboration between agents and public relations teams became an indispensable part of an artist's image management.
Kristen Stewart serves as a typical example.
Emerging from the realm of low-budget independent films, Kristen Stewart's notable acting abilities drew positive attention to her future prospects, riding the wave of global fame with the "Twilight" series. However, in reality, the Hollywood establishment, particularly the academy-trained actors, didn't favor those with a background in idol films. It was often said in the industry that participating in an idol film could spell a decade of Oscar exclusion, thus narrowing the path for idol actors and making it easy for newcomers to replace them. While "Twilight" skyrocketed Kristen's visibility, it also hampered her progress in the world of independent cinema, her "expressionless" acting style frequently criticized.
Later on, while filming "Snow White and the Huntsman", Kristen Stewart cheated on her then-boyfriend Robert Pattinson with director Rupert Sanders. This not only betrayed her fiance but also disrupted Rupert's previously harmonious family life. This negative news almost completely devastated her career, causing her to plummet in the public's estimation, and she became a pariah, much like a rat crossing the street, met with hostility from all sides.
Subsequently, she changed her agent. In less than a year, she successfully acted in numerous works such as "Still Alice", "Clouds of Sils Maria", "American Ultra", "Personal Shopper", "Café Society", and "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk". She even collaborated with big names like Ang Lee, Woody Allen, and Julianne Moore.
Instead of slipping, her career soared, blossoming on all fronts. In contrast, the other central figure of the scandal, Rupert, didn't receive any new projects for a period of three years. This disparity is quite evident when considering that society usually tends to be more lenient with men and harsher on women in such situations. This reversal underscores the agent's capabilities.
Of course, apart from the agent, a capable public relations team played a crucial role in Kristen's comeback. That, however, is a different matter.
Just as agents consider factors like artists' inherent talent, market value, image packaging, and potential when selecting clients, artists also need to take into account various aspects like an agent's skill, foresight, communication abilities, and latent potential when choosing agents.
Leonardo DiCaprio changed agents five times in just two years to collaborate with Martin Scorsese. But ideally, nobody wants to frequently change agents.
However, all of this is established on the premise of having choices. Most newcomers don't have the luxury of choice; they passively wait for agents to discover them and then gradually climb the ladder. Renly is in the same situation.
Yet, Renly has a distinct advantage that others can't rival – rebirth. He knows which projects can succeed and which will flop. Even without agent guidance, he can rely on his own efforts and resourcefulness to carve out a niche. Though within Hollywood's grand framework, independent entities face an uphill battle without agents' assistance, Renly at least has other possibilities, which is why he isn't in a hurry to finalize an agent.
Choosing quality over quantity, the advantage of rebirth gives Renly this capital.
After the brief exchange with Andy earlier, Renly formed a preliminary impression of him. Andy seemed like an easygoing agent with a pleasant demeanor from start to finish, yet beneath that exterior, Renly could sense his coolness and wisdom. However, that was just the tip of the iceberg, insufficient to grasp the full picture. Moreover, to ascend to the role of senior agent at Innovative Artists, his abilities mustn't be underestimated.
As he observed the other, wasn't the other observing him as well? Renly believed their next encounter wouldn't be far off.
"Who was that just now?" After seeing off Andy, Renly turned around and headed for the gathering, Neil inquiring casually.
"An old friend," Renly answered with a smile. Then, draping his arm around Neil's shoulder, he proceeded towards the dining table and cheerfully exclaimed, "Party time!" Voices resonated throughout as everyone welcomed Renly to join the first wave of revelry during St. Patrick's Day.