Talent agency

Company that represents professionals in various industries

This article is about a type of company. For individual agents, see Talent agent.

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (January 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Talent agency" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

A talent agency is a company that represents actors, authors, musicians, models, athletes, writers, dancers, and other professionals in various industries. Talent agencies specialize, either by creating departments within the agency or developing entire agencies that primarily or wholly represent one specialty. For example, there are modeling agencies, commercial talent agencies, literary agencies, voice-over agencies, broadcast journalist agencies, sports agencies, music agencies and many more.

## History

[edit]

Since the decline in viewership in theaters from the 1950s to 1960s, a monumental shift occurred in how studios produced films and reduced the cost of exclusive and expensive actors. After the shift, actors and actresses were working for the studios but were not owned by one major studio entity, so they were able to work with other studios. This shift has meant that agents were now seen as a necessity instead of an option. Agents became third parties who negotiated between studios and clients, making the need for the agents' services an imperative for each party.

In the 1980s, new agencies were established to compete with the "Big five". In 1991, Bauer-Benedek merged with Leading Artists Agency to form what became United Talent Agency. These agencies were Traid Artists and InterTalent. Traid Artist would eventually be sold to William Morris Agency in 1992, and InterTalent would diminish when its partners dispersed between UTA and ICM in the same year.[1]

As of 2022[update], the top three Hollywood talent agencies are William Morris Endeavor (WME), Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and United Talent Agency (UTA).[2] Except for ICM Partners, each agency has its own affiliated production company, which may hire the agency's clients.[3] In 1989, the three major agencies were William Morris, ICM, and CAA.[4] During the 2000s, the majors were known as the "big five."[5] or "top five".[6] In 2009, Endeavor Talent Agency and William Morris merged. Later, CAA and ICM merged in 2022.[7][8]

## Types of talent agencies

[edit]

### Broadcast journalistic agencies

[edit]

Some talent agencies specialize in the representation of television news broadcast journalists and television news magazine hosts. The journalists and hosts represented by these agents primarily work at television stations in local markets or at networks. There are many job titles for broadcast news journalists, such as anchors, reporters, weathercasters, sportscasters, correspondents and hosts.

### Literary agencies

[edit]

See also: Category:Literary agencies

### Modeling agencies

[edit]

Main article: Modeling agency

### Music agencies

[edit]

In the music world, booking agents are different from talent managers. Booking agents are the people who actually book concerts for the artists they represent. These agents make all of the arrangements with the promoters of the shows. The booking agent presents the promoter or producer of the concert with a performance agreement, which stipulates the artist's requirements. Items may include lighting, sound, meals, hotel accommodations, and transportation. For concert buyers, they work to find the artist who will fit their needs and available budget.

Many of the major booking agencies refuse to represent clients who are not already signed to a major record label and have national distribution of their music. Because of this, artists on independent record labels often seek representation with an independent booking agency.

### Sports agencies

[edit]

See also: Category:Sports management companies

## References

[edit]

1. ^ McDonald, Paul(2008). The Star System: The Production of Hollywood Stardom in the Post-Studio Era, p. 168–171. Blackwell Publishing, Inc., MA. ISBN 978-1-4051-3388-3.
2. ^ Welk, Brian (June 28, 2022). "CAA Completes ICM Acquisition in $750 Million Deal". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
3. ^ Koblin, John (April 12, 2019). "Hollywood Upended as Unions Tell Writers to Fire Agents". The New York Times. p. B1. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
4. ^ Davis, L. J. (July 9, 1989). "Hollywood's Most Secret Agent". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
5. ^ "Though suits are still the standard at the Big Five agencies (C.A.A., William Morris, I.C.M., U.T.A. and Endeavor)," Laporte, Nicole., Let's Dress It Down, Ari." New York Observer, 25, 2005.
6. ^ "Skirmishes among [Hollywood]'s top five agencies are escalating." Horn, John. "Summer battle royale for agents." Los Angeles Times, July 3, 2008.
7. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr.; Andreeva, Nellie (September 27, 2021). "CAA Acquiring ICM Partners; Will Be Biggest Agency Link-Up Since WMA-Endeavor". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 27, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
8. ^ Welk, Brian (June 28, 2022). "CAA Completes ICM Acquisition in $750 Million Deal". TheWrap. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Media related to Talent agencies at Wikimedia Commons