Socially managed

By Gregg Cagle (Part 3 of 3)

Role of the manager is one that is vital, due to the manager’s responsibilities and duties. Over the years the importance of the manager is one of the few aspects that has not changed in the entertainment industry.

Managers represent and advance the careers of artists, athletes and most recent social media personalities. These managers must have strong business acumen and the ability to create opportunities. A talent manager is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry, but in this case a social media influencer

Entertainers can be right-brained individuals who are creatively inventive but lack attentiveness to the kinds of details found on a spreadsheet or contract. Some business managers must negotiate such handicaps by being a little creative in their own right. A manager is more of an entertainer’s second parent guiding them through the steps of pursuing their career, overseeing their daily affairs, and providing counsel whenever needed, on matters personal or professional.

This leads us to why companies do not deal with entertainers, for companies they rather invest their time in dealing with managers. Most executives find it easier and automatically assume managers speak the language. Frantz Cayo, senior director of programming at Viacom, says “I do not ever talk to entertainers,” Cayo adds “sometimes they take it personal but I rather they let their managers handle the battle and they deal with entertaining.”

Requests are usually made for performances and pitched to the entertainer. This leads to offers which they negotiate on until a deal is closed.

Shirea Carroll, video content producer for VH1, “this process can take way longer than it needs to take only because they usually do not understand the wording or what is needed.” Carroll says, “It’s better to cut them out and deal with the manager directly only because we speak the same language at the end of the day.” Entertainers see things more from an artistic eye, “Their approach is never from a business point of view,” adds Bellamy.

On the flipside, an entertainment lawyer is relied on not only for legal expertise, but also his vast knowledge of the entertainment industry. The entertainment lawyer can be seen as a person of expertise to turn to when clients have questions or concerns regarding the industry as a whole or personal questions for professional consulting or management. The problem is that most companies rather the attorneys to act as that and leave the managing part of the negotiations to the manager(s).

Tier Brown Esq., Lawyer from Atlanta, “for whatever reason the minute I showed up representing a client in a managing capacity the energy tends to be very different than if I should up just as a lawyer,” Brown adds, “the reality is I will negotiate the contract.”

Social media influencers, major corporations and managers combine to master media marketing in the digital era.

You can read part 1 here and part 2 here.