From: "Bruce K. Chesse" <brucec-AT-chesseartsltd.com>
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2008 22:34:31 -0700
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Agents!?


MIchelle,

A 20% agency fee is quite normal but should be adjusted to what your  
base fee is for the work you do. As an actor in a small town like  
Portland,Oregon I have to pay my agent 10%. In marketing my father's  
paintings the gallery cut ranges from 40 to 60% of sales. Puppets are  
actors and you ask what  the market demands. Screen Actors Guild  
rates are around $700 to $800  a day and if your agent is getting you  
union work the going fees are well worth it it.  This always wasn't  
the case.

Providing something other that performing talent I negotiate myself  
recently had a windfall with an independent  movie being produced and  
directing here in PDX. It involved dressing a set with a puppet  
artifacts. They came over to my my garage and I pulled out all kinds  
of puppets,  stages and building materials. the offered me $1000 for  
things to dress what was to be a puppet mobile. I did not work this  
out though my acting agent but negotiated it myself. Because i had a  
venue in Utah that weekend I asked for a check that I could deposit  
before I left town. They agreed and I went off to Utah. Within two  
days I got a call from the production company telling me that the  
backer from Dubai pulled out enough money to halt production.  The  
art director asked me to return the money and I declined. The company  
folded, my puppets etc were returned to my garage and I was $1,000 to  
the good. I had a signed contract which i fulfilled. They were the  
ones that had the problem. 30 of their production crew were still  
looking to get paid and were left High and Dry. I was more fortunate.  
One has to think ahead and no something about the company you are  
dealing. Always follow the money trail and get whatever you can up  
front.

Management is a far more complicated arrangement and you want to  
always want know who is signing the checks and
what for. The best of people can play games if you don't keep tabs on  
them.  I always retain ownership of my puppets unless there is a  
buyout.  Remember that manipulating the puppet or speaking for it  
entitles yo tos the residuals. I am still getting $5 to $10 dollar  
checks for work did for Warner Bros. in the 60's on "The Candidate"  
and "THX 1138" which has me, my father and brother credited as cast  
members and when Goggled comes up in any number of foreign languages.  
Makes you look impressive. Always make sure the contracts address the  
issue of credits.  I worked on a series of "We sing" videos way back  
when and the series was sold and passed  on through several hands. In  
the process one of the companies cannibalized the  videos and made  
excerpted parts from each making other videos. Our credits went by  
the wayside.  Our works was bought out so no residuals even though  
they are  still being marketed.

That is why I self published all my books and videos and have kept  
them in print. George Latshaw and Larry Englar both gave up all there  
percentages of sales when they republished. Book publishers don't  
like to give you a cut of sales. They want buyouts so they can retain  
the profits. It is always a good idea to retain reproduction rights  
since "how too" books should they end up being remaindered..    
Publishers often do a first printing for the educational market only  
and forget retailing to bookstores and your books end up in the  
remainder market and go out of print. If you have reproduction rights  
reverting to you should your work be remaindered you can self  
publish. Given today's cheap digital printing costs you can keep your  
work in the market place .  Have fun.

Bruce





On Sep 4, 2008, at 1:35 PM, Puppet People wrote:

> Hello all. We have been approached by an acquaintance to be  
> represented by
> him in a new agency he is forming. We trust him and respect him as  
> an artist
> but are leary of the % he is asking (20%...which I thought was  
> high). Anyone
> care to share their experiences with agents and the % they take, as  
> to what
> the "going" rate may be and benefits of having an agent and the  
> services
> they offer? I look at it as an opportunity to ad to our income...my  
> husband
> looks at it as working more for less $$$...any comments are greatl;y
> appreciated. Oh, this is not an exclusivity deal, we will still be  
> obtaining
> most of work ourselves.
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Michelle
> The puppet People
>
> _______________________________________________
> List address: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
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