| Mainly because of the brutal economic crisis that has | | | | business on their own, a talent agent has effectively |
| embattled economies around the globe, many talent | | | | left behind the poaching culture of their former acting |
| agents have started to reinvent themselves; and for | | | | talent agencies and are, now, able to serve their |
| some, it is paying off. The global economic crisis, that | | | | clients better because of it. |
| has caused turmoil in many US industries, has not | | | | With more and more talent agents getting into |
| spared the acting talent agencies of the USA. | | | | management of acting talent agencies, competition |
| Nationwide, mergers and layoffs have pushed the | | | | has become fierce. With actors’ salaries dropping, |
| industry to the wall and have forced many laid-off | | | | many are seeking the advice of these talent |
| talent agents to pursue a different path. | | | | managers. And since movie roles have become |
| In the midst of the chaos happening in and around | | | | scarce, a lot of former talent agents have advised |
| the industry, several talent agents are making the | | | | actors to branch out into branding and to the |
| leap from talent agent to entrepreneurs and talent | | | | Internet. |
| managers. With this move they hope that they can, | | | | In the midst of all this, two factors, chaos and |
| at least, survive, if not actually beat this recession. | | | | opportunity, have effected change. And in showbiz, |
| Though it isn’t easy, stress and uncertainty are | | | | just like any other business, chaos almost always |
| nothing new to these talent agents turned acting | | | | brings opportunity. And as talents seek more help |
| talent agency businessmen. | | | | from new acting talent agency managers, the |
| And in an industry where poaching of clients is not | | | | transformation of talent agents to talent managers is |
| only a practice but a culture, several talent agents | | | | expected to continue. And at the heart of it all are |
| turned managers have still managed to maintain their | | | | people, talent agents who have taken up the cudgels |
| triple-A class clients even after they got laid-off from | | | | of acting talent agency mangers, who genuinely want |
| their, now, former acting talent agencies. By going to | | | | to see their talents succeed. |