Behind The Spotlight Chapter 73
There was an incident in which an agent resigned without warning and took all of his clients with him in one calculated move. The incident damaged the company and its reputation because that agent had several big-name clients who consistently brought in revenue. The agency ended up filing for bankruptcy after that.
ANT was determined to prevent such a disaster from happening, so they implemented a precautionary strategy: surrounding each client with multiple agents. This system diluted the head agent's influence over the client, weakening their control and, consequently, their earnings due to commission splitting.
Some agents voiced their dissatisfaction when this policy was introduced a decade ago, speaking out during internal meetings. However, the protests didn't last long. The clients' careers weren't negatively affected. In fact, they improved, thanks to the broader support network. The benefits, connections, and privileges provided by the agency helped smooth over any resentment. In the end, it kept the peace.
This structure became known as the Talent Representation Team.
The team usually consisted of:
Talent Agent / Film Agent – Represents the client in negotiating movie contracts with producers, studios, and distributors.
Literary Agent – Essential if the client is a director who also writes scripts. They help with story structure, marketability, and connect clients with publishers or co-writers.
Entertainment Lawyer – Reviews legal documents, advises on royalties, contracts, and lawsuits to protect the client's interests.
Publicist / PR Agent – Manages media relations, interviews, public image, and award campaigns. A key player in shaping a client's reputation and maintaining their brand.
Business Manager / Accountant – Handles finances, taxes, investments, and ensures the client would receive timely payments from studios.
This was the core team, but the structure could expand depending on the client's specific needs. Naturally, the client was responsible for paying these professionals, making the arrangement expensive. Only a successful client could afford this kind of comprehensive setup without going broke.
Wyatt had now reached the level where such a system was both practical and necessary.
These team members could be paid per hour, per project, or based on achievements. It depended on each individual's preference and contract terms.
Collin understood that he couldn't handle all of these responsibilities alone, so forming a team for Wyatt had become a priority. That said, he still wanted to keep the jobs that brought in more money, such as salary negotiations, because those came with performance-based commissions and were highly profitable.
Unfortunately, once the team became official, Collin's commission rate would drop to 3–5%, depending on how responsibilities were divided.
The agency would take a standard 3% cut from the 10% total commission.
The team would split 2–4% among themselves depending on their individual contributions and the critical nature of their roles.
That would leave Collin with a 3–5% share at best. While that was still higher than what anyone else in the team would earn individually, it was hard to accept considering how much effort it took to make Wyatt successful in the first place.
Even if Collin wanted to start his own agency to handle Wyatt and his other clients independently, he'd still need to hire people and deal with similar revenue-sharing structures. So realistically speaking, the current setup wasn't that bad.
Even Arnold had similar teams for his three major clients.
This also explained why agents often seemed like greedy bastards during contract negotiations, because the more money they secured for their clients, the more they earned themselves.
After weeks of careful searching, Collin had already found people to fill most of the roles. Only the PR Agent position remained vacant. All the individuals he chose had talents that aligned with their roles, which gave him confidence in their abilities. He trusted his instincts and their track records. None of them gave off shady vibes or had questionable backgrounds.
Once he submitted the final documents to the executives and the CEO, with detailed notes and justifications, the team would be formally approved and begin operating. That would also mark the point when his commission rate would officially drop as part of the restructuring.
He just hoped upper management would grant him leniency due to his seniority as the Lead Agent and past success, maybe allowing him a 4% cut instead of the minimum.
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Collin sighed after dropping a 250-pound barbell with a loud thud. He was breathing heavily as he wiped the sweat from his face.
Since he had more free time compared to the hectic months prior, he started going to the gym three times a week to stay healthy and sharp.
Their apartment complex had its own gym, well-equipped with machines and dumbbells of all sizes. Collin didn't even need to leave the building to work out.
He looked around and saw other people working out, just like him. As always, thanks to his ability, he saw words floating above their heads. He saw talents like Great Physique and Nice Tits, which were admittedly amusing but accurate.
He also noticed a few celebrities. He remembered their names just in case opportunities for collaborations or endorsements came up for his clients. He made sure to jot down their names and talents in his notes later.
After his workout, Collin decided to return to his apartment instead of showering at the gym. Although the facilities were clean, he still preferred the comfort of his own bathroom. Even though he used to be a model and had done nude modeling under strict conditions, he never liked being naked in public spaces. It just felt too exposed and uncomfortable.
Thankfully, his apartment unit was in the same building. He would reach it within minutes via elevator, avoiding any hassle.
After wiping his body and making sure he was no longer sweating, he stepped into the elevator.
Two women were giggling as he entered. They paused their conversation and glanced at him with playful curiosity.
Collin gave them a polite nod in greeting. No need to say hi or good morning to strangers he didn't know.
'If I'm right, they're models based on their posture,' Collin thought.
"Excuse me, are you also a model?"
One of the women asked with a flirty smile, biting her lip teasingly.
"I was."
Collin felt obligated to answer. Lying felt unnecessary.
"You were? That explains your confident walk and posture. We're models too. So, what do you do now that you're not modeling anymore? Don't tell me you're an actor?"
In the industry, there was only one clear path for a model to elevate their career and that was to become an actor or actress. So it wasn't surprising that they would assume he had made that transition.