Brian Grazer is one of the most successful producers in Hollywood. Over the last four decades, he’s cranked out major hits like “Apollo 13,” “A Beautiful Mind,” and “The Da Vinci Code.” His TV credits include “24,” “Arrested Development,” and “Empire.” You’d think this is the kind of person who can do anything he wants, right? Well, that’s not necessarily true.
It turns out Grazer had a tough time putting together a deal for the James Brown biopic “Get on Up.” It was one of his pet projects, but it kept running into roadblocks. Then he decided to team up with Mick Jagger, who had expressed interest in co-producing the movie. That was a game changer. This time, when Grazer marched into Universal with a rock legend, the film finally got the greenlight it deserved.
Success in this business is often based on whom you choose to align yourself with. The right person can make all the difference. The wrong one can ruin everything. Here are examples of both:
7 Tips for Networking in the Film Industry, According to an L.A. Acting Coach THE BAD: Last year, I set up a meeting with an actor I had seen perform onstage. When my assistant informed me that he had arrived, I saw the look on her face. Something was wrong.
(Insider fact: Agents and their assistants go through a top-secret medical procedure that allows us to communicate without words. It’s like the Force, but without midi-chlorians.)
Surprise! The actor wasn’t alone. He was with his manager, an abrasive woman who is disliked by everyone in town. We had worked together when I was just starting out, and she had tried to get me fired.
Her being there was a total shocker. There was no manager listed on the actor’s résumé, and he had never mentioned she was coming. I went ahead with the meeting anyway, and it was an epic fail. The poor guy barely got a word in because she kept cutting him off. She also kept bringing up our past and how it was all my fault. Naturally, I passed on her client.
The actor had to know she was the type who rubbed everyone the wrong way. It was obvious to anyone who spent more than a few minutes with her. But he chose to align himself with that ugly energy, and that was a mistake. (For the record: I just looked him up on IMDb. The guy has barely worked since we met, he has no representation, and he’s still with that manager.)
THE GOOD: I used to represent an actor who was a series regular on a network show. She had gone from rags to riches with me, and I was her biggest fan. One day, she showed up at my office with one of her actor friends. The kid was new in town, and my client asked if I could give him some advice. Naturally, I said yes.
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I set up a time to get together, and when we did, the two of us really hit it off; I actually ended up signing him. That meeting only happened because he was standing next to one of my most lucrative clients when we were introduced.
Everyone gets judged by the company they keep. So make smart choices. This business is tough enough; there’s no reason to make it any harder for yourself.
This story originally appeared in the Aug. 27 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.
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