- Emily Reece
Ask a Former Assistant (Todd Eisner, Paradigm)
Talent Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency
Interviewed by: Emily Reece, Assistant at Paradigm Talent Agency
This month’s interview is with a beloved 30-year veteran talent agent, Todd Eisner. Currently at Paradigm Talent Agency, Eisner’s clients include Freddie Prinze Jr., Peter Facinelli (Twilight, Nurse Jackie), Jamie Lynn Sigler (Big Sky), Leonardo Nam (Westworld), Steven Kreuger (Yellowjackets), Greg Germann (Ally McBeal, Greys Anatomy), Rick Hoffman (Suits), Larenz Tate (Power franchise), Ted McGinley (Shrinking), Riley Voekel (Hightown), Krys Marshall (For All Mankind) and Robin Givens (Batwoman), amongst other incredible talent.
Read on to hear the daily struggles an agent faces, other than the severe lack of projects right now, and how Eisner rises to the challenge. Plus, advice for any aspiring reps!
Tell us about your background– where you grew up, what you studied, how you started in the business.
I was born and raised in Beverly Hills, California. I got a degree in “General Studies,” which had nothing to do with my career, at the University of Arizona. But I liked movies, television, and people, so I always knew I wanted to be an agent. Right after I graduated college, I started in the mailroom at an agency called Triad Artists. This was the late 80s. After a few months, I got promoted to Arnold Rifkin’s desk –a powerhouse agent and founding partner [who went on to become President of William Morris]– who, at the time, represented Bruce Willis (while he was doing Die Hard), and Patrick Swayze (while he was doing Dirty Dancing), among other great actors. Then, I went to a smaller agency and got promoted to agent in about a year.
What is the biggest challenge a talent agent faces?
The biggest challenge is keeping your clients when they get hot– because everybody's always going after somebody after they get a job that matters. When it comes to keeping your clients, a lot of it is luck and a lot of it is making yourself indispensable; always being in their lives, working hard for them, and being honest. This is a business that isn't really like any other business. The best thing and the worst thing that happens is when my client gets the best job of their life.
What is a common misconception about talent agents?
That it’s glamorous!
Can you share a success story of a client you’ve represented?
One of my best success stories was representing Will Arnett in the late 90s. He wasn’t working a lot then. He did a lot of voiceover jobs, but he just couldn't get a TV or film job. Then he tested for a pilot called Arrested Development, he got the job, and it changed his life.
What advice would you give to aspiring talent representatives?
Know that it’s a job where you get rejected all day long. Most people you’re representing are unhappy. And, at the same time, it's a great job if you love it. You have to love it. You have to always love it. You have to always want to do it, and you have to just hang in there every day, even when things are really bad. Because there are more bad days than good, but the good days are so great that it makes it all worth it.
What are some key skills that you need to become a successful talent agent?
Perseverance, reading, always making new relationships, believing in the clients you sign, working closely with your colleagues, being a team player.
What advice would you give to assistants in the business?
It's important to stay friendly and be good to everybody, because you never know where they’ll end up. As an assistant, I went out all the time and made relationships with people that were on the same level in the business as me. As we got older, everybody moved up the ladder. Now, we're all still on the same level, just in higher level positions.
