Today we’d like to introduce you to Brent Paxton.
Hi Brent, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The first time I knew I wanted to work in film was watching Wes Craven directed and Kevin Williamson written SCREAM. My parents would not allow me to watch in the theaters but my dad secretly let me rent it and I would watch it in my room and get so freaked out and run out into the hallway to see if everything was still okay, then I’d go back and push play on the VHS. I have a vivid memory of thinking “If a film can make me fill this way (in the middle of the day, by the way) then there’s something there.” I did some dramatic acting in school but I was always more interested in how productions (both theater and filmed) are put together. I attended Southern Methodist University on scholarship and majored in International Relations and Cinema-Television. It was a nice time and I’m thankful to my alma mater, but nothing can replace the experience in the field.
I had a professor of film theory from Australia who ran the marketing department of a major movie theater chain who taught at night. He referred me to his friend Jeremy Devine who worked at Rave Motion Pictures. I started as an intern while at college and then quickly worked my way up in the marketing department. I did everything from programming trailers before films (more complicated than you would think when you have hundreds of theaters) and work on in-theater signage to radio campaigns in different markets around the country. When we were purchased by a private equity firm, I felt it was time to move on to get some more training in the area of production. I immediately left and worked on a reality show that sadly never aired. The experience was extremely tough but it taught me that it requires a lot of grit and hard work to make a production work. When this project never got off the ground, I returned to Southern Methodist University for my master’s degree.
After studying for my master’s in film production, I moved to Los Angeles (from Dallas) and landed a job at an agency. I learned how to represent actors and all that that entails. I could go on for days about what representation looks like, but I found myself drawn more to the management side of talent representation as I found it to be more personal and the conversations were deeper rather than the surface-level “here’s your audition get it done by the end of the day.” I also found the agency environment to be very turbulent with a high turn-over of staff and a clientele. That bothered me, so I switched to management. So, after several agency experiences that provided me with invaluable experience, I teamed up with a wonderful manager who taught me so much more about what great acting looks like, how to improve performances and what kinds of notes make the difference. Once that relationship ran its course, I decided to open up my own company and that’s when Kreativ Artists was born.
We just opened our production company: Black Door Films. Black Door Films is a production company started by Brent Paxton specializing in suspense, horror and psychological thrillers. Several projects are in development including: Port of Nowhere, Remains of the Day, The Oracle of Delphi, When They Come and The Year of Our Lord.
All project details can be found on our company IMDb link.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been an easy road. When I first came to Los Angeles, I had a roommate that started to experience some extreme mental problems. One of the most traumatic experiences of my life was coming home to changed locks (even though I had just paid rent) and my roommate was convinced I worked for the FBI and was only there to monitor her. It was so bizarre. The agency owner of the company I was working for was so kind that she allowed me to sleep on the floor of the agency. I would go to public showers for the homeless until I had enough saved to get my own place. It was tough.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Kreativ Artists?
Our management style is, in a word: Kreativ. We are artist-friendly, believe in transparency and an ongoing conversation with our clients. We enjoy and foster all phases of an artist’s career and employ a unique blend of relationship management, marketing savvy, and plain ‘ole hard work to develop careers in the arts. What sets us apart is that we understand that each actor’s journey is different and we know how to take clients who might not fit into a box and find them work.
Hmmm….what are we best known for? I would say our amazing self-tape notes that we give our actors. People are always shocked the detail and thought put into them and it takes people from not really having a shot to booking. Our self-notes are our secret weapon to be sure. I’m most proud of the tremendous amount of growth that we’ve experienced over the past year and the resilience our team has shown during COVID-19. I’m also proud that we’re a diverse team and have been from the beginning.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the weather, relaxed attitudes and the palm trees. I don’t like the traffic or how the housing crisis continues to affect our city.
What is the biggest misconception actors have about representation?
Performers who have been in the game a while and who are dedicated to growing and evolution get what I’m about to say here…but greener talent most likely will not and it’s this: It’s actually all about you. A talent rep is only as good as his performer and there’s only so much magic we can do. The ball is in the talent’s court until it’s time to make a deal. In essence, talent (from actors, writers, singers, directors and anyone who works creatively) must understand that it is a process and a desperate need to reach the end is not how it works. Ambition is good, but blind ambition will blind talent to where they need to grow or even allow them to further develop what their strengths currently are. Talent reps (managers and agents) are here to support you…push for you. However, we cannot do everything or wave a magic wand that will make you get the job. I think it’s a tough rould coming to terms with the reality of the entertainment business and how it works…and that’s even if you’re amazing right out of the gate. I think that’s because it’s such an enigmatic industry that people come into with a lot of misconceptions and when people take actions on those misconceptions (like changing representation constantly because they believe it’s all about who the rep is and not their work) it’s truly detrimental to one’s career.
What are your values?
Treating people with decency and from a place of radical transparency (honestly) is my personal daily goal when communicating with clients, and anyone for that matter.
What are your company values?
Here is something we give new clients regarding our values that I think sums it up pretty well.
INTEGRITY: Always tell the truth. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Be honest and things have a way of working out. However, being honest doesn’t mean being crazy. Bring thought and logic to your words.
ACCOUNTABILITY: Own your actions, words and even thoughts. Don’t point fingers when things go wrong, but analyze what’s not working and why. If you give a bad performance, own it. If you give a dull performance, own it. If you get a great performance, own that too. Same goes for us.
COMMITMENT: Life isn’t fair. However, successful people look past this and continue on the journey. They don’t spend too much time with self-pity when things don’t work out. You must have a dedication to your work and constantly be learning. This commitment is what will carry you past the finish line and beyond.
CONSISTENCY: Dedication to your work isn’t just about showing up, it’s about delivering great results again and again. It can be tough to give it your all every single time. But it’s incredibly gratifying knowing that you give all of yourself to your work and have a dedication to excellence, even on your bad days.
INITIATIVE: In every person’s career, things can get stagnant. Things may slow down or come to a halt. The only way out of this is to apply all of the values here…then add some initiative to reignite the flame. Try something new, start the conversation about where to go from here, reinvent yourself if needed. Actions lead to results.
Many people are confused about what an agency is and what a management company is. What’s your take on this?
These days, the differences are very little. It really just depends on how each company wants to run his/her/their business. I see no problem in having multiple reps on the team, but if you look at some of the biggest stars they don’t have agents. Off the top of my head Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lawrence don’t have agents and they are doing just fine. But, I love agents and working with them when an actor wants one. I’m sure many agents have the same sentiment towards managers. Times are changing radically with the emergence of companies that are formed by former agents (i.e. Range Media Partners). I really support agents and managers and don’t see them as competitors, but as peers. We’re all working on behalf of creative people and want to see them succeed. We all take different approaches and I think that’s a healthy thing for the marketplace.
If you could name one person in the media who you admire the most, who would it be?
Oprah Winfrey
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
I’m originally from the country, East Texas to be exact. So, I grew up in a heavy forested area and we had several animals that wouldn’t be so traditional to people who live in the city. So, I have animals in the office with me that run around and play with the staff. I have five guinea pigs, one rabbit and ferret we have in our Texas office (ferrets are sadly illegal in California). We have photos of all of our employees with a guinea pig running around their desk or you may see a bunny in someone’s lap while working diligently at getting one of our actors an audition!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: kreativartists.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/kreativArtists
- Facebook: Facebook.com/KreativArtists
- SoundCloud: SoundCloud.com/KreativArtists
