Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Alane Wright.
Wendy Alane Wright, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am an industry expert with over 16,000 hours in the recording studio, on stage, and in front of the camera. At 23, I moved to Los Angeles and within nine months I was offered a record deal. That was really a childhood dream come true! I spent the next ten years performing, writing, and producing music for myself, and various artists in the US and Europe. My first single was a top 20 hit in Europe, followed by a gold record! Within two years some of my songs were playing on the radio all over the world and I had videos on MTV, VH1 and BET. Two more hit records followed, tours, and the opportunity to worked with some of my idols plus I did a handful of jingles and TV acting gigs.
6 Years ago, I became a Hollywood Talent Manager and CEO of WAW Entertainment. I represent kids, teens and adults for film, TV, webseries, commercials, and print. I am a Hollywood talent manager and the president of WAW Entertainment. My clients have appeared on television networks such as ABC, NBC, TNT, CBS, Comedy Central, BIO, Lifetime, and more. They have booked TV shows including “Modern Family,” “Blackish,” “Extant,” “The Colony,” “Animal Kingdom,” “My Haunted House,” “American Horror Story,” “Walk The Prank,” and “Henry Danger,” as well as hundreds of commercials for major spots including Shutterfly, Mercedes, Visa, Taco Bell, Honda, Legos, Homegoods, Universal Studios, Hot Wheels, and many more.
Prior to being a manager and a talent agent at Burn Down Entertainment, I assisted many high-profile managers, agents, and publicists. I am the author of five books in a series called, “Secrets of a Hollywood Talent Manager.”
I love teaching so I teach a “business of acting class” all over the country and I am on the faculty of schools including the New York Studio for Stage and Screen in North Carolina and LA Acting Academy in Phoenix, Arizona. I have appeared in numerous magazines, and on radio shows and talk shows including “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
My experience as a Recording Artist, Actress, Author and Music Producer all gives me a 360-degree perspective of the industry.
Like most Hollywood execs, I worked my way up in the business starting as an assistant to many high-profile Managers, Agents and Publicists in the careers of Neil Patrick Harris, Johnny Galecki, Sarah Michelle Geller, The Four Tops, The Bee Gees, Meatloaf, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Guttenberg, The Cranberries Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, and Neil Diamond. I worked at huge companies including Fox TV, Sony Studios, Virgin Records. I also had the pleasure of being assistant to director John Singleton.
In my 30’s I became a Talent Agent at Burnt Down Entertainment and then started my management company 8 years ago. During the past 25 years I have been a Recording Artist, Actress, Producer, Talent Agent and now Talent Manager. This extensive, varied experience has given me 360-degree perspective of the industry, something many reps don’t have and artists lack. I realized I could help a lot of people and when I started coaching and teaching. I knew I had found what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Before I started my singing career I had terrible stage fright. I had to work for years to overcome that so I could fulfill my passion and goal to be a professional singer. That \’s why today I am expert coach able to help actors, singers and people outside the industry overcome their fears, set goals and achieve them. I walk the walk.
When I became a manager, I had a huge learning curve as I learned which kind of talent would be able to work in this business and which would likely not. I had to learn who to sign so I asked advice from many of my agent’s friends and they taught me. After a few years I started developing a keen eye for bookable talent and then my company WAW Entertainment started to make great money.
I started my management company from scratch with the vision that I would find, discover, and develop new actors until they became successful working actors. I had to make connection with agents and casting directors I cold called them, met them for lunch, went to their workshops and built solid and wonderful relationships and friendships. It takes time and PERSERVEARANCE.
There have been times where I have had clients leave out of the blue after working 2 years for them. That’s hurts.
I remember one beautiful actress came to me 40lbs heavier than she wanted to be, discouraged and she had no experience in the US. I got her going in the right direction, she lost that 40 pounds I helped her get her headshots, a demo reel and her very first agent. The day after I got her agent she called me and said she didn’t think she needed a manager in these early stages of her career. WHAT!!!! That was a waste of a year with her.
Loyalty is so important in this business. As a Talent Manager, we use our valuable contacts to help actors and singers move forward in this business. We expect respect and loyalty and we don’t always get it. A couple of times I wanted to walk away from being a manager because of those kinds of people. However, I stuck with it and learned to weed out the flakes and find great loyal, hardworking actors and that is who I represent.
Please tell us about WAW Entertainment.
My job as a manager is to guide and advise actors on their overall career direction. I help make any and all decisions related to talent’s career. Answer never ending questions on anything and everything related to a career in show business. Here is a detailed list of things that I do as a Talent Manager:
I. Prepare talent for meetings with potential talent agencies. Call agents and arrange introductions to agents. Provide agents with my client’s headshots, resumes and demo reels. Help my clients decide on the right talent agency for their representation. I smooth things over when my clients have issues or misunderstandings with their agents or help them end relationships with the wrong agents.
II. I make sure that all of my actors are accurately listed on professional websites including IMDB, Actors Access, LA Casting and that their memberships are current with SAG-AFTRA, and other collective guilds or unions. I make sure my minor clients have Coogan Accounts and Current Work Permits from DSLE.
III. When a client gets paid, their agents send me their checks, I take my 15% commission and give the clients the balance.
IV. I am very hands on and give specific instructions on every step that my clients make in the entertainment industry, including; exactly which acting classes, acting teachers and audition coaches to use, advise on their image and personal appearance, even where to get their haircut. I help determine an actor’s most marketable type and the kinds of projects on which my actors are most likely to find work. I help clients choose a good photographer and go through hundreds of shots to help them pick out a handful of useable headshots. Prepare resume or advise talent on the correct preparation and content of a resume.
V. I help my clients understand contracts, compensation, billing practices, safety, and speak on their behalf when necessary. As my client’s representatives, I act as liaison between my clients, their agents, the public, publicists, record labels, studios, producers, directors, casting directors, publishers, and other legal or accounting professionals and anyone else associated with my client’s business.
VI. I handle public relations, business matters, and help to make a career plan and keep my actors moving on a path toward success. I suggest publicists; get them invitations to red carpet events for exposure and publicity. I call newspapers or magazines and digital platforms to pitch stories about my client’s bookings. I publicize my client’s bookings on all my social media accounts to give them exposure. I help them create postcards and thank you cards to send to casting directors to keep them informed about my client’s bookings.
VII. If an actor hasn’t been able to get an agent yet, I will guide and help an actor become more marketable and as attractive to talent buyers and agents as possible by helping them improve their acting skills, demo reels, headshots and interview skills.
VIII. I help manage my artist’s personal and professional life in a way that allows them to focus on creative productivity. I talk them through emotional issues; try to build them up when they feel like quitting. It’s a hard business and the rejection can sting.
IX. I help manage their Twitter accounts, Instagram, and Facebook.
X. I go to the set with my clients when they tape to support them and be there if they need me. Also, to get good pictures for all of our social media accounts. If there are problems on the set I will handle it not their agent. It is part of my job to coddle, mold, advise and generally speaking, smother my clients with individual care, attention and at times emotional support. I have been known to deliver an actor’s favorite coffee or sandwich to the set if it makes them feel better
XI. I do a TON of supporting the parents of the children I represent. Sometimes that includes encouraging the kids to follow their parent’s rules, encouraging them to do their homework. I have actually helped with homework, helped plan birthday parties, and picnics and karaoke playdates for my clients to help them make more friends. I refer parents to a great organization call The SAG Foundation and The Actors Fund that supports actors and their families in show business and offers free programs for kids and their families. I am on the Membership Committee.
XII. Basically I am the coach, the cheerleader and I oversee their entire career to make sure they are moving in the right direction.
XIII. My compensation: I get 15% of anything my clients make in the entertainment industry. I get commission from the jobs they book with their talent agents or jobs they book on their own through their self-submissions. Most of my clients are children and teen beginners that are often only making $100 a day for indie films, feature films, webseries or short films or doing 1-day Co-star TV jobs that pay $933 SAG-AFTRA rates or Commercials. Their careers are just starting to grow. If one of my actors begins to work regularly, or becomes a big star making millions of dollars per movie…with huge product placements… I will earn a lot of money and be jumping for joy. That’s my goal. On the other hand, if my clients aren’t making any money I still do all of the work listed above anyways and make 15% of nothing. As a manager, I try to find and build actors with the potential to make big money. I don’t have that kind of actor yet…but I am inspired by the possibility!
I specialize in starting actors from scratch and turning them into working actors.
I am known for giving brutally honest information to actors all over the world through my You Tube Channel Secrets of a Hollywood Talent Manager
I am most proud of as a company that we give all of our clients honest and helpful guidance. We are well connected and well liked in the entertainment community. We treat our clients like family- We have bowling parties, movies nights, ice cream parties, game nights and picnic. We love our clients.
What sets you apart from others? My knowledge of the entertainment business. Many managers have never been an actor and a so they don’t understand the business from the artists perspective. I do. Also, since working in publicity as the assistant to a Huge publicist for major stars including Michael Jackson and Barbra Streisand I have a deep understanding of BRANDING and PROMOTION which many managers do not.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Hmmmm…Nothing.
But I am very glad I started my You Tube Channel. I get thousands of submissions every year from actors I can’t possible represent. We only have 40 clients. I had to figure out a way to help every actor or singer who reached out to me for help or guidance- because EVERY person’s dreams and goals are important to me. No one should die with their music or art still in them.
So, I:
Posted daily You Tube videos for actors from the Talent Managers perspective to help guide them, there are over 300+ videos, 25,000 Subscribers and 1 million views
I created a coaching Website for NON-CLIENTS to speak directly to me through Skype Consultations. http://www.secretsofahollywoodtalentmanager.com We are launching a NEW website in July with even more guidance and educational products for Actors.
I wrote FIVE 100-page digital downloadable books with very specific information about what an actor and/or singer MUST do in order to get working in this business. The books are available on my website http://www.secretsofahollywoodtalenmanager.com and at AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Break-Your-Kids-Into-Business-ebook/dp/B00JX0MTXO/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493334486&sr=1-6&keywords=wendy+alane+wright#customerReviews
I also created several Online Video Courses with step-by-step instructions for getting headshots, building their resume, getting agents, meeting casting directors and winning at auditions,
I write a popular Blog called Secrets Of A Hollywood Talent Manager http://secretsofatalentmanager.blogspot.com/2012/05/getting-your-kids-into-modeling-and.html
I have helped thousands of actors around the world get their career started and I am VERY PROUD of that contribution I am making to the artists community.
YOU CAN READ REVIEWS FROM ACTORS ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE “Secrets Of A Hollywood Talent Manager”
SKYPE CAREER CONSULTATION WITH WENDY ALANE WRIGHT “This is for anyone “on the fence” about scheduling a meeting with Wendy…. DO IT NOW!!! It’s worth every single penny and then some! Let me assure you that Wendy has solid advice no matter where you are on your journey in the world of acting. We are not total “newbies” but nonetheless had hit some bumps and needed sound advice and clear direction. Wendy provided all that and more. Your session will clear your doubts as Wendy will tell it like it is and give you a solid game plan with tasks to execute and habits to develop that will renew your mission and fill you with positivity. This is a fantastic way to get management advice prior to being in a place where you need a manager full time. We will be back for more guidance as things develop. Wendy, thanks for providing this service. You are a gem!” Mom Jennifer and Xochitl – Los Angeles.
To sign up for a one-on-one Career Consultation with Wendy Alane Wright visit her coaching website at http://www.secretsofahollywoodtalentmanager.com
Thanks Wendy! You’ve made my Actor Life so amazing! I’m booking! I’m Training & I stay in Gratefulness! Thanks so so much! Socorro J
I highly recommend Wendy’s Skype Call. I am from Melbourne, Australia and had done countless of classes and thought I knew it all, I had been watching Wendy’s YouTube videos and thought wow she’s really telling it like it is, there was no crap. She was telling secrets that often classes wouldn’t reveal. I done classes and submitted myself for acting work, had an agent but nothing was happening, and every time I would ask no one could tell me what I needed to do. The biggest response I would be getting would it be a lot of roles are for younger people, they want models…etc… etc. But I wasn’t about becoming a star, I just wanted to work as an actor, whether that’d be two lines, a guest role, whatever. I thought let me take the plunge and schedule a skype call with Wendy, not thinking I would discover new information, boy was I wrong, this woman went straight to the point, told me exactly what my type was based on my look not judging whether I was beautiful or not, just what I would be cast for, what I needed my headshots to market, she helped me with my reel, telling me exactly what needed to be on there, rather than wasting money and paying for a showreel where half of the time the scenes you would be filming aren’t even marketing your type. I just wanted to burst into tears of joy, why didn’t anyone tell me this before!!!
Wendy refueled my passion, gave me clear direction on what I needed my packaging to be to kickstart my acting career, gave me a clear plan of action to get more auditions, she talked to me about ways and where to network. She just rebooted my confidence, affirming that yes, I can do this, there is nothing wrong with me, it’s just the way I am marketing my product. I am so grateful for Wendy, for her support and advice. For anyone out there, before wasting your money on countless showreels and headshots, please consult Wendy beforehand, stop wasting time and money, I am a normally a skeptic, but she blew my mind. I will be consistently consulting with Wendy from choosing scenes to headshots, to networks, based on where I am at. I have been doing classes for over 8 years, and Wendy’s advice beats them all.
Thank you, Heaps Wendy,
Love you heaps!!!
Guilliana Marion
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Secrets Of A Hollywood Talent Manager
- Instagram: Wendyalane1
Image Credit:
FLYGIRL PHOTOGRAPHY
The RED book called SECRETS photo was taken by Michael Helms
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