The show Entourage
gives an interesting look at the life of an artist manager from friend to
professional. Now I know this is something you might read and wonder how I came
to write this so let me explain.
When we are first introduced to the character of Eric (E) he
has been Vince’s best friend since childhood. They grew up together and when
Vince got his big break Eric unofficially because his manager. As the show
continued throughout the seasons we witness Eric’s growth through his career
choice. We also get to see how even being the artists best friend doesn’t mean
you share the same career goals.
Through the first few seasons Eric is basically a bonafied
Yes man. His job is to agree with whatever Vince’s agent says because he knows
what’s best for Vince. This right here is a prime example of how managing
either your best friends or a total strangers career can be a challenge. You
have to prove to the artist and any other person involved in their career that
you know what you are talking about and doing. This can be going out of your
way to find the perfect project for them or making sure they are keeping their
life in order.
As the seasons progressed so did Eric’s ambition and career
goals. He started asking for advice from people he saw as mentors and taking a
risk in opening his own management business. These were ricks that Eric needed
to take in order to prove not only to himself that he can make it in this
business. However, one of the biggest things Eric could have done was no longer
be Vince’s Yes man. He would truly give his advice on projects because he
didn’t just want to sit back and collect his commission.
Finally, Eric would prove that he has what it takes to take
over one of the biggest management firms in Hollywood. Of course, you can say
that this only happened because it was a TV show, but in reality it shows what
hard work and having the “it” factor for finding projects can lead you. It
shows that you need to have that personally connection to the artist and be
willing to say no to them. Not everything they say or want to do is right and
best for their career. They need to know that no one artist is the same and
sometimes you need to forge your own path.
I think one of the main reasons I choose to write about is
because when I first started watching Entourage
I showed me what I wanted to do with my life. My friend was going to be Vince
and I was going to be his Eric. Only thing is that my friend knew I wasn’t a
yes man and would tell him if something was wrong or not fit for him. Another
reason is because if you look at a lot of artist these days their family and
friends play major roles. Brittney Spears and Kanye West are two major examples
of how sometimes family and friends are the best management.
Now I’m not saying everyone should look at Entourage as a way to learn and
understand the entertainment business. The show gives you an inside look, but
it truly doesn’t show you the blood, sweat and tears that go into managing an
artist. Yes, you might get to enjoy yourself here and there, but it isn’t
always fun. You are on the job 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Most of your time
will be spent on the phone depending how big your artist is. Oh and let’s not
forget the late nights and ever changing schedule.
Those are things that I learned first had watching agents
and managers work. Being constantly on the clock isn’t something most people
can handle so along with the knowledge you also have to be ready to commit to
yourself and the artist. Their life becomes your life.
