and to stay abreast of which deals are being made and which productions
are getting the green light. Agents also negotiate fees and contractual
obligations for their clients.
Special Skills
Since most entry-level office jobs in the film industry are assistant
positions that require secretarial skills, agent Jonathan Furie suggests cul-
tivating strong typing and computer skills. After graduating from college
and before going to work in the William Morris Agency mail room, Furie
says, "I took a six week intensive shorthand and typing course. I really
prepared myself for when I did make it out of the mail room onto an
agent's desk." Agents and their assistants must be good communicators,
have strong organizational skills, and always follow through.
Advice for Someone Seeking This Job
While a few obtain work as an assistant or secretary to an agent at a
smaller talent agency, most agents begin in the mail room at one of the
major agencies. While it may seem demoralizing for a college graduate to
be delivering mail and running errands, the mail room is a rite of passage
and provides an opportunity to learn the names of studio executives, direc-
tors, writers, producers, and others in influential positions in the industry.
As an assistant, you'll have the opportunity to see how deals are negoti-
ated and structured, and to make personal contacts. Many agencies require
a bachelor's degree to get into the mail room or agent's training program.
Professional Profile: Jonathan Furie,
President of Montana Artists Agency
Although he grew up in Beverly Hills with the film industry all
around him, Jon Furie did not consider a job in the business until after
college. He was first introduced to the possibility while working
summers in a clothing store. Each year, William Morris Agency chairman
Norman Brokow would bring his children to the store to purchase back-
to-school clothing. One time, he asked if Furie had ever considered
working in the film industry. Brokow handed him a business card and
suggested that after he finished college, Furie might interview with the
agency to start in the mail room.
"I put his card away and I really didn't think that much of it. I was
going to school and studying psychology, child development, and abnor-
mal behavior." Furie had nearly graduated from UCLA when he realized
that he did not want to continue on to get his Ph.D. in psychology.
Uncertain as to what he wanted to do, he remembered the earlier conver-
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