We love independent film, states Kauffman. We love the art of telling a story and everybody wants to see who s going to be the next Quentin Tarantino, the next Eddie Burns. Kauffman, along with several other New York based entertainment law firms, act as agents for filmmakers whose work they are passionate about. As more filmmakers become successful without agents, entertainment lawyers often end up doing the work of an agent. The pitches I get from writers wanting me to act as their agent they never use those words, but that s what they re really looking for by and large, those things go in the circular file.
Attorneys can negotiate the deal, submit material, and also get a client an agent.
Moreover, top entertainment attorneys are well-connected and respected in Hollywood and within the independent community. Like agents, they socialize with industry decision-makers and in many cases have represented people on both sides of a negotiation. The answer is whoever gets the deal done. If you have an agent who is pitching and fighting on your behalf, that is definitely better than a lawyer who s simply waiting for you to get the deal and to negotiate it for a fee. If on the other hand you have an agent who has signed you up and made two pitches, failed and is now waiting for you to make a sale so that he can collect his ten percent then the lawyer is better.