Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

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Dodger'smum
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Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Dodger'smum »

Just found out by chance that DS's Spotlight membership has been inactive since May as "his agent failed to renew in the Autumn". I asked his agent about it, only to receive an email saying his career "now needs a fresh pair of eyes so please begin looking for representation elsewhere".
I don't want to disparage anyone but needless to say DS and I are both utterly confused - who should renew and when? IIf we should have done it, shouldn't we have been alerted? Were we in the wrong to ask his agent for clarification? :-s :-s :-s
PS We never had any work through the agent anyway in two years.
AlexHL
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by AlexHL »

this sounds awful, which agent was this??! would like to know who to avoid!! feel free to PM if you don't want to post on here! x
KatAnderson
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by KatAnderson »

Me too! Bit worried we're with the same agent x
Irishdancer
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Irishdancer »

Agent gets notafacasion then sends it to you to renew some agents like DS old agent wants you to send every thing to them and they send all of there clients of in one go but they charge £10 or more to do it, new agent lets DS do it himself saving money. Not that good an agent as most agents contact client if they have not renewed to remind them. Hope you get another agent and they treat yor DS better
paulears
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by paulears »

Agents exist to make money from the people they represent. If we assume they have active clients they are representing, who pay the bills, then anyone who is not generating income for them is in danger of being dropped. Clearly the agent wasn't putting them forward for the type of work they had coming in. All you have lost is the spotlight entry. Did that generate any direct work? If it did, then paying for it yourself, via a helpful third party could be a sensible move. I've spoken to a number of agents this morning to find acts for a show I have to organise. None had anything suitable they said. Then I remembered that my own band had some work from one of them a couple of years ago, and as we would be perfect for the event, they should have suggested us? We can't do it anyway, but it shows how many agents make most of their money from certain areas, and don't even know many of the people they represent.

Agents are not all good - this one clearly isn't. As to who should renew, that depends on what you agreed as part of the representation. My guess is that as they made no money from you, they simply didn't bother. As it wasn't costing you anything, I don't think you can be too cross.

Anyone can get an agent, but getting one who can market you effectively is very difficult.

When you phone the agent after a month or so, and say your son's name, is there a pause while they tap it into the computer? If so, the name isn't really in their head at all, just in the system.

Agents work for you. If they don't, what's the point? As for Spotlight - it could be good value for a hundred quid, but without a sponsor to process the application you are stuck. I'm not sure getting an agent just to get the spotlight listing is that sensible?

I don't think there should be danger in naming the agency - after all they'd be happy to be named for a pat on the back.

Maybe there should be a topic where people can list their good agents? Bad comment is not against any law if it's factual - hence why so many big concerns have a member of staff to look after social messaging which can kill reputation in minutes.

Your agent seems to have done nothing for you in two years - not really much of an agent. Still, at least you didn't give them any money!
Dodger'smum
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Dodger'smum »

Irishdancer wrote:Agent gets notafacasion then sends it to you to renew Hope you get another agent and they treat yor DS better
Thank you Irishdancer, this is precisely what Spotlight said but my agent said I had been "misinformed"... then dealt us the killer blow :shock: . Spotlight have been fantastic and have basically said 'goodbye to old rubbish' so that's the attitude I'm taking for DS, poor kid.

Thank you so much for your good wishes x
Justmum
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Justmum »

AlexHL wrote:this sounds awful, which agent was this??! would like to know who to avoid!! feel free to PM if you don't want to post on here! x
This is awful. I agree with alexHL please could you let us know which agency this is.
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CatKat_0
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by CatKat_0 »

Sounds awful. Looks like you're better off without them. I'd ignore them and assume if they're dumping you then they won't mind giving up their notice period. Find someone new ASAP.

Big hugs xx
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riverdancefan
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by riverdancefan »

That is a nasty and unprofessional way to behave !!
I really feel for your DS, now he can move on to somewhere that behaves better, the least they could have done was inform you !!! {evil}

xx
"Tall and proud my mother taught me, this is how we dance" - RIVERDANCE
Dodger'smum
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Dodger'smum »

riverdancefan wrote:That is a nasty and unprofessional way to behave !!
I really feel for your DS, now he can move on to somewhere that behaves better, the least they could have done was inform you !!! {evil}

xx
Thank you Riverdance. We're already in talks with an agent who sounds wonderful - caring and realistic. I can't tell you what it has meant to hear the support of NaPMs like you. Bless you. :)
Dodger'smum
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Dodger'smum »

CatKat_0 wrote:Sounds awful. Looks like you're better off without them. I'd ignore them and assume if they're dumping you then they won't mind giving up their notice period. Find someone new ASAP.

Big hugs xx
Thanks CatKat, gosh, with all the upset I forgot all about the notice period! I'll keep quiet and hope for the best. If they bother to make contact with me, I'll enjoy the novelty :lol:
paulears
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by paulears »

That's excellent advice - a friend of mine just got hit with a huge bill from his old agent, demanding 15% of what he was paid once he got his new agent!
Dodger'smum
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Dodger'smum »

Good news after all the upset. Ex-agent has indeed waived the notice period via a very polite email. Really pleased and thought I'd let you all know. Thanks for all your supportive comments. :)
Netty
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by Netty »

Just found out by chance that DS's Spotlight membership has been inactive since May as "his agent failed to renew in the Autumn". I asked his agent about it, only to receive an email saying his career "now needs a fresh pair of eyes so please begin looking for representation elsewhere".
I don't want to disparage anyone but needless to say DS and I are both utterly confused - who should renew and when? IIf we should have done it, shouldn't we have been alerted? Were we in the wrong to ask his agent for clarification? :-s :-s :-s
PS We never had any work through the agent anyway in two years.
Dodger'smum BRIT Award Posts: 45Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:16 am
The more people I've spoken to the more shocked I am at the information I am hearing. I decided to delete what I originally posted here (not that it was anything bad but because I am hearing Lawyers are involved for many people) as I 've experienced enough horrible things to date (which I did not include in my original reply for obvious reasons anyway).

Netty
Last edited by Netty on Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
paulears
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Re: Dumped due to Spotlight enquiry?

Post by paulears »

Facebook is a great thing. See if the agent has a presence and get a few friends to comment. Seriously, though, it sounds like people here have a list of poor agents. You all help each other, so I don't quite understand why you can't share the names of agents to avoid? You don't have to say they are rubbish, but a topic that lists agents people have moved away from would prevent others signing with them! Legally and rules here wise, you just need to be factual and not libellous.

"I just left gizzajob in Lowestoft" is sufficient and anyone considering them could drop you a pm or email asking for info.
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