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UPDATES 3 Agents Leave WME To Form Own Firm
The new Verve talent and literary agency made up of 3 motion picture lit tenpercenters from WME tells me it has more than two dozen confirmed clients who are working writers and/or directors – and it’s only been in business for less than a week. They include David Elliot & Paul Lovett (writers of GI Joe, Four Brothers), Mike Finch (writer of Predators in post production at Fox with Robert Rodriguez producing), Eric & Jon Hoeber (writers of Whiteout and Red, a Robert Schwentke film that starts shooting next week, and Battleship for Hasbro/Uni/Pete Berg); 
Jay Lavender (writer of The Break-Up), Jason Lew (writer of the Untitled Gus Van Sant Project in production), Dennis McNicholas (writer of Land of the Lost), Brad Peyton (director of Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore in post at Warners), Darren Bousman (director of Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, and Mothers Day in post production). Verve is meting with more and expecting them to decide over the next couple of weeks.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Lets see 3 into 24 is what 8 clients each. It’s not like these guys were bad agents or had no skills. But if you asked anyone who is repped by WME are they covering the town for you the answer is no even close.
I would expect WME clients to be lining up behind the initial 24 and that list will grow to over 100 in a month.
Bottom line if they watch there overhead and bring on other hungry agents this place will do very very well. WME doesn’t care anymore I and others can’t figure out what kind of stealth business model they are working on because they sure aren’t working for WME clients.
With that lineup, hope they’re going boutique-lit agency. Working writers are always good things these days, but those few director clients are crap. Cats & Dogs sequel and the Saw guy? Hopefully they’ll lure some more actual talent over from WME. Besser’s a good talker; he’ll make it happen.
Say what you want about Darren Bousman, but in my opinion he’s been given kind of a bad rap and pigeon holed into the Saw franchise (something which he is aware of). Most people hated Repo: Genetic Opera, but from a purely stylistic stand point it was fantastic and very original despite its flaws.
I think if he was given some solid material he could do something really cool with it, only time will tell.
They got a mailroom yet? I need a job…
Why do you have such a hard on for these guys? There are hundreds, if not thousands of small shops set up like this. Quit trying to creat a story out of thin air finke.
I’m glad Nikki is giving updates on this new company and wish she’d give more info on the others as well, at least from time to time. It’s interesting and can be helpful for people trying to get their work seen.
Congratulations to Verve! They’re actually focusing on talent. Nice strategy. Best wishes to the guys and their clients.
Verve is a good thing for the business at large. It’s good for the artists and good for the agencies. Despite the contraction and lower number of movies/tv shows being made, there’s enough to go around for everyone. These 3 guys are smart, tenacious and hard working, and they will succeed. The last time it was done was about 15 years ago when their former bosses did the same thing, and clearly that worked out.
Wow, they’re showing real verve when it comes to signing clients. :O
Oh, that one was just way too bad, really it was.
Anyhoo, good to see that they’re not letting the grass grow under their feet.
not suprising. they’re ballers.
Excuse me? Why would any agency brag about signing a writer (Dennis McNicholas) who penned one of the worst films of last year: ‘Land of the Lost’?
Because he wrote any movie last year, which puts his career prospects and earnings above 99% of the other writers out there. This isn’t the 70s anymore … any credit is a good credit. Alan Smithee is dead.
Josh, what a hoot! That’s the first time I’ve heard the term ‘Alan Smithee’. I had to google it to find out. Interesting. And thanks.
Cool. And in ten years they can ‘merge’ with WME and summarily kick Ari Emmanuel to the curb. And so it turns…
All men. No women. Typical.
Cry me a fucking river!
All men, no Na’vi. Typical….
God, how much more can WME take?
The next shoe to drop is for a biggie like Ari, Adam or Patrick to get tired of the struggle and want to ride off into the sunset and enjoy their money.
where are the haters now?
Smells just like it did when CAA got started…hmm.
how fast can you say commissions that will barely keep the lights on in van nuys… TV drives agencies not shitty agents like besser.
Ari will be the next Salaghi’s.
What goes around, comes around.
Still a Malocchio on WME 2.
Can someone tell me what VERVE is doing that is different than the guys at FORTITUDE?
Honestly…no disrespect – just an honest question.
Only curious.
For those about to rock, we salute you!
I am interested to see if these guys can get any TV Agents to join. WME / Endeavor has such a strong TV department, I doubt any agents will follow from there.
I am sure there are a few hungry TV agents from ICM and/or UTA that want to get out.
I will say this about Verve as a writer pitching screenplays….Someone actually answers the phone, they treat you professionally (even though you are a “newbie”) & they actually sound like they want to communicate with the outside world.
Whatever my final relationship ends up with Verve…I will say this
“You had me at Hello”.