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UTA has signed away more of ICM’s talent roster today: Diane Kruger, January Jones, Maggie Grace, Eddie Izzard, Amber Valletta, Adam Goldberg, Jack Huston, Bonnie Sommerville, Jake Abel, and Ashton Holmes met with various UTA agent teams this week, and I’m told all of the actors made their moves over the past 48 hours. All had been represented by ICM talent agent Chris Hart who last Friday made the move to UTA, where he’s part of the teams. Last week, UTA signed actors Paul Giamatti and Alex O’Loughlin away from ICM.
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I just checked…He’ll be 35 in November. He’s not “old” but shouldn’t be considered a “young” agent anymore…sorry.
He got 35 under 35 in his 20′s because he begged, elbowed and kissed the right internal ass for ICM to present him as their candidate.
Hey “fact checker”, do a google search, you will see the guy is 31 years old turning 32 in November and got that award at 26 years old…. probably younger than 99% of anyone that received that ward, mis-information from another person at ICM wanting to angle the facts
35 isn’t old for an agent, but it’s old to be where he is, considering he was issued stripes nearly a decade ago. For ten years as an agent, he’s made relatively little headway. Most agents have defined themselves somewhere between five and ten years in and Hart hasn’t exactly hit the big time. He and Mike Jeline are nearly the same age, and both began and built their careers at ICM and I think the difference between the two of them speaks for itself.
The reality is that ICM does treat many of their home grown agents or executives poorly. Yes, many of the “dudes” deemed cool by Silbermann can have a decent life at that agency. Yet, the reality is that many are made to live in fear. Three ICM agents told me over the course of about six months Silbermann’s style of holding out deals for their employees. He should be ashamed of how he negotiates employment contracts. Things aren’t all doom and gloom over there. They have acquired several solid agents with good clients. Bottom line, they will 100% loose these agents (and longtime loyal employees) if they don’t start treating their agents with respect and show good faith effort of demonstrating loyalty and appreciation.
Come to your agents before their deals are set to expire and instill pride and stability in the culture. Fear is not a smart method for leadership (especially when you are not #1). Agents would rather leave for even a smaller shop and feel secure.
Berg needs to take back SOME of the day to day management of the agency. He has the ability to appreciate the contributions of all his staff — not just the frat house boys.
Our economy’s in deflation, which won’t abate for years (ask the Japanese, or your 80-something great grandparents, what deflation inevitably feels like). It will continue to affect the entertainment industry aversely, causing further consolidation in the agency sector.
I.E. ICM and UTA may not merge, but they can’t/won’t stay independent going concerns for more than two years. Tops.
The top 5 agencies of yesterday will thus shrink to 1 or 2 max, as multimillion dollar package and artist fees shrink substantially (already happening).
The whole town will be a very different landscape fairly soon, and you all should be preparing for it.
i agree…Chris Silberman doesn’t know how to deal with talent agents…thus the results.
However, there are still a few amazing agents in the talent department. actors just need to be lucky enough to know who to sign with (hint: sign with the women.) not every one wants to be under the thumb of Ari, Kevin, Tracey or Jeremy. Even though Chris S is a dope, he leaves the talent department alone…which equals freedom…you can’t put a price on that!
What you say is accurate, but it highlights ICM’s major problem in MP talent:
Talent want to feel as though they are looked out for by the “top guy,” someone who can just make things happen with a call when their day-to-day agents have been fighting for it for weeks. Silbermann isn’t that guy. Berg was, but he’s faded into the shadows more and more. And, with Toni Howard stepping aside they really don’t have any legendary industry powers in leadership positions. That affects talents’ confidence in the agency.
to anika, Diane Kruger, really? from what? Troy (awful), National Treasures 1&2 (can’t speak with an American accent,) foriegn films (who cares in America.) She was good in Inglorious Basterds, but, hello, she played a German…which is all she can do. No actresses work today unless they are funny or hot…sorry, Diane, at 40-years old and not funny it’s kind-of-over.
Silbermann is 100% in way too over his head. iCM has many great agents and valuable assets. Yet, like taking care of any asset or investment one must be thoughtful and cautious. Silbermann has created a facade of “team” or “team work” but in reality it has become all about his ego. I feel sorry for many friends there. Now is a great time for other agencies to sniff around and see who that is still there wants out. Several people come to mind. I would worry for when the day comes Toni Howard, Joe Funicello and others retire.
I’d say this is pretty accurate. I was on the inside there for a minute and most of this rings true. The only way ICM will become a real industry power again is if talent (and other agencies) are willing to be represented at different shops for film and television. Many have separate agencies for theatrical, literary, commercial and music, so the next logical step is separate film and TV agencies. A sort of “we’ll keep you working while you guy at WME tries to get you that film you really want” positioning would keep them doing what they do best.
I’d pay to be in the ICM “calendar” meeting tomorrow morning. We will all get calls around 10:45am trying to spin the whole mess. I actually feel bad for Scachter and Schweitzer. Silbermann better figure out the whole town is totally onto his BS. One of his minyan’s should print out all these comments for the next retreat or better board meeting. The NY office of ICM must be really pissed because this comes down to perception and reality. Facts are the publishing team and theater remain world class. Yet, clients read this stuff and it is bad for biz!!
i’m an acting client of ICM. I actually LOVE my agent. All these comments are so weird to me.
I don’t even think about the agency…I just talk to my agent every day…and she’s great.
Paul Hook’s dept is the only thing keeping the lights on at ICM now i bet. The talent dept should put a leash on Megan Fox after Jonah Hex – she should for sure leave…
here is the bottom line. icm management has no morals or values. the harder you work and the more loyal you are to the agency the worse you will be treated. i can site multiple examples. i just don’t want to out people and their private business. yet, icm has on SEVERAL occasions fired junior agents or coordinators who actually contributed to their respective department to “save money” and then they go out and hire an agent with no clients. the sad truth is everyone has to leave their job after being at a place for a while so they can be appreciated. that’s what chris hart did his deal wasn’t up until december. he wanted out. he knew uta would kiss his ass and he felt that icm was a loser, kudos to him. i hate that agency as to dozens of other former employees. look at caa – they place people so there is loyalty and people are provided for, treated with dignity and not thrown out like garbage. get a clue.