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EXCLUSIVE: Veteran motion picture agents Adam Kanter and Martin Spencer – who represent some very prominent directors, writers and producers – are joining Jeff Berg‘s new Resolution as senior agents after 25 years with CAA. Berg made the announcement today. Of course, it isn’t yet known how 
many of Kanter’s and Spencer’s clients will join Resolution from CAA. “But they’ve had long-term relationships with many of them,” Berg tells me. “We’re betting a lot of them.” CAA, on the other hand, is confident it’ll keep a goodly portion. Nevertheless, Berg is demonstrating that Resolution can shake loose established major agents with prestigious client bases who want quicker advancement. “Adam and Martin will play a key role in the development of our new agency,” Berg said in a statement.
Kanter is the son of longtime agent, producer and studio executive Jay Kanter who was Marlon Brando’s first agent and a protege of the legendary Lew Wasserman. The young Kanter joined CAA in 1989 and built a client list that includes: director Doug Liman and producer David Bartis of Hypnotic (The Bourne Identity), Peter Segal and Michael Ewing (Get Smart) filmmakers Peter and Bobby Farrelly, Entourage creator Doug Ellin, actor and producer Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment (The Pursuit Of Happyness), Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) and Parenthood’s Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. Other clients Kanter represented at CAA include Malcolm Lee (The Best Man), Brian Kirk (Luther), Joe Johnston (Captain America), Stephen Sommers of The Mummy franchise, Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle), Walt Becker (Wild Hogs), Peter Tolan (Rescue Me), Simon West (Tomb Raider) and Betty Thomas (Private Parts).
Spencer is best known for representing Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class), Stuart Beattie (Collateral), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity), Brian Percival (Downton Abbey), Brent Bell & Matt Peterman (The Devil Inside), J. Michael Straczynski (Changeling), Joe Johnston (Captain America), Roger Donaldson (The Bank Job), and Mark Millar (Kick Ass). Other clients include Justin Marks, Radio Silence, Ruairi Robinson, John McLaughlin, Will Canon, John Rogers and Bruce McKenna.
Kanter said in a statement: “I’m looking forward to playing an integral role in building a full service agency from its inception. I see the need for Resolution and am delighted to be part of the team to make it happen.” Spencer added, “I am excited to be a part of the Resolution team on the ground floor. I’m looking forward to continue to grow the careers of the most talented artists in the media and entertainment space from this new platform.”
Berg commented, “We are excited Adam and Martin are joining the Resolution team. As two of the most respected and knowledgeable agents in the film business, together they bring vast experience in guiding careers at the highest levels as well as deep relationships throughout the industry.”
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Only a matter of time before OUR guys are poached, too!
APA Employee, don’t be so certain… I don’t think uyour guys are on the top of the list of agents they are looking to poach…lol
Hey APA Guy,
You always make me laugh. Keep plugging away at the screenplay
you continue to be the best poster on deadline, thank you.
WE LOVE YOU, APA EMPLOYEE!!!
Why would any of these clients want move from CAA to an upstart boutique agency? I mean, they won’t be able to package and they certainly won’t be able to do much business with the agency they just left? So, why would this move make any sense for the clients… who are all pretty big names… and who are all in need of packaging for today’s “packaged happy buyers?”
that’s cute how you think of resolution as a boutique. how sweet.
What would you call it?
a place that has been open for a month that is kicking ass?
Define kicking ass? There are two places in this town where every project eventually goes through: CAA and WME. And without A-list actors and A-list directors, you’re a boutique agency. UTA has some. ICM has a few others. But CAA and WME have the vast majority. It’s near impossible these days to setup anything without one of those two elements attached to the project. So, unless some real talent is actually moving to this new company, they’re just another version of Verve (a cute title and logo… that eventually has to go through CAA or WME to get anything done for content creators).
Get all huffy, but that’s just the state of the business right now, Cutesy. Studios and financiers don’t want to develop. They don’t want to do the heavy lifting. They want to be brought packages that are ready to go. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself how many specs sold last year without any elements.
Comment from the mailroom? Go get me some coffee!
Dear Just Curious, if you believe the idea of staying at an agency, whether it be CAA or WME for packaging purposes, you’re clueless… That idea is one that everyone throws around and its such bull… Its the biggest misconception out there.
Just Curious, you are exactly right. The big advantage CAA offers writer and director clients is the ability to package. Go over to Resolution and you give that up and also have to expect CAA is not going to help you put your projects together which is scary because there is only one other agent in town that can truly package. But, if you love your agent you might decide it’s worth it. For the rest of us, I think it’s exciting that some quality agents are headed over there. Competition is much better than consolidation for writers, directors, actors.
Also curious should change his name to “head in the sand.”
Agency “packaging” is a myth.
So true. Some sound bitter.
CAA doesn’t package shit. They used to… 5-10 years ago. Now they’re lazy and leave the grunt work to their top earning clients.
a quality “package” is rare anyways and buyers/financiers know this….
GO GO GADGET BERG! Good for the old guys. Never count ‘em out
Professor Falken
Love these two, some of the best agents I’ve worked with. Huge score for Berg and Resolution.
LOVE Martin and Adam. Great, smart, hard working guys- makes that place a lot more interesting. Smart of Berg. Dumb of CAA to let them go. You can’t have a company without adults with soul and a basic knowledge of film history. Was absolutely astonished recently in a meeting @ CAA by young agents complete lack of taste and knowledge of film and grasp of material- in these two agents aggressive self assurance they never realized the A list director they were meeting with was horrified, not thriiled, with their ideas. Ignorant and arrogant is a bad combination. I don’t think this is endemic to CAA, I respect and love many people there- but I do think there is a tendency to jettison people after a certain age without giving consideration to what they bring to the company holistically throughout corporate America.. Martin and Adam are the opposite of throbbing niveau minted agents- they have extensive knowledge of the art and history of the business- all while maintaining friendships and family life- and their sense of humor. Bravo. Berg better be good to them. They certainly could be teaching the youngsters at the agency some skills and manners- but now its too late.
The beast grows larger…
And it is only going to keep growing.
Very smart & impressive move by Resoulution. With both Kanter & Spencer now along side other well-regarded former CAA agents like Richard Green & Sheri Smiley who abandoned CAA, there’s now a whole team of strong lit agents to go after CAA clients in force—pretty convincing proof that a range of sharp agents respected around town all realize the CAA system is broken and does not service the best interests of most clients at the agency. Exciting times ahead.
Here we go. First wave was the low hanging fruit – now we start to move into the bigger more meaningful hires. Gotta think there is some post merger WME movement that will find its way to the new agency as well. Who is on the outside looking in there?
Side note – Jeff seems to have a film focus with the new hires when virtually every agency is built on TV packaging. Gotta think one of the next big hires is central to the TV business. Get your popcorn!
Very well respected agents. They will keep clients that grew weary of being 2nd class citizens at CAA. Yes packaging is easier at CAA but how much packaging goes on there for these clients. Jeff will grab a few talent agents with lists and off they go. He has a lot of $ to grab those people with huge guaranteed $ and in this environment that will speak volumes. Good for business to have a new agency.
How many WME vs CAA agents have been poached?
Doesn’t seem like this agency is going to be a game-changer unless Berg poaches someone on the level of Whitesell which Endeavor did from CAA.
Beyond this, what is this agency’s differentiation? Getting more personalized service for clients isn’t going to cut it.
Rich Green and now these guys? Now that’s what I call a 4th floor sweep at CAA.
Right? Richard Lovett’s floor is probably looking a bit empty right now…
#floaterhelp
I heard rlov is next
Adam are Martin are both incredibly smart and talented representatives and also very good people who were totally taken for granted and under appreciated there. Good for them!
Good luck to the good guys!!!
Good luck to 2 talented and great guys!
Tectonic plates shifting with every new announcement. We all feel it. Can’t front.
I disagree. Not quite tectonic plates shifting but CERTAINLY an indication that the industry is beginning a process of self correction and getting itself healthy again after many years. That I can feel.
This really comes down to which clients come with them…These are two very impressive agents, with great rosters, but whose coming with? For spencer, it’s kinberg or bust really, and i cant imagine he would leave without knowing simon’s decision…adams a little bit more a war of attrition as his roster is pretty consistant and balanced. its an interesting time for caw whose had a real wake up call the last 3-5 years, that people would want to go work for one of the stiffest, most un-fun guys around (though effective and profitable and i know hes paying, which is certainly the bottom line) instead of them.
You must work at Icm or CAA. Angry much?
did you read the post…theres nothing angry about it, and if it slanted anyone, that would be caa, noting berg got a victory here. How in the world do you get pro-icm or caa? I’m a writer you idiot…and yes, your stupidity has now made me angry…not much, just at you.
I had the pleasure if working with both of these guys. Great people with solid work ethics. I hope that they continue their growth at their new place of employment. Congrats to them.
say what you want, pro or con. but right now, it’s a blast to work here.
Oh yeah…u guys look super thrilled riding up and down from level A to 23. Hope your blast continues.
you seen the view from up here? btw, you ever been to new york? doesn’t seem like you’ve been in a skyscraper before.
Because when people think of Jeff Berg, they think of fun –
Great guys? Maybe. Terrible agents? You betcha!
Not a chance, they are both fantastic agents.
Do you not think Adam and Martin do not know exactly who is coming?
Fair to say that they do.
They wouldn’t have left CAA without having full confidence who would come and who wasn’t . . . quite certain that this list was double and triple confirmed.
“So, are you sure, if we do this, that you’re joining us?
“You get that we’re only making this move if the majority of our clients (and that includes you), will come?”
“And if you change your mind, you’ll be really screwing us?”
They decided that being senior agents of 25 year standing with no equity had a certain future . . .
And that this future with Berg was better than that one .. .
And note I do not opine whether they made the right choice . . . other than to say that they thought they did.
Good luck to them.
Adam and Martin are both decent guys with solid backgrounds, but not necessarily the entrepreneurial types a new agency might need. Still, best of luck to both of them. They will do just fine.
I’m calling Resolution to set up a lunch. I want in!
Smart play for all concerned.
If I were an agent trainee at CAA or WME with at least one year’s experience on a motion picture agent’s desk, I would apply to go work at Resolution immediately and get in on the ground floor. You’ll be further along in your career in 10 years versus where you are now.
So true.
doubt it will even take you 10 years.
It’s not a real agency until J.Lo signs then quickly fires them.
It took a while , but the philosophy of CAA and WME , ” if we represent everyone , we don’t have to work for anyone ” is not going to work much longer. Competition is good , and lack of competition is one major reason why the feature film business is on a downturn.
RESOLUTION will be the number 5 agency in town in 6 months. If it is not already. In a year to 3 years , anything is possible. CAA has made a living on stealing other peoples clients , since its inception. Time for WME and CAA to Enjoy the payback and karma of the agency business temperament they created.