Perform Management – Can anyone vouch for them?

[Neek]

Greeting fellow scribes – I’m interested in hearing about anyone’s opinions / experiences of the Perform Management agency - http://pro.imdb.com/company/co0195372/ http://www.Performtv.net


They are listed on IMDB and I’ve seen them reply to numerous posts. They have expressed an interest in one of my scripts but my cautious receptive response mechanism has alerted me to possible danger. I’m not sure if I’m being too cynical / sceptical...

Does anyone have any feedback about them?

Cheers for any replies :)

[icerose]

It looks like they are a consulting firm and you pay them for their services.

Pay Pal Online Payments


When you consult with us, you will be working directly with an industry veteran with over 40 years experience.

We consult with actors, writers, vocalists, musicians, promoters, managers, talent agents, and talent buyers.



If you're looking to pay a consultant for professional advice, then they could possibly be a decent company especially if they have listed consultations on imdb and you recognize the movies.

If you are not looking to pay for consulting advice, then walk the other way.

I don't have any experience with these guys or anyone similar as I'm working with an extremely limited writing budget so I can't afford to pay anyone anything. Heck, I haven't even been able to buy books on how to write scripts, or any books on writing for that matter.

What are you looking to get from them?

[Neek]

Hey Icerose - thanks for your reply. I have a major Sci-Fi script. I sent them a query letter and they got back twice asking for more info / synopsis ect. My reservations are that perhaps they reply to too may IMDB posts. Established agency don't go looking for talent, their too busy trying to stop us from flooding their precious working days. I think your comment is spot on - they charge for their 'consulting' - but without some good credits behind them, it's not easy to have faith...

[icerose]

Hey Icerose - thanks for your reply. I have a major Sci-Fi script. I sent them a query letter and they got back twice asking for more info / synopsis ect. My reservations are that perhaps they reply to too may IMDB posts. Established agency don't go looking for talent, their too busy trying to stop us from flooding their precious working days. I think your comment is spot on - they charge for their 'consulting' - but without some good credits behind them, it's not easy to have faith...

I think you're missing what I'm saying. They appear to be only a consulting firm. They don't look like an agency at all. They look like they just sell their opinions.

[Mac H.]

Here's your opportunity to communicate, one-on-one, with one of the most successful and high-powered pros around. I can answer your most pressing questions about the entertainment business, your career and what you need to do to get to the next level
If 'one of the most successful and high-powered pros around' is so proud of his credentials, why on earth isn't he actually telling people who he is?

Why does he have such a lame, unprofessional looking website? Why does he keep referring to himself as 'we'?

According to public records, the domain is owned by this guy:
Robert Rozavi, San Francisco (starcreators2002@yahoo.com)

A quick google gives this tale of someone with his name from his town, who also has a habit of referring to himself as 'we', who has claimed to work for a film production company with Paramount.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2001/03/13/lloyd.DTL

I wonder if it's the same guy !? This non-flattering tale is about someone who had a website promoting himself as a sports management company. Curiously this new Robert Rozavi also has a website promoting himself as a sports management company.

At the very, very least, the name doesn't match anybody who is genuinely 'one of the most successful and high-powered pros' in the film industry !!!

Good luck,

Mac

[Neek]

Hey Mac - many thanks for your solid detective work. Seems my suspicions about them were well founded. After a while you get a sense that's shomething's not right - and I got that straight of the bat with Perform. I mailed them back asking for more info -

Hi Maria,
Thanks for your reply. I am interested to know how. Are you a marketing agency, or a talent agency?

Looking over your site and on the web in general I wasn't sure what sort of service you provide, and if you charge for your efforts etc.

I am keen to get things moving but also cautious about sending my work across the Atlantic without knowing much about where and who it's going to. I'm sure you can appreciate my concerns. Any further information you can give regarding your company and how we may be able to work together would be very welcome.
All the best,


Responce I got was:

WE ARE INVOLVE WITH MARKETING , PR , DISTRIBUTORS AS TOY / GAME COMPANIES

There are so many companies who exploit peoples vanity / passion. The modelling industry has many such ‘wannabe’ set ups where they charge a fee to take some shots and then probably throw them in the bin, or as they would say ‘represent you, and try to get you work within the modelling industry’.

Thanks again for your helpful response – all the best with your work.
Cheers!

[creativexec]

This is all very simple. If what they're offering raises any questions, if an exchange of money is ever discussed, if the princinpals do not identify themselves and if you don't recognize any of their clients - STAY AWAY.

I've been in the agency business for over a decade, and this place - and others like it - will bring you woe.

Read the trade papers (online) and see who are the movers and shakers selling projects around town. Educate yourself on a regular basis and avoid operations run by people who have about as much contact with the business as yourself.

Learn and understand the industry you're trying to join.

You will not find any legitimate "consultant" who, for a fee, moves your project up the ladder.

Get all those fantasies out of your head. Finding good representation can be harder and take longer than writing the script itself.

There is nothing fast or easy about this business. There are no short cuts.

Use common sense - which doesn't seem to be all that common amongst people trying to break into the entertainment biz.

Good luck!

[alleycat]

Use common sense - which doesn't seem to be all that common amongst people trying to break into the entertainment biz.

That's very true. Here in Nashville it's people who want to be songwriters and get their material in front of major stars. We tell them to be leery of certain companies and what they offer (for a substantial fee), but it often falls on deaf ears. They sometimes have such blinders on that there's no arguing with them. Most of the time we end up just wishing them good luck.

[Neek]

Hey creativexec thanks for your wise words (I sent you an email as well so hopefully you get that) And also thanks alleycat - yes the music side is no different.

With the glut of reality TV on our screens these days our society (especially the 'yoof’ is becoming hypnotised / brainwashed into what they aspire to be. Once was - young boys wanted to be pilots / fireman etc - Now they all got stars in their eyes.

The next ‘WOW’ factor, famous for anything, just so long as their famous. I’m not saying ‘true’ artists are loosing out any over this, and I don’t buy that you have to suffer for you art (although for what’s it worth, I’ve done plenty of that).

I guess it all about motivation – why do I want to be a successful writer – because I love film and want to make a career in it. Why does some else want to be a star – for their love the art or their love of what comes with it? – and who’s to say what’s the better reason?

Who knows, who cares – not me particularly. I’m too busy working on getting me where I need to go.

Like the quack doctor’s who feed of people’s medical insecurity’s, there will always be money to be made from people’s desires…