Prologue: An Agent at Work
Chapter One Introduction
The Invention of Agenting
Filling a Lacuna in the Sociology of Hollywood
Facing Stereotypes
In the Field with Hollywood Agents
What This Book Unveils: Agents and (E)valuation Communities
Chapter Two Mapping Hollywood
Agenting in Big versus Little Hollywood
“The Other Side:” Interdependent Transformations of Studios and Agencies
The New Reality of Agenting in Big Hollywood
Chapter Three The Making of Professionals in Talent Agencies
“Fulfilling Somebody Else’s Dreams”
An Agent’s Initiatory Path
Under the Wing of a Mentor
Forming “Generations” in Hollywood
Chapter Four Agenting as Relationship Work
The Meaning of Relationships
The Definition of an Agent’s Style
“Trust” between Agents and Production Professionals
Chapter Five Agents and Artists: Enchanted Bonds and Power Relations
Agents’ Emotional Competence
Controlling Talent?
Embedded Identities and Hierarchies
Chapter Six Naming Quality and Pricing Talent
Agents in Hollywood’s Evaluation Communities
“What It Takes to Get a Movie Made”
Pricing the Unique
Chapter Seven Agents of Change: The Formation of New Evaluation Communities
Conclusive Word
Acknowledgments
Notes
References
Index