On another thread, John Debney asked what makes an agent a great agent. To answer that I would describe the top agent in our industry, my partner, Laura Engel, who, in my opinion is the greatest film music agent of all time.
She has built so many careers, landed her clients so many jobs, guided so many composers through so many rough waters and done it all at the highest and most accomplished level.
Laura is:
1. RELENTLESS. Dogs who won’t let go of a bone are less determined than Laura.
2. BRILLIANT. Laura can understand and delineate wildly complex situations, deals and people almost instantaneously.
3. RESOURCEFUL: Laura can always figure out how to get what she wants. To her, there is always another path for her to pursue on the behalf of her clients.
4. SUPPORTIVE: Her heart is always deeply aligned with passion for the composers she works with.
5. HONEST. She tells things as they are. Clients can depend on her sharing reality (even when isn’t what they initially want to hear).
6. ROUGH AND TUMBLED. Laura has not only survived but triumphed after decades of high-pressured situations.
7. STRATEGIC. Laura always has a game plan, with many future moves, in her mind.
8. HARD WORKING. Always the first to arrive and the last to leave. Nights and weekends are part of her work schedule. She kicks the Energizer Bunny’s ass.
9. COMPETITIVE. She REALLY likes to win.
10. FAIR. Laura has a very strong moral compass. She can weigh a situation and come at it with approaches that are extremely fair and reasonable.
10. ROCK AND ROLL. Laura started as a rock tour manager (for Danny Elfman and others). She got them booked, routed them, got the gear and artists where they needed to be, got them set up, got them on stage and got them paid. I pity anyone who ever stood in the way of any of that.
11. WISE. Laura has great instincts and decades of experience to draw upon. Her guidance comes from a place of deep experience and richness.
12. INSPIRING. Laura is strong, kind, trustworthy, passionate and ever learning and ever evolving.
The single greatest thing I have ever done in my business life was deciding to work with Laura Engel.
