I recently had the pleasure of
speaking with Robert Ziemba, president of Ziemba Talent Agency regarding
negotiations in the entertainment industry.
Rob had some great things to say and some valuable information that I
figured I would share publicly.
Me: When
entering into negotiations, how do you prepare?
How do you make sure your research is done?
Rob: You must know the minimum pay rates, maximum hours working daily,
etc. Checking with the unions as well as
finding comparable deals in the industry will help you to prepare for
negotiations.
Me: How
do you avert the negotiations when the other party begins to try something
shady? How do you identify when this is
happening, and how do you approach it with the other party?
Rob:
I think it is best to approach them
directly about such dealings. You should
always be respectful, but inform them firmly that it is not appropriate. Use
the opportunity to educate them about the minimums and legal requirements by
law. Then, I try to reframe the conversation
in a more productive way.
Me: What
has been your most difficult negotiating experience to date? Why?
Rob: That would be the International Tour of West Side Story—There were
no union protections, so was difficult meeting their demands (14 shows a week
with no understudy.) Ultimately I was
able to argue health and safety issues and educate them about the United States’
union rules which we used as a baseline and agreed that my client would not
perform in more then 10 shows per week unless they were given a $10000 per show
fee for extras.
Me: Do
you have advice for people going into the entertainment industry who may be new
to negotiating?
Rob: Law School would be very helpful.
Get all the legal knowledge you can early on and educate yourself about
the legal aspects of the business.
