|
[ October 13, 2003 ]
When speaking to artist rep Anna Goodson, proprietor of Anna Goodson Management, her passionate vision is almost blinding. To the point that Goodson considers herself an agent rather than a rep: "As an agent," she says, "I really work on building artists' careers, their reputations, their portfolios and their relationships with the art directors." She refers to her group of 22 illustrators and nine photographers as a "gang" whose work is perfectly suited for the pages
Growing up in Montreal to a family of advertisers, Goodson helped her father at his design company by filling in when the secretary was out. At 17 Goodson was making sales calls to the general manager of the Four Seasons. "I remember saying to my dad that I can't do that! And he'd say, 'Yes, you can. Dress nice, go down there, listen and take notes." So it comes as no surprise that by age 28 Goodson had reached the pinnacle of her own advertising career, and was eager for the next thing. "I guess deep down I had always been an entrepreneur," she says. "It was liberating and exciting to go out on my own and create this entity of who I am and how I want to work." She quickly discovered, however, that going out on her own was not as smooth as some of her earlier experiences. " For five years I was alone. Just to go to the bathroom and miss a call was an issue. No one wanted me to rep them. Nowadays it's fantastic, but I'll never forget how hard it was in the beginning." Goodson spoke to Altpick by phone from her virtual office in Montreal.
I love illustration and photography. I love working with real artists who are passionate about their work. I like getting involved with the creative aspect of it. There is a real thrill for me to discover the next best thing. I love working with the young artist. I love the fact that people want to do this and I want to help them make a living and pay their bills. If they have talent and are with me then I can sort of take care and teach them the business end and they can just concentrate on creating. I never went into this business for the money, but hey - if you can have fun while making money, isn't that what we all want?!. My business plan and my goal - and it's been almost 10 years that I have been doing this - is that I want to have fun. The fact that I was starving when I started the agency and nobody wanted me to rep them makes me very open, and have a lot of empathy. What was it like starting out without anyone to rep?
I was na�ve. I had one illustrator who was new to the city and came to me and said, "I went to the other rep and she didn't want me." I had left a fabulous career in advertising and when I started my own business no one would help me. My business plan was to pay my rent. I worked from my house. I had a black and white computer and a cell phone. I made business cards and I went around to see different artists whose work appealed to me. They were like, "Who are you, what is your name, how long have you been doing this?" And I would be like, "A week." Everybody blew me off and everyone told me it wouldn't work. Finally, I got my first job and then my second and it grew from there. How has working in advertising helped you with the work you do now? A lot. I know what goes on inside. I know what is required and what a client goes through. I understand when I am running after a client who is stalling, they are not deciding, and we are trying to get something approved. I understand deadlines and am really good in production. I know what is needed to get casting approvals. I think having a really good understanding of print helps as well.
I think art directors know how to use illustration. I guess I just want to keep them aware that we are out there, and there are a lot of different styles. I think I do have to educate people about the danger of stock illustration. I am a big advocate for illustrators and photographers who make a living doing commissioned work. The more they get involved with royalty-free the less an original work will need to be commissioned. And since artists are doing this because it is their calling, we have to have it available for them. It's a catch 22: You'll find a photographer who says I haven't worked, 'Thank God I have stock because it's bringing in a couple of dollars a month. If I didn't have that what would I do?' So I think we need to educate people about doing everything in our power to keep the arts alive. Do you think the role of the photographer is changing? Well, I think it is evolving. It seems like nothing is done fast enough anymore. I think that the technology will be able to facilitate things for people who weren't necessarily as creative working with the old standard camera. I think it is a matter of using the technology to the advantage. Nowadays we can do a shoot and the art director can select a shot, burn a CD and then leave with it. Photography is an art form; it's much more than pushing or pressing a button. That being said, I think it is changing in all kinds of industries. You can't just sing anymore. You have to be able to sing and dance etc. What would you say is the most significant time in your life was?
Probably when I started. Having to be humble and starving and going to my folks and taking canned soup and toilet paper. Again, after having a career and doing really well and having an expense account - having gone from making money to having absolutely nothing to working my ass off - and really believing in myself when no one else would. Never forget that, never forget that I started from nothing and no one believed in me. I guess that is why I am so open to taking on other people. I get involved. I am excited about people having people start out, and having people come to me who knowing nothing. I hope that the artist will appreciate that I did this because I wanted to get really involved - almost like you are planting this garden and hoping that you all can benefit from it as time goes on.
Absolutely. That is kind of the sad thing in a way. I have met so many of my personal goals that I am always looking for new challenges. The bar has risen because I have met so many of my goals. Where do you see yourself in the next five years? As I approach my forties I am always looking for new things. What can I do in this industry? How can I make a difference? How can I make my mark? To be continued, I guess. I think it is important that I think of and help the artist and think of how they can benefit the most from what they are doing right now. You see a lot of photographers who were hot and now are no longer hot. They don't know what to do any more. - Contributed by Mary-Beth Holland >> See more work from Anna Goodson >> See other member spotlights on the member spotlight index >> Find out more on how to become an altpick.com member |
