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[ March 13th, 2006 ]
Anna Goodson Management is proud to be representing some of the hottest and most sought after photographers and illustrators from around the world. Their roster includes top Canadian photographers and illustrators from England, Paris, Spain, New Zealand, Argentina, Sweden, The United States and Canada. "There are no borders that separate us from our clients, only time zones."
Today, ten years after Anna Goodson started the business, the illustrators and photographers of AGM work with some of the top advertising agencies, design firms, magazines, publishers and newspapers in the world. Lots of artists see an artist representative in hopes to get more illustration work...but an artist representative does much more than that...can you please define the role/job description of the artist representative? At AGM we work closely with our artists and manage all aspects of their careers. This is why we call ourselves "Anna Goodson Management" and don't just refer to ourselves as reps. With our photographers we also handle all the production on a shoot in house. This way our clients know that we are 100% involved and they seem to really like that.
What changes in the illustration industry have you seen in the last 10 years?
First, I think that illustration in itself is an exciting new trend for art directors. It's back in style in a big way. We at AGM have never been as busy as we are right now. It seems that more than ever before, illustration of all kinds is in very hot demand. I don't believe that there is one new trend but many exciting new styles that seem to be in high demand. It's obvious that digital is replacing most traditional styles. At AGM we represent 29 very different and exciting styles of illustration and each of our artist's is busier then ever. In photography, digital seems to be the only way to go. If you are not fully equipped with the latest digital equipment then you are missing the boat. As much as traditional photographers try to still shoot film, clients are hesitant. You represent artist in various countries. What are some of the main differences in illustration between these different international markets?Their accents, no seriously, the cultural flavor we have in our gang is amazing. Clients love the fact that we have so many talented illustrators from so many different countries. This adds to the style and mood of the work. The funny thing is that there are more similarities than differences. What are some of exciting projects that you and your illustrators and photographers have worked on? There are many. One that I am particularly proud of is the advertising we do with Zoom Media. I always get a laugh when people write me from all over the USA and tell me that they saw our illustrators work in front of the urinal or on the door of the bathroom. This has brought us quite a bit of visibility and people seem to be really happy seeing all this lovely art. We recently did all the illustrations for the new IBM advertising campaign with our illustrator Andy Potts. We also have a nationwide bush shelter advertising campaign for Aero Plan illustrated by Lino. Natalie Dion has recently illustrated several very popular books " Urban Babies Wear Black" and "Country Babies Wear Plaid." As well we have the pleasure of working with so many wonderful magazines and newspapers on a regular basis, but there are too many to name.
In photography, Montreal photographer Manon Boyer has shot the new worldwide advertising campaign for Blackberry. Out West, we represent Hans Sipma, who is one of Canada's most decorated advertising shooters who has won several national photography awards. His whimsical style is well recognized and has made him very popular and in high demand. Also, one of our West Cost photographer teams, Roth & Rabmberg had one of their photos selected to be in this year's prestigious Hasselblad calendar. A young and up coming photographer from Montreal, May Truong, was selected to be part of the Dove Beyond Compare international photo exhibition (www.dovebeyondcompare.ca), which groups together more than 60 top female photographers; among them, American photographer Annie Leibovitz. Truong was only one of three Canadian photographers exhibiting in the show that has now traveled around the world. Both our Illustrators and Photographers have won many prestigious awards and we are very proud of all of them.
I think I have gained a lot of insight and it has taken ten years to get here. In my business there is a fine line between my business life and my personal life and they are both at times intertwined. I am a person that takes things to heart and I have learned over the years not to take everything that happens personally. When you are a perfectionist like me, its hard to accept when things don't always work out the way you planned. I have learned to be more flexible and to listen more. My hours are still crazy, since I not only work from the office but from home as well. I guess for the first 9 years, I was your typical workaholic. Now, after the birth of my daughter last year, I have learned to have a personal life. I always felt that my career was the most important thing in my life and I have since learned that it is a compliment to everything else I have. I still really value my work but I also value motherhood and try to do the best I can to juggle the two. Now at 6 am in the morning I opt for 45 minutes of yoga before I open my computer to check my emails :) What makes Anna Goodson Management different from all the other reps in the business?We're fun to work with. I have a great sense of humor and I don't take myself too seriously. I love what I do and I consider it my passion as well as a career. I'm honest and direct and always available to talk or listen to my artists. I take the time to write a monthly newsletter that that I send to my gang to keep them informed of what is going on in the group or the industry in general. The other girls at the office are amazing to deal with as well, Sylvie, MJ and Johanne. I often say that they deserve most of the credit for the success of AGM. Their hard work and devotion is felt by everyone involved. The office has a great ambiance and this reflected in the way AGM does business. >> 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 |
