Frank Management has celebrated its first year in the business of representing talent by signing Danielle Cormack, one of our brightest stars on both sides of the Tasman. Photo / Supplied
Frank Management has celebrated its first year in the business of representing talent by signing Danielle Cormack, one of our brightest stars on both sides of the Tasman. Photo / Supplied
Frank Management has celebrated its first year in the business of representing talent by signing Danielle Cormack, one of our brightest stars on both sides of the Tasman.
The agency boasts an entertainment industry dream team trio of Mike Minogue, Naomi Ferry and Tim Foley, who have attracted a wide variety of talented individuals from varying roles who have jumped ship to join them.
In an industry with a number of very large talent agencies, Frank has become the boutique one to watch.
In the agency's first year in the business, it is quickly becoming one to watch by signing Danielle Cormack. Photo / Supplied
In a year, the agency has grown to represent more than 30 people, including husband-and-wife acting team Millen Baird and Siobhan Marshall; fellow actor Ria Vandervis, TV personality Jesse Tuke, scientist Dr Joel Rindelaub, comedian Karen O’Leary and Radio Hauraki host Matt Heath and Emmy award-winning sound engineer Stephen Gallagher.
Minogue, 46, most famous for his role in Wellington Paranormal and his afternoon show on Hauraki, is using his own career experience as a writer, producer, actor and radio host to give advice and nous.
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Foley, 44, a Toi Whakaari-trained actor and 38-year-old Ferry, an established talent agent, came together with Minogue to share their combined industry knowledge to support the agency’s talent and offer career guidance in a way they say is quite unique.
“No matter what our talent is going through in their career we have someone in our team who has likely gone through it as well, and so can give advice that comes from a place of experience,” Ferry tells Spy.
O'Leary stars in Wellington Paranormal alongside Mike Minogue. Photo / Supplied
The trio represents talent from across the spectrum — from acting, MC-ing and hosting, writers, directors, composers and comedians. They are about to unleash a voice department, a podcasting studio and an influencer partnership arm.
“We were really fortunate that high-profile signings put their trust in us early on and that support was invaluable,” says Ferry. “We’ve all been in the industry for a long time, building really strong relationships with a lot of people who have come to know and respect us, our work and ethos.”
Without singling out individuals, Ferry says it has been gratifying identifying talent, some of whom have never acted before, and seeing them book jobs immediately, some in their very first auditions.
“It’s extraordinary. When you see something in people and then have the industry back up your hunch, it’s pretty special.”
Frank has existing relationships with agencies in Australia, the US and UK, but points out that a lot of their talent already had international representation when they signed on.
“In our first year we really wanted to concentrate on setting up strong roots in NZ,” says Ferry.
“There’s an incredible amount of talent coming through in the next generation.”
“You have to be selective, because you can’t help everyone all at once no matter how much you might want to.
“We’ve been learning all the things new business owners have to, and a large part of the first year of startup was dedicated to admin and putting systems in place, which was vital but also massively time consuming. With our systems now in place we’re really looking forward to delivering on our key objectives as an agency, both for ourselves and our talent.
“One of the biggest learning curves has been to not get carried away by the big dreams and concentrate on the small steps. It’s hard when it’s all so bloody exciting.”
