Chris Fenton on the Spec Market, Foreign Sales and When to Celebrate in Hollywood

Literary manager and producer Chris Fenton of H2F Entertainment was among the top ranking spec sale leaders in Hollywood in 2011. So, you’re probably thinking he spends all his day on the golf course with celebrities sipping scotch…? Quite the contrary.

Fenton sold almost as much as other agencies in town, some of whom have more legs on the ground than he does with his boutique management company run by a small staff in the shady neighborhood of Hancock Park. It’s because he never stops, not even to pop a bottle of champagne.

“One of the challenges is actually trying to find the point where celebrating is comfortable,” the one-time agent, now successful manager and producer, says of working in the industry that is recently more challenging than ever.

“The market is crazy now,” Fenton says. “You can have an offer and something happens, and the offer gets rescinded. You get into negotiation and something blows it up… you actually close the deal, but maybe the producer deal doesn’t close…” The list goes on. So, how does a new writer even begin to think about trying to make it in this business?

Script sat down with Fenton to get his side of the story. Listen to the podcast to find out what it’s like for a manager in Hollywood in 2012, how discovering a new writer still gives him a thrill, and exactly when it’s appropriate to finally pop the champagne.

Click here to listen to the podcast of Chris Fenton!