Recently I wrote about the concept of tabletop agents to connect designers to publishers. As I learned from the resulting conversation, there are actually a few agencies who represent designers (for a fee paid by the designer, which isn’t the model I proposed).
I also heard from Allen Eckhouse, a literary manager who also works a bit with tabletop games. I sent a few questions to Allen, and I’d like to share the answers with you today:
- Can you introduce yourself (specifically, your connection to tabletop games personally and professionally)?
Hello! Allen Eckhouse here! Lifelong tabletop gamer and frequent attendee of Origins, Gen Con, and PAX Unplugged. In parallel with that, I worked for 4 years at Creative Artists Agency in their Comedy department, dealing with clients across film, TV, stand-up, and all places funny. Since then, I have launched Logical Talent Management, a literary management company that specializes in screenwriters, but also works with tabletop game creators.
In general, I’m the catalyst between a screenwriter and a buyer, typically a movie studio, TV network, or production company. When subbing in a board game designer for a screenwriter, I’m usually presenting either their game’s story/world to a buyer interested in fictional programming, or their game’s mechanics to a buyer interested in a game show version.
- You mentioned that you are a manager, not an agent. Can you explain the difference?
For representatives of screenwriters, there is one major difference between an agent and a manager. Literary (screenwriting) agents are licensed with their state of operation and the Writers Guild of America; managers are not. In return for that licensure, agents can directly negotiate deals with buyers; managers cannot.
That being the case, agents often devote most of their work hours to their specialty: seeking, negotiating, and procuring deals. What does the manager do? Anything and everything else their client asks of them. For me, this includes analyzing and workshopping scripts, sourcing interested buyers and routing them to the client or their agent, and advising on any professional matters that require assistance.
- What are the services/benefits you offer to game designers?
For games where the story or universe is the “product”, I pitch buyers on why that would be a great movie or TV show. For games where the mechanics are the “product”, I pitch buyers on why it would be a great game show. If the game designer and the entertainment buyer agree, that opens up an income stream for the designer. Additionally, with a film in theaters or a series / game show on TV, that serves as a giant commercial telling viewers “if you love this, go buy the game!”
- How are you compensated for the value you add to designers and screenwriters?
Thankfully, the math is easy. Whatever my clients bring in, I get 10%. With screenwriting, there are NEVER any up-front fees that are assessed for representation. Income is entirely commission-based. If anyone offers to sign you if you pay them X dollars, run the other way.
- Currently you represent game designers for the purpose of creating shows based on their games, correct? In the future, are you considering representing game designers to seek tabletop publication? Why or why not?
Correct! At the moment, I’m not really considering being the middleman between designers and publishers. Let’s start with the example from your blog post on Nov 6, 2023: If a publisher sells 10,000 units of a game (a pretty solid number in my book) at $20 revenue/unit, and the designer has a 7% royalty, that’s $14,000. With the traditional 10% commission, that would be $1,400 to the agent/manager. For a deal that moves at the speed of months to years, that probably doesn’t lead to sustainable income. But never say never! If an industry standard is determined where the designer, the agent/manager, and the publisher all can pay their bills, then it could be viable.
- Do you have a tabletop game success story (connected to you as a manager) that you’d like to share?
I was going up and down the aisles of the exhibit hall at Origins 2023. I stumbled across a booth showcasing a new game. Watching a demo of the game going on, it took me about 30 seconds to say to myself, “this is a game show.” Over the course of the convention, I introduced myself to the designer, told him what I do, and shared thoughts on what it could be. After an appropriate amount of emailing back and forth, I signed the game: Hexaquest by Martin Soederhamn. We are now actively pitching it to production companies that bring game shows to a TV near you.
- Is there anything else you’d like to share?
On the business front, if you’ve got a game with a great story/world, or game show mechanics, give me a shout: allen@logicaltalent.com. Mention this article and it will shoot up the inbox that much faster!
On the personal side: to me, magic comes in many forms. A great film you remember forever. An episode of TV that yanks tears from your eyes, happy or sad. Cards and dice hitting a table that tell the story of victory or defeat. Whatever your personal brand of magic, I hope it gets to the tabletop as often as possible.
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Thank you so much, Allen, for sharing your perspective and insights!
If you have any follow-up questions for Allen, feel free to ask them in the comments below.
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Also read: What Impact Would Agents Have on the Tabletop Games Industry?
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12 Comments on “Interview with a Literary (and Game) Manager”
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Mr. Eckhouse — in an ideal world, as you see it, how would things operate with a representative for the game designer? Assume you can change anything at all. I just wonder if there is an idea state.
Perfect world, you want the designer, the agent, and the publisher all happy with the work they’re doing AND making money. I personally like the standard commission structure; “I make money if and only if you make money.” That feels fair.
Maybe there just needs to be…more. I think it’s good news that, aside from the COVID years, convention and event attendance has been growing. And during the COVID years, I think tabletop games got a little extra love with people and families staying inside. So I think that growth is a good thing, and it seems like it’s currently at a sustainable level of growth.
The tabletop agent has to be able to bridge gaps that the designer wouldn’t be able to bridge alone. Or make life easier/more efficient/more profitable for the designer. There on the client side, there are a lot of ways to help.
The buyer side is tougher. It could be finding more places with deep pockets to fund the game. Also potentially selling derivative rights for a game, to up the purchase price to a livable wage for everyone. Not only does the buyer get the rights to make the game, but they get the right of first refusal for multimedia, digital versions, merch, etc.
I know that’s a little ramble-y, but I think that just goes to show that it’s very much in the brainstorming phase and the sky’s the limit.
What a fascinating job! Thanks for sharing Jamey. I think I will email Allen for my second game :)
Thanks so much Wonmin! Will keep an eye out for your email!
hi Allen,
I hope this doesn’t seem like a stupid question, but if you saw chess for the first time, would a game like that resonate with you as something you would be interested in. Would you perceive it as a game with a great story or would you be more focused on the mechanics. ?
Kieran Henry
Hi Kieran!
Not a stupid question at all! Ironically, I think the answer would be no! Obviously it’s been proven to be a worldwide classic, but if it was brand new today, I don’t think I’d know what to do with it, outside of it being a rock solid game. There’s kings and queens and knights and such, but that’s kind of…it.
I think that’s what makes abstract games a tough sell. It can be a great game on the table, but through any other lens it’s just cubes and dice and tokens.
Thanks Allen for the insight, it gives me a better idea for what you are looking for. I will file your email as I think I might have something for you in the near future.
Kieran Henry
How do you think the cost/profit in the board game industry plays into the question around agents in this industry?
Allen’s interview really leans towards boardgames being about the story they create (other than game shows), which can then be transferred to higher-profit industries.
Books are relatively cheap to produce (much cheaper than a complex game anyway), easy to ship, can mass sell, easy to digitize…etc
Movies/shows are expensive, but the financial returns can be massive since you can profit from advertisers etc…
But Board Games just don’t have those same advantages (yet?)
Can the industry viably support agents in a way that is worth it to them, designers and publishers?
I think there is a viable, mutually beneficial path towards having a few great agents in the game industry, but I don’t think it can support many of them.
Hopefully the key word is “yet.” Right now only the Catans and the Magic the Gatherings of the world have enough total dollars coming in to support an agent working on commission. But take this analogy:
Let’s say I represent George Clooney (I don’t). A superstar brings in enough money to keep the agency in business. It also gives them the wiggle room to take a chance on ten up-and-coming actors, where ideally one (or more) of them is the Next George Clooney. Then repeat the cycle.
So if the viability of a tabletop agent can be jumpstarted by superstar designers/games, that could create a rising tide to lift all boats.
Very interesting! A boardgame turned into a TV gameshow hadn’t even crossed my mind. It sounds like paying an agent up front is bad but also, not getting some form of pay upfront isn’t sustainable for an agent in this field, yet. As he said, At a10 (or even as high as 20%) cut, combined with low margins on boardgames, plus long “to market” times, I’m under the impression a boardgame agent probably won’t be common place. I would still make the case that, for many years, the board game publishers would simply have unknown agents coming to them which would be no different than dealing with unknown creators. I also make the case that if the agent isn’t getting paid unless the game sells, his primary interest is in selling the game and his client, not the publisher. Therefore, many agents would simply pitch the game to all publishers regardless of whether it’s the best fit for that publisher or not. Thus negating the benefit of publishers working with agents to begin with. Just my thoughts.
Agreed from the top through selling the game/publisher. There is often a “throw spaghetti at the wall” approach, so as to not limit the field of potential buyers. But also, if a publisher clearly is not a good fit, it’s a waste of everyone’s time to try and push that.
In film/TV, the agency/management company has to build up its credibility with buyers. Same with a tabletop agent building their credibility with publishers. Since it’s basically a new field, just about everyone is starting from zero. But those that do the job well hopefully will prove useful to publishers.