Photographer: Natalie Warr
360 Magazine had the opportunity to chat with President and Talent Manager at Reload Management – Mhair Zeitounian. Zeitounian completed his undergraduate degree with a Major in Communication from the University of Southern California. Growing up in Hollywood, he blossomed as a child actor and now manages a handful of successful clients.
Q: When did you know you wanted to work in entertainment?
A: As a local Angeleno born in Hollywood, I was fascinated by the entertainment industry at a young age. I interned at different companies during college so I can explore and eventually discover my exact career path in this business. Being exposed to fields like development, post production, and marketing led me to my true calling – talent management.
Q: How did you get started and how did being a minority group affect you?
A: I got started by being a receptionist at CESD Talent Agency. Though it didn’t last too long because I got promoted shortly thereafter, it was an eye-opening experience as I interacted with all types of personalities in entertainment. I worked at that company for several years until I moved to Zero Gravity Management. My move to management was fueled by my desire to work extremely closely with talent and hone their careers early-on in their journeys. I also began ‘cyber scouting’, i.e. discovering talent online, because I noticed a trend moving towards the digital and social media worlds. I left ZG after a year and started Reload Management. We celebrated Reload’s three year anniversary in August.
Being the son of a dentist from the Middle East required me to work ten times as hard because my network was almost non-existent in the entertainment industry. I began to hustle early-on by wining-and-dining industry professionals and listening to as much advice as humanly possible.
Q: What is something you wish you could spend more time on during your job and something you could spend less time doing?
A: I would love to spend more time expanding my knowledge into the tech markets. We are sensing a convergence with entertainment and technology and I’m excited to see how this will change our business. On the flipside, I’d like to spend less time dwelling on unfortunate decisions made in our industry. As a talent manager, I need to remind my clients that things like your show getting canceled and not getting your favorite acting part are commonplace. You need to always roll with the punches!
Q: What advice would you give to younger people who want to work in the industry as well as kids trying to be in the industry?
A: As someone that wants to work, you need to stay on top of the current events! Constantly read up on articles on websites like Deadline Hollywood and The Hollywood Reporter. Watch content and read scripts. You should know companies that are emerging and flopping. You should have knowledge of industry trends before your clients hear about them. For talent, I am always a big advocate for capitalizing on what makes you different and unique. What will make you stand out of the pack? What is that unique quality that will make a casting director want to hire you? Identify this quality and run with it confidently.
Q: Where do you see Reload Management headed in the near future?
A: I see us expanding beyond just talent management. Reload Management will eventually become a media powerhouse with specific teams dedicated to licensing, development, production, music, new tech, etc.
Q: Is there any exciting news we can hear about some of your clients like Jordyn Jones or Issac Ryan Brown?
A: My French actor Jonas Bloquet will make his first American debut next year when his movie The Nun premieres in July. He stars opposite Demian Bichir and Taissa Farmiga in this next installment of the Conjuring Franchise.
Issac is quickly becoming a household name thru his hilarious antics on Disney Channel as he plays Booker on Raven’s Home while lending his voice to several animated shows like Puppy Dog Pals and Stinky & Dirty. He also plays Halle Berry’s son in the feature film Kings which premieres next year.
Jordyn continues to be a social media powerhouse while juggling several endorsement deals. She is now focusing heavily on recording original music for her fans and will be touring in 2018. Jordyn is one of the few hyper-fluid talents who seamlessly flourishes her career in both the traditional and digital markets.
Written By: Krishan Narsinghani
