MRC Poaches Tory Metzger From CAA

EXCLUSIVE: Tory Metzger, one of the top motion picture agents at CAA, is leaving to head up the film division at Media Rights Capital, the leading independent film, television and digital studio and financing arm. At CAA, Metzger represented Tom Cruise, Ang Lee, Cameron Crowe, Spike Jonze, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Peter Hedges, Callie Khouri, Nicole Holofcener, James Shamus, John Wells, Danny DeVito. Metzger began her career in Hollywood as a development executive and then joined United Talent Agency for two years before moving to CAA in 1992. Needless to say, there's now a feeding frenzy among rival tenpercenteries for her clients, but CAA does already have teams in place. MRC is owned by advertising agency WPP, AT&T, Goldman Sachs and Endeavor agency, one of CAA's strongest rivals. Though Endeavor has only a small ownership position, it's perceived to have big ties to MRC, whose co-CEO Modi Wiczyk is a former Endeavor agent.

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7 Comments »

  1. Gosh a lot of agents are transitioning to creative positions.

    Comment by reelbusy — May 5, 2008 @ 4:37 pm

  2. She was one of the classiest people at CAA.

    Comment by Elliott — May 5, 2008 @ 9:08 pm

  3. Nikki-Seems to me like this is pretty big news. One of the most senior agents at CAA leaves. And she did it without giving her bosses a heads up. They were as shocked as everyone else. I just wonder how come this doesnt get more coverage in your column as well as in the trades. Its big news. CAA is on the verge of losing a lot of agents. Come this October when the agents get their bonuses, the floodgates are going to open. Their employees are all going to get underpaid as a result of their terrible running of the business. Paying too much for agents to get clients, the massive office building, the sports business, and the 5 guys taking out 15 million each is going to come back to haunt them. Maybe then we will see a shift in the agency business

    Comment by mailman — May 6, 2008 @ 7:12 am

  4. Tory is smart, has an opinion and in my estimation is one who has succeeded based on merit. I think her departure says more about CAA than it does about her, MRC did well.

    Comment by Buck Zollo — May 6, 2008 @ 9:58 am

  5. doesn’t endeavor have a stake in MRC?

    Comment by confused — May 6, 2008 @ 11:28 am

  6. “mailman” is right on

    this is why CAA is reduced to slime-scavenging for cash, i.e. throwing that embarrassing soiree and whoring for the likes of Joe Francis.

    like the Roman Empire, the “Death Star” is collapsing from within

    Comment by second that — May 6, 2008 @ 2:59 pm

  7. Good for Tory for moving on up.

    This is a big loss for CAA…she’s was the classiest agent in the building…was at the top of her game and got there without the same sort of sordid stories that are attached to others at her level.

    Very hard, aggressive, and up front…but never a sleaze. I won’t call her “honest”, because agents never are…but she’s a straight shooter and that’s worth a lot.

    I worked for her for a while and while she isn’t the most sympathetic person you’ll meet she’s super on the ball; very, very shrewd; and has spectacular taste in material and talent.

    What mailman said is true…she was smart enough to jump without Richard et. al. guessing she was leaving.

    Good for her for moving on.

    Comment by Charlotte A. Cavatica — May 6, 2008 @ 9:27 pm

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