When it comes to choosing a talent agency, models have a dizzying array of options to choose from. Choosing one can make or break your career. And in a world where social media is packed with millions trying to do the same thing, having good management is one of the rare ways to stand out from the pack.
Enter Transcending, an LA-based talent agency with a unique angle. Co-founded by trans porn star and industry legend Aubrey Kate, Transcending is a safe space for trans creators looking for representation. We talked with CEO Matt Schafer about why the agency was created and the type of services it can offer content creators.
Playboy: So let’s say you’re a fairly new creator. You’d really like to be represented, but don’t know how it all works. How can Transcending help?
Matt: If you were the creator, I would start with the questions: Are you active on social media? If so, what are your handles like? What are your comfortabilities when it comes to social media? Are you wanting to be social media famous? Learning about what their main goals are.
Some want to be super famous, others say, I just want to be rich. Then, [if they want to be on The Playboy Club for instance], we would ask “What are your goals for Playboy? Are you going to be active, or is this just an alternative site, just extra money for them.
Transcending offers full management and will help its creators with content ideas. We’re also currently working on doing collaborations with Playboy using the merch that they provide for us, so that way we can provide you with a content scene. So last shoot that we did was on the beach. We had a bunch of Playboy bikinis and a surfboard, and we went ahead and took a bunch of photos with a professional photographer, and we submitted those for Playboy for not only their site, but just for them to use as well.
Playboy: If a creator doesn’t have a big social media following yet, would working with an agency potentially help them build it? Or do you feel like it’s absolutely necessary to have a big social following to succeed?
Matt: It really kind of falls into Playboy’s lap on that. So we can grow a social media, but that is, if they are going to do all the reels and constantly be active on it. If this is a Playboy only client, then great. We’ll tell them what to do and we’ll see what it can play into earnings wise. But typically, having a social [media account] increases that. But [at]the end of the day, if they’re making $5 or they’re making $1,000 or making $20,000, it doesn’t take me a lot of time and effort to run their account. I have a team that handles all the accounts, so it’s easy to take on big or small pages.
Playboy: Originally Transcending was meant to cater specifically to trans creators. Is it still just that, or are you now going outside of that scale?
Matt: It’s always been one. Aubrey is the face of the company, and she is a trans porn star, but I’ve been in this space for five years and I’ve been managing clients of all genders for a very long time. I’m happy to take on everyone. I created this agency because my fiance worked for terrible agencies, I consulted for terrible agencies, and I really wanted to create a safe space. The main goal of the agency, though, is really to create a new taste in people’s mouths of what agencies should be. It’s not just some random guy in a computer making stupid money and not giving a crap about the clients. It’s a guy who’s making less money so he can care more about his clients.
Transcending models you can find on The Playboy Club
Aubrey Kate
Jade Rylee
Kyana
Mia Isabella
Bellajoie
