Circle of Confusion
Circle M+P (formerly Circle of Confusion) is a bi-coastal Los Angeles- and New York-based talent management and production company representing actors, writers, directors, and creators across film, television, and literature for major studios and streaming platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Circle of Confusion does
Circle of Confusion, now operating as Circle M+P, is a privately held talent management and production company founded in 2002 and headquartered in Los Angeles. The company represents a curated roster of actors, writers, directors, and producers working in film, television, and literature, and additionally serves as executive producer or co-producer on client-driven projects. Its roster includes Academy Award-recognized talent (Frances McDormand, Fernanda Torres) and creators of major franchises (Robert Kirkman on The Walking Dead, Derek Kolstad on John Wick, Jon Spaihts across Frozen, Black Panther, Stranger Things, and Daisy Jones & the Six), with active placements at Netflix, Apple TV+, Hulu, Peacock, ABC, FOX, FX, Disney, and Focus Features.
The company earns revenue through two streams: (1) commission-based talent representation fees on client earnings in film, television, and literary projects, and (2) production fees from executive producing and co-producing client-driven content. Following its December 2022 merger with New York-based One Entertainment, the company operates with bi-coastal offices in Los Angeles (8931 Ellis Avenue) and New York (200 Varick Street, Suite 506), with integrated principals Heather Reynolds and Anthony Aiello extending its reach into the East Coast talent and buyer markets. The company also runs the Writers Discovery Fellowship, a sub-brand diversity and mentorship initiative designed to source the next generation of represented writing talent.
The underlying business is relationship- and reputation-driven rather than technology-driven: there is no proprietary platform, no AI tooling, no APIs, and no disclosed pricing structure. The core moat is the quality and exclusivity of its talent roster, the brand association with award-recognized and franchise productions, and the direct placement relationships across every major Western content distributor and streaming platform.
Circle of Confusion firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Circle of Confusion
- Legal name
- Circle M+P
- Website
- https://circleofconfusion.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Circle M+P (formerly Circle of Confusion) is a bi-coastal Los Angeles- and New York-based talent management and production company representing actors, writers, directors, and creators across film, television, and literature for major studios and streaming platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Circle of Confusion industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Talent Management
- NAICS
- Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Casting & Talent Placement (Sessions, Bands, Touring Musicians) (MPAIAGAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Casting & Talent Services (Casting, Background, Talent Holding) (MPADAFAI)
Keywords
Where Circle of Confusion is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Circle of Confusion business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Talent Representation/Commission: Represents actors, writers, and producers; earns commissions on their work in film, television, and literature projects.
- Production Revenue: Executive producing and co-producing film and television projects through affiliated talent.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Circle of Confusion product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Circle of Confusion (Circle M+P) provides talent representation and management for actors, writers, directors, creators, and literary authors in film, television, and publishing, earning commissions on the talent's work. The firm also develops, executive produces, and co-produces high-profile film and television projects in partnership with its clients and distributes them through major studios, networks, and streaming platforms. Additionally, it operates the Writers Discovery Fellowship, a mentorship and financial support program for diverse emerging voices in entertainment.
Product overview
Circle M+P (formerly Circle of Confusion) operates as a talent management and production company with a dual offering: talent representation services managing a roster of actors, writers, directors, and creators in film, television, and literature, alongside production services that develop and executive produce client-driven projects. The company also runs the Writers Discovery Fellowship as a diversity initiative. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, the company supports its clients across the full spectrum of entertainment careers, from talent representation to project development and production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Talent Management Services Represents actors, writers, directors, and other creative professionals in film, television, and literature, providing career management, project placement, and representation across the entertainment industry.
- Production Services Develops and produces high-profile film and television projects, serving as executive producer or co-producer on client-driven content, with bi-coastal presence in New York and Los Angeles.
- Writers Discovery Fellowship Mentorship and financial support program designed to nurture and accelerate diversity of voices in the entertainment industry.
Companies that use Circle of Confusion
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Circle of Confusion technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Circle of Confusion partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- One EntertainmentcoreCircle of Confusion merged with One Entertainment, a talent management company based in New York City. The merger incorporated key personnel including Heather Reynolds and Anthony Aiello into Circle of Confusion. The strategic combination enhanced Circle's bi-coastal presence with offices in both New York and Los Angeles, expanding their talent representation capabilities.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Circle of Confusion competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WME (William Morris Endeavor): Major full-service talent and literary agency representing actors, writers, and directors across film, TV, and books with strong production/IP operations, mirroring Circle M+P's combined management-plus-production model.
- Creative Artists Agency (CAA): The largest talent and sports agency globally, representing actors, writers, directors, and producers in film, TV, and publishing — directly comparable in core function, client categories, and bi-coastal/global operating footprint to Circle M+P.
- 3 Arts Entertainment: Boutique talent management and production firm representing writers, directors, producers and actors and developing its own content — a directly comparable boutique management-plus-production peer.
- Anonymous Content: Talent management and production company that both represents writers, directors, and actors and executive produces film/TV (e.g., Spotlight, The Revenant) — the closest peer in combining high-end management with selective production.
- Gersh Agency: Full-service talent and literary agency covering actors, writers, and directors in film, TV, and publishing — a comparable mid-to-upper-tier agency peer.
- Management 360: Boutique talent management and production firm representing film/TV actors, writers, and directors with a comparable high-touch client model to Circle M+P.
- Brillstein Entertainment Partners: Long-standing Hollywood talent management and production company representing A-list actors, writers, and producers, often cited alongside Circle of Confusion as a top-tier boutique.
- Mosaic Media Group: Talent management and production company representing actors, writers, producers, and directors in film and television, comparable in boutique management-plus-production positioning.
- United Talent Agency (UTA): Full-service agency representing talent across film, TV, and publishing with a meaningful in-house production arm, directly comparable in service breadth and client mix to Circle M+P.
Emerging players
- Range Media Partners: Newer talent management and production company focused on film, TV, and digital creators with a similar management-plus-production thesis; an emerging challenger in the boutique segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Circle of Confusion social profiles
Digital presenceCircle of Confusion financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Circle of Confusion leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Circle of Confusion funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Circle of Confusion M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Circle of Confusion
What does Circle of Confusion do?
Circle of Confusion (Circle M+P) provides talent representation and management for actors, writers, directors, creators, and literary authors in film, television, and publishing, earning commissions on the talent's work. The firm also develops, executive produces, and co-produces high-profile film and television projects in partnership with its clients and distributes them through major studios, networks, and streaming platforms. Additionally, it operates the Writers Discovery Fellowship, a mentorship and financial support program for diverse emerging voices in entertainment.
Is Circle of Confusion a public or private company?
Circle of Confusion is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Circle of Confusion founded?
Circle of Confusion was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Circle of Confusion based?
Circle of Confusion is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Circle of Confusion make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Talent Representation/Commission is the primary driver. The others are production Revenue.
Who are Circle of Confusion's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WME (William Morris Endeavor), Creative Artists Agency (CAA), 3 Arts Entertainment, Anonymous Content, Gersh Agency, Management 360, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Mosaic Media Group and United Talent Agency (UTA). Range Media Partners is listed as an emerging player.
Does Circle of Confusion have an API?
No public API is recorded for Circle of Confusion.
What industry is Circle of Confusion in?
Circle of Confusion's product category is Talent Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAGAM, Casting & Talent Placement (Sessions, Bands, Touring Musicians), with a secondary code of MPADAFAI, Casting & Talent Services (Casting, Background, Talent Holding). Its NAICS code is 7114 and its SIC code is 7812.