Ok, I went to my little interview at (company name deleted) yesterday. I took my daughter Heather with me. The young man I spoke to was very polite. I handed over my photograph. He said it was very nice. It would work just fine for extra-work. Then he asked me if I was interested in doing more than extra-work. I said I hadn’t really given it a thought. I only applied to the newspaper add because it was slim pickins for the day. I really applied because I had never seen an add for extras before. I was curious. I thought it might be fun.
Anyway, the young man said that if I wanted to get into acting I would need a professional picture taken. They have a professional photographer on staff. It’s $130 dollars to use their photographer or I could find my own. Also if I wanted
(companynamedeleted) to represent me it would cost $150 a year.
I choose to just give my photograph and maybe get choosen to be an extra someday. <—I’m thinkin this really isn’t going to happen.
Any thoughts…let me know
Hey Marsha–it’s a scam. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. It happens all the time. An agency is NEVER legally allowed to charge a fee for representation. They are only legally allowed to take a percentage of what you earn through work you booked through their agency. If you are union, they can only take 10%, if you aren’t union, they often take up to 40%. It’s also often a common scam against aspiring actors (or people they “talk into” becomming aspiring actors) to offer photography services through their agency. This would never happen with a legit agency. This unfortunately happens all the time and all over the place–even in cities where there is union jurisdiction. Someone is always trying to get away with it. I’m glad you posted this for people to read and that you didn’t go for it. So many people fall for it, and that is why they are in business.
You still could get extra work through them, but they would most likely take a good chunk of your pay (which would be on the low end, since it would invariably be non-union). If you want to see what it’s like to be on a film set, though, it might be worth it to you to take the extra gig. But please don’t give them any of your money. The rule of thumb is if you ever have to pay any money in this business to secure work, it’s a scam. Hope this helps.
Heidi
I had a feeling it was funny sounding. Thankyou for letting me know for sure.
Scam scam scam.. Yep.. we see the same types of scam in writing with some agents. 🙂
My first thought was scam too!!
There has to be something legit you could look into though.
😀
I think your instincts are good.
cynthia, tammy and Missy: I am so glad when he asked for cash I said have a nice day. 🙂
Wow, you sure were smart to say no to their asking for money then!! What nerve huh?
Hey Marsha–I followed your link from your comment on my blog. (Thanks by the way)
5 kids—I will definitely be popping in from time to time to see how you manage it all…..
Kristen: Thanks for dropping by. I enjoy meeting new people
Whew. I’m glad you have a good head on your shoulders! You wouldn’t believe how many aspiring actors I know who either fell for that kind of scam, or very nearly did. The strong desire to be “rich and famous” has, unfortuantely, become quite a breeding ground for scammers.
-Jon
Jon: I had a feeling something was up the moment he said I would need a professional photo taken. Luckily, they had a photographer on hand. Of course I could find my own photographer and shell out about $1200. He said the lady in charge was very particular about what the photos looked like. After that, he mentioned that his company would be willing to represent me but they charged $150 dollars a year which in his words was cheap. He said most company’s charge 20 percent or more of what you make. I asked what the $150 dollars was for. He said his company would let me know when there were auditions and send me on them. I smiled and said have a good day.
It is a scam, Marsha… and I’m so proud of you for not getting swindled.
Here is a link that you can research on your spare time if you think being a background actor is something you’d like to pursue… http://www.extras411.com/extras/arizona.html
Remember if ANYONE asks for money up front or tells you you need professinal pictures to get started, listen to that nagging voice in your head and walk away, walk away quickly.
Kat: Thanks for the information.