How To Avoid SCAM Talent Agents | Acting Resource Guru

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It's April, which means it's #AgentMonth at Acting Resource Guru.
First I showed you how to make an agent target list, then I gave some Pro Tips on how to cold email an agent, and this week I'm talking about an issue that PLAGUES our industry: SCAM AGENTS.
Scammers take advantage of unsuspecting people who are making the brave choice to chase their dreams. Just to make a quick buck. Needless to say, I can't stand scammy agents, so I am going to teach you how to avoid them.
There's a ton of info this week, so be sure to have a pen ready when you watch!
Get the Agent Action Guide: actingresource...
Read the full blog and get additional resources: actingresource...
SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/WGYTSubs...

[@rebeccatennison6175]

Can you do a talk about knowing if a talent manager is scamming us or trying to take advantage of an actor? Thank you for this talk, I appreciate it. Keep up the good work young lady. 🙌😉

[@svc6253]

Who is Alex that denies owning a talent agency

[@rachaelmends3582]

I knew they were a scam when 1) they started off the first audition by saying/ranting they weren’t a scam ........ that never even crossed my mind, 2) during my final audition/interview where they were supposed to “get to know me” was filled with talks of money and trying to get me to sign up and pay thousands for 1 out of 3 of their programs, and 3) their contract was a payment receipt......... no fine print or terms of conditions 🤦🏿‍♀️

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Way to go, Rachael! Good catch!

[@danvaida6938]

In Canada agents take 15%. It's because there are no managers and agents do both jobs kind of.

[@sabrinalimm6103]

Ahhh no why I did I fall for so many of these things

[@ActingResourceGuru]

It happens to the best of us, but now you're armed with information, you know what to look out for going forward!

[@MrVernonCampbell]

Great job, good advice. Don't be a dumb actor, anyone can get scammed. Don't be afraid to ask questions...

[@AjaraeColeman]

Yes!

[@Michael_Clive]

👍 Absolutely RIGHT and well said! Great advice for many amateurs with stars in their eyes. This IS a business. A desire to be a good actor means nothing... you've got to PROVE how good you are, like any business. However, this industry has been known to promote people who aren't very talented (casting couch "favors") 😉 yes, that's a real thing and it happens more than many would think. 🤫 Those who prey on the desperate and/or ignorant are the worst of the worst. 👎

[@garretttheartistcom]

VERY HELPFUL!!!

[@tyrongeorgetown6378]

Agents are not producers there not directors nor do they fund or creat projects, Their only purpose is to get you into castings! You don’t pay them to be apart of a roster, they are paid when they book you jobs!! Think of it like paying a car salesmen first to get you into the right vehicle, they make money when the bank approves u for the car!

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Some managers can also be producers, so it can be a little grey area sometimes, but def def def never pay to be on a roster upfront!

[@sarahmotlong949]

So after “accepting me” based on interview/audition the agent sends contract, and cards to print/fill out. It’s a copy/paste email that says __I__ will need a headshot package they provide “The photo shoot will take place outside, with at least 100 images. This package includes 1 headshot on the Agency website for 1 vear and a digital comp card file, which includes a headshot on the front and 4 images on the back. $400.00” plus highly recommended training classes at $40 each. Does this seem legit for a secondary market city??

[@elliottyoung-actor]

Great tips!

[@JohnfromBath]

Great video ! Thank you for making xx

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Thank you for watching!

[@JohnfromBath]

@@ActingResourceGuru Oh all the thanks goes to you !... can't believe you did it all in one take as well, true pro ! xx

[@ActingResourceGuru]

@@JohnfromBath haha thanks!

[@bluberryboi3158]

Ipop tried to scam me and my mom literally yesterday

[@ActingResourceGuru]

😱👎🙅🏾‍♀️

[@roxistarturner8308]

Is IPOP a big scam?

[@alexlauff8658]

I had an audition with them today and got a call-back, going to have another video call with them tomorrow. If they ask for money, I will stop the call immediately

[@3333falcon]

Can you tell me how you get known by an agent? I have been invited to go to LA to be a part of ARTS talent where they have a showcase in front of agents. They say that you have to pay for a registration fee to be a part of this showcase and this pays for you to do workshops and showcase your talent in front of casting agents. Not sure if I should do it or not.

[@luismaldonado758]

I can already tell you they are going to ask you for money!!! Whenever it has to do with a showcase money is involved. Here's what I found out. Record a slate horizontally, in a clear upbeat voice state ur name age and where ur from, what ur interests are and what your passionate about. Video should not be more than 30 secs long so practice before recording. Then take some heads shot photos with ur phone camera. Look straight into the ca.era no side posses. Make sure u have lots of light in ur face. Just not too much natural light is better. Take all of this and go to all the agency's that are listed. Go to their web sites and submit ur self. In the mean time u have to wait for them to get back to you. Creat a profile on Casting Networks, Casting Frontier and Actors access. You will have to pay for these. But these are for you to directly submitt to acting posts. Yes u can submit yourself to acting jobs both paying and non paying. If you are passionate about acting it won't matter its all about the exposure... good luck

[@roxistarturner8308]

Is it IPOP?

[@darlingblue8461]

What’s your thoughts on IPOP

[@zedanka9375]

Do you know NYLA Talent? Are they a scam?😢

[@mannysanchez6324]

what about $2.5K for a 60 hour course to train?

[@mariussimbi8866]

hey, this video was very helpful! and i knew i messed up after the first hint and now there’s no going back... do you know anything about nyla talent?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi there, I don't know anything about them specifically, but check out our free FB group for Actors, someone there probably does - ActorsWhoGetIt.com

[@lisettecrespo6479]

Hi Marius, did you ever get any other feedback you can share on Nyla?

[@mariussimbi8866]

@@lisettecrespo6479 hello! and yes i went through the whole process and had acting classes where they made us rehearse monologue twice a week. There was different programs you could chose and i chose the masters program which had 9 classes and 9 months of workshop and marketing which i had to pay 2k for the program...after that there was a showcase for the talents to perform their monologues infront of agency’s talent and managers to see if they wanted to work with you and invest in you. After getting chosen( which i did by brogan agency in LA) that would be it from the nyla. I now know to always research before signing up for things! it’s really helpful to look at reviews of the agency too! 🙂 sorry for the late reply! just saw this now.

[@mamamiasworld4727]

@@mariussimbi8866 Hi 👋 So was the program at NYA LA not a good route to take ?

[@Guestacc-z6w]

Is Nyla a scam?

[@gracefreeman839]

Thank you so much

[@ActingResourceGuru]

You're most welcome, Grace!

[@riss_papa]

a prospective agent wants to submit me for everything (cruise ships, national tours) when I want to focus on tv and film. I don't know how they would react if I declined an audition for one of those opportunities, but I know those wouldn't work for me right now. is this silly of me or should they listen to my interests more?

[@crystalsmith9038]

Is Famous Talent Management good? They said u have to pay $2000 to take professional classes and u can pay the money over time.

[@esmeraldariva2047]

Hi 👉🏼👈🏼 by any chance do you know if “the talent spot” is a scam?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

I haven't heard of them, but ask this question in my actor FB group! Someone there might have some more insight: ActorsWhoGetIt.com

[@LilMissHyper]

Please tell me about the talent spot

[@mariamasworld5440]

I got accepted on pro modeling they telling me to pay to take my pictures to invest on myself. And I have to pay for workshop so I don’t know if they scamming me

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi Mariama! Thanks for watching. Reps CAN recommend you get professional photos or classes, but they should not be saying "Go get your photos taken from this specific person", because that usually means they're getting a kickback. Usually they will say something along the lines "We have had clients that have done well with this list of photographers, but if you have one not on this list, send us their work and we can give you our thoughts" Hope this helps!

[@mariamasworld5440]

@@ActingResourceGuru okay I will but how can I send u there work

[@hibbertsfamilies8666]

do you know any good agencies in charleston sc or just in sc

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi! Ask this question in my FB group for actors - you will get lots of good responses: facebook.com/groups/ActorsWhoGetIt/

[@FaonVoireArtistique]

What are Your thoughts on NYLA talent?

[@nyx.mvsic.]

do acting agents work the same sort of way as modeling agents?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

They work in similar ways, but the commission structure is different. Typically, theatrical and commercial agents earn 10%. I know print modeling agents usually earn 20%. If you want to learn how to land an agent, check out my program Agent Alchemy at AgentAlchemy.info.

[@MMAGamblingTips]

I’m sorry, but I went to the website and I cannot find the database with other talent agencies. Where is it located? Thank you very much!

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi there! Thanks for watching! We no longer offer a talent agency database, but check out our group of proactive actors, Actors Who Get It: actorswhogetit.com There will be lots of actors there willing to provide some feedback on any agencies you may be looking into.

[@MMAGamblingTips]

Acting Resource Guru TY sooo much. The reason I asked is because there was this talent agency who came to our small town and did a type of talent scouting for potential actors and my niece was one they chose. But the founders owners of the company said they needed $1800 to get things going. I thought that sounded really suspicious and I just wanted to see if they were in anyone’s database. I really appreciate you taking your time to respond. 🙏

[@minagolestani2660]

Have you heard of launch show case. We have a agency here in town brought in a scout and got accepted to go to Chicago Illinois 3 day event to launch showcase I'm not finding anything but 200 a month for a year.

[@mariamasworld5440]

Aww thank you so much

[@ActingResourceGuru]

You’re welcome 😊 Thanks for watching!!

[@mariamasworld5440]

@@ActingResourceGuru u welcome 🙏

[@abitofeverythingbynastassi6273]

This interview from lmg says they are interested ye t I have to pay $10 for the interview so idk

[@HottyHour]

Is Barbizon a scam? asking for a friend 😭

[@cloudydaysandsoup3247]

Yes

[@DarlEubeDaBlackMario23]

Does anyone know about lacreme?

[@greglismonjr9179]

I have a question. Can a Talent Agency charge you a (Agency Fee) separate from the Commission you receive?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi Greg! Nope. Real talent agents ONLY make money when YOU make money. There is a little debate regarding who is entitled to the "+XX%" on top of your standard pay that can also arise when you book, but even then - it is still ONLY a commission when you make money. Any other fees are a MAJOR red flag! Hope this helps!

[@pimpim443]

@@ActingResourceGuru Good day. Can I please send you an email I received from I.T.S models and talent management. I would like to know if they're legit. Thanks

[@brokeheartwolf3733]

You Da Best!🙏🙏🙏❤️

[@skylardoesthings9201]

Is Seattle Talent a scam?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

I haven't heard of them, but ask this question in my FB group for actors. I'm sure there will be more who can share their experiences and insight! actorswhogetit.com

[@danielahernandezDH]

Hi! I signed up for NYLA talent recently and I was wondering if you know anything about them and if they are a good company or not, thank you!

[@txspazed5381]

same here i was wondering if they were legit or if they were like a scam

[@zalariahdevils7709]

Same

[@el4049]

is actingco.com a scam facebook is Casting call pls tell me bcz I have a online audition tomorrow

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi Allison - sorry I missed your comment. How did it go?

[@marciemryan]

Can an agency be franchised by SAG AFTRA but still not be legit in their representation? I auditioned for an agency that had me take their classes, said I needed lifestyle pics - I said no, was okay with that but had to pay fee to add me to the casting database and then called me said I was selected to attend a expo / seminar to audition in front of local casting agents was not told about fee upfront was emailed the registration info. I was thinking that if the agency wanted me to be seen by casting they would send me on auditions right?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Sorry we missed your comment, Marcie. This one stumped us. You can always reach out to SAG-AFTRA if you're concerned with one of their franchised agencies. This type of behavior should definitely be on their radar.

[@aysiapahl8687]

Hey would you happen to know anything about aquire entertainment group?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi Aysia! I don't, but check out our free FB group for Actors, someone there probably does - ActorsWhoGetIt.com

[@tahirahbrown6531]

I’m just finding this video but have u ever heard of latitude talent?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi! We haven't heard of them specifically, but on quick glance, it looks like they are NOT a talent agency. If they charge anything up front, that's a red flag. Hope this helps!

[@true_gift2329]

Do you know anything about OML agency founder ray Robinson say it’s “The oldest black owned agency in the world” I payed 200 upfront to do my test shoots that I’m thinking about doing in august now I’m thinking I’m was moving too fast and I sent him some pictures no nudity or anything but when I talked to him on the phone he did say something like you have big lips wow like outta no where

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hmm... Ask this question in my actor FB group - ActorsWhoGetIt.com, you can get some more feedback from others as well.

[@heatherestrella269]

What about prestige talent? They are asking $600 for four online classes

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Are the classes required? That's usually a red flag.

[@mamamiasworld4727]

Did you ever do it hun ?

[@EricWonton]

Is prestige talent agency A scam?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

We haven't heard anything about them directly, but you can check if they are SAG-AFTRA franchised. You can also ask for feedback in our free FB Group: actorswhogetit.com

[@EricWonton]

Acting Resource Guru nvm they are I got a call back they said I would need to pay for a Head shot for $200 And They need all my Credit card info

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Ooh that's a biiiiig red flag! #nope

[@mirage6106]

would these tips apply to dancer agencies too?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

These could definitely apply to dance agencies, but I did focus on commercial/theatrical agencies when I made this. Check out our FB group at ActorsWhoGetIt.com. While "actors" are in the name, we don't discriminate based on type of performance! We have a ton of dancers there that can offer you support!

[@Mocha_Majesty]

Do you know anything about arts International?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi Ali! I don't know anything about that one specifically , but check out my free FB group for Actors, someone there probably does - ActorsWhoGetIt.com

[@shellytelly9755]

Is dan talent inc a scam ?

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Hi Shelly, I don't know anything about them specifically - but check out our free FB group for Actors, someone there probably does - ActorsWhoGetIt.com

[@dallastoypalace7202]

Nymmg ?

[@matthewdelaluz2396]

Is John Casablancas a scam

[@ActingResourceGuru]

I've never dealt with them personally, but... there are quite a few sketchy reports out there. Ask this question in our FB group at ActorsWhoGetIt.com, I'm sure others there have this same concern (or have experiences of their own to share!)

[@RosalynMcLean]

They most definitely are my mom paid for my sister for classes and workshops and we haven't gotten any work. This was back in 2011. 2019 we received a call from them talking about we was picked for an audition and to come in to the office. When we got there the lady was saying that our headshots was old and we needed new ones, but here's the catch we have to redo the classes and workshops over including the headshots, but we have to pay $1000 each. Of course my mom went off and we all blocked their number I put up reviews on their page to warn people about them

[@samandadeharte4854]

Barbizon tried to make me pay 6,500 for representation 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@ActingResourceGuru]

Nope! 🙅‍♀️

[@madisonjune0823]

barbizon absolutely sucks

[@hibbertsfamilies8666]

do you know any good agencies in charleston sc or just in sc

[@ActingResourceGuru]

I don't know of any at the moment, but I'm sure someone in our FB group for actors does! Check it out - actorswhogetit.com!