Time after time I have heard stories of people starting out in the acting industry being ripped off by acting agencies. Read this article carefully to make sure you don't become one of them! Acting agencies that ask for a joining fee are ripping you off! Acting agencies that place advertisements in newspapers offering a place on their books because they have lots of work in film, TV and magazines are ripping you off! Acting agencies that tell you, you have to have your headshot taken through them at a fee of course are ripping you off! Time after time I have heard that these actors-to-be have been ripped off, that they are completely unsatisfied with their agency and almost always that they have been forgotten, that they never get called to go for a job and that they're not working! My advice to you; don't join acting agencies that advertise. Imagine how many other hopefuls have answered this ad. They are out to get your money not guide you in your acting career. Genuine acting agencies do not need to advertise and do not charge you fees to join their books, end of story! I will say that again. Genuine acting agencies DO NOT charge you a fee to join their books, they also do not make you get your headshots done through them. They can recommend who they think is a good photographer but it shouldn't be set in stone that you have to use them. Shop around for an agent. Searching for an agent is tough but keep knocking eventually a door will open. Work on your craft; start to build an acting resume. Take some classes, work on some student projects and then keep knocking till you find an acting agent that is genuine. The only fee acting agencies take is their commission once you have landed a job. This fee is usually 10%, it really shouldn't be any higher that 15%, if an agency tries to charge you more than this they are ripping you off, find another agent. There are so many acting agencies out there and just like any system there is a hierarchy. There are those who are at the top, there are those who are in the middle, then there are those who are low down and then there are those that are lower than low and they are the acting agencies that try to rip you off by charging you fees. When searching for an agent be realistic! We all believe that we are the next Meryl Streep or the next De Niro but look at it from the acting agencies' point of view if you haven't done any work how can you expect them to take you on. This is a business transaction. So pitch your self to those agents in the category where you truly fit. Don't worry if they're not "the best", as your resume grows so too will your opportunities to climb up the food chain of acting agencies. To your acting success Leanne Mauro |
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