I recently got an email from an old buddy from high school.

I have a quick question for you. Have you ever heard of [name of company removed]? They contacted me and want me to come in tomorrow to see them. If you know anything let me know.

Thanks darling,
Adam

Okay, so. I should first mention that Adam is not an actor. He’s attractive. He’s smart. But he’s not an actor. The company that reached out to him is in the business of reaching out to attractive people (and parents of cute kids) and telling them everything they want to hear about their chances of “making it” (yes, even from cities hundreds of miles away from the major showbiz hubs, like where Adam currently lives) and then charging a great deal for classes, photos, and other unnecessary “services.”

Because I get emails like Adam’s pretty much every week, I have a copy-and-paste email I send to folks, in reply. But because the links I send are from 2005, 2006, and 2008, I’m often asked whether “things have changed” and if perhaps my information is outdated, and this now IS the way it’s done.

No.

Still sketchy. Still scammy. Still at the very least, money you don’t need to spend. There are options for Agent-Free Auditioning. There is a need for good headshots, a great demo reel, web presence. Absolutely. But any company that is offering you access to gigs in exchange for money spent on classes from specific coaches and headshots taken by specific photographers needs to be scrutinized very carefully. If you’ve been scouted in a non-acting environment (at the mall, online), do not bring your checkbook or credit card with you to any meeting that follows.

Because agents and managers make money on commission, it behooves them to sign actors they believe will book (and book quickly). If anyone claiming to be an agent or manager wants to take you on, but immediately starts mentioning up-front fees or requirements of new photos from specific photographers or necessary classes with specific coaches, you’ve likely landed in a kickback scheme and you need to thank them for their time, research photographers and coaches independently, and then — after getting as much agent-free work as you can get on your own — approach agents and managers based on loads of research on targeting.

Be very careful spending money on websites that claim to share “real Hollywood breakdowns.” Outside of those outlined in Agent-Free Auditioning and a very few others that are actually not accessible by actors trying to self-submit, most sites are charging you to look at outdated, altered, stolen breakdowns on which you have zero shot. The breakdowns they list on which you may actually have a shot? Those are available for free other places on the web. Please, please, please do a lot of research before spending your money!

And yes, I know I’ve said all of this before. But I’m saying it again because it keeps happening, the business model is clear, and people keep emailing me asking if things have changed to the point that my old columns about scammy practices may be outdated. Nope. The classics never die. Scams work. Schemes work. Point is, YOU want to work. That, my friend, takes some luck, but mostly research, talent, relationship building, discipline, and TIME.

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001362.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.