STAY AWAY FROM ONE SOURCE TALENT AGENCY
We advise actors to stay away from One Source Talent Agency located at 8383 Wilshire Blvd. They promote themselves as an “LA Casting type” of service that charges you a $39.95 per month service fee and an initial $495.00 sign up fee. Of course it is very old news that an actor should only pay an agents fee of 10%, 15%, or 20% (depending on the agreement with the agent) after the actor has been booked for work by the agent. We’ve received several negative reports about this agency. Please be advised. Feel free to forward this notice to your friends.
Stay tuned for more information of career building information and Free Class events!
Ken Jones,
InfoAlert
www.info4actors.com
Beware of MMPRG or Marketing Management and Public Relations Group
I have received numerous reports about this company and we strongly advise you to run in the other direction if you received a notice from them.
Actors have reportedly received an “audition notice” after submitting their photos to agencies for representation. We are not certain if Baron Entertainment is aware of this, or if MMPRG and Baron Entertainment have formed some new pact together, but the actor is led to believe that they are going to audition for Baron Entertainment. Only to show up at an office other than Baron Ent., and get bait and switched to offers for classes, photo shoots, Covenant Agreements, and to be a part of other services such as “Well Being Circle Groups,” skin care products and exercise classes.
I advise you, no matter how tasty it sounds from your friends and colleagues that don’t know any better, STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY!
Looking out for you,
Ken Jones,
www.info4actors.com
STAY AWAY FROM SYLVIA FERGUSON & ASSOCIATES!
Until further notice we are advising you to stay away from Sylvia Ferguson & Associates. According to hundreds of actors over the last few years, after signing a contract with them, if they did not sign up for a phony web service Sylvia created herself called E Talent Files, the actor will not be submitted for auditions. This website is supposedly used by a few casting directors when casting her actors for commercials. The “service” costs actors $140 a year! She tells every actor that signs up with them to sign up for 3 services which are totally legitimate-La Casting, Actors Access and Now Casting. Only to group her phony E Talent Files site in with them as if it is equally as relevant. Again, if the actor does not sign up for this phony service, she will not submit the actor for auditions. Some actors are being dropped altogether due to their refusal to sign up for this phony service.
IMPORTANT: There are some actors that are being represented by this agency and don’t mind this type of rip off and have simply put up with it year after year. Don’t send me any emails proclaiming how much you love Sylvia and don’t mind paying the extra money for nothing. We are trying to protect actors that don’t have money to waste, especially at this time in our economy. I have more news on some other agencies in question and will be informing you shortly.
Stay tuned and pass these emails on to your friends so they will also be informed.
Ken Jones,
www.info4actors.com
RED FLAG AGENCY!
Stay away from Model Management/New Faces. We have received several reports on this company charging exorbitant fees ($895.00) for photos and processing before they represent you. Email this notice to your friends if possible.
Back and here to help!
Ken Jones,
www.info4actors.com
Scam “Casting Services” Some Agents Are Promoting
Several actors have reported meeting with agents and being told to sign up for phony casting services such as “E-Talent Files” and the newest is “Skybolt.” Services like these have been created under the guise that Casting Directors use them for casting purposes. Several agents have created these sites themselves as a means of making extra income. The actor is made to pay a fees on average of $140.00 a year. The two main casting websites used for castings are LA Casting (commercials) and Actors Access (mainly theatrical). The Casting Frontier is basically an “electronic size card” that is totally legitimate and basically stores profiles and photos of actors but does not supply breakdowns and casting notices.
Stay away from agents that require you to sign up for services other than La Casting, Actors Access and Casting Frontier. Some agents are facing going out of business so they are trying to find creative ways to make extra income.
Here to help as always,
Ken Jones,
www.info4actors.com
Correction! Follow-up to my last email about the Casting Frontier
www.castingfrontier.com
The Casting Frontier is now being used as a submission service for commercial audition notices. Meaning, your agent will require that you sign up for The Casting Frontier to be submitted for commercials for audition notices. 19 commercial casting offices use the Casting Frontier so they are just as legitimate as La Casting and Actors Access. Visit
Ken Jones,
for more information.www.info4actors.com
Beware of some Modeling Agencies that are charging monthly “operating expense” fees as a part of representing actors that model. These operating expenses are for the models photo profile being posted up on their website and other “practices” that usually are not charged for with agents that represent actors. Some agencies are charging actors $100 a month, on-going. Then after you book a job they take the fees that have added up over past months out of your check. This is totally bogus and “scam-mish.”
We are compiling a list of agents that practice this and will publish it soon. In the meantime beware. It should not cost you a dime to post your picture profile up on your agents website.
Stay tuned,
Ken Jones,
www.info4actors.com
Global One Is Still Up To Their Dirty Tricks!
Hello All. Global One is still up to no good. They now calling in actors for auditions supposedly for “jobs” then trying to get them to sign with their “agency.” Some actors have reported that they then try to up sell them other “services.” Any company that is not what they should appear to be initially must be avoided. Run in the other direction quickly.
Here to help,
Ken Jones,
www.info4actors.com
BEWARE OF MICHAEL ZANUCK. FORMERLY OF ZANUCK, PASSON & PACE
As most actors know (and if you didn’t) Michael Zanuck is still up to his dirty tricks. Since 1994 and the Bigley Agency (his former agency closed by SAG for deceptive business practices) he is still operating an agency and practices deceitful and unfair business practices towards unsuspecting actors. From requiring actors to shoot with specific high priced photographers to taking classes with designated acting coaches he has managed to keep the scams alive and well.
He continues to send out lengthy emails notices to actors that he has “scouted” from LA Casting to set up meetings for representation. Remember, the better agencies don’t do mass mailing looking for talent on a regular basis as Mr. Zanuck does. The better Agents do referrals, showcases and filter through submissions received by snail mail and email. If they are looking for extremely specific types they use LA Casting’s unrepresented talent area. Until Mr. Zanuck changes his ways, we strongly advise you to ignore is emails. *He also opens up agencies under other names. Once you find out Mr. Zanuck is at the helm you should run in the other direction.
