Curtains Up!

We have all read the advertisment in our local paper announcing that after a lifetime of participating in the daily grind we can finally, almost magically, “Get Discovered”, or heard the ad on our radios telling us that our 6 year old princess can become a Ford model.

Or maybe you just received the good news from your neighbor telling you that there’s a talent search going on this weekend at the hotel ballroom, where top agents and talent scouts will be present. What an opportunity! At my mall? How should you prepare? What should you wear? We can answer those questions easily in one sentence: RUN FAR, FAR AWAY.

Hollywood and New York are not coming to a town near you. They have done ok without you, and they’ll wait for you to come to them. They are pretty lazy that way. These ‘talent search’ companies touting the idea that they are traveling around with top New York City casting directors or Hollywood talent agents are nothing more than posers who are preying upon the weak, starry-eyed and unschooled. If these talent and casting agents were any good, then they would be back in their prospective towns doing what they do best: casting and booking talent.

If someone tells you that your little girl should be in pictures and that all you have to do is sign this little contract and then pay their photographer a whole lot of money for a “portfolio”, then we have other ideas of what you should do with that pen. If another caring individual stops you in front of their mall kiosk and tells you that your son is the cutest they have seen in a long time and that they can get him modeling jobs if he just takes some classes for $xyz amount of money, then rip yourself away and continue down to the Gap. Spend your money there. At least you’ll be able to actually get something for your money.

Do your research, get outside advice. And, for goodness sake, don’t pay anyone a dime for representation and don’t sign any contracts until you are darn sure you know exactly what you are signing. Agents and managers get paid when they get you work, not beforehand. Do not pay any upfront fees for ’services provided’. They may make suggestions about where to have a head shot done, but by no means expect you to use that photographer. They may tell you about a really good acting class or coach who is working with all the new hot talent in town, but unless you audit the class first and recognize some of that really ‘hot’ talent, then, you may as well take an acting class from your Uncle Jerry.

If you’re still convinced the talent agent guy you spoke with at the mall this weekend was legit and that he’s the one who’ll get little Sally to star on Hannah Montana by next Spring, then please give me a call. I’ve heard it all before and would be glad to help.

-Mark