A Scam or What?

ExtrasForMovies.com recently received a request from a "company" to advertise on our site for a film they were producing. In addition to the call information they were requesting a fee for anyone who choose to audition.

As members know, our policy is to not list companies or accept calls that require a fee to audition or to attend a casting call. So in response, our staff member wrote back asking the simple question, "Why do the people auditioning have to pay a fee?"

Their response back was frightening. They not only began a tirade on why we were questioning them, they explained that they were not getting the money, the casting company they hired was receiving the fee and "hey" nothing is for free.

The reason this film hired a "Casting Company" was to help them audition people for their film and filter out the serious from the not so serious and the talented from the not so talented.

Now we ask you and please correct us if we are wrong but...

· Doesn't the company making the film pay casting companies or personnel?
· Don't most production personnel seek out talent for their projects without asking for a fee?
· Don't production companies have a tendency to contact talent agents to send in their clients and if one of the client is chosen, the talent agent receives a percentage of the pay.

There are hundreds of casting personnel visiting our site and casting members in projects from all over the world without charging fees, and get this, some even pay talent.

SCAM?
So we ask, why would a casting company come in and charge each person a fee to attend an audition and even more extraordinarily put out notices such as "All types, ages and talent levels are encouraged to apply."

If you were to read between the lines, is this saying that if you want to get in the movies and have cash we will give you an audition? Are these people really serious or are they laughing all the way to the next batch of people with dreams of stardom and who have money?

Tips for New Actors/Models

Tips for Beginning Acting/Modeling
Actors need to be seen.
Actors, Entertainers, Singers, Dancers, Models and even extras for film need to get out to casting personnel seeking talent for their projects.
If you are contemplating entering the field, you will require photos, resumes and for voice-overs, demos tapes in most cases.
You must have photos.
You must begin building a resume.
You need to market yourself.
Photos are needed to see what you look like -A resume reveals your skill level
Pretty inexpensive tools of the trade if prepared properly.
Then why are so many people getting taken for hundreds and thousands of dollars?
There are many questionable people out there that are scheming and planning to take your money in exchange for making all your fantasies come true.
Most people do not study or research enough on the field. Take time and visit the library or neighborhood bookstore where a multitude of books will be found published on the subject.
If you studied, you would begin to understand what is required and what it takes to get yourself on the big screen, or in local fashion shows or begin working as a promotional model for large companies.
Knowledge is power and when you understand what it takes, you are less likely to get “taken” We have selected a few book titles and posted on our website, read as much as possible and familiarize yourself with what is needed to get into the entertainment field.
MARKET YOURSELF
Visit local agencies and acquire an agent. Be ready to provide them with the materials needed to market you.
List yourself on the Internet at websites that are popular with casting personnel
Have good clear photos and get more professional photos as money permits
Read Variety and the Hollywood reporter
Update your resume – Get experience, take some good quality acting classes, a charm course, dance classes or volunteer for a independent student film.
****Expand your talents and skills in as many areas as possible.
If a film project called for a hip/hop dancer who can walk a tight rope while reciting Shakespeare, and you have those skills, chances are you will get an audition, so the moral of the story is learn all you can. Enhance all your skills and talents. Get a few photos and begin to create a resume.

How to Become a Star

The staff receives hundreds of emails each day on how to become a model, actor or extra in a film. We receive questions about age, no experience, what to do, how to begin, what is needed.

We are overwhelmed and unfortunately unsolicited emails are now deleted immediately due to large attachments and virus difficulties.

We cannot possibly respond to your questions without doing an personal analysis and authoring pages of information that is already accessible in books at your local library.

What we provide at ExtrasForMovies.com is a place for all levels of talent to post their picture for exposure to production personnel seeking talent for projects.

Therefore, we have created this section for inquiries on "How to Become a Star". Anyone can post their question and perhaps receive an answer from other users of the site on how to get a start in the industry.

Auditions from Hell or Heaven?

Help others learn more about the entertainment industry. We want to hear from you about your casting call and audition experiences.

Did you submit for a call that was not all it was cracked up to be?
Was it a scam?
Did you get a part in a film or television show?
Do you want to share advice and tips to newcomers?

Your comments may help others who are seeking information on how to get into the field. Please add your comments below.

Use Due Diligence

Important Notice From the Staff at ExtrasForMovies.com

Use due diligence when submitting for casting calls and auditions seeking talent for projects.

If any casting call or audition listed on our site asks for money or any fees what so ever, we need to hear from you! At no time are you to pay to audition or pay for photos in order to audition or get a part.

Now we want to be clear between the difference of getting the materials you need to get a project and the avoidance of being taken for your money. You need to be prepared when submitting for auditions and casting calls. (Please see Tips for New Actors/Models on this page)

If you are prepared with your photos and or resume for the type of position you are applying for, then there would be no reason to pay for photos when attending the casting call or audition.

In our experience, no reputable person seeking talent for a project will be asking for money. Now they may ask you to perform for free in exchange for experience, resume additions, credits, deferment pay and copies of project but they will not be asking you for money.

Issue here is the definition of a casting call or audition. Casting personnel are seeking talent for a bonafide film or television project. Just like applying for a job. You do not pay to get a job but you DO need to prepare yourself for the position or market yourself to the personnel seeking talent.

We review all calls posted on this site as much as possible but unfortunately some can get by us. Therefore, we need your help to keep this site free of scam artists trying to take your money. At no time should you have to pay to appear in a film, pay for pictures for any project and if asked to do so, please contact us ASAP or use our BLOG page to post comments below regarding your experience with any of the calls listed on this site.

Most importantly DO NOT give them ANY money. If you suspect something shady in any casting call or audition posted on this site, please let us know via email at chrisjo@extrasformovies.com or post your comments below.

Member Deactivation Notice

Attention Members of ExtrasForMovies.com.

We are in a state of constant frustration when members sign-up and post their information on the site to generate casting call inquiries and auditions from casting personnel and then do not maintain a valid email address.

We require a reply from our members when they are sent casting inquiries. This helps us to know that the email was received and that the member's email address is still valid.

If you are a member of the site and your email address is inactive, then it wastes everyone's time when you are unable to get email.

PLEASE, if you want casting calls sent to you, then you MUST maintain a valid email address.

We will post a list of members in the future who will be taken off the site due to no current email address or do not reply when inquiries are sent to them.

If you have changed your email address, send us an email at chrisjo@extrasformovies.com with your name in the subject line, your state and that this is your new email address.

New Blog and Newsletter Updates

The staff of ExtrasForMovies.com are excited to introduce "The Casting Room" blog/newsletter page.

This blog has been set up for staff, members and users of our site to communicate and post comments and feedback regarding casting calls, member updates and issues regarding the entertainment industry.

Note: Production Personnel. This page is not for posting of casting calls and auditions. All casting calls submissions must be posted using our casting call form by clicking here.