AHHHH! Huge News (for me)!!

[BeeBee23]

not to get your hopes up, but i've worked professionally in the entertainment industry since I was 10, and anything like this is considered a scam. Yes, there are agents there, but you can just as easily find an agent without paying the price for something like this. they literally invite pretty much anyone who auditions for these things because they make money per person who then attends the event. If you have any questions on a better way to go about getting an agent then just PM me. I just don't want you wasting you money on this when there are better, more professional, and free ways of doing it.

good luck with everything!

[AlphaFrog]

I'm well aware that there are scams out there similar to this. My daughter got signed with Carolina Talent back in October, and I'm signed with them as of yesterday's audition. Carolina Talent is a completely reputable agency, and they are the ones that sponsored the ITS audition. Also, not everyone gets invited - my daughter auditioned for this year's event back when she first started modeling, and she didn't make it at that time.

Are there other ways to meet casting directors/producers/etc? Sure. For free? Not really. How much would it cost me to go to NYC or LA for a week? Probably more than the cost of this. Plus, part of the fee covers the entire year's worth of professional coaching that Carolina Talent is required to provide. A couple days of the event are also intense training workshops. So, even if nothing comes of this specifically, it's still experience.

Ok, I don't know why I'm justifying myself, but there you go.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I'm well aware that there are scams out there similar to this. My daughter got signed with Carolina Talent back in October, and I'm signed with them as of yesterday's audition. Carolina Talent is a completely reputable agency, and they are the ones that sponsored the ITS audition. Also, not everyone gets invited - my daughter auditioned for this year's event back when she first started modeling, and she didn't make it at that time.

Are there other ways to meet casting directors/producers/etc? Sure. For free? Not really. How much would it cost me to go to NYC or LA for a week? Probably more than the cost of this. Plus, part of the fee covers the entire year's worth of professional coaching that Carolina Talent is required to provide. A couple days of the event are also intense training workshops. So, even if nothing comes of this specifically, it's still experience.

Ok, I don't know why I'm justifying myself, but there you go.

A lot of people pay to go to talent showcases, casting workshops (chance to meet with casting directors). In LA, the pay-to-audition thing is something that a lot of people want changed. It's gained popularity in NY, and some of my friends have found work through them, but it's often a very long day (or week), and you end up with maybe a few minutes in front of CDs.

This isn't the only method, but some people have found success this way. Especially if they start out doing "Law and Order" type shows.

/hijack/
Unfortunately, the road to SAG is rarely a direct (or honest) one. Most of the people I know in SAG have entered via membership in AFTRA, a few Taft-Hartleys, and several via the waiver system (a lot of people hate this system bc of the ways people get the waivers; plus, if you go SAG before you are ready - and background work is not acting work and therefore doesn't give you any credited experience - you're competing with people with a lot more experience than you).

/end hijack/

I still wish you luck. I hope that you haven't signed exclusively with this agent. When you're "new", you want to have as many people sending you out for work as possible. Exclusive contracts are better suited when you're more experienced and/or have a billable name.