This is a re-post of something I brought up a year ago. These businesses continue to prey on the faith hopes and dreams of performers. It needs to stop.  Education is the key.  Please re-tweet and share!

As a performer it kills me to see my fellow actors and performers getting duped. It’s usually by the same kinds of people every time. You know the ones. ‘Do you want to be the next Hannah Montana or Ashton Kutcher? Has the Lord called you to use your talent to build his kingdom? (that’s an actual quote) Then you need to come down to the SnakeNavel Convention Center and audition for our top agents and managers this Saturday from 10am to blahblahblah.‘  Actors For Christ. Singers For Buddha.  You name it, they’re out there.  Ads in the paper or on a website promising casting info or introductions to casting directors, agents or producers for a fee.   This is a multi-BILLION dollar criminal industry.

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I get it.  These ‘trade shows’ or ‘talent conventions’ give you a chance to meet lots of agents and managers at one time.  But it’s not the agents and managers who get you the work.  Don’t believe me?  Read this.

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Like a slimy used car salesman these businesses promise you the stars and deliver zero.

Question: How do you know if you’re being taken advantage of?
Answer:  Below are the most common scams and how to spot them. (thanks to the Better Business Bureau for their help on this)

Beware of any person, company, ‘talent convention’ or organization who:

1. Asks for up-front money, which may be called “registration,” “consultation,” or “administrative” fees.  Or they require you to ‘audition’ first and then if you’re selected they ask you to pay thousands of dollars for ‘training’ and ‘photo shoots’ with ‘their accredited professionals’ before you meet agents and managers. Legitimate agents work on a commission. They don’t get any money until you get paid for doing the work they have obtained for you.

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2. Pressures you to leave a check or cash deposit or sign a contract immediately. (I’ve been repped by William Morris and ICM and never had to sign a contract.) The agent may insist that you take acting lessons at a particular school or from a particular teacher; or may try to get you to buy expensive photographs, audition tapes, or other services or materials sold by someone he or she suggests. An agent’s time should be spent finding work for his or her client, not selling products and services. One of the biggest complaints from casting people? Actors spend WAY too much money on photos that don’t even look like the person who walks in the door. Money doesn’t make you photogenic.

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3. Displays pictures of famous models or celebrities on the walls to make you believe they are represented by that agency, although they’re not.

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4. Uses names which sound similar to well-known agencies. Fraudulent companies will sometimes do this to give the incorrect impression that they are connected to a legitimate entity.

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5. Places phony ads in the help wanted section of newspapers that say something like, “new faces wanted” for commercials, movies or modeling or claim that “no experience is necessary.”

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6. Charges you money to speak with agents over the phone. There are several websites who do this. Agents and managers are busy people but they won’t charge you to speak to them. They may not return your calls right away but that’s part of the game. No one should charge you on their behalf.

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Problems or complaints about an agent or an agency may be referred to the Better Business Bureau, state Department of Licensing and Regulation or consumer protection agency in the city where the company is located. To obtain helpful consumer information on a particular agency, you will need to contact the local BBB that serves that particular city.  Keep in mind that the Better Business Bureau recommends that you do your OWN homework, their accreditation is not an endorsement of any business or entity, they are simply the first step.  There’s no substitute for common sense.

There is no magic formula for success. Following your heart will take you to greater heights than following your wallet.   If it sounds too good to be true…well, you know the rest.  Here’s to your success!

-Kahlil (at) GigSmacked (dot) com

This is a guest post from a magician named Andrew Mayne.  It made me laugh out loud and I just had to share it with you.

I have spent a significant amount of my career working alongside magicians as well as performing magic myself (3 years as Octavius at Caesar’s Magical Empire) and this guy hits the nail on the head.

I think the same thing can be said about most talent competitions and about most types of performance, whether its acting, singing or whatever.

Enjoy – and let me know what you think of his perspective. -Kahlil (at) gigsmacked (dot) com

I get a lot of email from aspiring magicians who see America’s Got Talent as their chance at success.

I try to give good advice, but there’s three things I never say directly to any one person because I don’t want to hurt their feelings.  Magic is filled with dreamers.  Unfortunately, most of these dreamers have no idea how to turn those dreams into reality or are willing to do the work.

Here are three things everyone who is thinking about trying out for America’s Got Talent needs to know:

You’re not special – they ask everyone to audition

If you get an email from the company that handles booking for AGT asking you to audition, it’s because they found your email address and not because they think you have a chance of winning.  You haven’t been “discovered”.  They did a Google search for “magician” and your name popped up somewhere.

The job of the company that books for this show is to get as many bodies in the door as possible.  99.99999% they know are absolutely horrible.  They love to book train wrecks.  They won’t tell you this, they’ll flatter you and think you have a chance.  But you don’t, because…

You’re not good

All of the guys you’ve seen on AGT are professionals who have decades in the business.  Most of them have worked Vegas and some have even headlined.  They worked hard to get where they are.  Have you worked steadily as a professional?  Would you have to turn down shows and take a huge financial risk if you went on?  If you answered “no”, then you’re not going to make it.  If you said “yes”, then here’s the last reason you’re not going to make it…

Your act is too damn slow

The single number one enemy of good magicians with good magic is that their material is TV unfriendly.  All the really good variety television acts have something happening every 15 seconds.  Every video I get sent to look at with almost no exception is way too long.  These people have no sense of time.  On TV this is deadly.  A good illusion done at a slow pace by a mediocre magician is worse then a fast paced mediocre illusion. Faster is better.

So now that I’ve said this, I’m still going to get email from hopefuls who think they are the exception.  No matter what evidence reality is offering you, you’re going to ignore it.  And sadly, I’m going to be too polite to tell you the truth.  And for that I apologize.  Break a leg!

Agents and record label execs can only sell what you bring to the table.  Here’s how to bring more to the table.

A consulting client of mine recently told me that he was moving to LA and asked me if I would advise him on his strategy:

‘I’m gonna move to LA, get a waiter job and start sending headshots to agents, hoping I get ‘discovered’ by taking lots of classes and hanging out with lots of actors.’

‘That will probably lead to a record deal and I might even dance and do some voiceover if I have time.’

Another client told me he wanted to be a famous singer and then move into films and television and wanted me to coach him on the process of making that a reality.

Sounds simple enough, right?  Wrong.  Here’s why:

Step #1:  Pick a talent or genre you are world class at and stick with it.  Not many people (less than 5%) are world class at more than one thing and the more focused you become on your specific talent the more focused attention you will receive from industry.

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Step #2:  There’s no such thing as being ‘discovered’. There are people out there looking for the next big thing but don’t count on them finding you by accident.  If they do, consider it an accident.  In the meantime, discover yourself.  Create something that will make you stand out – something that plays to your strengths and is so good you can’t be ignored.

Step #2.5: Once you create that something, COLLECT INFO from your audience.  Information is power.  Having lots of fans on Facebook, followers on Twitter or having a massive e-mailing list is more valuable than a ’slammin’ demo or an acting reel.  The power of social media means that having a huge fan base gives you an upper hand when it comes to getting the attention of those who write the fat checks.

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Step #3:  Know what an agent is looking for.  It’s more than looks and acting class.  Every agent has to figure out how much time they need to put into a client to get a return on their investment (you).  If you walk in and all you have is head-shots and botox you’re not going to get far.  How do you get them to invest in you?  Refer to steps 1, 2 and 2.5 and repeat often.

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As a mentor of mine so eloquently put it:  ’On You’

Kahlil (at) gigsmacked (dot) com

This is a guest post from our colleagues at TheSavvyActor.com, a groundbreaking website with countless proven and effective resources that encourages actors and performers to think like small business owners.  Thanks to Jodie Bentley and Kevin Urban (Savvy Actor head honchos) for contributing this valuable post to GigSmacked.com. 

For our readers:  Remember, this can be applied to any artist relationship, not just actors – agents.

 

Jodie Bentley

The Secret to an Ideal Relationship with Your Agent

By The Savvy Actor

Excerpt from The Savvy Actor Career Manual

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At some point an actor will inevitably begin their search to get an agent. Many actors look at the agent relationship as the be‐all and end‐all. Really, that’s when the work begins, but on a different level.

When an actor gets an agent, we often find that one of two things happen:

1. They’re at a loss as to how to proceed.

2. They rely too much on the agent, and stop their own self‐promotion.

Both of these can hurt the agent relationship.

At the Savvy Actor we have created the Five P’s to a Productive Agent Relationship to help you unlock the secret to building the ideal relationship with your agent.

 

Five P’s to a Productive Agent Relationship:

 

1. Proper Setup of Relationship

The first step, mainly with legit representation, is making sure they agree with what you sell. This is why packaging and aligning your brand is so important. If you have done all your branding homework and know where you fit in the industry, and they agree, then the relationship will thrive.

In beginning any business relationship, setting up proper communication is vital. Do they prefer email, phone, or dropping by? If there is a project you’re right for, how should you communicate that? These are important questions to answer because if you establish the communication style upfront you never have to second‐guess or worry when contacting them. When you do contact your agent, it must be for a reason – not just to check in. 

 

2. Peer and Partner Thinking

Your relationship with your agent is a business partnership, it’s not a time to be passive! Remember, they only get 10% commission. It is your job to do 90% of the work. It’s your career, not theirs.

Think of them as a peer, not an authority figure; ask for what you want and need without fear. Being afraid of your agents is not the way to have a relationship. When you come from a place of fear, you are not being your authentic self. It’s harder to function in a productive way.

 

3. (Be) Proactive

You’ve got to be proactive with your agents. This means filling them in on what’s going on in your career and giving them the tools to sell you.

Tools that “sell” you would be:

• Feedback you get in the room when you audition.
• When someone you know is directing/casting/producing/musical directing/ writing a project.
• Casting directors who know you and what they’ve said about you.
• Maintaining and updating information on your website and submission sites.

 

4. Professionalism and ‘Preciation

You are a small business owner, and it’s of the utmost importance to be professional. Actors tend to complain about their agent situations – whether they don’t have one or they feel their agent isn’t working with them. A small business owner would not complain but rather take steps to fix it. If you treat your agent with professionalism, they will do the same.

‘Preciation or gratitude is the key in maintaining relationships and being professional. Thanking your agent for negotiating contracts and getting you in for auditions is just good business practice. Thank you’s are a must.

 

5. Position of Trust

When you start working with an agent in a freelance or signed capacity, both parties are really saying,“ I trust you to do your job.“ The actor must trust that they are being submitted, and the agent must trust that you are doing your best work in the room and being professional.

Yet, agents hear these words countless times ‐“Can you submit me for this?” What actors don’t realize, is by asking this question they are basically saying, “I don’t think you did your job, so I have to check up on you.” There’s a big difference between saying, “Can you submit me for this?” and “ I’m sure you submitted me, but I’m very interested in this project” or “I’m sure you submitted me, I just wanted to let  you know the director knows my work.” By demonstrating trust, your relationship will be based on a foundation of respect and, inevitably, grow.

Use these five P’s and you are guaranteed to create a successful, savvy partnership with your agent.

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--Jodie Bentley, TheSavvyActor.com

I have 1 fan page that I agreed follow on Facebook. I have received 12 emails inviting me to performances from them in the last 7 days. It passed annoying at 3 emails. By 6 emails I was laughing at the absurdity and feeling sorry for them; at 12 emails I’m writing a blog post about a behavior that can ruin a career. 12 emails in one week to your fan base inviting them to a performance is doing damage to your career. This is an extreme example of being clueless about communication, but I think you get the general point.

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Did I miss the seminar at SXSW where they told performers that the way to get attention from the industry was to email them at least once a day making sure to invite them to every appearance, every YouTube posting and every piece of news?? When did this become a good idea? Wait….It didn’t. Please, if you are one of these people, and some of you might be,  please stop. It is seriously hurting your career.

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You need to respect your mailing list. Usually people have opted to join your mailing list or Facebook fan page because they are genuinely interested in your career. They hope that you move forward with your craft and if you respect that about them and don’t annoy them, they can help you reach your goals. Communication with your fans should not be about impressing them with activity, it should be about genuine and meaningful interactions so your audience can feel that they know you better.

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If you have a great piece of news, tell your audience why it is important to you, not why it should be important to them. If you’ve had a great show, send an email explaining what made it great and offer a couple of photos. If you’re pushing out a new video. Don’t make the video self serving, make it endearing or insightful.

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Your fan base will always be your most valuable asset. Treat it with incredible care. If you’re trying to get industry attention, be more clever, not more persistent. I guarantee clever gets noticed and persistence gets annoying.
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- Justin Sudds – GigSmacked.com