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Rick · 09-02-2006, 02:54 AM

Hope you don't mind me posting this here and if it offends please accept my apologies as it is only meant to inform.
We run an Acting agency in the UK and have done for some 22 years now. Recently we have taken the plunge and opened an online version of our Agency, as a result we are now looking to open up more to the USA and as such are looking to increase the numbers of actors we have in the USA. If you are interested in working with us please go to http://www.film-tv-agency.com where you will find more information about us and what we are trying to achive. If we accept you there are no fees involved and we are happy for you to remain with other agents, the only condition being if we find you the part you go through us for that part. Please feel free to circulate this information to friends.

Many Thanks for your time

Rick and Alyson

cenobitehell · 09-04-2006, 08:21 PM

HEY you do charge a feee!

i just checked out your site, and it doesnt mention a fee until you go to the audition section, you take phone audition then we MUST attend a workshop that in the small print at the bottom of the page sais we must pay a moderate fee for!

Rick · 09-18-2006, 09:30 AM

There is no pressure at all for you to attend our workshops it's entirely up to you so as we said there is no fee.
When we provide training courses then you have to realise there are fairly high costs associated with renting rooms facilities etc. It is very difficult for us to gauge how good some people are from their CV's and therefore we do training days to see just how good you are. At the same time we give you some extreamly good TV/Film training. Once we have seen you in action then we can rate (we use a star system) you which helps casting directors and us when looking for people for parts. If we audition you over the phone/internet then we need to pay a qualified drama teacher to see how good you are and once again there is no pressure for you to audition.
At the end of the day we really want you to get the part as that is how we get paid so we aren't going to put people forward that aren't good enough - it wastes their time and ours.
There are very few things in this life that are free - but if you always go for free things then you will get back exactly the same value, costs nothing = worth nothing. While we have no joining fees we do make actors and actress's build their own online CV's (with tools we provide) and keep them upto date which requires effort on there behalf and proves to us just how committed they really are.
Sorry guys but if you want to get to the top in the acting profession then you have to invest a massive amount of time and effort and sometimes hard cash in your own future. If you truely want to make it and are prepared to invest in your future then we will find you a part - but you are going to have to prove it first!

Rick

Pyodog · 01-23-2007, 05:23 PM

So Rick, are you saying that they need to pay to audition?
Because if you are, that's a scam... It sounds iffy to me.

Rick · 01-24-2007, 12:19 AM

We get literally hundreds bordering on a thousand of wanabe's every month who all think they have what it takes to be the next great actor or actress's and that we should be grateful that they have crossed our path. The reality is very much like the people you see on pop idol or x-factor - they have NO talent at all! We have to weed those people out somehow and that is one of the methods we use. I should point out that we do from time to time, again a bit like pop idol or x-factor, find rough diamonds that we poloish and who then go on to do all sorts of great stuff. Given the ability of the internet to span the world we are now trialing training over the internet.
If you have a CV that proves you have experience you won't pay anything because you won't need to. If on the other hand your CV is empty why should we take you on? We started out many years ago training people for Film and TV work and still do as a separate business. The value of that training is immense - a young girl we trained for a number of years got a part in the new Warner Brothers film "Mrs Ratcliffes Revolution" last year and has now landed an ongoing part in Coronation Street a British soap. I think the standard of our training speaks for it's self, thats why it's not free.
If you are truly serious about a future in acting you will be prepared to do anything!

Rick

cenobitehell · 01-24-2007, 02:50 PM

ooh! who was the girl in coronation street?

Rick · 01-25-2007, 12:09 AM

She starts filming in Feb - unfortunately I can't tell you anymore as it would spoil the story and we have been asked to keep it secret so you'll have to wait and see!

Billy1970 · 01-25-2007, 01:53 AM

Would you be willing to tell all of us how much income your company derives from selling auditions vs. how much you generate from commissions off booking your actors?

I only ask, because as I understand it, an agent's job is to weed out the 'wannabes' so they can make money off their 'talent', and generally that 'weeding out' process occurs from auditioning actors for free.

Rick · 01-30-2007, 01:36 PM

First point we don't sell auditions! We use our own system for evaluating the skill sets of anyone claiming to be an actor. That takes a number of different forms from reading a good CV (which we check!) in which case we would take you on board no problem at all with no costs at all. To finding someone who has zero acting skills on paper. For these people and only these people we provide a workshop where we really do train them and at the same time evaluate them. If folk are serious about getting into acting then they won't have a problem. Point to note is that we only take about 20% of those that attend our courses so attending one will not always get you in. How ever everyone that has attended one has felt the day well worth it. Can I suggest you please go and read our questions and answers page as I think you have the wrong end of the stick here.

Billy1970 · 01-31-2007, 08:19 PM

Okay, you don't sell 'auditions'.

What percentage of your company's income is derived from booking your talent versus the percentage made from activities 'other than' booking talent?