By Brooke Walks, Placement Director
The digitization of the entertainment industry has been revolutionary. It’s made the process of work more convenient, efficient, and cost effective in so many ways. But at the same turn, it has also made it more difficult to legitimize opportunities and ensure talent’s safety in our industry.
Casting Opportunity Red Flags:
-Legitimate contact information: Always verify the contact details (email, phone, company website) of casting details. Legitimate organizations should have their own domain email address, provide websites and socials to check out, and will not contact you in secrecy asking for your information or to meet.
-Clear project details: Reputable postings include the production title, type (TV, film, commercial, etc.), role description, and compensation info.
-Union affiliation: If it’s a union job (SAG-AFTRA, etc.) you can confirm that it’s listed on the official union casting site.
-Audition expectations: Beware of requests for inappropriate images/material without proper disclosure agreements.
-Payment transparency: Make sure the rate of pay, usage rights, and method of payment are clearly stated in writing.
Representation Red Flags:
-Upfront fees: Legitimate agents or managers earn commission from work that you book, not upfront charges.
-Lack of industry credibility: Check if they are franchised/licensed or affiliated with known talent organizations
-Pressure tactics: Be cautious if someone rushes you to sign a contract or make a quick decision.
-Vague contracts: Never sign anything without reviewing all terms; contracts should clearly outline duration, commission, and responsibilities.
-Promises of fame: No one can guarantee bookings or stardom – legitimate reps focus on opportunities, not promises.
These are only some of the warning signs to steer clear from when being approached by companies and when viewing casting opportunities. Brands like Under Armour, Fila, Wilhelmina, Elite Models, etc. will not contact you about a well paying job that they have coming up or that they saw some of your recent posts and thought that you would be great for their company to then set a meeting/Zoom with you for casting potential.
Having a social presence online is imperative for anyone starting their journey in the industry. This is simply the expectation of the industry these days and sadly, the eager talent looking for a big break are the ideal victims of online scams and marauding individuals. Some attempts are now directly on social media from companies and individuals who “claim” to be a scout or with a brand and stumbled upon your page and see potential. In the real world of the industry, that will rarely happen.
Barbizon has been in the industry for 85+ years and we come with a well developed network of industry professionals, educated team members, and an understanding of the processes of the industry to be able to assist our clients. We have helped those who’ve received suspicious messaging about opportunities that led to falsehood castings and even potentially dangerous conversations with individuals wrongly claiming to be a part of a well-known brand by using a cover. This is something that will sadly become more common as time continues and the creativity of scheming individuals grows into something that closely replicates the true integrity of the industry. Resources are available at your fingertips to verify your sources, you just have to know how to use them.
