In all important industries and thensome you will find shadows and hushed tones. This is the same case with the entertainment industry in Melbourne. There is no place that is safe from people looking to scam you out of your hard earned money or to take advantage of you for their own gains. It is important that you know what to look for, so you can avoid these people that will claim to have your ticket to fame in the entertainment industry. It is really important that you know who you are talking to in the entertainment industry in Melbourne, before it's too late to safeguard your career against false talent agents and managers.
These scams can really compromise your peace of mind and safety as you start acting and modeling in Melbourne. Just as a beginning actor or model working on developing their skills these con artists do the same so they can stay one step ahead of their victims. Are you on top of your game, can you honestly spot the con artist before they take you for everything you have?
Know who you are talking to in the entertainment industry around Melbourne as scams of all sorts of nature are constantly on the rise around the country, any scam is bad news and not just the ones that you see happening to poor widowed old ladies. You may even find that not only fake agents are trying to contact you but scammers looking for romance may even pop up as you start working towards your goals in the entertainment industry. The promise of money doesn’t just come from wanting to fake promote you to production companies but also ensnaring your heart as you start making money in the entertainment business. They do not care how they get the money or the source but that they get it.
There are experts that work with SAG-AFTRA (an acting union) that have actually advised that those that are just starting out their careers as actors take the time to talk to others that have experience working in the industry already there in Melbourne. It also would not be a bad idea to look up articles online about scams in the entertainment industry so you can arm yourself with better knowledge on what red flags you should be looking for. Networking and finding a good mentor in Melbourne can also really be helpful as they may be able to spot something that you don’t as you start looking for a reputable talent agency to work with and help you avoid losing your hard earned money to a con artist.
Knowing what would qualify as red flags to avoid when looking for an agency to work with in Melbourne is half the battle, to start a rewarding career instead of becoming a victim to false hopes and dreams. In the entertainment industry there are always bad actors and these bad actors or actresses can be easy to spot, especially if they are trying to charge you fees up front for their services. It is a well known fact around Melbourne that your talent agent or manager does not get paid until you do. It is industry standard that depending on where you are working, the agent receives a certain percentage of the actor or models wages and they will work hard to get you work, so they can get paid too. There is no other way that works and don’t let someone even try to convince you otherwise.
One sure fire thing you can do as you come around to working with a talent agency before even going to meet them is to check with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement to ensure the business holds the appropriate licenses and permits. Once you have clarified that they are a real agency with clients in Melbourne, that’s one step done and you can breathe a little easier. You should also ask for references and research online reviews of the business to see if other talent or models have complained about their services. Get everything...contracts, promises in writing and keep copies.
There is nothing wrong about being optimistic as you start out in the entertainment business however, you should also exercise some caution as sometimes being optimistic can be something that makes you more vulnerable to the predators that lurk in the shadows of the entertainment industry. When conversing with someone claiming to work in the entertainment industry there in Melbourne, be wary of those claiming they “are big Hollywood manager,” or “Big Hollywood agent,” this person is clearly scamming you. Sometimes they are not that easy to spot, so always know who you are talking to.
