http://shaunroyer.com/shaunisms.cfm Sat, 24 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://bandzoogle.com http://shaunroyer.com/shaunisms.cfm?feature=1548553&postid=1907635 How to spot and separate a child acting / modeling scam from real opportunities. The showbiz industry is filled with unscrupulous companies that pray on unsuspecting parents. The scammers know their targets well. They know that ALL parents think their children are talented, beautiful and smart. They know that proud parents want their children to be happy and succeed. They also know that all parents think their child has that “something special” quality to be the next big child star. The truth is… we all have kids. They are all great and cute. There are millions of them and millions of parents who can be taken by sales pitches that feed the need to hear “Your kid should be a star”. Here is how the scam works… You answer a casting notice, get approached in a mall, or even get a phone call after filling something out online. The sales person pretending to be in the industry and posing as a casting director, agent or some other title tells you your child is “perfect” and would like you to audition for some part. Excited you go to the audition with your kid in tow. Your child is also excited at this point. Once there you realize that there are 100′s of others there and that it is not a “real” audition. There is no part to fill, script to memorize or production company there. It is a sales meeting and you are in the audience. Someone goes up and reads a pitch to all the excited kids and parents. They tell you your kids were chosen to be a part of the showbiz industry. They go into how much fame and fortune the kids will achieve. Every word spoken is meant to excite your child to a point where it would break their heart if you said “no” at the end. Now comes the end… What do you need to do to make your child’s dreams come true? Pay up. What else. This entire sales session was meant to pump you guys up to pay for expensive, inferior classes, worthless acting workshops and poor quality portfolios. They have now convinced your child that “if only” their parents would cough up the 1000′s, they would be stars. They tell you that there are tons of companies who need “new faces”… and miraculously, can’t find them in the sea of over population outside. “New faces” and cute kids are hard to come by and companies will pay fortunes, they stop short of trying to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. You and your child MUST buy their services or their dreams of stardom can never be. At this point, the scammers expect proud parents to fold into the pressures of “mom, please” and pay the cash. And, luckily for them, many do. How to protect yourself and your child Do not believe anyone who approaches you out of the blue. The scammers pay people to hang out at malls and shopping centers to sign up kids for these things… It’s all fake. Be very careful when answering open call and auditions. When a real production company needs someone, they need someone specific, as in 8-9 year old Indian girl who can ride a horse. If you go to a casting and see tons of kids with nothing in common of different age groups, then it’s most likely a scam and be very skeptical. If it turns out to be a sales meeting, run. DO NOT allow your child to sit in. NEVER pay up front fees for anything. This is supposed to be a job — meaning YOU get paid. ALWAYS do your research. Google company names, agent names, etc. If you find nothing at all then it may be fake. Legit companies have tons of info available about them and their employees. Many companies that operate in the gray change names and locations often. Finding very little or no information at all should be a red flag. Learn to read between the lines. Their commissions depend on making you feel special and selected for something special. They have honed their sales pitch and know how to pull heart strings. This is from the ftc Unscrupulous model and talent scouts have their acts down. Take a look at what is said and what it means. “We’re scouting for people with your ‘look’ to model and act.” – I need to sign up as many people as possible. My commission depends on it. “Your deposit is totally refundable.” – Your deposit is refundable only if you meet very strict refund conditions. “You must be specially selected for our program. Our talent experts will carefully evaluate your chances at success in the field and will only accept a few people into our program.” – We take everyone with money. “There’s a guaranteed refund if you’re not accepted into the program.” - Everyone’s accepted so you can forget the refund. “You can’t afford our fees? No problem. You can work them off with the high-paying jobs we’ll get you.” - We demand payment, whether or not you get work. “Commissions from our clients are our major source of income.” – Our income comes from the fees we charge suckers like you. “I saw your child’s photo and think she is perfect for ‘fill in blank’ , the job pays $800 a day, I would like to submit her to the job “ – for a fee I will forward her info to the other scammer I found in a free CraigsList ad for kid auditions. It is up to you to protect your child! All the above is unethical but NOT illegal. Authorities will not help you when you lose your money and your child gets no work. These days there is little work for kids with years of training living in large markets whose families are in the business. The last thing a legit casting director for an ad campaign will do is travel small town malls seeking talent. Stay grounded in reality and never allow high pressure sales tactics to sway your judgement. The Nigerian 419 scam and the acting twist. If you think it’s unscrupulous sales people praying on dreams of fame and fortune, think again. The Nigerians entered the act as well. They are posting fake casting calls, trolling online profiles and contacting wanna bees with checks in hand. How it works is they contact you through a submission through CraigsList, any online casting call, an email or a contact on a acting profile. They tell you they are casting directors and have cast you for a high paying role in your city. They love you so much from your pic that they will pre-pay you for the shoot… COOL! right? ahhh, wrong! They send you a fake cashier’s check from an international bank. You are requested to keep your pay and forward the remainder to their crew for the shoot via western union. Your bank cashes the check and you forward the rest as told. 2 days later your bank holds you accountable for the thousands of dollars you withdrew against a fake check. Authorities can not help you and you are left holding the bag. You cashed a check from a bad source against your account! These people are in Africa, US authorities can not touch them and they know it! How to Get your child into Acting for “real” Forget about fame and fortune and concentrate on your kid having fun with it and improving their skills. Get your child involved in school plays, local theater groups and local student film projects. None of these will pay a dime but will give your child the experience needed to get an agent. In small markets, agents may not always be required. Find out what is being filmed in your area and contact the legit casting companies. Join their lists. Most cities have a few background agencies that allow anyone to register for a small fee and many casting directors hold monthly open auditions for new talent. Background and Extras Casting Agencies By State for US, UK and AU California Licensed Talent Agents Many states have websites dedicated to the film industry and production in the state. They are a good source of local info for small markets. Check with Union sites. SAG, AFTRA, Actors Equity, all have lists of licensed agents and other valuable information. The only real way into the industry is with a resume, training, hard work and an agent. An agent will not see your child unless they have some experience and training. Send your child to community acting classes and local workshops. Network with other families that are involved within your community. Once you get an agent, it will be up to you to get your child to the auditions your agent sends you on. Be ready for lots of disappointment. This is not easy work. For every small gig your child lands there will be dozens he didn’t. If your child enjoys it and has a true passion for the art, he will succeed. How to spot and separate a child acting / modeling scam from real opportunities.

The showbiz industry is filled with unscrupulous companies that pray on unsuspecting parents. The scammers know their targets well. They know that ALL parents think their children are talented, beautiful and smart. They know that proud parents want their children to be happy and succeed. They also know that all parents think their child has that “something special” quality to be the next big child star.

The truth is… we all have kids. They are all great and cute. There are millions of them and millions of parents who can be taken by sales pitches that feed the need to hear “Your kid should be a star”.

Here is how the scam works…
You answer a casting notice, get approached in a mall, or even get a phone call after filling something out online. The sales person pretending to be in the industry and posing as a casting director, agent or some other title tells you your child is “perfect” and would like you to audition for some part.

Excited you go to the audition with your kid in tow. Your child is also excited at this point. Once there you realize that there are 100′s of others there and that it is not a “real” audition. There is no part to fill, script to memorize or production company there. It is a sales meeting and you are in the audience. Someone goes up and reads a pitch to all the excited kids and parents. They tell you your kids were chosen to be a part of the showbiz industry. They go into how much fame and fortune the kids will achieve. Every word spoken is meant to excite your child to a point where it would break their heart if you said “no” at the end.

Now comes the end… What do you need to do to make your child’s dreams come true? Pay up. What else. This entire sales session was meant to pump you guys up to pay for expensive, inferior classes, worthless acting workshops and poor quality portfolios. They have now convinced your child that “if only” their parents would cough up the 1000′s, they would be stars. They tell you that there are tons of companies who need “new faces”… and miraculously, can’t find them in the sea of over population outside. “New faces” and cute kids are hard to come by and companies will pay fortunes, they stop short of trying to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge. You and your child MUST buy their services or their dreams of stardom can never be.

At this point, the scammers expect proud parents to fold into the pressures of “mom, please” and pay the cash. And, luckily for them, many do.

How to protect yourself and your child

• Do not believe anyone who approaches you out of the blue. The scammers pay people to hang out at malls and shopping centers to sign up kids for these things… It’s all fake.

• Be very careful when answering open call and auditions. When a real production company needs someone, they need someone specific, as in 8-9 year old Indian girl who can ride a horse. If you go to a casting and see tons of kids with nothing in common of different age groups, then it’s most likely a scam and be very skeptical.

• If it turns out to be a sales meeting, run. DO NOT allow your child to sit in.

• NEVER pay up front fees for anything. This is supposed to be a job — meaning YOU get paid.

• ALWAYS do your research. Google company names, agent names, etc. If you find nothing at all then it may be fake. Legit companies have tons of info available about them and their employees. Many companies that operate in the gray change names and locations often. Finding very little or no information at all should be a red flag.

• Learn to read between the lines.

• Their commissions depend on making you feel special and selected for something special. They have honed their sales pitch and know how to pull heart strings.

This is from the ftc

Unscrupulous model and talent scouts have their acts down. Take a look at what is said and what it means.

“We’re scouting for people with your ‘look’ to model and act.” – I need to sign up as many people as possible. My commission depends on it.

“Your deposit is totally refundable.” – Your deposit is refundable only if you meet very strict refund conditions.

“You must be specially selected for our program. Our talent experts will carefully evaluate your chances at success in the field and will only accept a few people into our program.” – We take everyone with money.

“There’s a guaranteed refund if you’re not accepted into the program.” - Everyone’s accepted so you can forget the refund.

“You can’t afford our fees? No problem. You can work them off with the high-paying jobs we’ll get you.” - We demand payment, whether or not you get work.

“Commissions from our clients are our major source of income.” – Our income comes from the fees we charge suckers like you.

“I saw your child’s photo and think she is perfect for ‘fill in blank’ , the job pays $800 a day, I would like to submit her to the job “ – for a fee I will forward her info to the other scammer I found in a free CraigsList ad for kid auditions.

It is up to you to protect your child! All the above is unethical but NOT illegal. Authorities will not help you when you lose your money and your child gets no work.

These days there is little work for kids with years of training living in large markets whose families are in the business. The last thing a legit casting director for an ad campaign will do is travel small town malls seeking talent. Stay grounded in reality and never allow high pressure sales tactics to sway your judgement.


The Nigerian 419 scam and the acting twist.

If you think it’s unscrupulous sales people praying on dreams of fame and fortune, think again. The Nigerians entered the act as well. They are posting fake casting calls, trolling online profiles and contacting wanna bees with checks in hand.

How it works is they contact you through a submission through CraigsList, any online casting call, an email or a contact on a acting profile. They tell you they are casting directors and have cast you for a high paying role in your city. They love you so much from your pic that they will pre-pay you for the shoot… COOL! right? ahhh, wrong!

They send you a fake cashier’s check from an international bank. You are requested to keep your pay and forward the remainder to their crew for the shoot via western union. Your bank cashes the check and you forward the rest as told. 2 days later your bank holds you accountable for the thousands of dollars you withdrew against a fake check.

Authorities can not help you and you are left holding the bag. You cashed a check from a bad source against your account! These people are in Africa, US authorities can not touch them and they know it!

How to Get your child into Acting for “real”

Forget about fame and fortune and concentrate on your kid having fun with it and improving their skills.

Get your child involved in school plays, local theater groups and local student film projects. None of these will pay a dime but will give your child the experience needed to get an agent. In small markets, agents may not always be required.

Find out what is being filmed in your area and contact the legit casting companies. Join their lists. Most cities have a few background agencies that allow anyone to register for a small fee and many casting directors hold monthly open auditions for new talent.

Background and Extras Casting Agencies By State for US, UK and AU
California Licensed Talent Agents
Many states have websites dedicated to the film industry and production in the state. They are a good source of local info for small markets.

Check with Union sites. SAG, AFTRA, Actors Equity, all have lists of licensed agents and other valuable information.

The only real way into the industry is with a resume, training, hard work and an agent. An agent will not see your child unless they have some experience and training. Send your child to community acting classes and local workshops. Network with other families that are involved within your community.

Once you get an agent, it will be up to you to get your child to the auditions your agent sends you on. Be ready for lots of disappointment. This is not easy work. For every small gig your child lands there will be dozens he didn’t. If your child enjoys it and has a true passion for the art, he will succeed.]]> Sat, 24 Mar 2012 07:00:00 GMT FB0987E70772302602020ED3864566F4 http://shaunroyer.com/shaunisms.cfm?feature=1548553&postid=397786 Over the last two weeks, I saw over 200 kids auditioning for my new show and/or agent representation. Of the 177 resumes, I have from these aspiring performers, only 11 are done correctly. It left a horrible impression with me, the producers and the agents involved. I couldn’t figure out why people didn’t just search the internet to find out how to create a propper professional actor’s resume and then I did a search myself. I couldn’t believe it! Many of the websites teaching how to do a professional actor’s resume were inaccurate as well. Most of the websites were simply outdated. The format and categories of an actor’s resume have gone through some transformations as the use of actors in media such as video games and webisodes has become more prevalent. The other websites were simply wrong. I went to a few sites that said to have an OBJECTIVE category. There has never been an OBJECTIVE category for an actor’s resume. None of the websites even bothered to mention that an actor’s resume is 8”x10”. I have created a Microsoft Word template for an actor’s resume. It can be downloaded on my website for free. It is on the “SHAUN-ISMS” page. My new book GET YOUR KIDZ in the BIZ takes you step by step through how to create the perfect resume if you need more help. It is going through final edits and will be available for download soon. -Shaun
I couldn’t figure out why people didn’t just search the internet to find out how to create a propper professional actor’s resume and then I did a search myself. I couldn’t believe it! Many of the websites teaching how to do a professional actor’s resume were inaccurate as well.

Most of the websites were simply outdated. The format and categories of an actor’s resume have gone through some transformations as the use of actors in media such as video games and webisodes has become more prevalent.

The other websites were simply wrong. I went to a few sites that said to have an OBJECTIVE category. There has never been an OBJECTIVE category for an actor’s resume. None of the websites even bothered to mention that an actor’s resume is 8”x10”.

I have created a Microsoft Word template for an actor’s resume. It can be downloaded on my website for free. It is on the “SHAUN-ISMS” page.
My new book GET YOUR KIDZ in the BIZ takes you step by step through how to create the perfect resume if you need more help. It is going through final edits and will be available for download soon.

-Shaun

]]> Mon, 16 Aug 2010 06:11:43 GMT 39AFFC77DDB78F91AEA8657A8C5838B3 http://shaunroyer.com/shaunisms.cfm?feature=1548553&postid=367222      I couldn’t help it, Tuesday morning, I found myself at the Beverly Hills Courthouse watching Lindsay Lohan, dressed in a black suit, go to her court hearing. I felt so badly for her. How could such a lovable child get so misguided? Being a teacher of young people in show business for the last 20 years has brought about some insight into why “child stars go bad.”      Show business is a tough business and when you’re a child you are not fully equipped to deal with the pressures of the industry. Here are a few things parents can do to help shield their young stars from taking the wrong path. 1. Keep your child’s show business persona separate from her real life persona. Awesome clothes, make-up and productions assistants might be the norm when she’s on set. But at home, it’s jeans, a clean face and taking out the trash. Let your child know that when she gets home from work, she’s just another member of the family. 2. Understand the physical and mental capacity of the child’s mind. Children are not able to make adult decisions or understand the complex workings of the real world. They take things at face value. If someone says they’re great. They believe them. If 1,000 people tell them they’re great, they believe them. What happens when they have a million fans telling them how wonderful they are? And how about all the adults whose lively hood are dependent on your child’s performance? You’ve got to shelter your child. Do not expose them to all the hype and keep the fake “yes” people away. The sharks will vie for your parental position and try to get your child to trust them instead of you. When the parent loses control that’s when thing go downhill. I’ve seen it hundreds of times. 3. Realize Performing is a drug. When someone performs, walks the red carpet or is adored by fans, the body produces chemicals called endorphins that produce feelings of well-being, excitement and pleasure. When someone is exposed to these feeling often, they begin to look for ways to create these feelings in their daily lives. This is when alcohol and drug usage occurs. Parents can combat this first by making sure the child has many different types of activities and experience besides the performing ones that make the child happy. Also, parent’s need to monitor who the young person sees and communicates with. In my experience most child stars get their first exposure to drugs and alcohol from someone who is older and many times an adult. 4. CHILDREN can have privacy when they are adults. Keep tabs on them. Check email, texts, Facebook pages, bedroom drawers, etc. Now that doesn’t mean to spy. It means to be concerned—real concerned. It only takes a split second to make a wrong decision and your role as a parent is to help your child stay on track and make the right ones. It’s a fine line. Don’t be overzealous and make your child feel like they are a prisoner in their own home. Children need to learn how to feel independent. They also need to learn to be trustworthy. It’s important that they understand that you love and trust them. But you are their parent first and your job is to love and protect them. 5. Remember you’re the Boss! This is hard to do especially when your child becomes the major breadwinner in the house. Make sure that you are saving the child earnings in a Coogan account. If you’re the manager or have debt that has incurred from helping your child’s career, make sure you get the expenses and commissions paid back to you. That is different that living of your child’s earnings. Don’t let your child’s work be the reason for your family’s elevated living status. It sets up a dynamic that is never healthy and will cause resentment. When the child begins to support the family, it shifts the paradigm and the family structure gets warped. If you raise your child right and manage their money correctly, they’ll be grateful when their older and will want you to share in their good fortune.      Being a parent is tough. Being a parent of a talented or gifted child is tougher. Being a parent of a talented or gifted child who makes a lot of money is probably the most difficult job ever. But, if the parent is aware of the dangers and stays on top of things, having a child in show business can be a wonderful experience for the whole family. For more information on getting children into show business and other valuable resources, check out my website www.shaunroyer.com. felt so badly for her. How could such a lovable child get so misguided? Being a teacher of young people in show business for the last 20 years has brought about some insight into why “child stars go bad.”

     Show business is a tough business and when you’re a child you are not fully equipped to deal with the pressures of the industry. Here are a few things parents can do to help shield their young stars from taking the wrong path.

1. Keep your child’s show business persona separate from her real life persona. Awesome clothes, make-up and productions assistants might
be the norm when she’s on set. But at home, it’s jeans, a clean face and taking out the trash. Let your child know that when she gets home from work, she’s just another member of the family.

2. Understand the physical and mental capacity of the child’s mind. Children are not able to make adult decisions or understand the complex workings of the real world. They take things at face value. If someone says they’re great. They believe them. If 1,000 people tell them they’re great, they believe them. What happens when they have a million fans telling them how wonderful they are? And how about all the adults whose lively hood are dependent on your child’s performance? You’ve got to shelter your child. Do not expose them to all the hype and keep the fake “yes” people away. The sharks will vie for your parental position and try to get your child to trust them instead of you. When the parent loses control that’s when thing go downhill. I’ve seen it hundreds of times.

3. Realize Performing is a drug. When someone performs, walks the red carpet or is adored by fans, the body produces chemicals called endorphins that produce feelings of well-being, excitement and pleasure. When someone is exposed to these feeling often, they begin to look for ways to create these feelings in their daily lives. This is when alcohol and drug usage occurs. Parents can combat this first by making sure the child has many different types of activities and experience besides the performing ones that make the child happy. Also, parent’s need to monitor who the young person sees and communicates with. In my experience most child stars get their first exposure to drugs and alcohol from someone who is older and many times an adult.

4. CHILDREN can have privacy when they are adults. Keep tabs on them. Check email, texts, Facebook pages, bedroom drawers, etc. Now that doesn’t mean to spy. It means to be concerned—real concerned. It only takes a split second to make a wrong decision and your role as a parent is to help your child stay on track and make the right ones. It’s a fine line. Don’t be overzealous and make your child feel like they are a prisoner in their own home. Children need to learn how to feel independent. They also need to learn to be trustworthy. It’s important that they understand that you love and trust them. But you are their parent first and your job is to love and protect them.

5. Remember you’re the Boss! This is hard to do especially when your child becomes the major breadwinner in the house. Make sure that you are saving the child earnings in a Coogan account. If you’re the manager or have debt that has incurred from helping your child’s career, make sure you get the expenses and commissions paid back to you. That is different that living of your child’s earnings. Don’t let your child’s work be the reason for your family’s elevated living status. It sets up a dynamic that is never healthy and will cause resentment. When the child begins to support the family, it shifts the paradigm and the family structure gets warped. If you raise your child right and manage their money correctly, they’ll be grateful when their older and will want you to share in their good fortune.

     Being a parent is tough. Being a parent of a talented or gifted child is tougher. Being a parent of a talented or gifted child who makes a lot of money is probably the most difficult job ever. But, if the parent is aware of the dangers and stays on top of things, having a child in show business can be a wonderful experience for the whole family. For more information on getting children into show business and other valuable resources, check out my website www.shaunroyer.com.

]]> Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:35:00 GMT B455761FDD6B69F7AE8D48673623C09B