I would like to share a discussion I had yesterday,and I truely could not believe what I heard, but this is LA, so why I was surprised,is beyond me. This particular young lady informed me, that this town is truely based off what you're willing to give(pay).She went on to say,she have known actors, to charge other actors, an fee for an interview with their agent,and I guess it would be as though; I'm a friend of hers and she knows me really well, for this interview to happen. I guess this be a better way to go than paying your money to the "Network studios" or "Actors Collective"I said all this to say this, stories like this makes me go Hmmmmmmmmm. Actors will to anything.....

Uh, YEAH. Many stars today paid their way to success.

Every try to get a really good tip-based job in Vegas if you don't have connections? Same thing. Gotta pay someone off. I experienced this personally.

My advice? If it's a good agent- pay the money, within reason. I'll get lit on fire for all of this I just know it but the way of the world is though cash and connections. Nothing is free.

Finally, let's be very clear. She's not a friend, she is a CONTACT. Friends (if you can find them) help you because they are friends and that's what friends do. Contacts only do if there is something it for them.

Make the distinction with everyone you meet now and in the future and you will save yourself a lot of hurt and disappointment.

Personally I've never heard of such a thing after 13 years out here and I'd have my doubts about the whole idea.

First of all, if the person turns out to be mediocre, that's going to hurt the actor with their agent. That's IF the agent agrees to see them. And if they don't? Do you get your money back? Hard to claim breach of contract for a kickback.

Then there's the question of just how good the agent is. I'm guessing, not great. If the actor got a good agent to start with, they probably value that relationship more than any quick fee they could get from it. If the person asking to be introduced is strong, that could only help the other actor. If they're not, see above.

There's a bunch of things wrong with this idea, right from the get-go. It plain sounds like a hustle to me.

C'mon, guys. This sounds like an urban myth to me. I've never, ever heard of such a thing. I'm not even sure how it would work.

No Secret Agent man, I don't believe it's a myth, actors will do anything for a dollar, actors are hustlers, and as you know most actors don't work, so they have to make money any way they no how. I'm sure the agents don't know about what's goes on behind close doors,between actors, deals do happen. If an actor wants to meet with a certain agent,and another actor can get them the door, for a small fee,why not. Nothing is guarentee, such as, the rest of these networking gatherings, that actors have to gamble their way through. Nothing surprises me anymore,isn't this what being in the "KNOW" really means???

quote:

Originally posted by Secret Agent Man:
C'mon, guys. This sounds like an urban myth to me. I've never, ever heard of such a thing. I'm not even sure how it would work.

People think that about buying a job in Vegas too. But it happens.

No, it doesn't. Not with real agents. The danger is too high and no real agent would risk their job or reputation over something this stupid. I mean, how much money are we talking about? And let's say I take a meeting with an actor who has paid to meet me. What if I pass? What prevents that actor from going after me? It's too big a risk for too small a gain.

As for Vegas, who cares? I'm talking about the film and television industry in Los Angeles and New York, not bottom feeder scumbags in the middle of the desert looking to rip off chorus girls.

I like your wisdom Secret agent,but that's just it, these daze everything is a gamble, especially when you're hungry,this is an hard industry to knock,and everybody is looking for a piece of the pie.There's no right way or wrong into this industry, sometimes I think that I'm to gullible,cause I try to do things the right way,but stories like these makes me want to turn the other cheek.I didn't say agents knew about anything, I'm talking about their clients, who knows people who would like to have a shot to meet with their agents, "friends" refer "friends" all the time to their agents, and agents meet with them.Isn't this how this business ran;somebody that knows somebody,that knows somebody? Same method.This story didn't just come about, the young lady left me with a smile on her face,like she had a clue and I didn't.

If you have an ounce of sense you would not pay a "friend" for this. First of all, it's clearly extortion. Second of all, what makes you so sure the friend will deliver? They have that kind of pull with their agent? They're such a big money-maker for the agent that all they have to do is say the word?

It makes me think of the opening of Chicago when Roxie Hart's dumb behind shoots her lover because after screwing him he finally confesses he has no intention of hooking her up with an industry friend and he was just lying to sleep with her.

I'm sure there are plenty of scumbags in LA sweet talking poor, naive girls. Are you going to be one of them? Do you really want to be the girl who pays/screws her way to the bottom of the middle?

Of course not Delane,believe me I'm much to old for the games,but this is what's happening,and all that to ask this,Is it really talent playing the part? If I really must tell the truth, there's lots of actors out here in LA are not really actors, most spend half of their time goofing off, looking for an open door and it doesn't matter how it's open,as long as it opens;unlike New yorker, who's been to Tish,Yale, who's paid their dues as I have, and still paying Sallie Mae,reaching for the dream and you hear stories like these, it makes you wonder.Yes there's lot's of srumbags that walks this earth and they prey on the starved, but isn't that's how most of these actors workshops and networking studios do as well,take the 30-40 dollar fee, to "Meet and Greet" knowing noone is really looking for talent,but to just tickle our ears anyway? Isn't that how it really works? As they say, "Life isn't about fairness".

quote:

Originally posted by Secret Agent Man:
No, it doesn't. Not with real agents. The danger is too high and no real agent would risk their job or reputation over something this stupid. I mean, how much money are we talking about? And let's say I take a meeting with an actor who has paid to meet me. What if I pass? What prevents that actor from going after me? It's too big a risk for too small a gain.

As for Vegas, who cares? I'm talking about the film and television industry in Los Angeles and New York, not bottom feeder scumbags in the middle of the desert looking to rip off chorus girls.

First of all, there is more to Vegas than chorus girls and I'll thank you not to make such a narrow-minded and INCORRECT judgement. Not everyone in Vegas is a whore or a stripper or, a "chorus girl". I know where you were going with this and I don't appreciate it. Vegas is a friendlier town than "Smell- A" ever could dream of being.

There are many Asian dealers who come from very poor countries in Vegas and to get a simple job dealing games in a casino (FAR from chorus dancing) they are extorted by one or two places. It's shameful and not dissimilar I am sure to what goes on in Hollywood is my point.

Talk about bottomfeeders- just look around Hollywood.

I also have a friend in LA who own a television production company and he told me of a very high profile A-list star who initially got his start by paying an attorney with great connections $10,000- around 1980 it was.

I like a lot of what you say SAM and your presence here is greatly appreciated but sometimes you have it all wrong. Rarely, but in this case you were way off with the Vegas cliches.

quote:

Originally posted by Secret Agent Man:
I mean, how much money are we talking about?

That's the key phrase right there. Everyone has a price.

Egh...I hate reading about things like these. I've never experienced something like that, even though my industry experienced is limited to everything but an exclusive A Industry.

I'm perfectly fine with people wanting to ask for money to meet with their agent, if that is the case--Drop the 'friend' or referrer, and move on. Acting is an art, and you art given work for your work of art. Develop it, and eventually people will want a piece of it.

I live by principle, not by greed. Can't help it.

quote:

Originally posted by JADE:
but isn't that's how most of these actors workshops and networking studios do as well,take the 30-40 dollar fee, to "Meet and Greet" knowing noone is really looking for talent,but to just tickle our ears anyway?

Wait... did you REALLY just make that comparison? Well, the workshops are pretty straightforward, and they do exactly what they promise. Pay. Meet. Audition. The end. Everybody knows what they're getting. I've been to a few of these, and so have many others on this board, and several boarders have shared their success stories with this method. SAM has said repeatedly that he has signed actors from doing them (he's also said he considers the money a joke). When everybody wins that's called negotiation. When you're dumb enough to pay off some jerk and 3 weeks later you're still asking about your meeting, or you get the meeting and it amounts to shaking his hand before he blows you off, that's called being a sucker. Please tell me you see the difference. Heaven help you if you can't.

It's a legitimate comparison.

The moment you're paying to connect with someone who can get you work, the fact that it's in a "class" or through an individual becomes a minor distinction.

I still don't believe any legitimate situation like that described here exists, but I can fully believe an actor might hustle other actors by making them think that if they give money, they will get a benefit. Just as spammers make people think if they send money they'll get more money.