ACT is on z100 in NY/NJ.

(Hopefully) we all know this is a scam so stay away!
They say "Would you like to be in Hannah Montana? Sonny with a Chance? Suite life on deck? Call this number....blah blah"
Just warning you! Heard it yesterday.

Thank you very much for that information.

Contact info for Z100

http://www.z100.com/pages/info/contact.html

WE CAN make a difference and help others. If anyone has a strong opinion and would like to help by expressing that opinion or if you had an experience with this company, the contact for this station is above. There is a drop down menu for Sales and Advertising if you use their electronic email (where it says recipient).

I did state my own issues, asked them if they researched this company (heck a simple Google search with their name (Academy of Cinema and Television) brings you to a page with 5 mentions of the word "scam"! Didn't even have to put the word in this time! I prefer to not use that name, I prefer deceptive marketing practices, however, the word just came up with a google search!

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/18485603/index.html

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/18494106/index.html


IF they were using Disney or Nick in their ad these two companies have stated per the Atlanta investigation that they have ordered ACT to STOP Immediately. That is something I mentioned to Z100.

If anyone does hear this ad and catches a name of an industry rep, phone number or anything specific please let us know or you can email me.


New York has tons of low cost and very effective workshops, top acting coaches and showcases and you can hire a private coach for that matter for less than these acting classes cost! Wrong place to charge thousands of dollars to prepare kids/teens to meet talent reps!

Parents are doing a wonderful job by raising awareness and that is very apparent just by doing a google search and seeing red flags, however, hotels that hold these auditions and radio stations that advertise these auditions should be made aware of concerns as well.

The day I will not question their business is WHEN THEY ADVERTISE without using the Hollywood sign and calling this an audition. Use your name and call it an open house to sign up for acting classes. No agent, manager or casting director and hand them that contract to take home!

High Five! Thank you!

BUMP
I think the "audition" is today....

quote:

Originally posted by Morgin Felicia:
BUMP
I think the "audition" is today....

Thank you for posting that!

Perhaps this will help those who went to find information to make that "informed decision." Hopefully, as well whoever did go and is being called back tomorrow, they WALK AWAY with contract in hand and seek legal advice and do further research and not be left to intimidating sales pitches to sign that night PER a consumer's right!

Does anyone know where the audition was held and what agent/manager or casting director was used as the enticement or better yet, who allowed themselves to be used as the enticement to the audition?

I think it's very important to keep track to see who is frequenting these auditions representing this industry who ARE responsible for attracting newbies to these audition cover-ups for expensive acting classes and who the parents/children are looking to for guidance to enter this biz the right way. They continue to state that they do not necessarily have to endorse the school or it's marketing practices. I beg to differ when they are the reason why the children come to the audition.

http://www.xanga.com/WatchdogMommy

I've tried my best to put something together as a diary of sorts to keep track of these events and also to help anyone make an informed decision using all resources before they do sign any contract with ANYONE.

You can reply (add info) to any of my blog posts and/or PM me here and I will add the info.

It's also a place where I can provide information without posts and threads are not deleted.

I think it's important to keep a close watch UNTIL ACT or JRP or any other company who uses these enticements, STOP name-dropping industry reps names as the enticement, stop name-dropping using Hanna Montana or Nick and Disney shows/movies and start advertising without the Hollywood sign and just advertise as an open school event to meet with the educators and discuss classes and fees AND they allow parents to leave WITH the contract in hand and allow at least 24 to 48 hours to research the company and seek legal advice to look over the contract.

Until then...thanks for bumping this post up!

I love your blog, Janet P.
Keep doing what your doing! It helps all the child actors of the world.

Isn't false advertising like illegal? Or can't you be fined or something?

quote:

Originally posted by Morgin Felicia:
I love your blog, Janet P.
Keep doing what your doing! It helps all the child actors of the world.

Isn't false advertising like illegal? Or can't you be fined or something?

Thanks.. I'm learning as I go along as I've never put one of these together. I've avoided using the word "scam"..and focused on the marketing schemes, the enticements having some good resources to use to make an informed decision.

I'm tired of all of these companies jumping on someone cos they used the word "scam" as they say that they offer classes with well qualified educators.

False advertising...we'll I think the reporter in Atlanta did probably the best job I've seen yet to try and focus in on the marketing scheme of this company WITH a video of the ad run on TV.

And..truly, I don't know WHY this continues and perhaps bringing awareness to this will take us to some answers and NO it does not help when the leaders are the agents/managers and casting directors who allow themselves to be the bait and with whom the newbies respect and figure this is the way to begin a career.

So frustrating to watch this happen. No one, as well, should be pressured to sign that contract on the spot and this is where we see a lot of the problems stemming from.

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/18485603/index.html

http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/18494106/index.html

quote:

Isn't false advertising like illegal? Or can't you be fined or something?

I added info to my blog this morning specific to New Jersey with links to the State Dept of Education and also the NJ Consumer Affair Division where people can refer to these gov't agencies to seek information and/or help and make the best informed decision about this school and actually any others, such as JRP.

http://www.xanga.com/watchdogmommy/weblog

I do believe I am being "fair" with my blog, presenting information for consumers to use to make their own informed decision, which I think is the best thing to do at this time because all states have different regulations and look at these schools in different ways.

Then again, I think to myself, where has the fairness been in the radio and TV ads which are so focused on being discovered and auditions and with which we learn nothing about the school itself, which doesn't even have a physical school for parents to visit with the satellite schools in NY, NJ or anywhere else.

Thank you to everyone who posted messages about this scam. You saved my teenage daughter and me from spending this Saturday evening in Secaucus and wasting our time. Of course, the "booking agent" on the phone denied that there is a financial committment. I did print out a few photographs, my daughter needed to get her hair done, anyway; and we did enjoy practicing the short script they sent; but I plan to notify the 1010 WINS radio station that ran the ad - these ACT slicksters really know how to market to parents by advertising on an all news station! I'm also glad my research led me to join this great, resourceful backstage community. Thanks, again.

Thank goodness I found this blog spot. I also almost took my daughter to ACT in Secaucus NJ that was advertised on z100 as Disney affiliated casting call for the first 200 callers. I 'almost' believed this. For those other bloggers interested in 'names' - When I called 888-999-6619 I spoke to a David who told me the casting directors name was Justin Borgstahl. He took my cell phone number, email address and told me the casting call was for tomorrow. He swore there was no 'catch' or money involved. I am not planning on going after reading these blogs. Glad I found you before disappointing my daughter!

uh, Justin Borgstahl is the Casting Coordinator under Marci Phillips for ABC TV casting....He is or was in the NY ABC casting office...

ABC is owned by Disney so anything is possible...

If Justin has something to do with this, I seriously doubt there is a financial commitment to audition...like actorfest...

quote:

If Justin has something to do with this, I seriously doubt there is a financial commitment to audition

There's no cost to audition - but the thing is, you're NOT auditioning for a role on the Disney Channel, as the ad leads people to believe. You're just auditioning for a chance to take overpriced acting classes in a hotel room in New Jersey for thousands of dollars. (and the "audition" is meaningless, since anyone who can pay gets in.) They always pay an agent or casting director money to be there, so they can claim it's legitimate - all they have to do is show up and watch the kids, so it's easy money for them - but the real purpose of the event is simply to hard-sell parents into paying for these acting classes, by pressing the idea that this is the best and ONLY way to get seen by agents and casting directors and find Hollywood stardom. It's a total bait-and-switch.

ACT claims that they don't promise stardom, blah blah blah - but if that's the case, why aren't they upfront in their ads? Why don't they say "Come audition for our acting classes! We'll teach you how to act, and there will also be showcases where you get to perform for agents and casting directors." If they're so PROUD of what they do, why don't they announce it upfront, so everyone knows what this "event" is about?

But they don't. They NEVER EVER mention acting classes in their ads. Instead, they say "How would your kids like to be on the Disney Channel? A world-famous talent agent will be in YOUR area auditioning kids! Only the first 200 people to call can come! Just think, your kids could be on the Disney Channel! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity!" Ha. More like a once-in-a-weekend opportunity, since ACT holds these calls ALL THE TIME!

I'm reading these types of things a lot lately. But I wonder, isn't it true that talent is actually found at these "classes" or conventions like IMTA and such?

Its strange because a friend of mine is actually really close with jerry ferrara of entourage fame, and it really is true that he was discovered at IMTA AFTER doing one of these "come audition on a saturday weekend thing" through some call at a hotel in NY.

I strongly believe that these things should just be like anything else-- buyer beware. If you knowingly purchase a car that has bad quality ratings, and it is made clear ahead of time, then you have made that choice with clear understanding of the underlining. Chances are slim that it will prove critics wrong, but if it does indeed run well, you have defied the odds. And this case should be treated the same.

Weekend "auditions" that lead to classes that you take with CD's are just that, a chance you take--- you never know who might see you. Whether agents or Cd's are paid to be there-- they do their job, and just like actors take a chance to fly to LA, become waitors or waitresses until their big break happens. Like the case of Jerry Ferrara, sometimes it does pay off to take those chances.

quote:

Originally posted by adoptamama:
I'm reading these types of things a lot lately. But I wonder, isn't it true that talent is actually found at these "classes" or conventions like IMTA and such?

Its strange because a friend of mine is actually really close with jerry ferrara of entourage fame, and it really is true that he was discovered at IMTA AFTER doing one of these "come audition on a saturday weekend thing" through some call at a hotel in NY.

I strongly believe that these things should just be like anything else-- buyer beware. If you knowingly purchase a car that has bad quality ratings, and it is made clear ahead of time, then you have made that choice with clear understanding of the underlining. Chances are slim that it will prove critics wrong, but if it does indeed run well, you have defied the odds. And this case should be treated the same.

Weekend "auditions" that lead to classes that you take with CD's are just that, a chance you take--- you never know who might see you. Whether agents or Cd's are paid to be there-- they do their job, and just like actors take a chance to fly to LA, become waitors or waitresses until their big break happens. Like the case of Jerry Ferrara, sometimes it does pay off to take those chances.

Yes, these scam conventions might not be a scam if you're the MOST talented, BEST looking, and have A LOT of money. Otherwise, you're just one of the 500 who pissed away thousands of dollars.

Also, the celebrities they use to sell these scam schools and conventions, probably could have gotten famous without it.