A
female
age
36-40,
anonymous
writes:I have an appointment with a Casting Agency, which i applied to to become a Supporting Artist/Extra, but they told me that i have to pay £40 to have some photos taken !. Do you think this is a scam, and should i not bother going to them ?. I have heard of some people getting work from them, but i have heard that your not supposed to pay money upfront to agencies . Any advice would be much appreciated.
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Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
female
reader, RedAthena  +, writes (7 September 2011):
 Legitimate agencies do not charge YOU for pictures or appointments of any kind. They make money FOR you and from you.
However, if you are breaking into the entertanment business, seek out your own photographer and develop a portfolio of the type of work you are seeking.
A
male
reader, wiseoldman +, writes (7 September 2011):
Scam. I've been a professional actor for 35 years and this is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Any photos required to promote you should be by a professional photographer you've found yourself. Researching prospective photographers is part of the job of becoming an actor. Any money paid to an agent should be a percentage (10-15%) of the salary ALREADY paid you for a job for which the agency got you an audition. NEVER PAY ANY MONEY UPFRONT FOR ANY REASON.
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A
female
reader, Elydiese +, writes (7 September 2011):
It is a definite scam you should never have to pay for anything
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A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (7 September 2011):
 never pay for this....
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A
female
reader, Aunty BimBim  +, writes (7 September 2011):
 You will need a portfolio of photos if you intend gaining work in the casting field.
However, there are agencies and companies who have no intention of helping you find work, and just want your money. These companies are rarely in existance for very long, or often change their name, address etc.
At this stage your best option would be to contact Consumer Protection in the UK, and ask them if they know anything about the company concerned. You could also contact the agency you have the appointment with and ask some questions, such as what if you already have a current portfolio, how long have they been in business, who are some of their larger customers, what is the success rate for people who pay the $40.
Good luck with it all.
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A
female
reader, eyeswideopen +, writes (7 September 2011):
 It's a scam, and an old one at that.
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A
male
reader, olderthandirt  +, writes (7 September 2011):
 Yeah, did a simalar thing years ago with a modeling agency.We had lots of folks tell us how our son should be a model...we put up $200.00 dollars for photos and wham-bamb it was over. they taught us to never pre-pay for anything!
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