Trying to find work as an extra...HELP!!??

Thu, 31 July 2008, 10:35 pm

Bald and hooked on XBOX8 posts in thread

Okay I'm new here so please don't crucify me if this has been asked before. I'm a pretty interesting looking guy with a shaved head and a lot of tattoos and whilst I'm not loony enough to fancy myself as the next Brad Pitt I was kind of interested in finding some paid work as an extra and just seeing where the journey took me and I figured not really being an actor as such it probably wouldn't be that hard too find bits and bobs of work..you know the quaint commercials where the daughter brings home a boyfriend that is the Father's idea of the Anti Christ etc,etc. In Melbourne at least this seems to be a positon for the wealthy who are bored and don't know what to do with their spare time,every Talent Agency I've tried to contact seems to want about $360 - 400 off me and I'm unemployed. I can kind of understand that agencies would do this too make a profit and stay afloat but it being a pretty big amount of money too me I'm really concered that some Agency instead of helping promote me is going to take all my money(which of course what with being on Centrelink I'd have to borrow off someone else) and leave me with nothing to eat but about 25 Glamour shots of myself. There was an agency called "Creature 2BU" in Melbourne that dealt with alternative looking people and I was really keen to work with but they wanted $400 upfront and I had to wait about a month or two before I could borrow the money off someone and then I tried calling them but the operator message told me the call could not be connected and then I emailed them..no reply and then when I googled them yesterday and clicked on their link it changed to some weird Russian or greek page of google that I couldn't understand. I went to see another agency on Wednesday but the interview was at the guys house instead of the office,He was late,didn't ask me my name and was pretty insistent that casting was closing on the 30th of this month and if I wanted any work I needed to come up with $360...needless to say I declined that particular offer. If anyone out there can help me with these couple of questions I'd really appreciate it because I'm a newbie and frankly quite lost. Are there any talent agencies in Melbourne at all that don't charge upfront fees?? With "Creature 2BU" seemingly gone is there anywhere else an alternative looking person such as myself should go too find work as an extra?? If they all do charge fees,what is the average industry fee?? Thank you

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Bald and hooked on XBOXThu, 31 July 2008, 10:35 pm

NaThu, 31 July 2008, 10:52 pm

Oh you really just have to

Oh you really just have to read this: http://www.theatre.asn.au/book_page/agents_and_agencies and the links given at the end: Union Membership and Finding an Agent. DO NOT GIVE ANYONE MONEY UPFRONT. Good agents take commissions; although it's not clear from what you say what the money is even for. Some will ask for a photo shoot with you at your cost; even then, it's suggested to find your own headshots/photographers, to avoid anything dodgy happening with your 'agent'. ... Even though the above links discuss issues in QLD, the same is true of agents in Melbourne. Please search the rest of this site for threads on good agents in the Melb. area. (Could you post the link for the agent "Creature 2BU"... I googled and couldn't find anything. I'm curious to check them out) As for looking for extras work, perhaps you need these links (less the first, but you get the idea): http://www.theatre.asn.au/blog/na/looking_for_work_2 http://www.theatre.asn.au/book_page/best_places_to_look_for_professional_theatre_auditions_and_tech_admin_work If you seriously want to 'see how the acting thing goes', then don't try and do pro extras work. There's enough pro unemployed actors out there to fill the limited work in Melbourne as it is. (Actually, it is that hard) You might want to try your luck better doing amateur stuff and fringe shows; there are more than enough fringe performances looking for actors and student films to be involved in. Especially as you're "not really an actor"... Do your research, and you'll be less likely to be ripped off... Having said that, if you're willing to beg and borrow money, to save and scrimp to do pro extras work because you want to see where it goes - my suggestion is you use the money to attend local acting classes, which frankly, will benefit you ten times more than hunting for an agent at this point in time. There are a number of classes available in Melbourne that I can suggest, beginning with St Martin's, National Theatre, and ACOPA. There are also short term classes available at VCA and Swinburne. If this is a way of trying to earn money, I suggest trying a different industry entirely. Moppet eyes now on sale at Puppets in Melbourne

JoeMcSun, 3 Aug 2008, 07:15 pm

Brooke further to what Na

Brooke further to what Na posted, check out this site, which may help?

http://www.thestage.co.uk/connect/dearjohn/dj0069.php

Bald and hooked on XBOXSun, 3 Aug 2008, 08:15 pm

Thanks

Thanks for the advice and links from both of you. Sorry Na for the incorrect Google information, have a look at what happens when you try to go to the Creature Artist Management page. I think I will find an agent as it's paid work that I'm after(not as a sole source of income I'm not that naive) but after being able to read through the links I now know that I'll be way better off waiting to find an agent that will help me out with no upfront fees than handing a big wad of cash over too some over glorified,burnt out photographer for "professional" shots. Thanks again.

NaSun, 3 Aug 2008, 08:50 pm

You're welcome. As for the

You're welcome. As for the Creature Artist Management - from some googling, it seems as though they don't actually have a website. I did come across a number of websites that they have their business info listed on, which is probably where the confusion starts. A little sleuthing came up with this: http://www.abr.business.gov.au/(pyhxg4451y0dgs454g2lnraw)/abnDetails.aspx?ABN=18355038198&ResultListURL=search.aspx%253fSearchRequest%253dCreature%25252bArtist%25252bManagement%25255e%25252c1%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c1%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c0%25252c%25252c0%2526amp%253bstart%253d0 (Please note: there are a number of businesses listed on the government website for Creature Artist Management. Based on the info on the gov. site, and the fact that the agency seems to have the same postcode, would suggest they are one and the same. However, it's not definitive proof) I don't believe anybody's previously discussed that particular agency here before, and there's no useful reviews or discussions of them from google. My best advice: as per the info in the FAQ, do some research on the agent, perhaps contact MEAA to see if they have more info about them, etc etc. Finger puppets now on sale at Puppets in Melbourne

JoeMcMon, 4 Aug 2008, 07:27 am

Just a reminder of the old

Just a reminder of the old entertainment adage.

"If you want to succeed in this game, get a manager - and stop handling yourself".

I reckon you will do alright - toi toi chookas Brooke

Bald and hooked on XBOXTue, 5 Aug 2008, 12:57 pm

Thanks gaafa much

Thanks gaafa much appreciated!!

JoeMcTue, 5 Aug 2008, 01:45 pm

One I forgot about, which

One I forgot about was this site, which has a job section. But there is a once off subscription, mainly in the East;-

http://www.aussietheatre.com/auditions.htm

Which might help you further.

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