The industry spotlight has been on Northeast Ohio, and with all good things, eventually, there are bad apples who seek to take advantage of others.

We want to bring your attention to potential scams that are targeting Northeast Ohio film crew and actors, and make sure you stay safe!

For Production Crew

There are fake production companies that may reach out to you, saying they have a series, short film, or feature film they are looking to film here.  They send a fraudulent check to purchase some supplies and tell the crew member that they can keep what is left after buying the supplies.

PLEASE IGNORE POTENTIAL EMAILS LIKE THIS THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE; THESE ARE A SCAM.

Any email from a supposed production company or filmmaker where the person says:
– they will send you a check to deposit
– they are offering abnormally high rates
– the email is written with poor grammar/spelling mistakes
are very likely to be scams, and should be ignored.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Production Coordinator Mike Wendt if you receive any emails like this!  Mike can be reached by email at mwendt@clevelandfilm.com or by phone at 216-499-3912.

For Actors & Talent

The “glam scam” is essentially the practice of selling aspiring actors, models, or other talent the appearance of an industry opportunity while making money primarily from the talent themselves, not from getting them hired.

Here are the most common tactics that are not standard industry practice:

Best practices to keep in mind:

• Agents should ask for professional headshots and/or lifestyle photos
• Agents should ask for actors to be signed up for third-party casting sites to submit actors (Actors Access, Casting Networks, etc.)
• Agents should receive a commission from actors with every job booked (unless the project is union and the clience has agreed to pay the agency fee)
• Agents should ask actors for participation in continued training
• Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Franchised Agencies are generally recommended; SAG requires its members to work with franchised agents
• Know the difference between a SAG Franchised Agency and a Non-Union Agency
• Agents should have a referral list with recommendations for industry-standard photographers and workshops
• Agents should be reachable and have a relationship with their talent roster

Red flags to watch out for:

• Agency that tells you "You've been selected/discovered" before you've ever auditioned
• Agency that require an actor to pay simply to audition for a specific role
• Agency that promise to make you famous and require their own ‘training agenda’
• Agency that sell master programs for participation in web streaming shows in exchange for IMDb credit
• Agency that require payment for a training program as a prerequisite for representation, auditions, or employment
• Agency that asks for a monthly hosting fee to represent and list on the agency’s website
• Acting schools that promise to help brand you for large, additional fees by working with you on your social media, resume, headshots, etc.
• Acting schools that sell you one-on-one coaching for the purpose of participating in their showcase
• Acting schools that also “manage” your career
• Agents should not have in-house photographers with financial profit to the agency
• Agents should not require talent to purchase headshots or photo packages from a photographer they designate as a condition of representation
• Agents should not be photographers
• Agents should not host paid workshops with financial profit to the agency
• Agents should not charge talent rates
• Agents should not compete with their talent for jobs by submitting/booking themselves as talent

Helpful Hints:

• Do a basic Google search for the name, phone number, company name, etc. of the agency, acting school, photographer, etc. that you are considering working with
• If the program advertises any shortcut to fame, it is probably best to decline participation
• Do not meet with anyone in a private hotel room
• If you are looking at an agency, is it on the list of Franchised SAG Agents?
• Review SAG Agency Guildelines: https://www.sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/agents-managers/frequently-asked-questions
• Is the agency, acting school, photographer, etc., licensed with the State on https://businesssearch.ohiosos.gov/
• When considering a pricey, packaged deal with photos for the purpose of finding an agent, call your local agencies first to see if they recommend these packages

Bottom Line: Safety is a Top Priority

Do your research and reach out to verified resources when considering your representation options. You are not alone in trying to figure out if a job offer is real!

Contact GCFC at info@ClevelandFilm.com and/or a trusted agent to see if they are aware of the person, company, project, etc.