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Recently a Star Search Casting member posted an email they received to the community forum because they had concerns that the email was a part of a scam. The email was from the Byron Sanders Advertising Agency, a company that sells advertising, marketing and public relations services and claims to help rising stars get media exposure through major television networks, the Internet and print advertising.

When we're investigating recent scam activity, we often find that new scams are really just revised emails that are being circulated by the same scammers over and over, simply using a different name. Many parents are discovering that this same tactic is used by agencies offline as well. More and more parents are learning that companies who have been investigated for fraudulent activity are now changing the names of their companies to avoid detection. This tactic now requires parents who are researching reputable opportunities for their child actors, models, dancers and singers to dig even deeper to make sure that the agencies and industry professionals that they work with truly have their children's best interest at heart. StudioKidz was an agency in California that recruited children for acting jobs, often in stores such as Wal-Mart and Target. The agency was accused of charging exorbitant fees for classes and training. Later it was discovered that the agency didn't have a license and therefore was never able to legally book acting jobs for any of their clients. When parents began to report the agency to consumer action agencies, the owners decided to change their name to TVKidz so that parents who looked them up online wouldn't come across the large number of complaints that had been filed against them. However, it wasn't long before parents begin to discover that TVKidz was the same agency as StudioKidz, which prompted the owner to change the name of the company again to CommercialKidz. Additionally, she even changed her own name. A watchdog group who has been following the agency's activities has now found information that suggests the owner may even have a previous criminal record. So you see, you can never be too careful when it comes to researching agencies or industry professionals who have expressed an interest in you or your children. It's unfortunate that there are so many individuals out there that lay in wait to take advantage of those new to the industry. However it's important that instead of being discouraged, that we simply do our homework each and every time and stay focused on our goals. Be sure to log in to http://ww.StarSearchCasting.com each day to review our Scam alert. We will continue to keep you posted on the latest scam information affecting the entertainment industry, as well as strategies you can use to make sure you don't become a victim.

HOLLYWOOD – Technology continues to transform the way business is conducted in the fast paced world of the entertainment industry. These advances are not just helpful for entertainment executives, but also for aspiring dancers, actors, models and singers, many of whom juggle day and night jobs with auditions, rehearsals and gigs. Elite Casting Network, the industry’s leading casting website, now makes it easier for aspiring performers to stay connected to the industry and get real time casting & audition information while they’re on the go.

Ever wonder how your talent compares to other aspiring performers? Participating in competitions is a great way to gauge how you measure up in the industry, as well as increase your confidence and get additional performing experience. It’s also a great way to get exposure and boost your resume.

The year is off to an exciting start at Star Search Casting and we’re excited to see how all of our members progress as they pursue their dreams of working in the entertainment industry. We’re always exceedingly proud when we hear of the great opportunities that our members seizing in order to make their dreams come true.

We are looking for female adult models for video and photoshoots. We pay well and are easy to work with. Looking for all types of models who are interested in Adult modeling- and solo video shoots. We are high end and produce great work. Please email us and we will provide details. Looking for a few good girls who want to be in reality style adult video and magazines. Thanks for your time.

While a career as a professional dancer is rewarding, it can also be extremely demanding. The toll that it can take on a dancer’s body can often lead to a short-lived professional career. Based on that fact, many dancers often struggle with the decision of whether they should go to college or immerse themselves in their career immediately after they graduate from high school in order to maximize the years their bodies are able to endure the physical stresses of the industry.

One of the most exciting times of the year for actors is pilot season. If you're new to the industry, you're probably wondering what the heck I'm talking about. Let me explain.

If you’re an aspiring model, you probably spend a great deal of time pouring over the pages of glossy magazines, admiring the models that grace the pages. You probably study their poses and their expressions and imagine that one day you too will be featured in some of the industry’s most popular fashion magazines modeling high fashion trends and the world’s most glamorous brands.

Kate Moss is probably one of the most successful and recognizable models in the industry. She’s modeled some of the world’s most notable brands including Calvin Klein, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and Louis Vuitton. In 2007, Forbes magazine named her as one of the industry’s top earners, based on the $9 million dollars she’d earned in the past year.

Recently we discovered a scammer who claimed to be from an agency called the 29th Ave W Group. He said that he was recruiting models for an upcoming modeling competition. When we used Google to research the modeling competition and the agency, there were no websites to confirm the legitimacy of the agency or the competition. When we called the phone number he provided, it was an answering service that doubled as a fax, and made no mention of the agency or the competition. Lastly, while the scammer claimed to be from Washington D.C., we later learned that he was actually in Nigeria based on his IP address.

You’ve auditioned for 20 roles and you’ve finally booked one! Hooray! You show up on set to shoot your scene and when the project is released, you gather all of your friends together to watch your Hollywood debut. But wait a minute! The television episode or film comes to an end and your scene is missing. What happened? Oh no! You may have been a victim of the cutting room floor. This happens more often than you may think. The cutting room floor is a term that refers to where footage ends up when the director and editor decide not to use it in the final edited version. (These days all editing is done using computers, so the footage doesn’t actually end up “on the floor” anymore – but you get the idea.) Many new actors who experience this are often devastated. It can be a huge letdown to have worked so hard to finally book your first role and then not have it immortalized on screen. But don’t let it get you down. Just because your scene wasn’t included doesn’t mean that the director didn’t like your performance. The project may have been running long requiring some scenes to be cut to fit within time constraints. And sometimes once all of the scenes are shot, the director may decide that some scenes are no longer as relevant to the story. Even though your scene may have been cut, there’s still a lot that to be happy about. First off, you booked a role and not only are you now a working actor but I’m sure you probably met a lot of really great people in the process. Secondly, these days when most films are released on DVD, footage that was not included in the final edited version is often available to watch in the Extras section. So you can still see your performance and you can still use the footage on your reel! Most experienced working actors don’t get upset if their scene gets cut. They know that it’s part of the business and they know it’s only a matter of time before they book another role. So are you ready to book your next job? Of course you are! Visit http://www.StarSearchCasting.com today and check out our casting notices. I bet there’s a role of a lifetime out there with your name on it!You’ve cutting room floor, big screen, director, performance, film footage, extras section, reel, book a role, working actors, working models, scene gets cut, Hollywood, entertainment, Los Angeles auditions, New York Auditions, Hollywood Auditions, Jonathan Parker, Star Search Casting, starsearchcasting, Elite Casting Network, elitecastingnetwork, casting professionals, talent scouts, casting directors, talent agents, modeling agent, actors, models, singers, dancers, new actors, entertainment industry, Hollywood, talent resources, acting, modeling, singing, dancing, talent database, talent search, find new talent, American Idol Auditionscutting room floor, big screen, director, performance, film footage, extras section, reel, book a role, working actors, working models, scene gets cut, Hollywood, entertainment, Los Angeles auditions, New York Auditions, Hollywood Auditions, Jonathan Parker, Star Search Casting, starsearchcasting, Elite Casting Network, elitecastingnetwork, casting professionals, talent scouts, casting directors, talent agents, modeling agent, actors, models, singers, dancers, new actors, entertainment industry, Hollywood, talent resources, acting, modeling, singing, dancing, talent database, talent search, find new talent, American Idol Auditions aoljpictureUpload, aoljpictureUpload_1

While television and film roles are exciting, commercials are great opportunities for actors as well. In fact, commercials can be extremely lucrative, especially if you’ve booked a major, highly recognizable brand such as McDonalds, Apple or Target.

If you’re the parent of a child or teen actor who has begun working on projects in the industry without the guidance of a talent agent or manager, it’s critical that you familiarize yourself with the child labor laws and regulations in your state. Not only is it important because it’s the law, but these regulations are put in place for the benefit of the child or teen and are great guidelines to follow.

Many great stage actors will eventually graduate to the big screen. While theater is a wonderful way to learn the craft of acting, and prepare for a long, dynamic career, when an actor transitions fro...

We recently posted an email from a scammer who claimed to be a representative of a modeling agency called Agency Ghost Inc. Here are a few excepts from the email he’s been distributing...

The money order/certified check scam still continues to be one of the most common scams targeting actors, models, singers and dancers on the Internet. A www.EliteCastingNetwork.com member recently posted an email to our entertainment forums and asked if we thought the email was a scam. Here is an excerpt: "I have goods news, as I was reharsing with my other models for our performance at the "African Fashion Show" this one of our work (http://www.africa-ata.org/affas.htm) in Africa, I was informed by our client that part payment will be sent out payment in a U.S certified check to you tomorrow, unfortunately I won't be able to cash out the certified bank cheque as my bank is not familiar with US certified bank check and its not a accepted payment here at the avenue of this Show in Africa, since it's a US payment instrument, therefore the certified bank cheque of ( $4,000 ) will be send to you,when you receive the certified bank check , cash them at your bank deduct your part payment of $1,000 then i will advice you on what to do with the remaining money. Your balance of $500 will be payed in cash immediately after the shooting, I'm looking up online for a photographers studio for the shooting , I will let you know the name and address of the studio as soon as i get a perfect one." No reputable modeling agency, organization or industry professional would send a model a check and then have them forward funds from that check to a third party. This is another example of a certified check/money order scam. Please be aware that if you take the risk of cashing the check (some are of such good quality, that they often fool bank personnel) you will be penalized by your bank once they discover that the check is fraudulent. In this case, you would owe your bank $4,000 and quite possibly additional transaction fees. If you are the victim of a certified check scam, be sure to report it to the Federal Trade Commission as well as the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information on entertainment scams targeting models, actors, singers and dancers, be sure to log in each day to www.EliteCastingNetwork.com and review our Scam Watch and community forums.

Many actors have gone on to have successful careers as writers, producers and directors as well. It’s almost a natural progression in the industry. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck even won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Good Will Hunting, a script they wrote together.

Many great stage actors will eventually graduate to the big screen. While theater is a wonderful way to learn the craft of acting, and prepare for a long, dynamic career, when an actor transitions from the stage to television or film, a few adjustments must be made.   Projecting As a stage actor, you are trained to project because everyone, including the audience members in the balcony, must be able to hear your dialog. However when performing for the camera, projection is no longer necessary.   Blocking There is blocking in both stage and on-camera productions. However in theater you’re given a little more flexibility. If you’re slightly off your mark, the audience will still be able to see you. But, when acting for the camera, if you’re off on your mark, you may venture out of frame which will require the director to shoot the scene again until you get it right. This can be particularly maddening on the set of soap operas where you must shoot a lot of scenes in a short amount of time, therefore requiring that the actors be as perfect as possible when it comes to blocking and knowing your lines.   Delivery When acting on the stage, much of your delivery is for the sake of the live audience. Your facial expressions, movement, gesturing, etc. are all to engage the audience. When acting on camera, it’s important to concentrate more on relating to the character, than relating to the audience. Additionally, you’ll have to learn to embrace the subtleties of the character, which can be a challenge initially.   Reacting Theater is rehearsed so much, and the same scenes performed over and over until sometimes the actors forget to react to the other players. Instead they are just performing what they’ve rehearsed. It’s very important that you don’t do this when you’re performing for the camera. In film and television, the director always captures what’s called a reaction shot. Not only are you filmed performing your dialog, but you’re also taped reacting to the dialog of the other actors in the scene. In order for your performance to look authentic, it’s very important that you listen and react to other actors in the scene, rather than just delivering your lines based on vocal cues.   If you’re interested in roles on-camera and on-stage roles, visit www.EliteCastingNetwork.com today and check out some of our auditions.

In 2007 casting directors and agents contacted Star Search Casting members more than 400,000 times. They are discovering new actors, models, dancers and singers every day and they are thrilled with the talent they’ve found!

Yesterday we began discussing the differences between deals with major labels and independent labels. Many solo artists and bands will have to spend some time carefully considering their goals and their priorities in order to make an informed decision on which type of label is best for them. Here are a few other issues to consider when deciding whether you’d like to sign with an independent label or a major label.

Regardless of what career you pursue, it’s very important that you familiarize yourself with that particular industry. Most industries use specific terminology in everyday business transactions that others outside of the business are unfamiliar with. If you’re new to modeling, it’s very likely that during a meeting with an agent, or your first day on the set of a photo shoot, you may hear words that you’ve never heard before. So let’s get you up to speed with some of the terms that are commonly used in the modeling industry.

Many great stage actors will eventually graduate to the big screen. While theater is a wonderful way to learn the craft of acting, and prepare for a long, dynamic career, when an actor transitions from the stage to television or film, a few adjustments must be made.

While we’ve been focusing on uncovering Internet scams that target aspiring actors, dancers, singers and models, I want to remind you that there are still many popular scams that take place offline as well. Scammers pretending to be agents, talent scouts, and photographers use a variety of methods offline to lure new victims including posting ads in community newspapers and approaching victims in shopping malls.

If you’re an aspiring model then you probably know that Fashion Week in New York is just around the corner - February 1st to be exact. Considered to be one of the fashion capitals of the world, New York hosted the very first Fashion Week back in 1943 and is home to some of the industry’s highest paid models and most prominent fashion editors, photographers, art directors, designers and fashion stylists.