The Scam that is Explore Talent

I'm sure I've written about this in the past. I am too lazy to search my archives for a related post.  So I'll just talk about the last week of annoyances from Explore Talent. I had a profile on Explore Talent 5 or 6 years ago. I realized it was pretty useless after about a year or so. I deactivated my profile. I was getting no work. And it was just a repeat of notices that were readily available everywhere else.

Well, I've started getting text messaged from them within this past week saying thing along these lines:

Here is the problem with this. This is meant to lure people in. You think, "Oh man! A part for me?" You call in and the operator will tell you that in order to submit you for this project you have to sign up for an account with ET. Which is way more expensive than it should be. Especially compared to the other casting sites out there which are MUCH cheaper.  

So looking at this notice right away alarms should tell you that no one is going to cast for a major film via text. Also a little research will uncover that this is most likely in reference to "33." The film she is in pre-production for about 33 miners trapped in a mine. Probably not filming in NYC. So why are they texting me? Oh yeah, to get me back into their fold for $$$$.

A little more staring at this and you'll realize the rate. They can't just claim here is how much you'll get! Because really, again, who is casting through this.  

So to sum this up. They spam people, those people call in thinking...what an amazing opportunity, and then shell out moola to join this site in order to be submitted for parts that are either already cast, or just would never be cast in this way.  It's a scam. A total scam. It's horrible.  I cannot stand how people in our business are always being targeted as fools and being taken advantage of.

I called them. Yes I did, thank you very much. And basically said, I ended my account years ago, why am I being spammed with misleading text messages.  Of course they tried to defend themselves, but the texts are EXTREMELY misleading and it's pretty much spam. I did not ask to receive these. I did not sign up for them. If I had in the past, I have clearly made it known that I don't want to receive them by, you know, deactivating my account.

After being transferred from person to person I was finally able to get my information purged from their system.  I hope.  Moral of the story is to steer clear of Explore Talent. It's such a slimy, skeezey, sketchy...and other "s" words, website.  They're in the business to make money off of actors. Not to help actors get work.

Instead look at Actors Access

Backstage if you must (but it's also got it's issues)

Bloggity Blog Updates

So this isn't much of a hey look at me and what's going on post. It's more of a "I've gotten tired of looking at my blog and feeling it's a mess and beyond my control to clean up."

I'm not sure why I felt that way. Maybe because I always feel like I just barely have control over whats going on around me. Acting is like being an experimental air craft pilot. I'm like the Hal Jordan of the acting world. Just...you know, without a green ring and stranded alien giving me special powers...I digress.

Out of control. Yes yes. Most of the time I feel like everything is just barely being contained or just on the verge of blowing up. So those few things I do have control over, I've decided to give them my all.  This blog being one of them!  So I hope you all like the cleaner look and updated format.

What did I do?  Deleted a few unnecessary things and will continue to reformat a few of the things on the side bars.  I've also added a pretty swift little navigation/menu bar. Whatever you want to call it.
It's got links to my headshots on here, my reel, and 25 cents for love.  Not to mention a link to the official site cause I know you people love going there and refreshing the shit out of your browser to keep up with all my goings on.

Don't lie. I know you do that...err...I do that.

So look around. If you're here then you've probably already seen all this but I welcome feedback!

I'm an actor, give me notes damnit! Or good press. One or t'other.

More to come soon though. Got some SHOW news to broadcast.

In the mean time I'll leave you with this little tidbit from the Museum of the Moving Image*. Which is an amazing place and everyone should go visit. It's such a great trip through the history of film making from all aspects, not just the actors. But everyone involved in making a movie from start to finish.

This exists. Somewhere. Out there. People made this. And other people bought this.
Good night everyone.

*If you're a member of SAG-AFTRA you and a friend get in for free...so what's keeping you?

Online Video Auditions!

I LOVE technology. Who doesn't?

Don't answer that.

I especially love when technology works how it's supposed to. By making our lives better. For example. Auditioning. It's not the most fun thing in the world. Sometimes it can be soul sucking and destroying. Oh yeah, and disappointing. Even more so, sometimes, when there is an amazing project out there but there is no physical way to attend the auditions. As happened to me recently. So what did I do? I contacted the theater and asked if it would be alright to record my audition...Resounding YES!  So I went to work recording myself.*

It's easy, fast, I can edit it for the best possible take. It's still stressful, don't get me wrong. but I feel like there is a little more breathing room when sending in a pre-recorded submission. I've been asked a few times for various projects to audition via online video. I wish more things would go this route. But I write this saying...if you see a posting out there for a project you feel right for, contact the casting department and see if they'll allow you to submit online.

All that being said, now that we can upload auditions online, I have some advice for doing so. Being actors and artists, we are always trying to maintain some kind of online presence for our work. The internet is a wild crazy land and information is all over the place. Some auditions we post online now might not look so great a year from now. Or might cause casting directors who are looking into you to suddenly see you in a different light. One not favorable for their current project. Feedback I've received from casting directors seems to say, "if it's not relevant, take it down."

1) Privacy Options. All video upload sites, you tube  Vimeo, etc., give you the option to make the video private and password protected. If not password protected, they at least give you the option to make the video available to anyone with the direct link. Not the whole world. Make sure when you're uploading an audition for a specific project you check these options.

2) Social Media. Don't share this with the world. YouTube has the option to share videos to people by giving the direct link and not making it public. However posting it on Facebook or twitter kind of defeats that purpose. No?

3) Delete! Once you're done. You know the project has been cast. Get rid of that video. You don't need it anymore. For anything. And keeping it on your account is just begging you to give in and make it public and start sharing the crap out of it.

Sadly we're in a field where it's all about perception. You may have nailed an audition with one of these videos, but to another CD who may stumble upon, it could make them think twice. I'm not saying this will happen, but it could. And it's something that's come from the mouths of several casting directors I've met with.  Examples of your work are great, too much and it gets muddy.

That's not to say actor slates, or videos from classes are not usable. By all means. Those are fair game. Because they're things picked out for you to exemplify your type. And they're examples of you working with a CD. You working with a professional? Perfect. Use it. You auditioning for a part you may or may not be right for? Don't keep it around.

Again, these are my opinions based on what I've heard navigating this crazy business. But to me it sounds like sound advice. Especially coming from people who are in the business of trying to sell you.  In a non sex-trade kinda way.

*No I didn't get cast. But I did receive an amazing thank you email.

Photo A Day 201 - 295

Playing catch-up with my photo a day project. But here we go. I have OH so many to add tonight while watching these debates.


201. One of my first paychecks from Disney for work with them. I have  habit of taking pictures of pay checks. Is this just me? Is this normal?

202. Wandering through Murray Hill after meeting some friends and this little guy was just sorta sitting there. I have a love of gargoyles. Maybe from the cartoon. Maybe from the Dakota. I don't know. But this guy just looked like he needed his picture taken.

203. Union Square's restaurant and playground are now open!

204. Test lighting of the Tardis model. So far so good!

205. Another gloomy summer day in NYC. The rain has been on and off. (They're not all winners folks.)

206. Unlike the day before. Here is a clear night out on the bay. Lower Manhattan twinkling in the waves.

207.  YARR! Jenelle Sosa this is for you.

208. Sebastian. The best cat. I will not hear otherwise....

...Ever. (Not a fan of being woken up from mid day naps.)

209. Beautiful Moon. But blurry photo. Oh well.

210. Dr. Mewho? That's a stretch. But here is a scale pic for people to see. Granted my cat is 20 lbs. Nope. not a typo. 20.

211. Just your typical Greek pride parade in Astoria. They pop up on ya sometimes without any notice.

212. A day after the the wake of my Dear Dear passed on Grandfather and his name is everywhere. Gerard.

213. I miss you Grandpa. And always will. Thank you for the crazy. No go make Grandma laugh.

214. Childhood home out on Long Island.

215. I have no idea what this means. I thought it was some inspirational message. But it is in fact a sign for a business. But I guess deal IS meal. Depending on who you ask.

216. Rehearsals begin for the next project post pirate. Up in Scarborough. 

217.  I really don't get tired of seeing this clock. So many people rush past it every day but it stops me for just a second every time I see it.

218. Sunset over the RFK Bridge from the Astoria Blvd. Subway platform.

219. Behold the power of the Tardis!

220. I know they're always there. And these days more so than ever. But still. I don't like seeing them.

221.  The biggest Starbucks. I actually had to walk out of here. It was too big. I felt like I was in a cafeteria.

222. Just a fitting. No big.

223. Subway Entrance on...78th? I think. As far as I know it's newish. But I haven't been to this stop in a while. Either way, it's awesomely modern.

224. Not the best. But the view of the RFK lit up at night. Guess I like this view.

225. My street. Late at night. Am I the only one who walks down the center of the street late at night?

226. SPIDERS! HUGE SPIDERS. Oh yeah, and Yay BBC.

227. This is complete BS. Utter and total BS!

228. Manager in the trades!

229. Rehearsal for Madame Tellier's Establishment! You missed corsets. Yup. You did.

230. I actually don't know what this is. It's a wood model of the facade of some building. It's located in the DnD on 15th by Union Squ.

231. This is a church. Or the front of a church. Or perhaps the skinniest church in the city?

232. The distant view of the skyline from the subway platform.

233.  Subway platform in the early morning light.

234. The sun setting over the RFK from my platform. Headed to rehearsal.

235. Apparently obsessed with the sunset. Or I'm just always leaving at the same time. The rest of the world ends their days and I start mine.

236. The best Italian pastries in the city. I attribute it to the fact that they've been here for so long.

237.  Our dungeon of a space to perform in within the bowels of Theater for the New City.

238. My ever so cluttered work space. Inspiration behind everything.

239. Ok. So call me crazy. But this is a frozen margarita inside a Dos Equis. Go on, try it.

240. I will repeat, I have the most amazing cat ever.

241.  Sadly, Colony Music is closing down. I'm not a singer. nor am I the biggest fan of musical theater. But I've gotten many a pile of sheet music from there through the years. Along with scoping out their collection of Beatles memorabilia.

242. Working out! I still hate running.

HATE HATE HATE running.

243. Working on my next project. For my dad for Christmas. I'm hoping this little guy will end up a miniature flux capacitor.

244. Arc Reactor! We're getting there. Just a few more slight adjustments.

245. More of the Arc. It's really little adjustments every day.

246. This. Is a playground. On a roof.  ON A ROOF! It's also attached to a school. But imagine living there?

247. Awaiting the start of the talented Darlene Hope's new show!

248. More of my Arc reactor. Halloween costume coming along!

249.  I truly love the gloomy foggy NY days. 

250. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN!

251. Kristin's Wedding. Some things you just wouldn't miss for the world.

252. Ditmars

253. Sebastian. The King of cats. Take that Tybalt. 

254. And another. For good measure.

255.  September 11, 2012. A view of the Freedom Tower.

256. Just Phuket

257. Halloween costume almost 100%. And a month and a half before Halloween.

258. I would love to paint this white with a red top and the Warner Brothers Logo on the side. Who's with me in the middle of the night?

259. The LIRR at Woodside. A bit quicker than leaving from PENN Station.

260. Say hello sister. Helping her move into her new house.

261. The Art Deco underground of the Chrysler Building.

262.  And today I give you the grey lady herself.

263. So this happened. A bit too much. And a bit too wet.

264. I'm a bit out of words for this. Dapper poopers? Why are they wearing hats?

265. Completely unrecognizable set from holding. Looking through the trees at the giant light balloons.

266. Some days are made for beer outside. Especially days so hot to melt a candle.

267. Good morning my dear friend. Some days don't feel right unless you see certain aspects of the skyline.

268. An amazing telescoping camera. It can pretty much go anywhere and get anything.

269. One of the greatest movies and one of the greatest cast. Miss Kahn how I still have a crush on you.

270. I mean the little guy is handsome. But more so, he ENJOYS sleeping in his carrier. For a beast, that makes things easier when he has to get a check up.

271. I cannot look at these now without thinking they're really space ships. Hollywood has a habit of ruining(?) things.

272. This was hanging from the ceiling of the subway platform. I'm not really sure who this is keeping from walking there.

273. His and Hers...

274. This is one of those only in NY type things. Covered in pigeons. And tourists were posing with him with pigeons on them as well. What is wrong with tourists?

275. Pretty sure this was refitted to be a...monster truck car? 

276. Part of the skyline from Union Square south looking North...

277. Watching the debate and my President doing thankfully well!

278. The hall of SNL studios!

279. Samantha!  It's a Lily-like!

280. Paramount Studios! Check #1.

281.  I know this is being touchy. But the sight of these so low to the ground always make me stop and look and hold my breath for just a moment.

282.  One of the only reasons I would get an iphone would be for all the cases. But happily, I'll stick with my Galaxy.  Still...carbonite...

283.  Pacino shirt. I feel like this is a step down from Hawaiian shirts. And I love Hawaiian shirts.

284. For scale I tried to get the leaf in there. But this spider is enormous. Any minute John Goodman could have walked around the corner with poison spray.

285. One of the generators outside the tents. Couldn't help but snap a pic of the logo.

286. Fist official check from SNL! Honestly it's a damn good feeling.  Damn good. And to be there. On that set!

287.  Scouting places and neighborhoods in Brooklyn and stumbled upon this amazing needed margarita.

I can't get me enough lime.

288. Halloween Costume sneak peak. Looks good finished and under a shirt, right?

289.  Another cat photo. Go on, laugh. But this one was so bizarre. I have no idea what he's memorized over. We know he likes food. But this..?

290. Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law I now have a pencil sharpener from the first film. Which sets off my proton pack nicely.

291. Wing-Man Starring Mark Gindick at the United Solo Theater Festival.

292.  Off to SNL again for another weekend's worth of work.

293.  Already setting up for Christmas and the holidays. Lights being strung on the trees.

294. Sitting and waiting for the thumbs up or thumbs down for the skit I'm in.

Update: Thumbs down. How sad.

295. And people ask me why I just don't buy a chest piece instead of making it.  $170 something dollars? Thank you very much.