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)
