ExploreTalent

ExploreTalent Review:

ExploreTalent encourages would-be actors, models and singers to sign up “to match your talent with auditions and casting directors. There’s just one catch. You’ve got to pay to play.

How it works

The site lures would-be stars in with a pitch to create a profile on the site. However, you don’t know that you’re going to be charged until to you get near the end. At that point, it gives you several membership options — a 3-month membership for $100; a one-year membership for $289; or a 7-day “free trial” for $2.

Why is the free trial not actually free? Because the site needs to get your credit card information to charge you for the longer-term membership that you must agree to if you want to participate in the “free” trial. The site auto-selects a 6-month membership, which costs $188. However, you can change that selection for a time frame ranging from three months to two years.

If you don’t cancel, the site also has the right to auto-renew your subscription indefinitely.

Services

Paying this membership fee apparently gets you access to auditions and advice. However, many consumers who used the service said all they got was regular pitches to pay more for some other acting class or service.

It’s worth noting that auditions are free everywhere else. Agents work on a commission basis, so you only pay a fee if they get you work. And there are plenty of cheap and free job boards and casting services that will charge you far less to post a profile. You can also find jobs working as an extra through free casting services.

In other words, you don’t need to pay fees or memberships to break into acting.

Bad reviews

Reviews of ExploreTalent are brutal. The most common term used to describe the site was “Scam.” This comes up so much when researching ExploreTalent, in fact, that the site addresses it in its own FAQs. Under “the truth about ExploreTalent” the site asks: “Is ExploreTalent a scam?” And, “Is ExploreTalent a fraud”

Not surprisingly, ExploreTalent says that it is not a scam or a fraud. That’s just something its jealous competitors say.

Says the site: “Explore Talent has thousands of positive testimonies and continues to take pride in their work. If you are an aspiring talent, you can’t go wrong with the services of Explore Talent and be genuinely comfortable knows [sic] it is not a scam.”

‘Positive testimonies’

The site does list testimonials from dozens of actors. Since none of these actors were familiar to us, we spot-checked what productions they’d been in on IMBD, an Internet database that lists movies and all the actors and crew in them. Several actors in their testimonial section were not listed on IMBD at all. Several others had one or two credits, mainly for small parts in film and tv shows going back several decades.

The top testimonial, for instance, is done by a guy named Bobby Banhart. Banhart was a contestant on a 2007 bisexual-themed reality t.v. show called “Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.”

The concept was that 16 men and 16 women would compete for the affection of one allegedly bisexual woman. Banhart was the winner, but said he never heard from Tila Tequila following the production. She apparently was never bisexual and had a steady boyfriend at the time of the production. Banhart has no other acting credits on IMBD, but he apparently was a lighting technician for two episodes of “Dance on Sunset” (2008).

Recommendations

If you’re anxious to break into acting, start reading Playbill. Playbill also has a nice job board. Backstage also has a casting service that costs less than $8 a month.

You may also want to sign up to post a free profile on Actor’s Access.

What their users say (from SiteJabber):

I was on this site for 6 months and didn’t land any gig they give u nonsense… gigs that nobody wants to be apart of if you’re looking to be in a real movie.

Legitimate modeling agencies will NEVER EVER ask you for one dime! Their job is to find you work and then take a percentage. Modeling agents usually take10-20% and Acting agents take 10% of the gross earnings for a project. Btw, Modeling and Acting agents DO NOT give acting/modeling classes, or take photos for your portfolio! Please do NOT fall prey to this deceptive business practice! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Nothing…

I did my own commercials and sent it to the agents when I was notified by ET and I tried out for everything and NEVER got a response from anyone. Very frustrating to be ignored after I put forth so much effort, time and money into everything I sent them. No one got back to me, no one at all!

I made an account 9 months ago they just started sending me text messages saying I have been matched for an audition. As soon as I called they asked me to pay them over $100, and said they believe that if I don’t pay or invent in myself I am not serious… they also asked for my debit card information which was supper sus. Then as I did research I found out they are gold diggers who only want your money. On the phone call they didn’t really listen to what I had to say and called me disrespectfully for denying to give them my card information… don’t fall for this company they just wanna scam you and it’s no good to you at ALL!

Charged $188?!

Did a 7 day for 2 dollars on some casting that my daughter got an email for, still not sure when the profile was made. They then charged $188.00 for a membership that we did not want. Not only is this an outrageous price, not even close to Actors Access, Backstage, or LA casting all that are 120 and under for a yearly price. They apparently have in small writing terms and conditions for this and charge regardless if you want the service. I would give this a negative if I could. Bad business and over priced.

Scam, scam, scam. If you can’t read this headline… then go ahead and pay your hard working money to individuals agents who can’t even speak proper English. No legit agency or agent will ever charge. They are not even SAG franchised. That means they can only get non-union work. But just non union is all bull$#*!

Sales calls

I get all kind of text messages from casting directors saying you matched for a commercial paying $5,000 and give a number to call. Find out its a phone rep for explore talent telling me I’m matched with so many great money making jobs and they can submit my profile but I have to sign up with the pro for casting director to respond back to me. I told her I don’t have the money and she said your going to miss out on this opportunity an she kept asking me which one I wanted to sign up with I told her again I don’t have the money then she says its only $100 your going to make so much more doing the commercial. Big game play. Didn’t get me though. If someone wants me for their commercial I’m not going to pay them. No thanks!