And... always listen to your instincts

I got another call from Stanley Kaplan Talent today, and something seemed fishy. The person who called, who was very nice, asked me if I was signed with anyone. I said no. Then she asked if I would send her 10 headshots and resumes. This struck me as odd- it is rare for an agent to ask to work with you sight unseen. I asked if she wouldn’t rather meet me first, and she said, “I have your resume in front of me, what more do I need?” She had a point- my resume is strong- but it still felt odd. So I said, “How about this- I will come by your office and drop off the headshots in person so we can meet each other.” She agreed.

And then I looked them up online. Yikes. They do not have a very good reputation out there. Some people like them, but moreover they are listed along with 2-3 other agencies as being one to stay away from. There is some feedback that their name was listed with casting directors as an agency they don’t want to deal with. And since I do have a good resume and a good look, I don’t want to take a chance and ruin everything I have done up until now. I really should have looked them up ahead of submitting, but when you do a bunch of mailings, you don’t really have the time to research.

So, I am going to let them know that I would rather not freelance (which is true). I am so grateful for the help I found from the acting community at Backstage. I feel like I have dodged a bullet.