About Arlene Schulman Expertise As a professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I can help with questions on acting technique, character development, audition and rehearsal techniques, dealing with directors and stage managers, what directors are looking for, and other aspects of the acting and directing professions.
Experience A professional director, dramaturg, acting coach and actor for over 25 years in the NYC/NJ area, I have directed in professional, university and amateur theatre and have directed and acted in dramas, comedies, musicals, Shakespeare as well as collaborating closely with playwrights in the development of original plays and musicals.
Organizations SSDC associate member Advisory Board - Isle of Shoals Productions Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of America associate member Shakespeare Association of America The Shakespesare Institute -
MA "Shakespeare & Theatre" candidate, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK
Expert: Arlene Schulman Date: 1/8/2008 Subject: Tyler Briggs and Sandra Thomas
Question I too was emailed by Tyler Briggs and Sandra Thomas about casting calls. I didn't feel right about giving them my moms credit card. I emailed them asking about their creditibility and never recieved a response from them. Can you give me any adivce as to what I should do?
P.S. I am asking for more advice because i notice that you have given advice about these two people and yet on the Actor's Exchange page you have their website added as a sponsered link. Any reason as to why that is if you have given advice that they are scam artists?
Answer Hi Kristy,
You did the right thing in not giving them your mom's credit card - which you should never do without your mom's permission, without checking out exactly who you are giving it to, and certainly not to someone who simply emailed you without any indication that they were going to do anything for you. If you emailed them about their credibility and received no answer, that's a good indication that they are simply looking for your money.
No legitimate audition asks any actor to pay to be seen. And no legitimate agent asks an actor for money. Auditions are free. Agents do not get paid by actors. They earn their money by getting a percentage of the income their clients earn through jobs the agents get for them. Anyone who represents themselves as an agent but asks you for money is not legitimate.
Some companies call themselves "talent agencies" but are, in fact, acting schools (and often not very good ones) who sign up young actors with promises of auditions and guaranteed casting, charge them for classes, headshots, and for "auditions" for "casting directors". Their actual goal is not to make you a better actor, as a true acting school does, or to get you jobs as a legitimate agent does, but simply to separate you from your money.
Now I'm not saying that Tyler Biggs and Sandra Thomas belong to this catagory. I have no personal experience with either company, only reports I have gotten from those who have had such experience with them. And most of those reports have been more negative than positive.
As for the sponsors on this website, I have nothing to do with that. I don't own or run AllExperts; I am simply one of many "experts" who volunteer to help people by giving advice and information. I'm sure those who own and run AllExperts accept advertising from those who are willing to pay for it. Beyond that, you'll have to speak with them about the quality of those who advertise and how they establish their legitimacy.
