WELCOME TALENT Manager CANDIDATES
1. Do you have an eye for talent?
2. Do you enjoy the entertainment field?
3. Are you good with people?
4. Do you want the freedom to set your own hours - working
when and where you want to work?
5. Would you be interested in making real money while helping
other people and having fun at the same time?
6. Are you an ethical, honest person?
NOTICE: ON LINE SCOUT CHAT ROOM
Conducted at various intervals. Contact Lew Carr at CastAmer@aol.com for additional information.
The great thing about being a talent scout or model/talent consultant is that you will never run out of people who want to get into the business. In considering a business to venture into, whether part time or full time, you must always look at "supply and demand". We are in a high demand arena. We deal in the world of people's dreams - and we can make dreams a reality for the right talent (see the CBS News story run on Casting America, June 1999).
Casting America is a complete resource both for talent and those seeking talent in the Entertainment Industry. Whether someone is - or is seeking - actors, models, stunt people, voice over talent, extras, musicians, vocalists, dancers, baby models, animal talent, animal trainers, photographers, writers, directors, animators, producers or crew, Casting America can assist them. In fact, the capabilities and services offered through Casting America are unmatched anywhere in the industry. We are a vehicle both for talent and casting directors. Through our web site, models, actors, stunt people, musicians and so forth, can be listed and attain world wide exposure that they are available to work and perform. For agents, producers and casting directors, this is a fantastic vehicle for them to seek out and review talent for their projects.
If you are just now considering applying to Casting America for a scouting or talent management opportunity, you are coming to us at the right time. Upon initially forming the company and the web site, we test marketed it throughout the state of Florida to see the real merit of what we had to offer. We teamed with Elan International Model & Talent Agency, Elan Model & Talent, Looks International and others to see how this would affect both talent and the agencies. the results have been incredible and should only get better as we are now adding streaming video capabilities (to let talent be seen performing) and will soon have on-line auditioning capabilities.
We are now going nationwide and worldwide - and we are seeking the right people who will grow and build something special with us. We need people who will work hard - not people who just want to claim to be in the entertainment industry.
What We Are Looking For
Casting America is seeking to build its company to a national level of involvement through a nationwide network of talent agents, casting directors, talent scouts, talent coordinators and talent managers. We are part of a growing association of entertainment companies which include Elan International Model & Talent Agency (licensed model and talent agency), Looks International (modeling), Elan Model & Talent, Vision Quest Films (film and television production), Magical Minds Animation (animation productions), Hysteria Models, Pro Model Photography, Holiday Family Productions (animation producers)and the American Digital Broadcasting Network (internet television network).
We are looking for people of good character and high energy who can be trained as scouts to find talent for the following opportunities:
1. website
Actors, models, musicians, etc. who can be enrolled onto the new website. Casting America's website will give talent national and local exposure to those who are seeking talent through the web - and to the major agents, producers, casting directors, recording companies, etc. who are being directly invited to the website by casting America. However, even further, the talent is not merely listed on this site, but is able to actually have web pages created for them with 1 to 10 photos, resumes, and even audio and video inserts. This will allow them to also direct people to their own site where appropriate - and to even link their site into e-mails to major movers and shakers in the industry. If they have potential, they will be seen. The biggest and most difficult task in the industry for new talent is how to be seen - how to market themselves. This is an extremely powerful tool that can cost as little as $125.00 for six months*** (temporarily we have a new campaign allowing these prices to be good for one full year!) for a single head shot and resume page for actors to $280.00*** (for six months for a seven photo composite page for models). There is also a break in price if they sign for one year at a time rather than six months.
As a talent scout, based upon your level of involvement, you will receive a 15% to 20% commission on any sales you personally generate. This can grow as high as 33% if you eventually become a Talent Manager (see Talent Manager section below). We will arrange to get application forms to you - or you can have your talent sign over the web. We do take checks, money orders, master card and visa.
2. Talent Training Opportunities
We have a number of training programs that are ideal for individuals new to the industry. These include an On Camera Auditioning Workshop (covering film and television techniques, industry terminology, and the eight types of auditions generally encountered in the industry), a Television Commercial Workshop, an Animation Voice over Workshop, and Acting for Film and Television Workshop. These can be taught as two day intensive workshops in your region for $250.00 per student. If a scout is the sponsor of such an event and gets the minimum number of students required, then we split the revenues with the scout 60-40 (Casting America gets 60%, the Scout receives 40%; if you are a Talent Manager, the split becomes 50-50). If you can get 100 to 200 students into such a class, it could be a very profitable weekend!
Other courses include On Camera Scene Studies, Modeling Workshops (Runway, Photo Movement and the Business of Modeling), Script Writing for Television and Film, and a Certified Stunt Fighting workshop. All of these are available for you to offer in your area.
Casting America will also conduct special workshops and seminars at our locations in Florida from time to time - including an annual one week event that will involve training and auditions for talent who come to join us. We will keep our talent scouts posted as to the frequency and pricing of these events. If your people want to come to Florida for special events, you will receive commissions as well.
3. Tapes and CD's
We hope to soon have tapes and CD's of our various workshops and will make them available to the scouts to sell. Eventually we hope to set up on line education directly over the Internet as well. The tapes and CD's will add to revenues at the seminars and work shops when conducted.
4. Model and Talent Searches
If a talent scout sponsors a search in his or her area we will split the revenues provided the minimum number attend. This becomes somewhat involved and will be a challenge for most scouts - but very lucrative for those who can handle it well. With searches, you will be involved with a lot of regional advertising and screening sessions to enroll people for a weekend intensive in which they will receive training and will be auditioning for agents and industry shakers. Such events may require multiple scouts in a region to work together. But the rewards can be very great both for the scouts and the talent. Such events will generally need to be attended by 500 to 1,000 talents (models, actors, etc. - mostly new people in the industry) in order for us to bring significant agents out to view them. But at $280.00 per person attending - plus ancillary sales of web pages, photography, tapes, etc. - the income for the weekend can be quite attractive and worth the work.
5. Photography
Models need composites and portfolios and actors need head shots - no way around it. Models need to be photographed on location in ten to twenty outfits - and taught how to pose as they are shooting in many cases. If the scout can enroll a minimum number of models or actors who will need to have photography done, then Casting America can send one of its photographers to your location to shoot. There will be a minimum fee to be sure that travel is covered - but this could become a lucrative once a month event in many cases, earning the scout $1,000 to $4,000 depending on the number recruited.
6. Composites and Portfolios
Once a model or actor has been photographed, the composites and portfolios will need to be done. Casting America offers professional printing services to do these the right way - and once again the scout earns an attractive commission!
7. Merchandising
We will soon have merchandise for sale. Items such as vinyl and/or leather-bound portfolios for models, model tote bags, tee shirts, caps and other items will be available for you to sell. We will also be selling modeling and acting books and health products.
8. Scout and Management Programs
For a period of time, we will need to be continuing to sell Talent Scout and Talent Management distribution programs. As a Scout you can also make money by recruiting other scouts and managers. An independent scout joins us at no cost, but receives no real training other than special training sections hidden online and some phone support. Bringing on an independent scout gives you no up front income, but you can make an override on what that scout produces depending upon your own level (i.e., independent scout, corporate scout, talent manager, exclusive rights manager, etc.). If you sign someone up as a Corporate Scout (they have to pay $200.00 for training and $50.00 for a background check), then you will make your 15% commission off of them as an independent scout, but you will now be elevated to the same commission level that they are at (20%) as long as they remain an active scout. If you sign someone who comes on board as a Talent Manager who pays $2,500.00 to be trained to start a full time distribution business for Casting America, you will not only earn 15% of the $2,500.00 (or 20% of $2,500 if you are a Corporate Scout) but your commission rate will rise to 30% as long as they remain an active Talent Manager. There are Talent manager levels of $2,500.00, $5,000.00, $10,000.00 and $30,000.00 - so you can make a nice income signing managers and scouts - not to mention talent! It is definitely worthwhile for you to become a Corporate Scout as soon as possible, because the training and commission levels can be very dramatic compared to the Independent Scout.
These are only some of the ways you will be able to earn income as a scout.
We are also looking for the right people to partner with to eventually open Casting America or Talent America offices in strategic locations throughout the country.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who loves the entertainment field!
What We Offer On the Web
Talent: Casting America lists talent in all areas of the Entertainment Industry. We have photos, composites, resumes, audio and video clips of actors, models, musicians, performance artists and other professionals in "The Biz"
Jobs: Our industry specific bulletin board lists castings and auditions, jobs, competitions and seminars for those looking to further their careers in the entertainment industry.
Workshops: A listing of workshops, classes and coaches available for actors, models, voice talent and others.
Services: Casting America can be hired by production companies and ad agencies to work in your behalf as casting director and talent wranglers. In this capacity, we screen, audition and sign talent specific to your needs, negotiating within the budget you have established for your project. We also can supply and wrangle extras at reasonable rates.
Info: If you'd like to be listed with Casting America, or would like to give us your feedback, here's where to go. We also have an FAQ's section here, and other links of interest as well.
Newsletter: Casting America will soon start publishing an online Industry Newsletter.
How to Become a Scout
There is no charge to become an independent Talent Scout with Casting America. Those working as independent scouts/consultants, marketing the Casting America web site and programs under their own business name will have no application charge and will earn a 15% commission on each sale generated. Independent Scouts may not co-sponsor seminars or searches but are eligible to send talent to seminars and searches organized by the company or other scouts or managers. The 15% commission will apply to everything, including recruiting other scouts and managers. However, an Independent Scout may also upgrade status by recruiting other scouts and/or managers.
On the other hand, those wishing to operate as direct Corporate Scouts using the Casting America name on their business cards will have to pay $50.00 for a background check. Corporate Talent Scouts will earn 20% and will be eligible to co-sponsor seminars and events with Casting America. Corporate Scouts may also generate income through recruiting other scouts and managers.
There will be some basic training on our programs over the Internet and phone support through the Casting America staff. Some scouts may wish to come to Florida to receive direct hands on training. Corporate scouts hose who wish to do so, will pay $200.00 for such training at those times it is available. The fee does not include travel expenses or lodging while in Florida. You will be trained and have the opportunity to work side by side with our professional talent coordinators as they interview and evaluate models, actors, stunt people and vocalists! Those wishing to be corporate scouts but cannot attend training in Florida may be trained by phone and Internet as an alternative provided the training fee is paid.
Training Materials -
Information will be forwarded from time to time to help you to better work your region. Some of these materials will need to be purchased. These will include such things as sample modeling comps and acting head shots, brochures, training tutorials and more...
We are looking for people who want to grow with us. We intend to open more corporate offices around the country over time. Scouts who have excelled at the program will be great candidates for managing or working from these locations.
YOUR OWN WEB PAGE
By the way, many of our scouts are also talents themselves. One of the advantages of being a scout is that you can purchase a web page of your own for 80% of the standard price! A scout page will help to attract inquirers from your own region.
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
We are not interested in people who want to brag that they are scouts to impress others. We are only interested in people who will work the program and attain results. Our requirements are quite minimal, especially considering the fact that once you are on board we will show you very low cost methods of advertising and drawing in models and actors.
If someone is going to work for us as an Independent Scout, they must sell one web page within their first 30 days and must maintain sales of either 2 web pages or $250.00 per month to maintain their 15% commission rate. The most basic web page is $125.00 and most models spend closer to $300.00 to add enough photos to their page, so this is truly a very minimal level. If after 30 days, the scout has sold nothing, they are dropped from the program. If any page sales come in as a result of their efforts after 30 days, they will receive a 10% finder's fee. If a scout fails to sell 2 web pages or $250.00 in a given month, they will be dropped officially from the program and will receive 10% for sales coming in after the fact - but can be reinstated by bringing in sales that catch them up to quota levels. A scout who has sold $500.00 in a previous month is not going to br dropped because their total for the year is ahead of requirements. So the best thing to do is to sell above minimums and then you will not have to worry about levels.
Corporate Scouts also have levels to achieve to maintain their full commission. Within the first month, a Corporate Scout must sell one web page to maintain 20%. If they do not make such a sale within 30 days, they are not dropped but their commission rate falls to 15%. if they make no sale within 60 days, they are temporarily dropped from the program and are eligible for a 10% finder's fee on any sales that come in. A corporate scout must sell 3 web pages per month thereafter, or $375.00 in total sales to not be dropped to Independent Scout status. As with the Independent Scout program, if you are ahead of quota, then an off month does not lower your commission or endanger your status.
If you have recruited other Talent Scouts or Talent Managers, your eligibility to maintain overrides off of their performance is based upon you continuing to achieve your quotas. In other words, if you are at a level where you are able to receive 5% as an override off another's performance, and if they do $20,000 in sales in a month from seminars and web pages, then you risk a $1,000 commission for yourself by not selling web pages or services to others.
TALENT MANAGEMENT BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAM
Some have expressed an interest in more than talent scouting, preferring to build talent management businesses of their own. Casting America has just initiated a Talent Management Business Training program that involves extensive hands on training, business planning, business set-up and project co-sponsorships. If you have a desire to establish a business that will not only be able to recruit talent to the web site, but can directly generate income through managing and training talent, photography, printing and job placement, then you need to contact us at CastAmer@aol.com to see if you qualify.
There are different levels of eligibility and expense for talent management operations pending the size of the city or territory involved, experience of the prospective owner, and/or capacity to learn.
LEVEL I To be trained to open a basic talent management enterprise, distributing for Casting America, the cost is $2,500.00. This entitles the manager to a 30% commission on all web site sales generated, along with direct income from photography, weekly workshops, printing, and more. In other words, the Talent Manager will learn to generate income in which Casting America will not always be sharing. The manager will need to renew yearly at $2,500.00 or at no charge if they have produced at least $30,000 in income directly for Casting America.
LEVEL II For a $5,000.00 figure, the Talent Manager becomes eligible to receive leads generated from their region both for talent and talent scouts. Any talent scouts signed by this level of manager will operate under the manager, earning the manager a 5% override on all sales generated by the scout! This manager must renew yearly for $5,000.00 to maintain this level or produce $50,000.00 during the year for Casting America.
LEVEL III For a $10,000.00 figure, only for those managers in mid-sized cities and smaller, the manager has the option to have territorial exclusivity. The manager will earn 33% on all web site sales he or she generates and will make overrides on all talent scouts signed within the territory, regardless of who signs them. The manager will also earn a 2% commission on all actors, models and talent from the territory who are signed to the web site regardless of who signs them. The manager has the option of excluding any other Casting America talent managers from operating within the territory - or may agree to allow other lower talent managers to be added and earn overrides from them as well. Major cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, etc. cannot be exclusive territories - but a pre-determined limit on talent managers will be placed on each such city. To maintain this level, the manager must renew each year for $10,000.00 or produce $75,000.00 in direct income for casting America during the course of the year.
LEVEL IV Major cities may be taken over on an exclusive basis for a $30,000.00 figure - and an understanding that lower level talent managers will be allowed to exist within the domain. Of course, the Major City Exclusive Rights Manager will be receiving overrides on all such operations.
INTERNATIONAL SCOUTS AND MANAGERS
We have received many inquiries from abroad about scouting or setting up talent management locations around the world. This is a great opportunity and we are forming a sister company and web site (Casting International) to better address the various languages and locations with which we will be working. However, we cannot extend the same pricing to international markets as we do to those in the U.S. The logistics and added communications, shipping and postage expenses alone make it impossible to set up a level that has no up front cost as we do with the Independent Scout program. The cost to become a Corporate Scout outside of the United States and Canada will have to be $500.00. The cost of each of the Talent Management program levels will also double. So the most basic Talent Manager/Distribution Program will be $5,000.00 overseas. Again, this is to cover the added support and expenses necessary to support such operations.
Enrolling as a Talent Scout
NOTICE: There is a strict no refund policy for those enrolling as corporate talent scouts or talent managers.
Either call Casting America or email us at
CastAmer@aol.com and provide us with the following:
a. Full Name
Please provide us with your full name.
b. Address
We will need the mailing address. If you will want us to send your checks to a different address, please supply us with that information - and an explanation as to why the two are different.
c. Social Security Number
We need social security number in order to be able to pay your commissions and bonuses earned.
d. Phone Numbers
We need the phone numbers where you can be reached. Some of our advertising will have people in your region needing to speak to a local talent scout, so we will need to contact you with such leads.
e. e-mail Address
We need your e-mail address in order to send you information on a regular basis.
f. Code of Ethics
State that you agree to abide by the Code of Ethics (shown later on We also ask that each new scout go to the talent scout contract (see attached link below) and print one off, sign it and either fax or mail it into Casting America at the address listed just above - or email to us that you agree to the terms of the contract. The contract protects both in that it establishes your commission rates for sales and services. To get to the contract, simply double click on the following hyperlink:
Talent Scout Contract
Once we have received the information and fee, we will set up getting the information in hand to get you under way. This will also involve a series of phone calls, so it is also best to give us the optimal time to call you.
We are looking for scouts who are honest, hard working, like to have fun and who definitely want to make money.
Code of Ethics
You must also agree to bide by our Code of Ethics as follows:
1. I will NEVER tell a prospect that "I can make them a star", because no one in any stage of the business could ever give such a guarantee.
2. I will NEVER tell a prospect that Casting America or any of its affiliates can definitely get them work as an actor, model or talent, because no one in any part of the talent management business
could ever make such a guarantee.
3. I will NEVER use my role as a Talent Scout to attempt to take advantage of a prospect in any way: financially, personally or sexually.
4. I will not represent myself as a formal employee of the company, but rather as an independent Talent Scout working with Casting America. My business cards can say Casting America on them with its logo and the term "Talent Scout" as my job description.
5. I will never behave in any manner which could be construed as unethical, knowing that such behavior would end my relationship with Casting America.
You should state in your e-mail or letter that you agree to the terms of the Code of Ethics.
Once again, to enroll as a scout, we need: Name, Address, Phone Numbers, Social Security Number (or EIN number if registering as a business), e-mail Address, and a Statement Agreeing to Abide by our Code of Ethics.
Feel free to browse around the website to learn more about Casting America.
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