The Scam Factor

WHEN I WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD, THERE WAS NOTHING MORE I WANTED IN LIFE THAN TO BE AN ACTRESS IN MOVIES AND ON TELEVISION. I HOUNDED MY PARENTS AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO LET ME GO OUT ON AUDITIONS AND FIND AN AGENT. PROBLEM WAS, NEITHER THEY NOR I KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BUSINESS. SO WHEN I SAW AN AD IN THE PAPER CLAIMING TO “MAKE ME STAR!” AND PUT ME IN FRONT OF “INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS”, I DRAGGED MY AUNT TO THE OPEN CALL. WE WAITED IN A ROOM FULL OF FRESH-FACED AND EAGER KIDS AND THEIR PARENTS TO GET OUR CHANCE TO BE ON TV. THEY MADE US FILL OUT ENOUGH PAPERWORK TO DROWN IN AND THEN ASKED US FOR $350 TO DO A “SCREEN TEST”. THE SCREEN TEST INVOLVED ME, IN A ROOM, WITH A CHEAP CONSUMER CAMERA, STATING MY NAME AND AGE AND READING A GENERIC PIECE OF COMMERCIAL COPY. WE WERE PROMISED THE TEST WOULD AIR “SOMEWHERE”. SOUNDS NAÏVE, I KNOW, BUT I WAS SEVEN! WHAT DID I KNOW? AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS WE WENT BY TO CHECK IN ON THE “AIRDATE”. THE WHOLE PLACE WAS EMPTY. AS IF THE COMPANY HAD NEVER EXISTED. THEY PROBABLY SET UP FOR TWO WEEKS, MADE A KILLING AND THEN LEFT TOWN. I STARTED THE KID (F)ACTOR TO COMBAT COMPANIES LIKE THAT ONE. I DON’T WANT ANY DESPERATE KIDS OR FAMILIES MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE I DID. I WANT TO PROVIDE A PLACE FOR KIDS TO LEARN SKILLS, FOSTER CREATIVITY AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE ON HOW THE INDUSTRY WORKS AND HOW TO AVOID SCAMS. THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR I EVENTUALLY LEARNED HOW TO NAVIGATE THE TRICKY WATERS OF “HOLLYWOOD”. I DON’T WANT ANYONE TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL LOSSES MY FAMILY AND I ENDURED. WITH MY CLASS, THE KID (F)ACTOR, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT YOU ARE GETTING CORRECT AND VALUABLE INFORMATION FROM A TRUSTED WORKING ACTOR AND CASTING DIRECTOR IN THE BUSINESS WHO’S BEEN THROUGH IT ALL AND SINCERELY WANTS TO HELP CHILDREN, TEENS BE THE BEST ACTOR – AND PERSON – THEY CAN BE. YOURS, RAKEFET ABERGEL KID (F)ACTOR, OWNER