When Okanagan teens learned a talent scout was coming to Kelowna, many started practicing their lines with stars in their eyes.
But some parents are starting to have their doubts about the audition process.
Undiscovered Talent Group claims to have stars that have gone on to Disney and Nickelodeon fame. They held group auditions at Kelowna’s Four Points Hotel on Saturday.
After performing her lines, 15-year-old Tianna Kowalchuk was ecstatic to be called back the next day.
“I was almost in tears when they said they had selected me,” she said.
Kowalchuk returned on Sunday with her mom. They expected a second round of auditions.
“Of course my daughter is over the moon, and we’re very excited to go. It’s a good confidence booster for her,” Kowalchuk’s mother Tasha Betts said.
But as soon as they got there, they were ushered to a table, and Betts said she was asked to sign a contract costing approximately $6,000 CAD.
“They think that my child would be good for this top-tier program and it costs x-amount of dollars and you get this service and that service,” Betts said.
She also added that the woman told her she needed to pay immediately.
“I wasn’t expecting to be proposed with a financial obligation that day,” she said. “I really thought that it was some further call backs for some line memorization and a little bit more acting from my daughter.”
Betts said it was a tough spot to be in.
“When you have your wide-eyed daughter with a quivering lip and tears in her eyes, and pulling at your heart strings, and thinking that you’re squashing her dream of movie stardom, you feel pressured into the moment,” she said.
Betts signed the contract but started having doubts when she got home.
She called the Undiscovered Talent Group to cancel the contract, and the company said a refund would be processed.
The Better Business Bureau said it had previously contacted the company due to the high number of inquiries it has received. BBB files indicate the Undiscovered Talent Group has a pattern of complaints from consumers alleging not being able to obtain previously agreed-upon refunds.
After contacting Global News, Betts said the company sent her proof of the refund in an email.
Undiscovered Talent Group said it helps clients develop auditioning and casting skills, and it has a number of success stories. It also denies that parents are put in a high-pressure situation.
“We show them a video. We talk to them in-depth regarding what our company does and how we go about doing what we do,” company spokesperson Liz Garrett said on the phone.
“Sometimes people feel high pressure because it’s something they want to do but they can’t do it. They’re disappointed about the fact that they can’t do it, so sometimes that’s their reaction.”
Betts said she’s embarrassed about the whole incident, but by speaking out she’s hoping other parents can learn from her mistake.
“If I could do this over again, I would certainly spend more time researching the company before I attended, really being prepared for whether I’m willing to pay for a service or not,” Betts said. “And if I’m willing to pay for a service, how much am I willing to pay, what is a reasonable amount?”
Paul Cousins helps Okanagan movie productions find extras.
“They’re capitallizing on a parent’s ambition for a child to get them in front of a Disney camera, and they make it make sense while you’re there. It’s a high pressure deal, whether they say it is or not,” Cousins said.
He said aspiring actors shouldn’t expect to pay money if they’re auditioning for a role.
“If you’re going to a legit audition, you want to make sure the people hosting it are associated with productions that are recognized through your local film commission,” he said.
“Any agent that is there that is trying to sign you up for their roster, ask what their license is, ask what their registration name is,” he said.
Cousins also said B.C. talent agencies can’t ask for money up front, and their fees can’t exceed 15 per cent of their client’s wages.
Undiscovered Talent Group appears to be an American-based company.
The Better Business Bureau said it has been unable to determine if the company is licensed by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement Talent Agency License within the state of California.
“On May 9 and 23, 2018 we sent requests to the address on file and asked the business to provide us with their contact and licensing information. Unfortunately, we did not hear back from the company after multiple contacts,” the BBB said on its website.
Comments