I saw a listing for a site called http://www.hollywoodprofiles.com/ that claimed they could help get me parts in films as an extra. I have been an extra in a couple movies in the past, including The Incredible Hulk (the first one) and Mad City (with John Travolta and Dustin Hoffman) and both times it was a lot of fun.
Being on a movie set is a blast, the food is excellent and if you're lucky, you might not even get cut out of the film. I got to hang out with some of the actors and for just a moment, I was treated like a star. So, when I saw this thing for http://www.hollywoodprofiles.com/, I was intrigued.
For just $1.98, they said they'd list me on their Web site and that if a movie was being filmed in the Bay Area, I would have a very good chance of being called by the casting people involved.
Now that I look back at it, I have to say shame on me. What did I expect for $1.98 anyway? A starring role doing sex scenes with Angelina, Julia and/or Jennifer? A co-starring spot in a buddy film with Brad, George or Ben, in say, Oceans 20? I wish.
But, one thing I didn't expect was getting ripped off. Buyer beware! http://www.hollywoodprofiles.com/ is a scam! After you sign up for the $1.98, they will charge you an additional $49.95 on your credit card 14 days later. Then, when you call them and attempt to have the charge removed, they say "no problem."
But, these people aren't dumb. They have become very adept at ripping people off. They know that they don't have to remove the charge until it's 30 days old. So, they stall, hoping that you'll forget about it and go away.
That's why the citizen newspapaper that I write for, BrooWaha, is such a great forum. We can use it to call out scam artists like the ones at http://www.hollywoodprofiles.com/. We can use it to right the wrongs of the world and expose the many a-holes residing on this planet -- like real estate agents who berate potential buyers or punks who taunt tigers at the zoo.
So, you've been warned. This company has received a ton of complaints and has been investigated on many occasions. Hopefully, the only profile they will see in the very near future is their own mug shot, as they go off to jail to play the role of a lifetime -- as a punk in a prison scene from my newest favorite film, "Hollywood Profiles From Tier 7."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
thanks for the heads up, ed. as much as i'm trying to get into the business, i dont trust anybody from the hollywood game.
Post a Comment