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Re: Scream Management?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 9:57 am
by fartoomuchtodo
As some of you will know my DS has been with Scream for 7 years now and has had a quite successful career with them (CBBC, Royal Exchange, DIsney etc). I have posted on here numerous times in defence of Scream when people have complained about admin or workshop fees etc.

However, I wanted to post our more recent thinking of our experiences with Scream.

In the last 18 months or so we feel things have changed at the agency. The charging system has changed meaning that everyone is paying £10 a month for the privilege of representation in addition to commission on any work. In the last year DS has had few auditions (unusual for him) and no work at all - this despite turning 16 last year and still looking like he's 12 or 13. They have grown and grown, taking on more clients and opening a London office. Now, when I call the agency, I feel they haven't the time to speak to me (in fact, on a number of occasions they've clearly been speaking to someone else at the same time). With £10 a month each from 100s of clients and the theatre schools they must be raking it in.

Because of these things, and because he's now 16 DS decided to look elsewhere and has been lucky enough to have 3 agents offer him rep. Scream however are insisting he serves his contracted 6 month notice - something which none of the new agents can quite believe is legal - but it is as we, when we were complete beginners and totally naive, signed the contract. Luckily the new agents will wait.

I just felt I should post this - not as a moan, it's our bed and we'll lie in it! But to caution anyone thinking of joining - just beware and be aware :)

Re: Scream Management?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:27 pm
by Caroline A-C
If they are charging every single client £10 a month just for representing them then they don't have the incentive to actually get their clients work. That sounds a bit worrying. My DC's have had various agents over the years and not one has charged a monthly fee. We have had the fee for Spotlight and headshot but that is it. The agent's cut is the commission on any work the client gets.

Re: Scream Management?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:35 pm
by tracie
Hi, Must just say that we also signed the contract with Scream as did my friend but when we left we told them we were going and that was that. Fight your corner. Basically when you signed with them they never mentioned the £10 admin monthly fee did they? well if they can do things like that you can just go, they have more than enough children on their books, ask them to show you what they have put him forward for the past couple of weeks and if nothing then I would walk, I doubt very much they will challenge you. They didn't challenge us, they didn't have a leg to stand on. Good luck and try and get your child with the new agency ASAP, whoever it is will look after your child in a way Scream don't.

Re: Scream Management?

Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 1:54 pm
by whattodo
Fartoomuch - i feel for you! We were in this position they were insistent we gave 6 months. I said not a chance as they had lied, poor comms etc etc and they let us go. I had to force them to say yes, they were insistent they had castings in the pipeline :---) and had done this and that. They hadn't. My ds only jobs were through a job he had done a few years ago and they wanted to keep using him. Do not settle for the 6 months at all! Be firm and say no outline in the contract anything that they haven't done, and better still if you haven't agreed to the £10 a month you can as flippant as you like with them! I bet I actually know you and your son! Feel free to pm me and good luck x

Re: Scream Management?

Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2018 11:13 am
by Harrypottermouse
Thank you for posting the insight about scream.
I always get suspicious when I have to agree to paying for stuff when no costs are posted and T&Cs are all a bit vague and you have to click to get more information.