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One Source Talent - Talent Agencies Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

If I could I would have NO stars to a scam company. Stay away from this company if you want to become a real actor or model. They want $500 bucks upfront. The second i told them I couldn't afford it the lady just ignored me. WOW that is nuts. I use to work for an acting agency and they didn't take one dime from me and got me work. read more

There aren't many good agents in Chicago but if you're a professional, then you know their names. The fact I'd never heard of this place should have been my first red flag. After going to my appointment, being sat in a room with about 50 other people- all exceedingly different types- and watching "Devil Wears Prada" which they turned on to distract us from realizing we were waiting for more than an hour, I left. You should NEVER pay money to sign a contract. An agent's money is made from signing people they KNOW will be able to get work, because they make 10-15% on your pay checks. Anyone that asks you to a) pay up front, or b) get new overpriced headshots with THEIR photographer, is likely not a real agent. I knew better. I shouldn't have gone. I wasted my time. Please learn from my mistakes. read more

One Source talent is not an agency. They're a resource to help beginning and experienced modeling and acting talent with their portfolios. For someone who is new to the industry, One Source sets up a professional portfolio photo shoot and builds a comp card profile for them to show potential clients. Additionally, OST constantly researches and supplies their talent with info about casting calls, photo shoots, and great opportunities. Think of One Source as a stepping stone into the industry. There are lots of success stories, and to make it work you need to have a positive attitude about it. I have worked with One Source for several years and have seen countless talent get great gigs through their process. The staff at the office is very friendly and professional. I hear many compliments from the talent. Those who leave negative reviews often have misconceptions about how the office works and expect them to act like an agency. Like any other business, you'd need to invest to start, and pay for a portfolio to get noticed and be taken seriously. read more

They ask for money up front. $500. Then there is a monthly fee. I would get a call every once in a while from a member of their company that does not know who I am, letting me know that they just sent me an email. I already got the email asking me if I want to submit to be an extra in an independent film for no pay, why are they calling me to let me know about an email? The first time this happened I was excited, thinking that I was going to have a conversation with someone who knows my talent and had a role that would be perfect for me. When I asked what the role was for, she told me to check my email. She didn't know!!!!! She was just some girl acting as the companies robot to call the talent in hopes that the talent thinks that they are cared for. Bullshit! They do not fight for their talent. You are just another number in their database. They would send me "recommended for me" postings which included MTV needing twins for some stupid reality show. I am not a twin. Why are they sending me this crap? They promise big opportunity and drop all these big names. When in reality, they are just herding cattle when a TV show or low to no budget project needs an extra to dance in the background for a club scene. Almost every posting is for non paid extra and independent work that you can find on free sites and actors postings! If you are serious about acting, avoid this company at all costs. They are promising opportunity and a service you can get for free and every person I interacted with at the office were air-headed bimbos that didn't treat me like a human but would call me constantly to get me to pay them for headshots through their company which would end up costing more than $400! The most expensive headshots I have ever heard of! Save your money. Get better headshots at a lower cost. I know at least 5 photographers in Chicago that will charge $200 or less for fantastic headshots! Ask me and I will send you their info. I am currently in a payed comedy acting gig every Friday and Saturday night, booked my own paid commercial and play all around town including Lincoln Lodge, Second City, The Public House Theater and many more. All done by myself!! Don't waste your money on this scam of a company! They don't care about you. They care about money. And they can suck a big toe! read more

I went to one of their presentations before doing any googling. My bad. Do not waste your time going to the presentation or money paying for their service. They present themselves as an elite source of auditions. The problem being the auditions they list are either available for free elsewhere, or ones your agent would also be submitting you for (and a good majority are auditions you'd need an agent to even be seen for). Additionally, you NEVER pay an agent. A reputable agent may require you to hire a photographer for new pictures, but never THEIR photographer. A reputable agent may request you take classes (and classes from good schools are an amazing resource), but you DO NOT pay to be represented or accepted by a credible agency. One Source Talent is NOT an agency. SAG/AFTRA and Actors Equity both have lists of accredited agencies. The amount of money they ask is outrageous and the employees are rude when you tell them - even politely - "no thank you." I kept getting calls from them about "amazing opportunities" long after I requested they stop calling me. When people point out what a scam this organization is, they go on about the entertainment industry "not being for everyone." That may be true, but I'm a sag and equity professional; I know what I'm talking about. read more

*update* 3/24/15 As soon as I posted my review about this scam, (woops, i mean "company") someone from onesource using a (fake) profile harassed me. What legitimate professional business would harass people who leave negative reviews? It's unprofessional at best. Please One Source Talent Agency, just stop scamming people and shut down. You're all terrible. read more

Our production company actually reached out to One Source Talent. We do realize they are not a talent agency, however, they are loaded with talent ready and willing to work on projects. Since we are an Independent company based in Chicago, we feel more comfortable requesting talent from One Source Talent than taking a chance on other social media outlets. What we like about One Source Talent is the fact that they've already met and screened their talent. This is very important to our production company, especially because we work mainly with children and teens. Our most dependable talent has come from One Source Talent. In the short period of time, we've had an opportunity to work with a diverse group of talent. We are currently producing a Gospel Game Show which airs on local cable television and streaming online. Many talent from One Source Talent also contributed to our past summer Community Student Short Film projects. I strongly believe that networking with One Source Talent will allow the talent gain experience and prepare them for major productions in the near future. We enjoyed working on past projects and are looking forward to requesting more talent from their directory for our upcoming projects for 2014. Thank you, Anil Nai Director of Operations read more

This place is a total scam. They put you in a room with about 50 others and get children excited by taking them and snapping a photo of them. Then they deliver a fast paced sales pitch about how you will have to pay them 500 bucks to have comp cards made. They then call you back to speak to a recruiter and they ask how serious you are and then tell you that you have to use them to get comp cards you are not able to use a photographer of choice and they ask to bring in 10 best photos... I am guessing they will use these to build a card. Beware! Any reputable agency will not ask you for cash up front. I was literally told to come back to the second interview prepared to write a check. read more

Beware! One Source Talent is NOT a talent agency. It is a sales company that tries to sell you access to their website/database which you can use to find work in the entertainment industry. If you are not willing to pay $495 down and $33 per month for this access, look elsewhere. Don't let One Source convince you that you cannot successfully submit on your own; there are reputable agencies in town including but not limited to Ambassador, Ford, and Stewart Talent where they invite people to submit their photos for consideration. My experience with One Source was I submitted some photos because I was interested in print work, and received an invite to a call. There was a slick presentation about the company's services, and then people were called back to meet with the recruiters individually. There was no opportunity to ask questions, and when someone inquired whether she could use her own headshots, she was told the recruiter "would address it." Not a straight answer to a straightforward question...hmm. The staff were deliberately cold and gave off an air of exclusivity and a "don't waste my time" kind of attitude, kind of hyped up like one would expect of Hollywood types. I was invited for a call back interview the next day. I brought some photos along at the company's request. After leaving the room to supposedly confer with the corporate headquarters in Michigan about the snapshots, the recruiter told me she liked my look and personality. She said that the company wanted to work with me and would submit me for consideration to two retailers that frequently used local models for print work. BUT, the only thing was, I had to sign an agreement stating I would pay them a fee of $495/$33 per month on the spot. This fee would include access to the database and comp cards put together by the company's photographer. When I balked, the recruiter tried to pressure me into it by saying that I would "make it back," and if I was serious about working in the industry, it was an "investment in my future." She also claimed that if I did not act now, I would have to wait one year before going through the call process once again. I tried to ask if there was a way to do some kind of installment payments because $495 is a lot of money to me, but nothing was negotiable. It was a take-it-or-leave it kind of a deal. In the end I walked. It all sounded great but moved really fast and kind of left me with an uneasy feeling. I was never asked if I had any questions or concerns at any time--just got a very convincing sales pitch. However, once the recruiters learned I wasn't taking the bait, they wanted nothing to do with me. In all fairness, there may be people out there who have used and are satisfied with this service. I decided not to sign up for this service, but wanted to make sure that anyone thinking about investing their money with this company knows what they are getting--it is not agency representation, and that distinction was unclear to me from the website and the live presentation. I would hate to see anyone lose their money on something that is not what it seems. A true talent agency will not charge you upfront if they want to work with you. read more

I got two calls from them... And it just sounded weird. Today I talked to a guy on the phone... And he called me "beautiful" twice over the phone. It was totally unprofessional. That turned me off the most. I will not be going to them. read more

Don't pay $500 down and $33 a month for something you can get for $15 a month on IMDb Pro. Once you're established and got some IMDb credits, pay $15 for the membership, and there you'll have access to REAL sources--not this company's garbage. How do I know they are garbage? They called me about a "great opportunity" with "major potential" and when I physically went to the location, it was a community college (Oakton Community College, to be exact) casting actors for a play for children. Then they somehow "lost" my information, stopped charging me $33 per month and never called me again. When I called them to ask them what the deal was, they said, "Oh, you would have to enroll again..." (pay $500 AGAIN) and when I told them no, it was their mistake, the man said, "Either you want to be a star or you don't. The price you pay is the investment you make to be one step closer to your dream." That's what $500 gets you. Lies. "We are not an agency..." yet they are listed as an agency on Yelp. Don't give these scammers any money. Update 3/23/15: A man claiming to be the owner of OST contacted me and agreed to refund me my initial refund amount of $500 in exchange for me taking down my Yelp review. A month later, after not hearing from him, a woman using his account contacted me asking me to settle for half the amount in exchange for taking down my review. She became very impatient and rude and left me no choice but to agree to the settlement. They quickly put a contact together with the agreement amount and me taking down my review this past Friday. On Monday morning and I received 3 messages and 3 calls from them pressuring me to sign over the weekend. On Sunday night at 10pm I was messaged on Yelp from that woman who said things like, "Where do you work? You take forever. I'd hate to sell you a house or a car. I've changed my hair twice in the time it's taken you to sign the contract." The account member changed to another woman, again. Unethical and unprofessional. They can keep the settlement. I'm leaving my review on here. read more

I give this place 1 star for effort. I thought I may have wanted to sign up for it but $395.00 up front then 29.99 for months at a time? They must be out of their minds! Those people can really drag you in. Knowing those costs, i wouldn't do it anyway. After I heard everyone elses reviews, I quit. This is just a warning to everybody that has tried a so called agency thats not going to work. TYRA BANKS pretty much says that you should not have to pay anything IF THEY WANT YOU AS A MODEL. I say there not representing you, your representing them. In any buisness thats not a scam, they will not charge you! As I hope to say about COSTAL PUBLICATIONS. Envelopes that u fill for $10. There phone no longer works. Never go to glamour model talent or OST. As for John Robert Powers, its like college. Tuition and everything! Too much money for a book and bag you could get yourself. read more

One of their customer service representatives actually had the nerve to message me through Yelp after I posted my review and ask that I take it down because their Yelp rating was hurting business. Then, the rep deleted the first comment and tried to write a more cordial one explaining how it's hard for them to accurately list their business on Yelp to further distinguish themselves from a talent agency. I don't buy that argument, I did not respond, and my low opinion of this place has not changed, even years later. read more

Agree with the other one star reviews. They want to charge you a monthly fee to represent you. No thanks!

One Source Talent is a company that provides a tool for potential models and actors to find gigs/jobs in the industry. After going into OST and truly understanding what they do in the industry, they offer quite a unique service... First of all, no business is going to do work for you for free. No one ever has or ever will. They have a castings department that reach out to casting directors, agents, producers etc, to submit the talent they've taken aboard. EVERY casting is unique in that it could ask for specific measurements and looks- so not everyone fits every job and can be submitted. You could also be one in 300 that are submitted and just don't have the look the casting director, or whoever, is looking for. So don't get bummed if no work comes your way in the first couple months. This is also why your marketing tools, such as your pictures, are so important! They also provide workshops that help talent understand the industry. ie: how to prepare for a casting. These are at no additional cost to the talent... The most important thing I think most people need to understand, is that IT TAKES WORK. Large paying roles or gigs don't usually just land in your lap.. If that happened, then all of us that wanted to be in the industry, would be.... One Source provides a list of nationwide castings to each of their talent. You can submit yourself to any of these that fit your skill set, or look... Again, I had a good experience, but that is because I took time to understand what was offered and what the industry really takes to be apart of. If you're looking for a way to get your feet wet and possibly do some cool things, give it a try.... read more

One Source Talent called about my daughter and they wanted her to come in for an appointment about modeling. She's been working towards this goal for awhile and it was a good time to start looking into getting her some work. The first appointment was a cattle call. There were people of all ages and types in the room from kids to older people. My daughter gets called in for a polaroid type pic and measurements. Then we get lead back out to the main room to watch The Devil Wears Prada. After all the people are processed we sit through the warm up pitch and the Director quickly says "Website $39.95 a month." After awhile longer (we almost watch the whole movie) my daughter gets called in for the interview. They like her and they want her to come back the next day. We're not available, but she is told she has to come in the next day. We rearrange our schedules and make an appointment. Next day, the call back is actually a sales pitch for a $495 payment that must be made that day and then she needs to sign a contract for $39.95 a month. The $495 is not refundable. The $495 must be paid that day. Now. Their schtick is that they are not a modeling agency and they call themselves a model management company. Their service is the website that agencies come to and look at. They don't even collect payment! They also don't guarantee anyone work. So why would you want to pay $495.00 for a maybe/maybe not? That's ridiculous! You sign with an agency and you pay them 15% after you get a job. That's the way things work. She tells me that the up front fee is because they are saving you the cost of printing comp cards and headshots which is also ridiculous because a legitimate agency wouldn't ask you to do that either. Basically, they never ask you to pay for anything. Basically, why would you pay someone $495 to do nothing for you but put 4 pictures and a blurb about you on a website. You could do that yourself. And the jobs that you might get? They are for extras and for people to appear on reality tv shows. You can find out about those opportunities yourself just by going to reality tv websites and sites like craigslist. So why would you pay $39.95 a month for that? Bottom line - do not waste your time. We wasted enough time for you. They could have told us everything the first day. I don't understand why they make people come back for the hard sales pitch. Not fun! read more

THIS COMPANY IS A GOOD SCAM!!!! THEY ARE VERY SERIOUS AND PROFESSIONAL MY DAUGHTER SIGNED UP ONLINE WE WENT IN FOR A PRESENTATION THE LADY TALKS FAST BUT SOUNDS GREAT She invite you to do a one on one gets your child very excited saying She see potential in her and ask them lots of question to get to no their favorite TVs shows and models after that OK your invited again tomorrow for another interview remember your kid very excited and THEY think you will do anything to make her happy after going to the back and talking to a talent scouts So here's the bs old navy is looking Is looking For 11 year olds to model for their ad's they wants her mom it pays 700.00 an ad and good news for my daughter your favorite show shake it up is looking For people Too and you have the face They looking for long story short mom you pay 495.00 plus 39.99 every month rite now can't bring it back you can make phone calls to See if you can use someone else credit card. Right Now your kid crying they eyes out cause They think it's they big break to be on TVs So now your kid crying they send you out the back door not by the receptionist so the other people won't see them crying SCAM SCAM SCAM they know parents will do anything for children not to mention your kid crying they eyes out I really hope they pray at nite that's all I have to say read more

I feel so violated. I walked our before the interview even took place. Waited 45 mins, walked out after the creepy girl Chelsea finished her blurb, which ended in "you will pay the initial fee, then a monthly fee"..Don't waste your time!! These people rob people and give them false hope! I had a comp card already made by a true professional, will be much smarter in the future! read more

I received a call from this company. I decided to Google them and I am glad I did. A representative called me and made an appointment for me to see Gina. After reading the reviews, I decided to cancel my appointment. The representative never asked me my name. She was only interested in if I was going to reschedule. When I said no, she just hung up the phone. For the newbies to the industry, as a professional actor, I must warn you that you NEVER pay any upfront monies for any projects or services offered by a company. A true and legitimate agency will represent you at there discretion and will invest there time and money in you, because they know they will get a return on their investment. This company is a SCAM and you should stay away. FYI, you've been warned. read more