Is Nine9 a Scam or Legit?
So why do people call them a scam in the first place?
It boils down to a few things, and I’ll dive into them each individually, but the main reasons are their marketing methods, the fact that they do charge a fee for some of their services and expectations.
Marketing Methods:
Paid Services:
Talent and modeling agencies don’t take upfront fees.
So it’s been a belief in the entertainment industry that if a company requires payment – they are a scam.
The problem here is Nine9 does not require a payment, they post thousands of free casting calls to their blog which you can freely submit to.
Lastly, while talent and modeling agencies do not take upfront fees – read the fine print on any talent or modeling contract and you’ll see that over the course of your acting or modeling career the agency is going to take way more of the profits home than Nine9 would have ever taken up front.
It’s just a different business model.
Personally, I believe that all signs point to the entertainment industry tides turning, look at other industries like music.
Everyone is going independent.
Many of the most successful (smart) new artists are turning down royalty rate deals and instead opting for 50/50 profit split deals where they still own their catalog.
My advice is that if you belief in your abilities and you’re actually going to work hard to become a successful actor – own your work and take home your entire pay check, at least until you
Why Don’t Agencies Charge?
Expectations:
Lastly, realistic expectations need to be set. You’re probably not going to sign up for a service and land a major role in a movie alongside your favorite celebrity.
If you’ve got little to no experience, most of the casting calls you attend are probably going to be for small roles, extra work and commercials.
Not that there is any problem with that in my opinion, but again expectations need to be set.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s do a full dive into the Nine9 Review…
What is Nine9 “The UnAgency”?
Getting Started with Nine9:
If you live near a Nine9 office, keep an eye out for one of the many open calls the company holds regularly.
You’ll only need to spend an hour or so at the call, and it’s a great way to meet their talent specialists in person and decide if it’s the right move for your career.
During the open call, specialists will take photos of you at no charge. These images are used to evaluate you and determine how they can best help you.
If there are currently no open calls, you can also simply fill out a Nine9 Talent application.
Once you’ve decided to move forward, Nine9 will work with you to make sure you have the photos and vital details necessary to land a job in your chosen industry.
This includes a digital comp card that will help casting directors find you online.
Talent specialists will put together a package and submit it on your behalf whenever an opportunity arises that fits.
Setting Expectations:
Free Services
If you don’t want to pay, you can still benefit from Nine9’s services. You’ll find plenty of opportunities on their blog.
When you find an opportunity you’re interested in, simply follow the instructions in the ad to apply directly to casting directors.
Paid Services
- Yes, there is a paid fee.
- No, there are no contracts.
- Yes, you can cancel any time.
- The fee covers marketing and education.
Marketing:
What does this really mean?
Nine9 serves as your personally marketing team helping you to develop an effective digital comp card designed to pull in casting directors and get you more calls.
They also have an entire team scouring their database for talent opportunity matches. Their team knows your look, style, strengths, weakness and goals and they personally email you every time there is project that perfectly aligns.
Education:
Guarantees:
None.
Nine9 will do everything in their power to help you succeed, but just as a college can’t guarantee you a job once you graduate, Nine9 can’t guarantee you’ll land a role.
Nine9’s History & Background
Why Use a Talent Services Company?
Of course, you probably already know you don’t need representation to attend an open call.
But as with agents, talent services companies can give you an edge over the competition. You’ll have someone constantly looking out for great opportunities, then formatting your information and sending it over on your behalf.
With Nine9, you also get access to networking and learning opportunities, which will give you a strong foundation that will pay off for many years to come. You’ll meet others in the early stages of building a career and have the benefit of expert advice on topics like what to wear to an audition and how to know if a gig pays fairly.
Conclusion, Is it Nine9 Worth it?
tl;dr
If you’re a beginner with little to no experience and you’re to get started then Nine9 is a fantastic way to do just that – get started.
If you’re a working actor and you already have a lot of experience, you know the ins and outs of the industry, then it might not be for you.
Nine9 is a full-service talent company providing a wide range of services to those breaking into the entertainment industry.
Whether you’re an aspiring model or a budding actor, you’ll find that Nine9 can help you build the skills you need to land your first few jobs.
Over time, you can move away from the service, but you may find that the support and education are invaluable as you progress in your career.
