Don't pay for any audition. Ever. So says South Africa's most-watched TV show, Uzalo on SABC1 that is starting an awareness campaign to combat the growing scourge of con-artists preying on enthralled yet uninformed viewers who continue to fall for fake audition scams and are swindled out of money.
While the growing popularity of locally-produced, serialised weekday dramas across South Africa TV channels the past five years has been a boon for not just TV ratings and the local television industry but also the wider entertainment sector where ancillary media like the gossip press feed off of the bevy of newly minted soap stars, there's also been a rise in the dangerous, dark side.
A growing number of con-artists are shamelessly preying on unsuspecting, fame-seeking viewers who are dreaming of their chance under the studio spotlights and before the camera, or the chance to meet the actors they see at meet-and-greets and organised star-parties.
While very few of these opportunities are legitimate it ends with South Africans not just paying and losing from hundreds to thousands of rands but in some cases also literally risking their lives with criminals and human trafficking as they agree to pay for travel to bogus auditions.
The more popular a TV show and the more fanatic the viewership, the more prone South Africa's biggest shows - from Uzalo and Generations, to 7de Laan, Muvhango, Binnelanders and many others - have become to exploitation by con-artists exploiting these brands by promising auditions and parties with the stars.
"At no point should anyone be paying to audition for anything - whether a TV show, a theatre role, or a TV advert," says Uzalo.
As South Africa and SABC1's biggest TV show that lures more than 9 million viewers on weeknights, Uzalo will now be taking steps to educate its audience and the broader public about auditions to prevent viewers falling victim of scams that end up damaging the industry and TV brands.
"Increasingly, there is a tendency for scam artists and fraudsters to use social media networks to claim that auditions are taking place, when in fact they are not," says Mmamitse Thibedi, creative director at Stained Glass TV, the production company that produces Uzalo in Durban in KwaZulu-Natal.
"Uzalo has been negatively impacted by bogus auditions posted from fake social media accounts calling on new talent to try out for various roles on the much-loved soapie."
"Disturbingly, these calls to audition often charge the young hopefuls an 'audition fee' further taking advantage of their desperation to enter the industry. This does real damage to the Uzalo brand, and cruelly exploits thousands of acting hopefuls," says Mmamitse Thibedi.
"Uzalo and all its partners are credible industry professionals who appreciate the commitment and passion of aspiring actors who want to join our show. We are also extremely sensitive to upholding industry standards and operating in an ethical, legal manner."
"When we need new faces for the show, we go the correct route – working with our casting partners and being transparent about all details. At no point should anyone be paying to audition for anything – whether a TV show, a theatre role, or a TV advert. That simply doesn't happen".
"It is heart-wrenching to see shady individuals denting the image of the industry for a 'quick buck' that could see the collapse of many young artists' dreams."
"Uzalo will be embarking on an educational drive around legitimate industry processes, particularly around auditions, aimed at equipping aspiring actors with necessary industry knowledge," says Mmamitse Thibedi.
"We will communicate across media and on our official social media platforms. Our team members – from behind the scenes to on-screen talent – will impart lessons on how to spot fake auditions, and how to verify those that are real."
"We hope that through this initiative we will be able to provide new industry aspirants with the tools to successfully navigate this very competitive industry."
Uzalo will from now on be communicating audition tips, industry do's and don'ts, and pointers on how to identify fraudulent auditions.
