Article stats: Views: 43898 Votes: 99 Average: 4.54 Added: 2003-09-24 Updated: 2006-12-21 | |
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What is a Modeling Scam? How can I tell if something is a scam or not? Do I have reason to be concerned?
Modeling is not a cheap or free industry to be a part of. To think that you can enter the industry with no one knowing your name or work ethic and they will pay your way is like saying you are going to be a brain surgeon and you want the hospital to pay it for you. The standard expenses in modeling include the following:
Portfolios. In some markets they are not needed unless they contain tear sheets from jobs you have worked. Average national price for a portfolio?...$500.00
Comp Cards. More common today than portfolios...standard rate for 100 is $3.00 each...not including the cost of the photography to make the cards.
Modeling schools. Questionable as to whether the are needed or not in the real world...but some prefer to venture into modeling schools and the average rate is between $1500.00 and $3000.00
Now, with all that having been said, there are some who will tell you not to spend any money until you are making money. How can this be? Think of the logic.
If you are a famous named model who will make 30k or more per job...and earn an agent $1500 to $10,000 per job off commissions then you best be assured that agent will cover the costs of your portfolios and comps and such. What about those who are lucky to get a $150.00 job every four months? If the agent is getting 10% commission do you think he or she will cover your expenses of around $1000.00 or more knowing full well that they might only make about $200.00 off commissions from jobs you worked? I doubt it.
When asking people what constitues a scam it is a smart move to consider the talent market the person is in that you are asking. Chicago and New York industry pros are wondering and very professional...but they tend to think that whatever is the norm in thier city is the norm everywhere else and that is simply not true. So keep that in mind when asking. What happens in NYC is not what is happening in Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Phoenix, Bloomington, Denver or anywhere else......and the opposite is true. If agents in NYC are covering the costs for promotional tools that is because they know the models will earn the money back for them later. No so much the case in other cities.
Major point if you wish to have a company help you in representing you, contacting potential clients for you and ultimately gathering expenses because of you then what makes you think they should be required to work for free? When was the last time you reviewed your long distance phone bill? Now think about agents who are making such calls for 10 to 100 models. Some agents get models jobs and the models turn the jobs down, dont show up for them or otherwise dont complete the assignment which means the agent is stuck with the expenses.
Bottom line. You are going to pay for promotional items to model. The questions is....how much and what for. Here is a helpful guide to understanding what is reasonable and what is not.
Internet exposure...can be super...has been slow at coming around but is now quickly becoming the way clients want to hire thier talent. Web pages (including up to 6 photos or more...links to e-mail, stats, and contact info should cost between $200 to $600 per year....an...
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