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 ID: 228669 Posts: 87 | Date: 2008-01-30 19:53 In the book, The Wilhelmina Guide to Modeling, under a section entitled "Model
Beware," Sean Patterson, an agent in the Men's Division of Wilhelmina, one of
the top modeling agencies, warned against modeling conventions:
If there was one thing I could change about the industry it would be to
institute a more rigid policing of the model conventions that are being held all
over the country.
You see, the people who run these hotel conventions charge registration and
attendance fees anywhere from $300 to $1,500 to young guys and girls who want to
be models.
And what they do is, they invite one agent from this agency and one agent from
that agency, and they offer these agents an all-expenses-paid trip to the host
city -- give them a stipend of $150-$200 for the day. It's a free trip for these
agents.
Now the advertisements go up -- ads luring aspiring models by saying that there
will be in attendance agents from Wilhelmina, Elite, Ford -- European agencies
too.
So these young people, mostly girls, pay these fees to the conventioneers, who
clean up.
And there is usually no process of preselection. Anybody, regardless of ability
or potential, can attend, if they pay the fee.
Natasha Esch, then president of Wilhelmina, and author of the book, The
Wilhelmina Guide to Modeling, followed the agent's warning with her own
comments:
As somebody who grew up not having a lot of money, I know what it feels like to
put pressure on your parents to come up with the money for something that they
really can't afford.
So I bet that at most of these conventions at least a segment of the group
attending are spending money they don't have to spend, money that could be
invested, say, in school tuition.
At the same time, many of these young people don't have a chance of ever
becoming a successful model or a model at all. So it becomes a total waste.
Furthermore, contacts made at conventions can lead to further rip-offs --
out-of-work photographers flock to these conventions and approach young
hopefuls:
"Let's do a test on you. Let's spend $300 to $500 to start you off with a
portfolio of professional pictures!"
And it is generating huge amounts of cash for people who aren't going to do
anything for these young women's and men's careers.
This sort of setup does not belong in the modeling industry. It serves no
purpose to the industry.
Rather, it is an industry unto itself, one that preys on teenagers hoping to
become models and parents who want to please them.
I guess I'm asking for a little more care, a little more honesty.
If you really want to be a model and give it a shot, contact an agency in your
hometown, or a major agency in a larger city, and send snapshots.
Modeling conventions can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. They can be very
expensive. Modeling conventions, indeed, can be the most expensive way of
getting discovered.
The highest prices lead some to conclude modeling conventions are the biggest
modeling scams.
Racketeering
Basic modeling scams such as modeling photo scams typically set consumers back
$500 - $1,000, whereas modeling conventions can cost $5,000 - $10,000. Despite
the fact the financial risk of modeling conventions can be as high as 10 to 20
times greater than other modeling options for beginners, the media has done
little reporting and even less investigating.
One short report by the New York Post, however, "Wannabe Stars Pay The Price,"
sheds light on one of the most significant issues about modeling conventions
which most people do not know: modeling agencies make a commission from models
and aspiring models whom they encourage to attend.
The NY Post reported insider information about IMTA, the most expensive
convention: "One former IMTA employee said the Phoenix-based business offers
commissions for modeling-school agents, encouraging them to bring in
candidates."
The Better Business Bureau in New York has also lifted the lid and exposed the
industry secret of split fees in the case of Tomorrow Talent:
This company has stated that it works solely on commission and does not charge
its clients any advance fees, as disreputable firms do. However, this firm
advertises and collects thousands of dollars in advance fees for a
modeling-acting convention in California. The cost of this convention is $5,000
per person and Tommorrow Talent does receive a commission from each attendee.
It is the same racket at modeling schools as it is at modeling agencies.
Modeling school "agents" talk students into signing up for modeling conventions,
again, because they get a commission.
Many students or their parents who know little about the modeling industry are
talked into spending thousands of dollars to fly to and attend conventions
without ever suspecting the true motivation of the school leaders.
Unfortunately, the modeling agencies do not disclose what is in it for them. The
models and their parents misplace their trust in the agencies and assume they
are being advised to spend thousands of dollars to attend a modeling convention
because it is just a "good idea," it will be "good for their career," their
chances of being "discovered" are high.
Obviously, when so clear a financial conflict of interest exists, agencies are
encouraged to deceive potential models to shell out for the expensive
convention. The deception can take various forms, including the claim the person
has been "selected" to attend the convention.
Views of Leaders
Supermodel Cindy Crawford said this about one modeling convention: "I never
attended a modeling convention so I wouldn't know. Just be careful -- those
groups are definitely trying to make money first and foremost. Yes, there are
some agents there, but the name of the game is to get as many young hopefuls
there so they can cash in!"
Katie Ford, President of Ford Models, said: "I don't believe that a scouting
service should cost thousands of dollars and ask that you travel long distance
in order to meet with them."
Rhonda Hudson, President of The Models Guild, has said modeling conventions can
be fun and a way to meet new people, but they are probably not the best use of
finances.
She preceded her caution by saying: "Modeling conventions often advertise as the
best way to get exposure to the modeling industry and the best way into the
modeling business."
Referring specifically to IMTA, she said: "All of these kids go there and are
convinced that they'll be the next superstar, and they come back with
nothing."
The Modeling Convention Sales Pitch
Modeling convention advertising typically uses the following sales pitch.
The cost of traveling to and staying in major cities in order to meet top
modeling agents is thousands of dollars. Instead of paying thousands of dollars
on travel and accommodations, going to see the agents, we will bring the agents
to you. This will save you money.
Modeling conventions have been called modeling scams. But it may not be the
conventions themselves that are the scams or where the scam happens.
Modeling conventions, after all, usually deliver what they promise. The modeling
scouts and modeling agents whom the convention organizers said would be present
do actually show up. The convention does include everything on the published
convention schedule.
Where scams happen it is usually before the convention, often long before it
starts. It is in the scouting.
One criticism of modeling conventions by those who believe they are scams is the
organizers select people to pay and attend whom they know will never get
selected by top agencies. How is that not a scam?
Conflict of Interest
The basic problem with organizers of modeling conventions is a significant
conflict of interest. They are paid by the number of people they recruit, not by
the number of models who get work or the amount of work models get.
No Show
There are modeling conventions which advertise agents from top agencies will
attend, but they never show.
This can be because they were never going to show up and had in fact never been
invited, or they had travel problems.
The mother of a young aspiring model who attended a modeling convention after
paying $3,000 wrote and said: "Only half the agents showed (supposedly because
of travel problems)."
Huge Gamble, Instant Loss
Expensive modeling conventions are like huge gambling casinos. Once the game is
over and you lost, it was a huge, instant loss. You leave with nothing. After
going to a convention you can leave with nothing to show for all your money.
This can leave people very upset. The mother who paid $3,000 for a modeling
convention went on to say: "After the runway shows most of the mothers were
yelling and screaming, because their girls only got two callbacks."
Liberal Scouting
Tear Sheet magazine has warned aspiring models of liberal scouting:
Beware: An invitation to the event does not necessarily mean you have what it
takes; it just means you might have what it takes. These companies aren't going
to parade a bunch of dogs in front of the agency scouts, but they're also not
going to make any money if they only invite people who look like they walked
straight out of a Ralph Lauren ad.
Brian Marcus, President of Proscout, said: "People who don't have potential
should be told that before their parents mortgage their homes to spend money on
events that will lead nowhere."
The problem is there is so much money involved and no police to monitor the
screening.
Hidden Costs
Did you ever wonder why modeling conventions do not tell you the total cost up
front? In person or on their websites?
The total cost of a convention can be 3x the convention itself. This website
received a letter from someone who attended a $1,795 convention, and reported
after adding up all the expenses (travel, food, accommodation, etc.), the total
cost was $5,000 or more.
Success Rate
The success rate of modeling conventions is evidently nothing to boast about. Do
they publish the numbers in their advertising? Do they include it on their
website? Is it in their FAQ?
Model Search America, for example, warns consumers through its BBB record their
failure rate was as high as 80-90%.
The President of AMTC (Millie Lewis) warned consumers in a letter to this
website the Millie Lewis convention failure rate (the last time they checked)
was about 70%.
Why can't organizers of modeling conventions announce who is discovered at a
modeling convention after it is over?
Is it because so few people are discovered?
Why don't they post the name(s) of the model(s) who received an offer of
representation from a top New York modeling agency?
Is there any loss to the New York agencies by posting the names and faces? Is
there any benefit to the model? Is there any benefit to the convention
company?
There is no loss to the agencies. In fact it could boost the advertising of the
model for them. The model clearly benefits from the advertising. And the
convention company will obviously benefit from the advertising because it shows
prospective models the convention reached its objective of helping models get
offered representation from a top agency.
Modeling conventions are like beauty contests. Except with the conventions the
models are competing to win a contract instead of a crown.
Imagine having a beauty contest where they did not announce the winner. Why
don't the conventions announce the winner? Who was offered representation by a
NY agency?
Modeling conventions talk about call backs. Parents, however, do not pay $5,000
for call backs. Call backs are not the standard or definition of success.
Is the definition of a modeling convention's success not the number of people
who sign with, or who are offered representation by, a modeling agency?
You can't let a modeling convention define success on its own terms. If you are
the one who is paying, success must be defined on your terms.
Once you have decided the acceptable definition of success for $5,000 or
whatever, demand information about previous success on those terms.
Make your decision about a modeling convention with the information you need,
not the information the money-makers want to give you.
The two most basic things you need to know are often somehow left out of the
modeling convention advertising: the total cost and the success rate.
Don't seriously consider being discovered at a modeling convention until you
discover how much it will cost and your chances of success.
One of the biggest problems with modeling convention advertising is not what
they tell you: it is what they do not tell you.
And the problem is not just what they don't tell you: it is what they don't
do.
What They Don't Do
People who are scouted by modeling convention scouts are not screened by
modeling agencies BEFORE the convention. This, frankly, is totally ridiculous.
It is also incredible that the parents would accept it.
One of the national scouting companies boasts about its experience in the
modeling industry. One of the company's leaders was a modeling agent with more
than eight years of experience. But modeling agents know DAMN WELL their clients
ask for comp cards before they ask to see the model.
Why are the pictures of aspiring models whom convention scouts recruit not sent
to and screened by top New York agencies whose agents are going to attend the
convention BEFORE they go to the modeling convention?!
What's wrong with this picture?
Are the pictures not sent to the agencies IN ADVANCE because the agencies would
tell the convention organizers they did not want to see the aspiring models, and
then the aspiring models would NOT PAY to attend the convention?
The basic concept of a modeling convention is not inherently wrong.
The idea of bringing agents of top agencies to aspiring models who live in
remote parts of the country, and cannot easily get to top agencies and attend
their free open calls, is not a totally unreasonable idea -- IF and ONLY IF --
the aspiring models are first screened by the top agencies.
Top agencies let aspiring models mail in their pictures. This is how it works.
If the agency is then interested in the model's pictures, they will ask to see
the model. The model can then fly to NY and meet the agency, or visit the office
of the agency in another state, or visit the office in their state, even their
city. (Top agencies have offices in several states, basically all the major
modeling markets.)
It is the same as it was earlier noted with clients of the modeling agencies.
They ask to see the picture of the model (comp card) BEFORE they ask to see the
model in PERSON (go-see).
Why? It should be pretty obvious. If they are not interested in the photo of the
model, they are not going to be interested in the model. If they are not going
to be interested in the model, they are not going to waste their time or the
model's time overlooking the comp card and scheduling a go see.
The stupidity/corruption of the current modeling convention system was
effectively hammered home by two letters sent to this website.
The first letter was the story of a mother who wanted to take her daughter to a
modeling convention. Due to the extreme expense, she wanted to make sure the
agencies who were advertised as going to attend the convention would in fact
attend. So she called Elite in New York.
Elite in New York said they would attend, but they also told the mother she
could mail the picture of her daughter directly to them.
Aha! Moment
Why not send the picture of the daughter to New York, and ask them if they want
to see her (in person)?
If they want to see her, go to the convention. If they don't want to see her in
person, don't go to the convention.
The second letter which uprooted the modeling conventions was also sent by a
mother. Except in this case, she had already attended the convention.
Near the end of the convention, due to a scheduling conflict, the mother was
forced to leave early. Because she left early, her daughter did not get to
attend the convention's call back event at which she would be seen by top
agents.
However, the mother had the presence of mind to leave pictures of her daughter
with another mother to give to the top agents.
Since the photos were going to be handed over in person, you had to wonder how
different this would have been if they were sent by Fedex or regular mail.
It turns out all of the aspiring models gave pictures to the agents -- even
those who attended the call back event. They all had comp cards taken
beforehand, and they were ready to hand deliver their pictures to the agents.
Which begged the question: Why were these comp cards not sent to the top agents
who were going to attend the convention BEFORE the convention, so they could be
VIEWED, so most mothers would not waste hundreds or thousands of dollars plus
their time!?
Modeling agencies would not put up with this sort of thing. If their own scouts
noticed a girl and wanted to submit her as a potential model, the agency owner
would not automatically fly her into town at the agency's expense, or even at
her parents' expense.
The owner would first ask to see a picture, or several pictures. If they
approved of the picture(s) and saw great potential, then they would ask to see
the model in person. The potential model would first be screened by
photographs.
Call Backs
Modeling convention advertising has previously noted call back rates. You can
see high numbers for their low success standards. The number of call backs is a
self-made performance yardstick.
A call back is basically a second "audition." In the context of modeling, it
means the aspiring model has created interest. When an agent or agency expresses
an interest, they ask to see the potential model a second time, and there you
have a "call back."
If modeling conventions were screened by modeling agencies, everyone who
attended would be getting call backs. In fact the modeling convention itself
would be the Call Back Day!
If you are thinking of taking your son or daughter to a modeling convention,
first demand the convention organizers submit decent (but not professional)
photos of your child to the top agencies.
Conclusion
When the screeners are themselves screened, the conflict of interest will be
checked and balanced, and you are much less likely to waste your money by going
to, as one model scouting firm leader called them, "events that will lead
nowhere."http://www.onemodelessencelimited.com |
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