education at its finest?

MODEL SCHOOL SCAMS

Most modeling schools charge $1000 to $2000 or more for a few weeks of classes and a "portfolio" they will put together for you by paying someone $50 or so to take a few quick pictures of you upon "graduation.

"FACT: Assuming you have real potential, every top agent in the world will tell you that - instead of attending a modeling school - you would be infinitely better off putting most of your time and effort into getting great pictures, where it counts. Want to learn how to walk a runway? It does not have to be expensive. Instead of paying a school to teach you outdated methods for big money, simply go to a fashion show at the mall, introduce yourself to one of the models there and offer him/her $50 or so for an hour or two of their time."

But their ads say that a famous model went to their school. "Maybe he or she did, but he or she probably drank milk too. (Just because someone went to a modeling school does not mean that is what made them successful.) Want to go to a "model camp" or a modeling school for fun or for something to do after school? Great. Just don't expect a whole lot to come of it.

Things you need to know about modeling schools:
1. You do not need to go to a modeling school to become a model.
2. There isn't a modeling school in the world that can teach you to be tall.
3. There isn't a modeling school in the world that can teach you to be photogenic.
4. You will get the experience and training you need through test shoots, on the job experience, through conversations with your agent or personal manager, and, if necessary, from brief classes arranged, often for free, by your agent.
5. A lot of what modeling schools teach is just plain wrong. Some schools have instructors that used to be models 20 years ago and - and that's if you're lucky. A lot of instructors aren't models at all, and never were. They're just graduates of the same schools, imperfectly passing on what they learned - and all you are going to pick up from them are bad habits.
6. Pictures from modeling schools won't cut it in the real world. OK, once in a while a school gets lucky and they get real, professional quality pictures done for their models. But the vast majority of the time you get junk. The school counts on the students and their parents not knowing any better, and they (the schools) are usually correct. So all the money you spend on pictures through the school is wasted.
7. They don't tell you what you really need to know. At least, not if it keeps them from selling you classes, or pictures, or attendance at expensive modeling conventions they say you should attend. A school (no matter what they tell you) is NOT an agency. Schools make their money by taking it from you, not making it for you - so you can't count on them to tell you certain things.

What are some of the things schools won't tell you?
a. There isn't much modeling work in small towns and you can't be a model in the big city unless you live in the big city.
b. With very few exceptions, no modeling agency in any major market is going to front expenses for you to move there to work with them.
c. Talent buyers (people who actually hire models) don't care that you've been to modeling school.
d. You don't need to know how to walk on a runway. OK, maybe if you are a very tall, very skinny teenage girl you do, but someone that knows what they are doing can teach you that in an hour. No one else needs to learn how to walk a runway as that's not the kind of modeling they will be doing.
e. No photographer can take good portfolio pictures of ten people in one day - and shouldn't even try - as that would be totally unfair to the models.

How to detect and avoid a model scam
When it comes to detecting and avoiding model scams - knowledge is your best protection so learn everything you can about how the industry actually works - most of which can be found right here on models advocate. Depend on reliable sources of information. Bulletin boards, chat rooms, web sites, etc., are not always reliable sources of information as quite often the writer has a hidden agenda - and even the bigger agencies will use the bulletin boards (or any other ways and means at their disposal) to attempt to discredit others and make make themselves look good. These agencies (yes, even some of the biggest ones) will never tell you that they are splitting fees with the photographers they refer models to which is illegal in New York, California, Florida and Texas - and highly unethical everywhere else. But it still goes on, and it goes on much more frequently than any of them will ever admit.

When considering what someone is offering or suggesting, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Is what they are doing legal?
2. Does what they are suggesting make sense?
3. What exactly what I am paying for?
4. Will it provide a benefit?

Asking for references.
Asking for references is one way to check someone out - but maybe not the best way. (Do you really think anyone would give you names of people that would say something bad about them?) The Better Business Bureau.
Professional scammers know they have will have at least six months to a year before complaints start coming in to consumer protection organizations such as the Better Business Bureau so, by the time complaints start piling up, they have already made plans to change the name of their business and/or move to a different city or a different state and start over again. What sort of references are meaningful then? Look at things like length of time in business, membership in business and professional organizations, tear sheets, newspaper and magazine articles and other items you can readily see. How about asking for phone numbers for other models? Would you want someone giving your name and phone number out several times a day? Would you like to have people calling you all hours of the day and night to complain that you are not returning their long distance calls? Then how could you expect busy models to do so? (It can't hurt to ask though.)
Model Agency Scams.
How can you tell is an agency is legit?
Real agencies operate Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm business. If you are contacted to attend an "Open Call" or "Talent Review" make sure it's between these hours. Be suspicious if they ask you to come in later in the evening or on the weekend. (Real agencies are not open on weekends.)
Look around at the caliber of the "talent" around you. (Legit agencies don't want to be bothered with a roomful of wannabes.) Be further suspicious if most of the people in the room recently went to a modeling convention. Most of the fake agencies buy "leads" from these conventions and they will pay up to $5 per lead just to get your name and phone number.
Also, look to see if there is a state issued employment agency license on the wall. (Note however, that just because you see a business license or a state issued booking agency license on the wall - this does NOT necessarily mean the agency is legit.)
The most common modeling agency scam is what is known as a "portfolio mill" or "photo mill". This is an "agency" that makes money by sending models to photographers that are ON STAFF to shoot expensive photos to produce worthless portfolios and comp cards. These agencies don't make much money by booking real work. Instead, they sign up anyone and everyone for low quality photo shoots and book very few jobs, if any. A legitimate agency will give you what is known as a test list. This is a list of good photographers in your area that you can contact on your own. A real agency will not ask you for money for photography services, enlargements or comp card printing. They may suggest a few places, but they will advise you go see them on your own. Be very suspicious if an agency asks you to pay them for a test shoot instead instructing you to pay the photographer direct. Be very suspicious if an agency asks you to pay them for enlargements, comp cards, etc. instead of instructing you to pay the photographer or the printing company direct.
How to further protect yourself from model agency scams and photo mill promoters.
Never pay an agency for the "privilege" of having them represent you or for "classes" or runway training or pictures. In fact, NEVER buy anything from or through a model or talent agency. Under no circumstances should an agency require you to attend a particular class or to buy anything from them - not books, not photos, not classes, not workshops, not runway training, not tote bags, not "exposure" on web sites or on CDs or in some "talent book," not videos, not portrfoios, not comp cards, not address labels, not ANYTHING. This practice is not only unethical, it is also ILLEGAL. An agent's income should come solely from commissions received through finding work for models and/or talent. A real agency will put you in touch with a real photographer so you can make your own arrangements for test shoots, etc. Most beginner models are walking around with amateur photos featuring glamorous makeup, low cut tops, floral print dresses, large hoop earrings and outfits that don't quite fit properly. In other words, most of them have spent a lot of money and/or have put a lot of effort into photo shoots that will ultimately prove to be worthless.
Beware of "TFP" photo shoots, school photographers, "photo day" photographers, student photographers, glamour photographers and the like as the resulting photos will invariably turn out to be too amateurish, too glamorous and/or very rarely in the style needed to qualify you for paying jobs in the real world. Beginning models often convince themselves that by shooting with amateurs they are saving money or getting something for nothing but - in reality - all amateur looking photos will do them more harm than good. Your portfolio should sell YOU - not sex, not clothing, not jewelry, not makeup and DEFINITELY not some amateur photographer's concept of what a model should look like.
How to detect a model scam and avoid being victimized
When you sign on for something, know what you are getting. If you are paying for web presence, then that is what you can reasonably expect to get.If you are paying for a photo session, then that is what you can reasonably expect to get. If you end up signing with a real agency or if you get some kind of modeling contract out of it as a result, consider it a bonus.
Don't forget: A legitimate company will NOT promise employment. There is no way an agency or a manager or anyone else can guarantee you work. No one can not predict the future and a real agent or manager will not pretend to speak for those who will consider you for hire. No matter how good a company is and no matter what they may do for you, you may never become a $2,000 a day model. If that is the case, it may not be the company's fault. It could be that the clients just didn't select you no matter how hard the company you signed with tried to get you work. In many cases (quite often in fact) new models are so inflexible and have such a long list of conditions and demands - or they have such unreasonable expectations - or their appearance changes so drastically - that they make it almost impossible for themselves get signed or booked. Just because you didn't get work, does not necessarily mean the company was a scam - whether you paid them anything or not. If you got what you paid for, then you have no complaint. You may not have gotten the results you and possibly everyone else were hoping for, but if you got what you paid for - you were not scammed.
Anytime someone offers you a verbal or written guarantee or attempts to use high pressure tactics on you or tries to coerce you into buying something from them, get up and walk out. Don't spend a lot of money and don't sign up for what you don't understand. Know what you are paying for and you should be OK. It isn't all that hard to figure out.
NEVER FORGET: Never buy anything from or through a model or talent agency.
Under no circumstances should an agency require you to attend a particular class, or to buy anything from them - not books, not photos, not classes, not workshops, not runway training, not tote bags, not listings on web sites or on CDs or in some "talent book," not videos, not "comp cards," not address labels, not ANYTHING. Do not pay a modeling agency for photography services, pay the photographer. Do not pay an agency for comp cards, pay the printing company.

provided by: http://www.modelsadvocate.com/