If you can stand it here is one more tidbit.. if an agency or Company insists that you get photos or comp cards (or even classes or portfolios) done with them as a condition of membership - RUN. You should always be able to choose who does your photos. It within the agency's rights to approve or disapprove your photos as some photos may not be right but you should have the right to get photos done by whomever you like. We provide our talent with a comprehensive list of photogs who know how to shoot the kind of work we need and we make NOTHING from these shoots.
One of the complaints I read about in regards to some of these scouting companies was that none of the models that already had comps, photos and portfolios were selected. They only selected people with no photos. Why wouldn't you want people with photos and experience? We prefer those people! RED FLAG!!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
CNY Central investigates talent search
CNY Central investigates talent search: "An agency called Talent Solutions Group is at the DoubleTree Hotel in Carrier Circle this week, and we are investigating what this business is all about."
Monday, March 28, 2011
Talent Searches
Well today was a good day to be an honest talent manager. I got to see first hand (it has been years since I had the displeasure) one of these "talent search" companies in action. It was disturbing to watch a fast talking, well trained young pitch man (I'm pretty sure I have shoes in my closet older than he) nearly come unwrapped as I asked him legitimate questions about his company's intentions with one of my models that he was trying to extort about $800.00 (not to mention 20.00 a month thereafter) from. Not only could he not make eye contact with me but I thought his eyeballs were going to become dislodged from his skull they were moving so fast.
This particular company was promising "modeling work" to one of my pretty young teens. He said his company got work for models for companies like JC Penney, Macy's and RUE 21. When I asked him if this was print work he said yes. I called him out telling him that I had been in this business for longer than he had been alive and in none of those years had any of those companies done PRINT work here. They are all done in major cities (ie NYC and LA). He tried to fast talk again and brought up the companies BBB "rating". PEOPLE : HEAR THIS! YOU CAN PURCHASE A BBB LOGO FOR YOUR NEW BUSINESS AND WEB SITE. THAT IS HOW IT WORKS. If you have a business you call the BBB and you write them a check and viola- you have a logo.(more or less)I don't have one and I refuse to "buy" one. You want to know what kind of business I run- GOOGLE me. If you have been in business a short time OR you have changed your business name (as is the case with this company) the BBB is not caught up. Check out all the names the company does business under(I found three plus one infamous one that has been sued repeatedly).
Oh, so - they do business under different names??? HELLO- RED FLAG! Also check out the names of the principles of the company. Oh- they aren't listed on the web site or anywhere? HELLO- RED FLAG!! Call the company- does a live human answer- ever? HELLO- RED FLAG!
You must do your due diligence here. Just as you would with any thing you spend this kind of money on. Remove emotion, engage your common sense and proceed with caution. If you were a plumber and just growing your business, would you pay someone from another city far away 800.00 to be on web site called www.starplumbingtalentusa.com and trust them to get you work in your own backyard? It's ridiculous on the face of it but when its modeling all of a sudden it makes sense??? huh???
Do these companies get you any jobs?- Yes. Mostly promotional work which is handing out product samples and working at trade show booths or Walmarts etc. That is how they get around some of the angry people who come back and say: "Hey, you didn't make me a model and get me jobs". We get this type of work for some of our models that desire it too. We call it special event staffing or promotion staffing. It's not bad work it's not MODELING and it certainly shouldn't cost you 800.00 and 20.00 per month to book it! Do they get people traditional modeling jobs? Possibly. Its like the whole spaghetti on the wall thing- if you throw enough, something has to stick...food for thought...no pun intended.
Oh and beware! Rumor has it this show is coming to a mall near you too...next week I hear.....
This particular company was promising "modeling work" to one of my pretty young teens. He said his company got work for models for companies like JC Penney, Macy's and RUE 21. When I asked him if this was print work he said yes. I called him out telling him that I had been in this business for longer than he had been alive and in none of those years had any of those companies done PRINT work here. They are all done in major cities (ie NYC and LA). He tried to fast talk again and brought up the companies BBB "rating". PEOPLE : HEAR THIS! YOU CAN PURCHASE A BBB LOGO FOR YOUR NEW BUSINESS AND WEB SITE. THAT IS HOW IT WORKS. If you have a business you call the BBB and you write them a check and viola- you have a logo.(more or less)I don't have one and I refuse to "buy" one. You want to know what kind of business I run- GOOGLE me. If you have been in business a short time OR you have changed your business name (as is the case with this company) the BBB is not caught up. Check out all the names the company does business under(I found three plus one infamous one that has been sued repeatedly).
Oh, so - they do business under different names??? HELLO- RED FLAG! Also check out the names of the principles of the company. Oh- they aren't listed on the web site or anywhere? HELLO- RED FLAG!! Call the company- does a live human answer- ever? HELLO- RED FLAG!
You must do your due diligence here. Just as you would with any thing you spend this kind of money on. Remove emotion, engage your common sense and proceed with caution. If you were a plumber and just growing your business, would you pay someone from another city far away 800.00 to be on web site called www.starplumbingtalentusa.com and trust them to get you work in your own backyard? It's ridiculous on the face of it but when its modeling all of a sudden it makes sense??? huh???
Do these companies get you any jobs?- Yes. Mostly promotional work which is handing out product samples and working at trade show booths or Walmarts etc. That is how they get around some of the angry people who come back and say: "Hey, you didn't make me a model and get me jobs". We get this type of work for some of our models that desire it too. We call it special event staffing or promotion staffing. It's not bad work it's not MODELING and it certainly shouldn't cost you 800.00 and 20.00 per month to book it! Do they get people traditional modeling jobs? Possibly. Its like the whole spaghetti on the wall thing- if you throw enough, something has to stick...food for thought...no pun intended.
Oh and beware! Rumor has it this show is coming to a mall near you too...next week I hear.....
Friday, December 17, 2010
How to properly submit to an agency.
Okay- I am ready to throw myself out the window and into a snow bank. I will try not to make this post sound like a rant but it will be difficult. LOL.
I have just opened my umpteenth ill prepared, unprofessional submission and I am a woman on the edge. This post has nothing to do with how the model looks. It has nothing to do with whether they have professional photos taken. It has to do with how people present themselves and how they FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.
Thirty [gulp] years ago when I was starting out in this business and I was looking for an agent I vividly remember typing out a carefully and professionally worded letter explaining who I was and what I wanted to do. I also attached some carefully chosen photos and attached them. There was no wireless anything (I am not sure there were cordless phones). I cared about how I was perceived and the impression I made. None of this matters. Being profession surely has not gone out of fashion. If it has who do I complain to?
When submitting to an agency (especially this one) PLEASE remember that the person on the receiving end of your submission is a professional. They don't want to read a letter that where you have neglected to employ a single capital letter. (there is really no trick to it- just a little old shift button- no need to bother Pat Sajak)
If I had a nickle for every submission where the photos were indecent, colored "Andy Warhol style (really??), duck face puckered (I can't get myself started on this), stats were missing, contact info is missing, the photos were blurry, and on and on. All of the requirements to submit are listed on my web site (and most agencies as well). So even if this stuff is not obvious you CAN find it on most agencies sites.
So to recap- if you want to join an agency don't send a submission like this:
hey i am a inspiring model her are my pics call me
OR
my name is john what do i need to do to model for ur company
OR
i snet my info in last week and i didn't get no response
ALSO Do not send me a photo that you took with your Iphone with you making funny faces with no other info. If you don't take this seriously, how do you expect anyone else to do so?
The proper way to submit is to send via email if you can:
A clear and current, smiling head shot and body shot. Include all of your stats (hgt, wt and measurements- it does not behoove you to lie about this) and don't' forget AGE and D.O.B. I have had people send me photos with no age attached and I have thought to myself; "Wow, that is either a really great looking 40 year old or a really unfortunate looking 25 year old." We need to know how old you are! :-)
Include all contact info as well. I also have all of this listed on my web site:
http://www.amsmodels.com/talent_agency_faq.php
So that is what I have today. If you want to be looked at as a professional then please present yourself as one.
I have just opened my umpteenth ill prepared, unprofessional submission and I am a woman on the edge. This post has nothing to do with how the model looks. It has nothing to do with whether they have professional photos taken. It has to do with how people present themselves and how they FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.
Thirty [gulp] years ago when I was starting out in this business and I was looking for an agent I vividly remember typing out a carefully and professionally worded letter explaining who I was and what I wanted to do. I also attached some carefully chosen photos and attached them. There was no wireless anything (I am not sure there were cordless phones). I cared about how I was perceived and the impression I made. None of this matters. Being profession surely has not gone out of fashion. If it has who do I complain to?
When submitting to an agency (especially this one) PLEASE remember that the person on the receiving end of your submission is a professional. They don't want to read a letter that where you have neglected to employ a single capital letter. (there is really no trick to it- just a little old shift button- no need to bother Pat Sajak)
If I had a nickle for every submission where the photos were indecent, colored "Andy Warhol style (really??), duck face puckered (I can't get myself started on this), stats were missing, contact info is missing, the photos were blurry, and on and on. All of the requirements to submit are listed on my web site (and most agencies as well). So even if this stuff is not obvious you CAN find it on most agencies sites.
So to recap- if you want to join an agency don't send a submission like this:
hey i am a inspiring model her are my pics call me
OR
my name is john what do i need to do to model for ur company
OR
i snet my info in last week and i didn't get no response
ALSO Do not send me a photo that you took with your Iphone with you making funny faces with no other info. If you don't take this seriously, how do you expect anyone else to do so?
The proper way to submit is to send via email if you can:
A clear and current, smiling head shot and body shot. Include all of your stats (hgt, wt and measurements- it does not behoove you to lie about this) and don't' forget AGE and D.O.B. I have had people send me photos with no age attached and I have thought to myself; "Wow, that is either a really great looking 40 year old or a really unfortunate looking 25 year old." We need to know how old you are! :-)
Include all contact info as well. I also have all of this listed on my web site:
http://www.amsmodels.com/talent_agency_faq.php
So that is what I have today. If you want to be looked at as a professional then please present yourself as one.
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