Barbizon Modeling School
To Whom It May Concern:
My daughter was picked at an audition at Barbizon in
Boston to go to the convention that the IMTA sponsors
at the Hilton in New York this July.
Barbizon wants $4,000 for my daughter
to go to classes at Barbizon in preparation
for this convention.
What are your thoughts? My daughter is 14, is 5'9" tall,
and thin.
Thank you for any info you have,
Barbizon has a bad reputation, and it is arguably one
of the worst. On one model scam watch website, it seems
to have the most complaints.
Barbizon is a modeling school, but modeling schools
are not necessary to become models and get contracts.
Just ask leading agencies if they require modeling schools.
One person who paid and attended the modeling classes
at Barbizon said: "I learned nothing my older sister
couldn't have taught me."
Another aspiring model who paid hundreds of dollars
to Barbizon said essentially the same thing about what
she was taught: "I could've learned all of that
from my mom."
This was another complaint: "I spent $1,600 learning
how to pluck my eyebrows and set a table."
Although Modeling Scams has received no complaints about
Barbizon yet, another modeling site posted several Barbizon
complaint letters from parents of aspiring models and
aspiring models themselves.
Regarding the IMTA modeling convention,
a recent
letter explained how they operate and how
the scam works.
Modeling schools are considered modeling scams because
they offer what is not required, charge extreme prices,
yet offer no money-back guarantee.
One of the things they offer is teaching on makeup.
From the Barbizon website: "Barbizon offers training
in the skillful application of makeup."
A mother who made an online inquiry about Barbizon on
behalf of her daughter received a forum response with
the following observation: "As for makeup classes,
the technique varies from each photographer, and each
type of shoot. Modeling schools inevitably only teach
two styles of makeup."
But, more importantly, don't professional makeup artists
do the makeup for professional photoshoots, not the model?
Another thing they offer is teaching on how to walk.
But modeling agencies can teach models how to walk if
they are doing local or major fashion shows. It is not
complicated, and it doesn't take long to learn. Besides,
catwalk modeling is the least common type of modeling.
Most models are going to appear in print, not on video
or at catwalk shows.
One parent said her daughter was chosen to attend a
modeling convention in New York. Barbizon said her daughter
was one of the 32 students chosen out of 120 to attend
because she had a good chance of getting a contract.
But after being at the convention for several days they
found out everyone in the class had been asked to go,
and they were even more shocked to discover: "Barbizon
students paid twice as much as other schools to go."
This is a very common modeling scam technique: modeling
companies pretending to be selective, claiming those
who are chosen are a small or very small percentage,
when in fact just about everyone is chosen.
"Needless to say it was a very, very expensive
lesson."
She added: "The convention was also a waste of
time. Out of the 2,000 contestants that attended, only
a small handful received callbacks, and only a few were
asked to sign contracts."
The bottom line is contracts. You always want to know
how many and what percentage of modeling companies get
contracts. Many of them will have at least a few success
stories, but those are not really the main issues.
The main issues are:
What percentage get work?
Can they prove it?
Is it cheaper to contact agencies directly?
Are the chances of getting work higher going directly to the
agencies?
Modeling conventions, like modeling schools, are also
considered scams, because they offer what is not required,
charge hundreds or thousands or dollars, and come with
no money-back guarantee.
It would probably come as no surprise to see modeling
schools forming partnerships with modeling conventions.
Apparently this is indeed exactly what happens with Barbizon
and IMTA.
They have different names, but they could just as easily
be the same company. They work together. In fact, it
has been reported aspiring models cannot attend an IMTA
convention unless they have attended a modeling school
like Barbizon: it is a prerequisite.
Interestingly, however, top modeling agencies do not
require modeling school attendance, graduation, etc.,
to sign a model. It is not a prerequisite.
Scam modeling agencies and scam modeling photographers
operate in a similar way to modeling schools and modeling
conventions. The agency requires the aspiring model to
use a particular photographer. But they don't say the
agency splits the fees with the photographer. It is a
hidden or concealed partnership.
You said you are in Boston. Boston is a large city with
its own modeling agencies. Your best bet, since the information
you provided suggests your daughter fits the modeling
industry standards, is to visit the local modeling agencies.
This could actually cost you nothing, but it would give
you a clearer idea about your daughter's potential, and
if she gets work through them, it would be near home,
and she may not have to travel to work in another city.
At the same time you can bypass the Barbizons and IMTAs
out there, and contact the big New York modeling agencies
directly. Cut out the expensive middlemen who
offer no money-back guarantee.
|
