John Casablancas Modeling School
To Whom It May Concern:
I am 19 years old and I have been interested in modeling
for quite some time. I did a Vera Wang trunk show a while
back and really had a good time.
I really think I have what it takes to be a model, but
I don't know where I should go to get jobs.
I have thought about sending in pictures for model searches
such as Elite and Ford, but I thought I would try going
locally to a John Casablancas.
I went to a John Casablancas open call the other night,
and they gave me a call back. I am supposed to go see
them again.
I really don't need a lot of classes and I won't put
up with any of their b*** s***.
I did not know if you could recommend some place for
me to go, or possibly what I should do. I don't want
to sign a contract that would exclude me from other modeling
opportunites.
Please help me.
Thank you,
S.B.
P.S. I am located in North Florida.
S.,
At 19 it may too late to start thinking about Ford or
Elite, since they seem to be most interested in new female
models from ages 14-19, but you could still work locally,
and, if you find local success, look at other options.
What you could do is decide what type of modeling you
want to do, then find an agency which specializes is
that type of modeling, or which gets its models the type
of modeling jobs you want.
You can ask them how many models they represent, how
many of them get work, and how much they earn, and which
ones worked recently.
Then you can ask to see their work if it's in print
(tear sheets), or ask to speak with them or their client
references.
The basic rule of thumb is to check out all agencies
within driving distance. You said you are in North Florida.
There is a website specifically for models in Florida
which you could visit to find the names of modeling agencies
in your region, and possibly ask for recommendations
for the type of work you want to do.
The website's name is Florida Models; the website address
is: www.florida-models.com.
They also have a section on Modeling Scams in Florida.
Good luck!
To Whom It May Concern:
I was called by John Casablancas/Supermodel.com,
and asked if I was interested in auditioning for Supermodel.com's
National Photo Tour.
I went to John Casablanca's and met with the Director,
Deborah Knisley, in Atlanta, GA. The cost of the
photo shoot is $595 and I received a $100-off coupon.
The information I received told me that the photo session
includes the following:
- (3) Wardrobe Changes with (3) looks
- Professional Hair & make up
- Indoor and Outdoor Shooting
- Leatherette Model Portfolio Book
- (3) 8" * 12" Archival Portfolio Prints
(one of each look)
- (2) Slide Sheets
- Professional Stylists Consultation and support
- Professional online modeling portfolio on supermodel.com
for one year with 6 digital scans uploaded to your
personal supermodel.com photo gallery
- All shipping and Handling
I have several questions, number one being is this a
scam?
I called Ms. Knisley back today and was told I was selected
to go and that I was also going to be signed for one
year with Model and Talent Management on a non-exclusive
contract.
Which brings me to my second question: If John
Casablancas was truly interested in signing me with their
agency and thought I would bring in money and get jobs,
would they be asking me to front this money and go to
this photo shoot?
I always thought that a modeling agency would pay for
the portfolio or take it out of your paycheck from a
job.
It also seemed they were a little too eager to get their
money, and Ms. Knisley told me that I have one day to
decide and pay if I want to do this, as the photo tour
is this weekend.
I also asked if they guarantee me a certain amount of
auditions during this one year contract, and was told
I couldn't be guaranteed anything, as they don't know
what I will do, that there are always plenty of jobs
for me to go to, but it depends on my flexibility.
I spoke with a friend who also happens to be a former
scout for Eileen Ford. He is sketchy also.
What should I do?
Sincerely,
A.F.
P.S. I went to the BBB site and Supermodel.com
was not found. According to Ms. Knisley, this site is
the future of modeling, and has access and a relationship
with over 700 agencies all over the world. Is Supermodel.com
a substantial site, and do major agencies go on to find
girls?
A.,
The home page of supermodel.com featured an advertisement
for a "National Photo Tour." The large graphic
said: "Join Our National Photo Tour Now!" It
included dates for two cities: Atlanta, GA, Nov. 8, 9,
10, 11; and Dallas, TX, Nov. 9, 10.
The "National Photo Tour" is simply a model
search and photo shoot, all rolled into one. Professional
photographers tour these cities and all they are doing
is recruiting people to be "models" for their
online comp card service.
Supermodel.com has the same service, purpose, and price
as Trans Continental
Talent (tctalent.com). They recruit people
to pay upfront fees ($595) to be on their website for
the purpose of getting modeling jobs.
The only basic differences are professional photography
is included in the Supermodel.com package, and there
is "representation" by a real-world modeling
agency (MTM) packaged into the "deal."
Comp card websites are irrelevant. You don't need them
and neither do agencies. The sales pitch of being discovered
by any agency in the world is irrelevant. Agencies work
with local talent.
Of the "700 agencies all over the world" you
mentioned, probably 99.9% are irrelevant. Maybe more.
The only ones which are relevant are the ones in your
city and area which you could visit. So why don't you
visit them?
Why would anyone want to put their picture on a website
if they could visit the agency? This is very basic but
somehow the idea is lost in the hype of marketing that
speculates internet comp cards are "the future of
modeling," or one particular website is "the
future of modeling."
The same broken record has been played since about 1995.
One company which made the same way-of-the-future claim
and spent millions of dollars trying to prove it is a
thing of the past: it quickly went bankrupt.
The fact of the matter is top agencies do not have time
for websites. They receive so many and more than enough
visitors to their agency and pictures by mail, they find
lots of models, and they have neither the need nor the
time to download and search for more models.
If any agencies do use the internet to find models,
it is the insignificant ones, which are unsuccessful,
new, or can only get models minimal low-wage work, if
anything. Are these really the kind you want to find
you online?
One common-sense approach to getting started in modeling
is to find the agencies with the lowest prices and the
fewest complaints. John Casablancas has a high number
of complaints and it does not have the lowest prices.
What is ridiculous in the case of the supermodel.com
sales pitch is professional photography after the work
of professional makeup artists. Have you seen the image
quality of photos on the supermodel.com website? They
don't have the digital imaging skills to match the offline
professional photos with online professional photos,
so the makeup artist is virtually irrelevant.
Interesting how the MTM director tried to shirk responsibility
saying they could not guarantee you anything and she
turned the whole thing into your responsibility. You are
the one who has to be flexible.
You said she claimed there would "always plenty
of jobs" for you to go to. Really? Talk is cheap.
Have you asked her what models they represent got jobs
recently? How many jobs? How many did they try out for?
How much were they paid? Have you spoken to their models?
Have her claims been checked and verified?
Finally, to answer your question, "What should
I do?" you should find a local agency which has
found many of its models work recently of the amount,
kind, and frequency that you want. Shop around.
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