Canadian Showcase for Models and Talent
To Whom It May Concern:
Canadian Showcase for Models and Talent do
have a website listed as www.canadianshowcaseinc.com.
They gave us a large list of companies that would be
attending along with the promise of at least 100 agents,
looking for various things such as models/talent/acting.
But at the end of the impressive list they said: "This
is subject to change." Which once again leaves them
legally covered if the names you expect to see at the
convention are not there.
They don't give any of the names for us to check, and
the biggest question in all of our minds is why is it
necessary to pay an upfront fee of $295?
Is it for the airfare of the agents? Or do the
agents pay their own way? Perhaps it is for making
a downpayment on and reservation of the auditorium.
There were probably about 40-50 people who auditioned;
at least 30 of those people received a call back.
This is a very high call back rate. The obvious
conflict of interest leads convention organizers in
general to be overselective.
These were kids that did not display any great talent
or beauty —or what they would typically look for
at a reputable audition. This led us to believe they
are truly after the money and care nothing for the kids
who have put their hearts into this.
A fair conclusion if they do not tell you their
success rate? Did they? There's nothing wrong with
choosing 30-40/50 people if their placement record
is 75%. But at big conventions like Model Search America
the placement record is 10-20%; at another one it is
less than 10%.
My own opinion is if this Canadian convention
was better or high they would tell you. All you really
have to ask is how many attend their conventions, how
many attended their last convention, and how many were
placed at their last convention.
So if you could please let me know if this truly does
sound like a scam, I am going back for the second call
back this evening, and, if I can, I am going to get in
writing a list of confirmed agencies which will be attending
the convention. Thank you for any help you can give me.
I don't think they provided you with enough
information to make a solid decision. And apparently
they don't screen their recruits using photos. Given
the clear and significant conflict of interest, the
only thing that would make me go to the convention
would be if they sent out my picture ahead of time
to all the agents who were going to be at the convention,
and one or more reviewed my pictures and said they
wanted to see me. Then I would know it was not just
the convention organizers telling me I could be a model
so I would pay them.
|
