Great American Model and Talent
Search
(Aquarian Associates)
To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to share my experience with the Aquarian
Associates Great American Model and Talent
Search.
We live in the Pittsburgh area, and first
learned of the open casting call on a radio advertisement
for the Aquarian Associates Great American Model
and Talent Search.
We took our four-year-old son to the event which was
held at a local hotel where they first
had the children approach a panel of so-called
industry professionals.
The children were introduced and asked some basic questions
along with some small talk.
Next, they were instructed to walk across the room for
a brief video filming where the photographer asked
them their name, favorite food, friends, etc.
The first "hook" was cast when one of the
industry professionals told me that my son was
amazing, and how would we feel about a trip to Hollywood?
The second hook came while we were in the lobby getting
our coats on when one of the Aquarian Associates
staff (who we later found out was the president's
wife) informed us that the woman who made the fuss
over our son was a casting director for the Power Rangers
TV show, and very seldom gives out compliments.
Well, after that I was star struck! Hell, at
that point they probably could have taken me
for three times the amount we eventually paid!
There was even an embarrassing scene where two
parents and their children were asked to leave due
to the children misbehaving. The president of Aquarian
Associates became very loud as if he wanted
everyone to see and hear him. It was almost like he
was acting.
Looking back, my husband now feels that the whole thing could
have been staged to give the other parents
a feeling of confidence knowing that their children
were model citizens, very cooperative and well behaved.
As anyone would have guessed, we received our letter
a few days later informing us that our son received
a favorable review, and an invitation to the parents'
meeting.
The meeting was held at their Pittsburgh office where
the red carpet was rolled out with all the visual
effects (movie posters, advertisements, etc).
It was a small group with about 15 parents.
We first watched a video highlight film from the previous
search along with commercials containing children. Seeing
only 15 parents made you feel good. You felt that your
child was special, since they saw so many at the
open call, and only invited a small amount
back.
The president then spoke where he kept re-emphasizing
that Aquarian Associates was not an agency. They even
had signs posted everywhere stating "not an agency."
We were told that the biggest obstacle in an
acting or modeling career is exposure, and his company
can put you in front of top industry professionals at
a fraction of the cost if you were to set out on your
own. He said that you don't have to live in NYC
or CA to be successful.
The casting directors also understand that parents have
obligations to work, and children have an obligation
to school, resulting in most commercials being
shot during long-weekend-type arrangements.
He went through all this and still hadn't mentioned
money.
Finally, at the end of it all he stated that for
only $435 "All this can be yours! Don't miss
out on your opportunity. Attend the Pittsburgh
search."
It was kind of an "act now" type thing: they
only gave you one day to make up your mind.
Oh, and how could I forget? They charge $45 each
for tickets (child goes free), cash only, which can be
paid the day of the search.
My husband and I left and hung out in the
parking lot for a while pondering the situation when all
of a sudden here comes the next wave of cars for the
next meeting!
It seems that they had many small meetings.
They wanted you to think that your child was so
special. They didn't tell you that there were other
groups coming in. All of a sudden I became
a little disappointed. We should have left
and never returned.
We decided to pay the money, attend the search with
about 188 children from all over the east coast.
It was quite an event.
They introduced about 30 scouts/casting directors from prominent
modeling and talent agencies. It all seemed so legit.
We were told that anyone who had conversation
with the scouts and agents would be automatically disqualified.
They had the children do a runway presentation, a
photo shoot (at which they'll sell you an 8X10 B/W, for
another $45), and a small commercial read which they say
was videotaped.
At the end of it all, acknowledgments were given
for each category along with opportunities.
My son received acknowledgments in each category along
with an opportunity. Then they announced the names of
only six children out of 188 to remain after the
search to speak to the Aquarian staff.
Well, as luck would have it, my son was one of the six.
We were in shock! We were told that a major agency in
California was interested, and at this time only wanted
to know where we lived.
I thought: "Isn't that strange? Whatever happened
to the crap he told us about it not mattering where
you live? And furthermore, why in the hell would an agent
from California attend this search in Pittsburgh, and
then ask where we're from? Not our address, only where
we're from?"
This event is also held in California, so you would
think they would know that the Pittsburgh search covers
the east.
About a month after the search, I hadn't heard anything,
so I called the agency in California, and asked to speak
to the person who liked my son at the Pittsburgh search.
Well, as you would have guessed, I never reached her;
even though I left three messages, she never returned
my calls.
In August, we finally received our opportunity letter.
What could it be? The Power Ranger Lady? The Hollywood
casting director?
We were so excited until we opened the letter and found
it to be a local TV commercial for a country club. It
was printed on a cheap run-off paper from Aquarian Associates.
It turned out to be an outdoor swimming pool shot with
about 50 kids from the search. The kids sat around the
pool where a low budget film crew shot about 15 seconds!
What a joke! The event was supervised by the president
of Aquarian Associates, who put on a phony show as if
he were some Hollywood casting director.
We were paid $40 in a check made out by Aquarian Associates, which
seems odd, since they claim not to be an agency.
In closing, I feel that I've learned a valuable
lesson. This outfit was very clever in how they presented
themselves. We were definitely misled, duped, and
outsmarted by this jerk.
The opportunities were just as phony. It's like
telling someone that you're giving them a Corvette
for their birthday, and then hand them a match box model.
P.H.
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