International Modeling and Talent
Association (IMTA)
To Whom It May Concern:
I have a friend who has been selected through the Celtic
Talent agency in Ireland to go to the IMTA convention
in LA.
She has been charged 6,000 euro to attend this event,
as well as other fees, such as 200 euro for a portfolio
and test shots.
After attending a meeting with her, I noticed that a
lot of the other people invited by the agency to attend
were not exactly modelling material.
I feel that this whole event is one big scam run by
the agency and IMTA to cash in on the hopes of these
impressionable young people.
I would really appreciate your opinion on the matter.
K.D. in Ireland
K.,
You said: "I noticed that a lot of the other people
invited by the agency to attend were not exactly modelling
material."
Your conclusions are similar to those of industry professionals.
The agents at the conventions tell or infer the participants
are not exactly modeling material, because they select
very few people. The success rates are extremely low.
Why? There is no accountability, there is nothing to
stop the convention organizers from inviting as many
people as possible, as many as will pay their extreme
upfront fees.
There are two conflicts of interest, firstly with the
convention organizers, and secondly, with the agencies.
Not only are the convention organizers paid thousands
of dollars up front, but also the agencies which send
people to the convention are paid a commission to convince
models to go.
A reputable talent agency is not going to send a model
thousands of miles across the world to a convention which
requires extreme upfront fees, when they can promote
the model directly to the agencies which attend the convention
using portfolios or even snap shots.
Sean Patterson, an agent in the Men's Division of Wilhelmina,
one of the top modeling agencies, warned against modeling
conventions. Of all the problems in the modeling industry,
his biggest concern was conventions:
- If there was one thing I could change about the industry
it would be to institute a more rigid policing of the
model conventions that are being held all over the
country.
There is no policing and there are no laws. Therefore
the only screening standard is the conscience of the
person running the show. If they don't screen potential
models using photos, sending them to the agents who will
attend the convention, letting them decide if they want
to see them, before anyone pays any money, have they
no conscience?
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