OTM (On Track Modeling) aka
AMG (Alpha Model Group)
To Whom It May Concern:
I signed with OTM, based in Charlotte, NC, back in late
2000 when they came to Arlington, Texas.
As the other letters about OTM on your site mention,
they "strongly urge" you to use their photographer,
and to have them print out your comp cards.
They also make it clear that you can do it yourself
elsewhere, but they follow that by saying, "You
never know what you'll get."
I decided to go with them, you know, to make sure I
got the best quality available.
Three months later, when I finally had my photo shoot,
I wasn't very impressed with the photographer's professionalism.
Another three months later, when I was called to select
the pictures for my comp cards, I wasn't very impressed
with the photos, either.
Another three months later (nine months after signing),
when I finally received the comp cards, I couldn't believe
I paid almost $1,000 for the photos and the comp cards.
I even had an agent from a different agency ask me if
I actually paid for them; she thought they were the lowest
quality she had ever seen, and told me to get my money
back!
Then, of course, I didn't get any prints from the photo
shoot: I only received color slides.
How annoying! I now have to take the slides somewhere
to get them printed just to see how the pictures turned
out!
The only modeling job I was even approached about was
a promotional job that I signed up for the day I signed
the contract.
After I was paid for this job ($15/hr), I did not hear
from OTM again.
I emailed them asking why I had not even heard from
them (about 11 months after signing), and I received
a very hateful response.
I was told that my comp cards had been sent out to 12
companies, and there were no responses in my favor.
I was then asked if I had done anything on my end to
get work, and that my comp cards weren't good enough
to get me any jobs.
Funny, I thought they took care of getting
my comp cards made.
Did I mention that I was able to get local runway modeling
jobs?
I must not be that bad looking if I was able to sign
with a Dallas runway modeling group.
Needless to say, that was the last time I was contacted
by OTM, and the last time I wasted my time trying to
get something from them.
OTM is not a total scam: I know a few models that made
about $200 over their first year with OTM.
However, OTM has got to have the worst agency-to-model
relationship approach I've ever seen. They treat you
like a star when they meet you; then when they get their
money, or meet their "head count" for that
city, they forget about you.
I don't believe that they should be signing models in
cities in which they don't even have an office!
I will NEVER suggest anyone ever do anything with or
for OTM. They may not be a scam, but they definitely
know how to "work the system" to their advantage.
Please be wary of dealing with OTM.
P.S. Thank you, Modeling Scams, for this great resource.
I know if I had been smart enough to do a little more
research before I signed with OTM, I would have been
spared from a lot of frustration and saved a lot of money.
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