OTM (On Track Modeling) aka
AMG (Alpha Model Group)
To Whom It May Concern:
Right now I am signed with OTM, and, wow, I never knew
there were so many complaints against them.
I signed with them in June of 2001. And I didn't recall
until I came to this site, that yes, they did pressure
me to use their photographer... saying we had to have
a "high fashion" photographer, and then showed
us a bunch of comp cards that they considered "useless."
The photoshoot was right at the hotel, and, yes, as
many have said, the photos turned out horrible.
I paid $599 for the shoot and another $200 for the composite
cards. I was okay with paying for the shoot, since I
did sign a contract with them, but the quality was poor,
and like many others who wrote, I have done only promotional
work.
(They did say at the audition that we would get
mostly promotional work, but not to view it as a bad
thing, because it would give us exposure.)
Fortunately, I did enough work to pay off the shoot
and comp cards, but I haven't done anything since then.
And, yes, on some jobs I wasn't paid till almost a year
later. We were informed that it would be that way, depending
on how soon the client paid OTM. But it is difficult
to not be paid for that long.
I am always keeping in contact with them to see if there
is any work in my area. But there is hardly any work
here in Milwaukee. They seem to like to use their local
models more.
Plus I have an online comp card for which I am paying
$19.95/month. I am going to cancel it, since I am now
aware that agencies shouldn't be charging for their models'
exposure.
Another thing I'd like to point out is that those agencies,
such as OTM, like to make it look as if they are legitimate
by giving you a list of things to avoid, such as those
that ask for a fee up front, or modeling schools.
They even tell you to check their agency with the BBB.
So they make it sound like they are such "good
citizens," yet if it is true that they are getting
part of the money that is for the photographer, that
is exactly what they themselves are doing!
They are getting paid before you even get work... and
legit. agencies should only be paid a percentage when
you GET work!
I just wanted to point out that just because agencies
seem like they are trying to "help" you avoid
scams, doesn't mean they aren't one themselves.
Now I have an exclusive contract with "The Agency";
I guess it is kind of a sister agency to OTM.
I am wondering if there is any way to get out of the
contract.
In February I got a call from a scout from The Agency
saying that they really think they could get me a lot
of work, and that they would like to do a photo shoot
with me in Charlotte, NC.
She said that if I could find a way down there, I wouldn't
have to pay for anything, and that they would have a
place for us to stay.
I asked several times to make sure we wouldn't
be paying anything, since my husband and I are pretty
poor.
She said after I asked her several times, "We won't
ask you to pay for anything up front." (That should
have given it away to me.)
We coudn't really even afford to travel that far, but
since the shoot was supposed to be "free," we
decided to go.
When we arrived, we found that because my husband came
along, we weren't allowed to stay at the home they were
providing for the models who came out.
On the phone I was told my husband could come! So, we
ended up paying for a hotel. Then, we find out that the
photo shoot and composite card would be $675!!
The president told us not to worry about it, that they
would take it out of the money I would get from the clients
when I got work.
About a month after the shoot, we got a bill from them
in the mail expecting us to send them the full $675 if
I wanted representation!!!
I wrote them a letter expressing my frustration about
the fact that they lied to me, and that because of our
financial situation, we couldn't afford to make that
payment.
I also said that I was told they would take the money
out of what I made from work, and that I expect it to
happen as it was told to me.
The booker I keep in contact with said that she would
hold off on the payment and give the letter to the president.
I still haven't heard from them.
Right now, I have an exclusive contract with them for
two years, and I really don't want to be stuck with an
agency that is not going to be getting me any work.
They send a newsletter every month, and recently we
were told that we need to check in every week and send
in six polaroids of ourselves every month so they can
keep their clients updated.
Do most agencies ask for something similar?
I haven't been able to afford a Polaroid camera, so
I haven't been able to send them in, which may account
for some of the reason for not getting any work.
I also have braces, which I know will limit my work
for a while, but they should come off in spring, and
they told me it didn't matter, "just don't smile."
Some of these scams are very easy to fall into. I thought
I knew a lot about what to avoid. I have been able to
avoid a lot, but unfortunately, I fell for some things
too.
Right now, I have been working with some quality
photographers on a TFP (time for print) basis, and
have been getting some nice photos for my portfolio.
My husband works in the printing industry. With the
photos from the photographers and my husband's background
in design and printing, we have been able to make comp
cards a lot better looking than the ones I have received
from the agencies I am signed with. So, we will see what
happens...
If there is any advice you could give with regard to
The Agency, I sure would appreciate it.
Thank you for this site. I am going to forward it to
some of my friends who are trying to get their children
into modeling, etc.
Sincerely,
Why does the issue of photos always come up in discussions
about OTM?
You said: "The photos turned out horrible."
This is not so much about your experience as the experience
of others, because you basically accepted their photos
("I was okay with paying for the shoot"), and
I am not here to take OTM's side, but I am going to make
one point which no model has made which needs to be made.
Models are ripping on the photos, complaining about
the quality, blaming OTM. But is the photographer on
staff at OTM or not? The only photographer mentioned
by name so far does not appear to be an employee of OTM.
Therefore should models not complain to the photographer?
OTM has to accept some responsibility for the photos,
especially if they make money off them, and they do,
according to one model and their president, but first
and foremost this issue has to be taken to the photographer.
If you are presented with promotional material including
examples of comp cards, and you find them to be satisfactory,
but then the pictures the photographer takes you find
to be unsatisfactory, i.e. not at the level of the sample
cards you were shown, you should complain to OTM about
the advertising and complain to the photographer about
the image quality.
Now as a model you really don't want to be cutting a
check for photography and giving it to an agency. You
really should be dealing directly with the photographer
to avoid giving an agency the opportunity to mark up
photography prices. Or at the very least, please ask
the photographer for their rates, so you can know if
the agency is trying to make money from the photography.
You have to get the name and website address of the
photographer who is going to take your pictures. Do not
just go with "our photographer" when OTM says
they are the best on the east coast. If you get the name
and website address, and even a photo studio street address,
you can deal with the photographer after the pictures
are taken. Don't just settle with dealing with OTM.
For example, in the case of the last photographer mentioned,
she has a website address and an email address on the
site. If she were to take your pictures, but you were
not satisfied, you can deal with her. You could at least
email her.
You said: "On some jobs I wasn't paid till almost
a year later."
That is not right. It is not fair and it is not right.
It is not normal in the modeling industry or in promotional "modeling." It
sounds like Communist Russia.
Either one or two parties is to blame. It is either
OTM or OTM's clients. Which is it? OTM has claimed it
is their clients. Really? Why not call the clients and
ask if they paid? Ask them when they paid. Then you will
know if OTM is holding out on you.
Quite frankly, I would bet more than the amount the
model was expecting to be paid that the clients paid
at least within three months.
Why do I believe that? For more than one reason: 1)
the clients are not poor (at least one was a billion-dollar
company); 2) the promotional jobs are not very expensive;
and, 3) it is not normal for agencies to be paid a year
later.
Agencies are just another business. Business is business.
It doesn't matter what industry. Thirty days is standard.
You would have to wonder what type of clients OTM has
if they pay a year later. Is OTM not able to find clients
who pay in 30 days? Or are they unable to apply due pressure
to get their clients to pay up on time?
OTM is the only agency for which this site has received
complaints about late payments, and it is not just one
person, at least a few models made the same complaint.
Is there a labor law which requires payment within a
specific time frame?
To put this in context, because models appear to buy
into it, without any reference point, in the state of
Florida, for example, talent must be paid within days
of the client making payment: Agencies must pay talent
five days after receiving payment from the client.
- All money collected by a talent agency from an employer
for the benefit of an artist shall be paid to the artist,
less the talent agency's fee, within 5 business days
after the receipt of such money by the talent agency.
No talent agency is required to pay money to an artist
until the talent agency receives payment from the employer
or buyer (Florida
Statute 468.406).
Call several reputable agencies and ask them how soon
they get paid by the clients and how soon the models
are paid. And if you are serious about signing up with
OTM, by all means ask them before you sign up
and pay for photos what is the latest you will receive
payment for promotional modeling jobs.
What really must be frustrating for models is signing
up with a company paying up front fees, getting low quality
pictures, getting very little work, at very low wages,
and then to top it all off... getting paid a year later.
That sucks!
You wrote: "Like many others who wrote, I have
done only promotional work." If you have only done
promotional work and the others have only done promotional
work (I don't recall anyone saying they did anything
besides promotional work), why must the photographer
be a high fashion photographer, or even a fashion photographer?
("They did pressure me to use their photographer...
saying we had to have a "high fashion" photgrapher.")
Ironically, Joel Wilkenfeld, President of top New York
model agency Next Model Management, which does have high
fashion models, who do get high fashion modeling jobs,
said photos for new models should cost no more than $300.
- A legitimate agency does not charge money to be a
model. You may pay for some test pictures, but it won't
be more than $300 for the entire shoot and everything.
You said: "Right now, I have an exclusive contract
with them for two years, and I really don't want to be
stuck with an agency that is not going to be getting
me any work."
If you don't believe they are going to get you any work,
would it hurt to ask them to void the contract? What
is the worst that could happen? They keep you from getting
work? How is that different from what you were expecting?
An exclusive contract seems to help the agencies more
than the models, because it prevents competition with
other agencies.
But it only helps the agency when it is getting the
model work. If they are not getting you work, what have
they got to lose from voiding the contract? It would
appear you both are in a similar situation in that you
both have nothing to lose.
Every exclusive model contract really should have a
clause which gives the model an option to renegotiate
or cancel the contract if the agency has not found the
model work by a set period of time from the date it is
signed. That is fair business. It keeps the model from
getting stuck in a dead-end business relationship.
For instance, say you sign a two-year exclusive contract.
If the agency has not found you work within 6 months
or 12 months, you can either terminate the contract or
the exclusive part is removed, i.e. no longer applies.
So you would still be able to get work through the agency
(if they found it), but you can also get additional representation
with other agencies, so they can try to get you work,
too.
In smaller markets models should seek non-exclusive
representation from multiple agencies. There is so little
work, if you are only represented by one, you may never
get any work.
It is very important to take contracts seriously, but
they are not cast in stone; they can be renegotiated
or cancelled.
Usually models try to get out of model contracts when
another agency is courting them, and/or they feel they
could earn more money through another agency.
Many years ago, John Casablancas lured many models away
from their agency because they felt he would get them
much higher earnings. He did, but of course it really
upset the agencies as you can imagine.
If you cannot come to an agreement with your agency,
and decide to break the contract, it could return to
haunt you, if the word gets out. Other agencies will
wonder if you will break your contract with them and
choose not to sign you.
Your options are basically three: 1) wait out the contract,
2) renegotiate the contract or ask to end it, and, 3)
break the contract and sign elsewhere.
Read the entire contract again and see if it has any
provisions which will allow you to exit. If there are
none, you could ask to sit down or speak with your agent.
State the facts. Tell them you have not earned anything
through them; and they have not earned anything through
you. If there is nothing clear in the immediate future
as far as work, which will benefit you and them, you
can ask them if the contract can be voided.
Unless agencies are going to be fighting over a model,
there is no point in the model signing an exclusive contract.
Always demand from the agency why they want the contract
to be exclusive. Make sure you get a solid answer before
you sign. "We are sure we can get you a lot of work," as
your story shows, is not really a solid answer.
If an agency has upfront fees for photos, and they want
the money before the model works, the model could get
the impression and feel pressured to pay upfront fees
for photos in order to get any work —especially
if the contract is exclusive! There you have a possible
reason for an agency wanting an exclusive contract.
I will keep your advice in mind about the two-year exclusive
contract. I will wait for a while after I get my braces
off, and if they still don't get me work despite me keeping
my portfolio with them updated, I may consider trying
to get out of the contract.
Thanks for bringing out that they aren't really being
benefited, either. I didn't think about that.
I am a bit wary of the possibility that breaking the
contract could give me a bad reputation, but I guess
I will just have to feel this one out.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Sincerely,
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