Proscout
To Whom It May Concern:
I would like to warn all the aspiring actors and models
about Proscout and NYMC.
After seeing an advertisement on TV for Proscout,
I thought it would be a good idea to attend their open
call, since I was from a small town, and not near any
big cities to access any agencies.
The open call was free, of course, but in order to attend
a showcase, it was close to $400.
I was chosen, so I went, even though I had to drive
several hours to attend the Proscout convention in a
big city.
There were probably about at least a 1,000 people there
who right along with me had hopes of being discovered.
They don't tell you until you're at the showcase that
your money is non-refundable, and that you don't get
one-on-one meetings with any of the modeling agency reps.
For your money you get one full day of speeches from
supposed reputable models and important people from the
industry.
The next day, you finally get to meet with the agents,
if you want to call it that. You walk the runway in front
of them, and then show them two of your best shots while
walking in a line of about 1,000 people.
I got three call backs out of 30 agencies. I went to
my call backs, but the reps were so preoccupied with
how many others they had to see that I didn't even get
any REAL interviews —and I had a whole portfolio
to show them.
I and several others were so disappointed after spending
all that money that we wanted our money back, because
we weren't satisfied with how Proscout presented
the weekend to us.
We were all told that Proscout did
their part, and that we couldn't get our money back.
I went to an open call for New York Model Contracts,
and realized it was the same thing.
You pay to go to a fancy hotel for a showcase —and
your travel, meals, and hotel aren't even paid for.
What they say you are paying for is the agency reps
to be flown in and for their hotels.
If you think about it, which I didn't before going to Proscout,
that's just free dollars for them to go out and scam
thousands more people, because the legit agencies
pay for travel expenses of their scouts.
I don't know how many people actually got contracts,
but there were a lot of unhappy people, because the weekend
wasn't what Proscout made it out to be before we went.
What I expected was all interviews with agency reps,
not a bunch of speeches about what it takes to make it.
To all the aspiring models and actors, go to the agencies
yourself, and if they ask for money up front, it's not
legit. There are reputable ones out there.
As for showcases, you're wasting your time and money,
not to mention setting yourself up for disappointment
as I did.
I never did get my money back, but I will never fall
for that again. I've been to modeling school, paid for
photos from an agency I never got work from, and paid
to be in an advertisement that claimed every major agency
looked at.
Live and learn!
Today, I'm a swimwear model for a very reputable company,
but it took me time to find it.
Take Care and Watch Out,
R.O.
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