Under Investigation: The inside story of the Florida Attorney General’s investigation of Wilhelmina Scouting Network, the largest model and talent scam in America.

ISBN-0968713335 Paperback 512 pages $29.95

Complaints - Call Mark Lambert, Deputy City Attorney, or Elizabeth Calles, Detective: (213) 978-8070

DLSE ruling against Booking Actors and Models (BAM) Website/Photo Mill Scam

(Same owner / Same business model as Explore Talent Ruled Illegal)

"The Internet’s largest Talent resource and promotional website," announced in 2004 it has 290,000 members. The owner of ExploreTalent.com, Blake Yoon, is a convicted criminal, whom, the LA Times reported, was previously in prison. He has since admitted under oath in 2004 most of his company's income is from the sale of photoshoots and portfolios. A ruling was made against his similar company, BAMModels.com, after they charged over $4,000 for photography and a portfolio, and the ruling also showed his company is illegal.

Easy Background Check

Explore Talent (exploretalent.com) aka Explore Communications

EXPLORETALENT.COM
8033 Sunset Blvd, Suite #580
HOLLYWOOD, CA

Exploretalent.com
7060 Hollywood Blvd. #802
Los Angeles CA 90028

ExploreTalent.com:

"Coupon for a free professional one look photo shoot - $350 value! As part of our commitment to improve the overall quality of the images on our website, Pro Members are now entitled to a free photo shoot session in Los Angeles, California VALUED AT $350. Professional photography raise your chances to being signed by managers, agents and casting directors. Sign up now, as this coupon/offer is only valid for new members only." (http://www.exploretalent.com/about_us.php) [Aug. 21, 2004].

Better Business Bureau:

". . . customers complain the company verbally misrepresents the free amenities offered with the subscription, claiming the free portfolio actually costs $1500." (http://www.labbb.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=wsbroker1/C%3A/Inetpub/wwwroot/
SouthlandReport/default.htm?hCompID=13204121&hAKAID=2&hAddrID=2) [Aug. 21, 2004].

Roshumba Williams, Supermodel:

"One big mistake that many aspiring models make is spending tons of money on photos, portfolios, and composites before they get an agent. This is a total waste of money and time, and people who tell you otherwise either don't know what they're talking about or are scamming you. [. . .] All photos taken without an agent's guidance are essentially useless because the photos may not capture the image the agent plans to build for you and promote to the fashion industry. [. . .] Photographers often prey on young, unsuspecting models and their parents, suggesting that models need loads of professional pictures, composites, portfolios, and elaborate, expensive photo sessions before they've found an agent or started their careers. They'll tell the models that agents won't accept them if they don't have a portfolio full of pictures. In these cases, the photographer is probably trying to scare the unsuspecting model in order to make money off the photo session, the development and processing of the film, and the printing of contact sheets and photos. [. . .] The most that's needed to get your foot in the door are a few snapshots that by no means require a professional to take. As I've said, anything more is really a waste of time and money." [Roshumba Williams, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Being a Model (Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 1999), pp. 86-87.]

BBB Comments

Update (Aug. 21, 2004)

"We rate this company as having an unsatisfactory business performance record, based on a pattern of complaints that cause us concern. Most complainants allege the company fails to acknowledge cancellation requests, resulting in unauthorized credit card charges to customer accounts. Customers complain, the company's website has no telehone numbers or other contact information listed, and they are unable to contact a live person. Other customers complain the company verbally misrepresents the free amenities offered with the subscription, claiming the free portfolio actually costs $1500. A few complainants report that charges for subscription costs are actually billed by a company called B A M. (B A M has a an unsatisfactory business performance record with the BBB. A seperate report is available upon request.) The company responds to most complaints by cancelling subscriptions, and in a few cases, issue refunds when unauthorized charges are alleged. Other responses deny refund requests stating that services were provided and no refund is due. The company generally denies that complainants have difficulty contacting them."

ExploreTalent.com is reported by the BBB to be owned by the same owner of Booking Actors and Models (BAM). The ExploreTalent.com site did not name the company owner, but it is based in the same area in or near Hollywood, and it offers the same "services": internet "exposure" and free photo shoots. The emphasis of BAM was photo shoots.

What consumers need to know is that a photo shoot is virtually useless in and of itself. So they will be offered prints or comp cards or a portfolio -- at a price -- certainly not free, and not necessarily cheap.

Having received the free photo shoot, and realizing they can't do much of anything with it, they will be drawn to buy comp cards and or a portfolio, so that the free photo shoot opportunity is not "wasted."

They are then in a position of considering paying for professional photography before they get an agent.

Nina Blanchard, who used to own the top modeling agency in Los Angeles, The Nina Blanchard Agency, which represented famous faces such as Cheryl Tiegs, and was bought by the Ford Modeling Agency, was "the most famous model agent in Hollywood," and wrote a book for aspiring models, How to Break Into Motion Pictures, Television Commercials and Modeling.

Blanchard has said, "Do not get a portfolio before getting an agent." [Cited in Erik Joseph, The Glam Scam (Los Angeles: Lone Eagle, 1994), p. 81.]

Blanchard also said, "The agent should not recommend one photographer, and you do not pay the agency, you deal directly with the photographer."

There are basic reasons for her comments:

1) you don't need professional photos to get an agent.

2) agents typically don't want professional photos, just snapshots.

3) if you get comp cards, they won't have the agency's name printed on them, so you won't be able to use them if you do get signed by the agency.

4) even if you can get the slides, the photography may not be at a standard high enough, or of a style suitable for, the agency to promote you effectively.

5) when you pay the photographer directly, it can prevent the price of the photos or prints or portfolio from being jacked up without you knowing.

Call any of the licensed talent agencies in Hollywood to discuss these issues further. Ask them what type of photos you should get, when you should get them, when you should get comp cards, and how much you should pay.

Learn how involved talent manager Robert Amatruda is with ex-con Blake Yoon of ExploreTalent

See also Backstage Discussion: Anyone know the deal about ExploreTalent.com

http://bbs.backstage.com/ [Aug. 26, 2004].