Modeling Agency News: American Modeling Industry Headlines

"Lily Gerstenslager started doing a little research on the Internet and read tales from other parents warning that they were asked to pay anywhere from $400 to $1,000 at the high-pressured sales meeting with no visible benefit later on. The Gerstenslagers decided not to go forward. "I was so frustrated. They're playing on parents' emotions and feelings. It's not right," Lily Gerstenslager said. "It was just a money-collecting thing."¹

"There are also modeling conventions, in which prospective models pay a fee and their own expenses for a chance to meet representatives from modeling agencies. Scholz said some agencies do attend the conventions, but it's also the same agencies a prospective model could mail photos to for free."²

"As an idea of how the industry works, here's how the selection process works at Scholz's agency. If the agency is interested in a prospective model after seeing some snapshots that are sent in, they will set up an interview. "It's not only how you look, but personality and drive," she said. Then the agency suggests a list of photographers the prospective model can work with. Scholz said it's important to interview the photographers and make sure you hit it off. Scholz and the FTC both said child models do not need portfolios. "It's simply not necessary. They change too quickly," said Scholz, who added that often agencies will try to keep costs low for parents of children by printing photos on laser printers."³

"Even after a contract is offered--a standard contract is one year and self-renewing--there are no fees involved, said Scholz. The agency only takes a cut after you get work."⁴

"It's great for people to start out in smaller markets like this [Ohio] and to move up to larger markets and cities" she said."⁵

1. Betty Lin-Fisher, "Not-So-Model Behavior," Standard-Times [New Bedford], Sept. 27, 2002, p. B1.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.

Buyer Beware: Ever Thought About Being A Model?

"Imagine a talent scout walking up and inviting you to an "open call" for models. It's happening for hundreds of local wannabes who dream of being discovered. But who are these talent scouts? We looked into one new scouting company in Bellevue called "Options Talent." The scouts just started recruiting, and they're getting people very excited--especially teenage girls."¹

1. Connie Thompson, "Buyer Beware: Ever Thought About Being A Model?," KOMO-4 Bellevue/Seattle, Aug. 13, 2002.

Short-term loans, modelling agencies top student scam list

"Modelling contracts: young people are often targeted by unscrupulous agency representatives offering lines such as, "You've got a beautiful face. Have you ever considered modelling?"¹

1. "Short-term loans, modelling agencies top student scam list," CBC News, Aug. 30, 2002.

Glam Scam? Seattle Youth Complains of Modeling Rip-off

"As 25-year-old Asian American "John" (he's too embarrassed to use his real name) lolled in Green Lake Park, a well-dressed stranger approached and said that John had a great look. The smooth talker was a scout for Options Talent, "the largest model-scouting company in the world," newly operating in Seattle. There was an open call coming up; John should go. "It was very flattering," John says, so he went. When he arrived, the talent brokers complimented him profusely. His ethnicity was an added bonus: "The Asian look is very hot right now." At the meeting, they admitted Options wasn't a modeling agency. Still, "They told me they scouted for Elite and Ford [modeling agencies], and dropped other big names."¹

1. Sandeep Kaushik, "Glam Scam? Seattle Youth Complains of Modeling Rip-off," Stranger/Seattle, Aug. 8, 2002.

Model Behavior

"Seventeen-year-old Jackie Arnoldy was out shopping when a scout from Options invited her to an open call. She decided to attend a session with her mother. "It made me feel like I was a model already when I really wasn't," she says. The catch – it would cost $595 up front, plus $20 a month, to maintain her portfolio on the Options website. Arnoldy’s mother, Denise, paid with a debit card. "From the get-go, they said, you know, stay by your phone, the phone's going to be ringing and she's going to get work," Denise Arnoldy says. But she says only one call came – from Options itself, offering their photographer for her daughter’s portfolio. The cost – another $600. "I never heard from them again, and they're withdrawing from my account every month," Denise Arnoldy says."¹

Investigation of a Local Modeling Agency

"A company new to the Pittsburgh area that posts pictures of potential models on the web has opened its doors. But consumer investigator Becky Thompson has uncovered questions about how it recruits its talent."¹

1. Becky Thompson, "Investigation of a Local Modeling Agency," WPXI-TV News, July 11, 2002.

Glamour and Gimmicks

"She says emodel's sales team is managed by Ralph Bell. Our Action 9 investigation revealed he's a man with a past that includes a modeling rip-off in another state.... Our Action 9 investigation uncovered a charge against Bell by the Federal Trade Commission three years ago. The commission charged that Bell used deceptive tactics to sign up models in Virginia and he was banned from using casting calls to sell products. Our investigation uncovered Bell wasn't the only one with a past..."¹

Options Talent Group: An I-Team Investigation

"An IMG spokesperson told us they've never booked an Options model. Neither has Elite-Atlanta. A Wilhelmina official told us they've signed two Options models. That's two out of 33,000 on their site. Ford Model Management hasn't signed any Options talent to contracts."¹

1. Randy Travis, "Options Talent Group: An I-Team Investigation," Fox 5 News Atlanta, May 13, 2002.

Latest News | 44 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 40 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Modeling Agency Complaints