ALL SCAMS!
ohn Casablancas, John Robert Powers, and Barbizon are all SCAMS! They
are NOT agencies! They MISLEAD people into thinking that they are, but
are NOT. LEGIT Agencies only make money when you do (10% for film/tv and
commercials, 20% for commercial print). REAL AGENTS DON'T take $2000
upfront and DON'T make you take their subpar classes. YES! You'll be
paying at least $2000 for crappy classes!
A school for modeling is the biggest scam, period! When you get picked
up by a LEGIT agency like Ford or Elite, they will teach you or hire
coaches. They're not going to reject your resume because "oh, you don't
have any modeling classes."
If you don't think they're scams, then go waste thousands of dollars
that could go towards good headshots and training from the BEST schools
(JRP, JC, and Barb. are NOT the best!) Also, go to a major market like
L.A. or N.Y. with those schools on your resume. You'll get LAUGHED out!
Schools like Barbizon, JRP, and JC still exist because there are a lot
of suckers trying to get into acting and for the money. They think that
going to one school will be the answer and it's not. It's these schools
that give them and feed off of those false promises. For every 100
people that go through these scammy schools and lose their money, there
will always be that naturally talented kid that gets work and that these
scammy schools take credit for.
JRP-Banks on the name of a very famous and DEAD agent. They say that
Lucille Ball, John Wayne, Barbara Walters, Heather Locklear, Peter
Fonda, Jane Fonda, and many other famous actors went to the school, when
NONE of them did! Some of those celebs even threatened legal action for
using their names. So you see, they use bait and switch tactics.
John Casablancas-The franchises have been known for unethical business
practices and really have nothing to do with the founder's original
intentions.
Barbizon-It was legit back in the 70s and 80s. Now these franchises have
been known for unethical business practices and false promises.
These schools are OVERPRICED and DON'T provide the caliber training that
more affordable and REPUTABLE schools like Howard Fine Studios, Ivanna
Chubbuck, TVI Studios, Groundlings, Second City, Beverly Hills
Playhouse, Stella Adler, William Esper Studios, Tom Todoroff, Joanne
Baron/D.W. Brown, Margie Haber, etc. do.
Go look those schools up! They are all respected by the industry and
LEGIT!
Here are some LEGIT Talent Agencies in California:
Excluding the Big 5 and B Agencies that do NOT take beginners, here are
the top agencies in L.A.:
Top Commercial Agencies(*=definite winners):
KSR *
Abrams *
CESD *
Diverse *
Coast to Coast *
Daniel Hoff *
Commercial Talent *
Commercials Unlimited
Innovative Artists *
Independent Artists
Flick Commercials
DPM
DDO
Venture IAB
Sutton, Barth, Venari *
Arlene Thornton and Associates
Pantheon *
Beverly Hecht
Don Buchwald and Associates *
M. Greene and associates
AKA *
Amsel, Eisenstadt & Frazier
Brady, Brannon, and Rich *
Brass Artists
Aqua
Special Artists Agency
Amatruda, Benson, and Assoc.
Angel City
BiCoastal
Clear Talent Group
Lemon Lime
LA Talent
LW1
Mavrick
Momentum
NTA
Up and Comers:
-Talentworks (Emily Hope from ACME is here)
Theatrical Agents:
-Abrams
-Coast to Coast
-Amsel Eisenstadt Frazier
-House of Representatives
-Daniel Hoff
-M. Greene and associates
-Agency for the Performing Arts
-AKA
-Diverse
-Media Artists Group
-GVA
-Gage
-Geddes
-Talentworks
-Kohner
-Metropolitan
-Domain
-Peter Strain
-The Glick Agency
-IFA
-Pakula King
-David Shapira
-Sovereign
