Hey everyone, Models Direct have been in contact with me saying they would like to take me on to their books. I have no idea what they are like so just wondered if anyone out there had any info?
Cheers
Helen
(they are only charging an admin fee of £116 for a 3 year contract - not too horrendous)!
I know a few people who have got work through them. If you contact Andy Callaghan on here he should be able to tell you what they are like to work for as he recently did a magazine shoot for them very recently.
Hi,
They wanna take me on too. I have never paid an agency for anything as i know how many scams there are out there, but this seems like quite a reputable agency. They don't charge commission when they get you jobs. All they charge is a fee for either one, two, or three years on their books.
If you do get in touch with Andy, please let me know what he says and whether he has had good jobs through them.
Thanks
B x
This people are scum as far as I'm concerned! I was too naive to pay the upfront fee. I paid the 100 pounds fee, they promised me representation for 3 years! But then they just kept asking me for more money if I wanted to have my portfolio on their website!!!! I thought representation meant they do the whole thing afterwards and get me a job. I have asked politely for a job in promotion and NO reply! They just keep sending me this automatic response via e-mail that I must upgrade or I would not get a job! What a JOKE!!!!
I mean with the other agencies you pay a fee after your first job- a small fee !- then they put u on their database/website. And then you just sit back and hope for the rest to happen.
This people are sooo lucky to be based in Norfolk otherwise I'd be on their doorsteps every day until I get my money back. I have complaint and all and they blissfully ignored me. I also name and shamed this company to a journalist who is producing a documentary on scam agencies like this one.
Im sure some people get the jobs... the YES people! I wont say YES to this kind of treatment.
They stole from me and lie. The promise of representation mean nothing. I cant do much but talk about my experience. I cant get a lawyer, money, hellou!
Thanks for noticing my reply and to answer as well. To be honest with you, I talked to a lot of people. I was interviewed and filmed but I haven't got the details. I may see it on the TV. The journalist was freelance and I was told I wasn't going to get any money for my story which I wasn't expected anyway. I was also told that other people were going to give their side of the story. I hope they don't edit me from their documentary.
But watch out, this year there will be exposure about most agencies. Like those Envenio people... I read my union updates and Im glad I didn't join them!
Will look forward to the programme. I know that the Beeb are doing one on extras, called 'On The Edge', but it will be more character driven rather than scam driven.
I might be wrong but I would avoid any agency who:
(1) charges an upfront fee
(2) does not charge commission.
If they don't charge commission then they have no incentive to find you work because it won't generate them any more money. What kind of agent operates like that?
I would be very wary of any agency expecting an upfront fee - what guarantee can they offer that they will then find you work. At least with an agency that charges commission (with no upfront fees) you know that if they don't get you work they won't make any money, and so the impetus is there to find you work.
Problem is that this MD agency actually gives work to "the chosen ones" whoever they are. The other problem is that because of these chosen ones MD takes advantage of girls like myself and get as many girls as possible just for their fee. That's my belief and I have not been proven wrong yet.
I wonder who this Andy bloke is, and if he has the face to show it here and explain to me why I have not been offered a job, audition or a reply to my complaint. This is one of their responses after my complaint:
"Please call us to discuss your questions, or put them in writing to us.
Thanks
Models Direct - Men, Women and Children amateur and professional modelling, fashion, film, TV, photographic and advertising - worldwide
CENTRAL STUDIOS, 150 -162 KING STREET, NORWICH, NR1 1QH
Tel: (+44) 8705 01 01 01 Fax: (+44) 1603 767858 / 666102"
After I put in writing my complaint, I never heard from them again. Wonder Why!
im with several modelling agencies,and have many friends who are models full time who got ripped off when they first started modelling. The agencies they are with now told them that you should never have to pay upfront fees.
they should work same as acting agents, they should take agreed percentage commision on each job they get for you...
I'd definitely endorse those saying don't pay a fee AT ALL. Most reputable agencies know they will only make any money from representing you, getting you work and taking a small percentage. That is it. Sad to say that the one time, in my admittedly naive and somewhat stupid youth that I paid a fee, in this case 50UKP, the company subsequently withheld payment on a job for a while, then disappeared without a trace taking a lot of other people's money too. Young and green and untrained as I may have been then, I sure am wiser now! And er... a bit less hairy on top too.
I have just spoken to a lady in the Norwich area, who has just foolishly (her words) paid an up-front fee of £100, as part payment of £179, to an agency, for her lovely little girl. She now believes that she should not have joined - the promotions agency.
The lady tells me that she used to work for and was employed by 'Models Direct' as a member of their staff, in their sales office...
Sorry to hear about your bad experiences with Models Direct. If you want to know about Andy Callaghan's experiences with Model Direct you can contact him on this site if you do an artist search. He is currently darting about working all over the place and rarely visits the green room. I havent had any personal dealings with ModelsDirect as yet so I can't vouch for them. I do know that he did do a job for them recently though for a magazine. I have just filled out their application form and sent out my details so will keep you posted about that. They are based literally down the road from where I live. I certainly won't be paying an upfront fee. I have been there before a few years back. Thanks to these kind of forums we begin to get an insight on the business and learn from our mistakes. It is sometimes hard to fathom the way some companies operate. I know of other other agencies who charge you for this and that and get you no work and yet other people pay nothing and get loads of work.
I'm sure some people are doing well out of MD. I on the other hand haven't been so fortunate. I made the mistake of paying and unless you work hard and pester them then you simply get forgotten. They become uninterested once they have your money making it difficult to earn it back. Far more hassle than it's worth.
Thanks for your replies. Soz I didn't get in touch earlier;
"I kind of died, went to paradise then I was sent back here... oh... the English weather".
I wish you all the very best in your actig careers and I do hope to meet you in a set. Please, do not look down on me if I'm only on a set as an extra!!!! Otherwise... I will create a new topic LOL!
I just read this topic, not quite sure how old it is as I am new to Casting Call Pro, But i have to say i think it is really interesting what people think is a scam and what is legit. Models Direct is a complete scam and everyone knows it but I set up my Agency a year ago and just because I have an AOL email address I was accused of being "DODGY"! When I started there was a massive thing going on about scam agencies and the first thing I wrote on the website was that we don't charge a penny. Our commission is usually paid by the casting directors etc on top of the actor / model fee and again we had B Magazine on the phone asking us questions like "You are a new agency and you do not charge, other agencies have been around for a long time and they charge atleast an admin fee, how comes you do not charge anything?, are you a scam?" So to cut a very long winded story short, even when you are completely straight down the line, people want to find somthing wrong. Thats my oppinion anyway.
Interesting stuff. I had an initial phonecall then nothing. Not bothered really just someone suggested approaching them to earn a bit of extra cash. There would be no way that I would pay an upfront fee especially when there are so many other things to fork out for. Someone I know did get a fairly high profile photoshoot from them but maybe they get occasional work to make things appear legit on the surface. There are several agencies that do get high profile work and operate in a rather dodgy fashion as well. This makes it all the more infuriating. Personally I put it down to experience.
I have been approached again by Models Direct after submitting new photos. I firstly received a phonecall saying that my application would be put before a board to be discussed. Today I received an online form to fill in. Suprise, Suprise there is a charge of £116 for a three year contract. I have just phoned Models Direct to discuss this and Models Direct say there is a always a charge somewhere along the line.
The big warning sign about this is they were prepared to sign me up on the basis of photos without even meeting me. I will have a word myself with the other people who have been involved with them.
I think its disgusting. I have struggled so much with this company in this first year just to get recognised in the industry as a reputable agent and I can proudly say that now we are finally getting alot busier due to pure hard labour. I have NEVER charged anyone ANYTHING and even tho times have been really tough, atleast I can sleep at night! I really feel sorry for anyone that gets all this false hope from them and end up losing money.
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