Hav U Guyz Heard Of Model Search America?HELP

I have a 13 year old daughter and we have been trying to get her started in the modeling world. I am very familiar with model search america. The way it works is: you go to a hotel (usually) meeting room (very impressive place). It is like a "cattle call". There will be alot of people (all shapes an sizes). They have definate ideas of who they are looking for (even if it is a fat housewife type) for the agents they (supposedly) put you in touch with. When it starts, they will talk a little about the company and what they do (and don`t do). Then you will go in a line and one by one get "interviewed". The interview is about 2-4 questions and very brief. In these couple minutes they will decide if you might be what they are looking for. They call out names, and if you are picked you will learn MORE about the company. You will also see pictures of real models (before and after shots). Then they will "invite" you to meet actual agents. The catch? It costs several hundred dollars for you and your mother to attend. If you decide to go to this thing (in which they make money on EVERYTHING... Even the food you eat, not included in the price... Nor is the hotel, another kick-back)...... You will be up against about 4000 other kids, with only about 10 to be picked.

While I am on the subject, MSA is good in the fact that if you go to this cattle call, you WILL learn somethings about how to get started (they will tell you that you don`t need them, which is the truth). But, you shouldn`t go in thinking you will walk away with a contract.

Speaking of contracts.... Their are ALOT of agencies out there. Most, however, are only selling photo packets, etc.

BE CAREFUL and don`t take to heart anything they tell you that is negative. If you want in this business, you can buy your own very nice pictures (use a good PROFESSIONAL (not your friend with a good camera) FASHION photographer.... With several different shots). Have your photographer make you "comp cards" (they will know what they are) and make sure you have the "rights" the your slides. You can send these ON YOUR own to agencies around the world.

Keep this in mind.... If the agency thinks you "have what it takes", then they will pay for your transportation, etc, etc.... THINK ::::: If they feel they can make money off your looks, they will want you to sign a contract and put you to work. THEY will do it all, or at least most.

My daughter signed a contract with a NON-EXCLUSIVE agency (so she can work with others). Before she did so, we took the UNSIGNED contract to a lawyer to make sure it was on the up-&-up.

Above all, make sure you use your head (not your heart). You are a product !!! Go into situations with a level head and a BUSINESS attitude.

And don`t forget......

SMILE !!!!!!

P.S. Take a trusted adult with you. My daughter`s manager is her dad.

Are these scams? My daughter is interested. If it is a scam would`nt they be fined? Or have they payed fines already?


T.O.S.H.A.@ BR Brick & Masonry

Hi my name is jose i am interested in modeling i am turning 18 in a month i am 5.5 feet i have haizel eyes,
I have black hair, iam Puerto Rican i am cute and i weigh 135 pounds i have light broun skin

I am trying to get my gorgeous 4 month old son into some modeling. If u have any suggestions and names of REAL agencies please email me. Im VERY SERIOUS about doign this and i need some advice from parents who have their kids in this industry. THNK YOU!
BlueMommie03@netscape.net

Hello-

This a reply for a few people who have questions on the legitamacy of MSA and other "model recruiters". Yes, model search america can be good but for only a select few people and I mean about 1% of the people who go actually get contracts, from what I have been reading from other fraud sites. I am an aspiring model (just to put me through college) and I have run into every kind of scam there is. First, I went to a open call for John Robert Powers. This was not a modeling agency but a school. There was about 1,000 people that auditioned in my area and I was picked for my type cast (brown hair and brown eyes). I was very excited until I found out that I must pay them $2,000 on the spot for their supreme "education". That was so bogus, I am a college student and they expect that. Besides if I am all that, I should be able to go to school for free with them. Then I went to a local agency that claimed it was an agency and in no way would try to educate me. This was true, but it was in a rundown little office and all of the pic`s of his models said "submitted to so and so magazine" (not published in). Then he tried to get me to pay $500 for a portfolio with him when you can get a pretty good one for around $300 with a professional photographer. And then...I met the handsome MSA recruiters. And yes they do just tell it like it is...you are either good looking or workable or you are dismissed within a matter of 30 mintues out of a crowd of 400 people. But I am the naive one and I acutally decided to try this out. I payed the $245 deposit and I have to pay the other $300 at the convention. So what I have heard, nothing really comes of MSA but I hope that my info on the other situations has helped. Honestly, if you want to be discovered you have to make it happen but you are going to have to invest time and money, otherwise you will end up with some real shady deals like I did.

I attended a MSA convention in 96. No, I did`nt get any call backs BUT I know of people who did!! Take it from me,someone who did not find representation that weekend...IT IS WORTH IT!! I took the valuable information that I learned there and put it to good use. Besides having a blast, you will get to come face to face with agents,make-up artists, actors and models. People who know the business first hand. People who are being genuine and NOT trying to sell you any classes(dont ever take modeling classes). After working in front of the camera for awhile, I helped assist in a few MSA open calls. I wanted to help others reach towards their dreams! I am currently in the process of going to work for a diff scouting company from my home. However, I can say that if MSA ever allowed me the opportunity to work for them, I`d beg for the job!! They are an excellent company. They do not make false promises. They give you a chance!! Remember, If you don`t find representation, you can take the information you learned throughout that special weekend and create endless possabilities!! GOOD LUCK!!

Hi I had attended a Model Search in a near by town. I had went and they told everybody to call back in two days to find out if we made it. Well I called back and I had made it they told me to go to a hotel so that I could have my pictures takin. I went and we had to pay $300.00 dollars. I never heard from them again after that. So you might as well say I waisted all that money for no reason. I had recieved my pictures and I only recieved 12 pics. So I think it is all a scam. But if you know any good agencies in the Indiana area can you please let me know.
Thank you,

Hey, well, i attended a MSA convention, I didn`t get a callback, but all the people i went with did, some even got 2 or more. (note, i was the only guy in the bunch and i`m a lil short to be a male model at this point, give me a year) Neway, i had a freakin blast, and i plan on doing it again and again, not to get picked, which loads did outta of bout 700, i went to the new orleans convention. Neway, i`m gonna do it again because it was the best weekend i`ve had all year. So don`t exspect to get picked to come back, jus go to have fun, u`ll have a better chance that way, and if nothing happens, u`ll know u won neway, cuz u WILL HAVE FUN!!! BELIEVE ME!!!]

FRANK

Alright, I`m reading all mixed messages from everybody about Model Search America. I am supposed to go this weekend in CHicago, and obviously am an aspiring model. I paid a 290.00 deposit, and have 350.00 to pay when I get there. I`m staying with a friend in Milwaukee so i don` t have to pay for a hotel. I`ve got a pretty good portfolio, and think and have been told by many that I stand a chance and that I should go. I won a model contest and that`s how I was asked to go to the First Round of MOdel Search AMerica. I made the cut of about 400 people down to 40. I`m a plus -size 14, and they compared me to Emi, the super plus size model. That`s gotta be good right?? ANyways, I would appreciate more experiences, so I don`t go in def and blind, If I go at all anymore....

Thanks

Model search is a rip off i went to the meeting and they called us the next day and we payed $1000.00 to join then they were going to take picture and put them on a web site we went up once and they said the apointment was not till the next week but they were wrong then we wnt up the next week and they were gone!!! THEY JUST PACKED UP AND LEFT! we have tryed to call them all u get is an answering machine and they canceled there big convention DON`T GO THROUGH MSA!!! THEY WILL RIPE YOU OFF!

MSA is no longer in existance. The website is gone and most of the offices have been shut down. They tried to do what Wilhelmina Scouting Network is doing and even hired some of their ex employees. Most of these employees were let go by WSN for illegal practices. If you want something legit, go to www. Wscouts.com , I have been to one of their events and I couldn`t have asked for a better chance than what I got there.

Hello...it`s me again. I attended a regional review for MSA in August. It was ok...a little fun and had some valuable information...but that was it. There were over 900 people just competing for a spot and then another 1000 family members...talk about ridiculously packed. I didn`t recieve a call back, which has been ok b/c I have had offers from better agenices than were at the convention. Out of the 900...only about 100 people had callbacks and most of them were not the most visably appealing. The one friend I made was cute...very skinny but not even as tall as me. She got 2 callbacks and one of them was another scouting agency!!! How stupid is MSA to invite other scouting agencies...that`s what they are. Oh well. My point is that if you want to go to a convention...that`s fine...but it is really expensive for 2 days of information...you most likely won`t get any job from it....and if you are so stunning...you would probably already have had some offers. There are plenty of other options...keep your heads up and be smart about your money.

I am replying to a couple of comments since my last posting...I believe some of you maybe getting MSA confused with other scouting companies. As in paying 1000.00 to have pictures posted on a site, THAT IS NOT MSA, that is Whilimenia Scouting (not whilemenia agency) aka TCT. Please be aware that MSA has been around for quit awhile and has a good standing with the better business bureau, unlike some of its competition. Whoever went to an open call and was told to call back then go to a hotel for pics..that again was NOT MSA! there are a few companies who do that! Be aware, I fell for that scam! Good Luck to all who attend the convention and all of you who decide not to as well. May your dreams come true. Remember, like MSA says "if you can dream it..you can do it"

Hy well i just wanted to post that msa is fer reelz i have worked with them for over two years already and do far i have traveled to france just for modeling so yeah and i have appeared in magazines so yeah well its al good and everyone should know that you dont have to be skinny man there are plus sizes the largest model is ithink almost 200 punds so its all good no reason to go bulimic or anything so yeah well good luck and good bye

The only thing that I find false about the whole "MSA is different from other scouting agencies" is that yeah...they don`t make you get pictures...but they do charge you $500 for something that should really cost at the max $200. I received no refreshments @ MSA and if I wanted a family member to be there to support me...they had to pay $100 just to come and watch. The "models" they had were nobody`s...the one model looked like a ghetto college girl off the street. I am not sure who was amking all the money b/c about 50 of the people there could have paid for the place to be rented for the weekend...the rest was strictly salary. Also...MSA does offer photography @ the hotel where the review is. They actually take a look at the plain snap shots they say it is ok to bring and encourage you and really get the parents...to get their children`s pics taken. It is all just a way to get money. Like I said before...I had a ok time but I would rather go out and get a decent portfoilo for less and mail my pics out to the good agencies (not the ones at MSA). And to reply to the fact that they have a good standing with the BBB...they could have had 500 compliants and the only way someone gets a good report is if they respond to the complaints in a timely manner...it has nothing to do with the amounts of complaints received. I am sure they have had plenty of complaints and have no problem paying the people off with their hefty salaries. Just my p.o.v...they aren`t as bad as other scouting agencies, but they aren`t good either.

A little over a month ago MSA tried to start up the same type of program as WSN/TCT. As I mentioned before, this was headed up by ex employees of WSN, people who had been fired for shady stuff. Yes, MSA had been around for quite some time, but now it is gone. Try checking out www.msatalent.com There is nothing there anymore. As for me, I am happy with what WSN has done for me, and it is a hundred times better than what MSA ever had to offer.

Just to let you all know...MSA is in existence still. Please try the website supermodel.com...that is there website. If that doesn`t work...which it does...just go under google search engine and search MSA and pages like this and the actual website will appear.

Actually, you do have to pay $1000 which will provide you with a website, composit card and the ability to attend a convention. I know this because I worked for them as a Scout for 1 week until they packed up and left without any notification.
Question to consider: Why have they changed their Domain Name for their website? something to think about.....................................................................................

Well girl , its worth a try ... You have nothing to lose!! You shouldin`t put yourself down , you should think positive and if you dont get picket dont think your ugly NO WAY!! your probably pretty cuz no 1 is ugly , every1 hase there own beauty so dont get offended by what the juges tell you!

I worked for MSA in 97 and as of today they still have the exact same business name,telephone # and address. Im not argueing with anyone I just want anyone who looks on here in hopes of finding out if its scam to hear what i have to say. I am sorry for anyone who has been or has felt as though they were scammed.