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Victor's International?
Anyone heard of Victor Schmitt or his agency? Anyone worked with him? He wants me to pay $590 for a shoot and pictures/compcards to start with his agency... plus I have to drive 8 hours to get there Oct 22 08 01:25 pm Link My wild guess? Scam. Oct 22 08 01:37 pm Link I thought this was a scam at first but he appears to have an actual agency http://www.victorsinternational.com/Biography.htm A lot of scammers throw a website up for the purpose of appearing legit but this site seems a little better than those usually seen. I'd check the references and wait to see if any girls from this site have had any dealings with him before laying out any cash. $590.00 isn't a whole lot of for good photos and a comp cards. I also found one girl on MM that is signed with them, I'll PM you her MM# and you can ask her about it. Oct 22 08 02:04 pm Link He does have an actual agency, of sorts. But in large measure it's a portfolio mill. If you aren't where the agency is, it won't do you much good, no matter what he claims. And sure enough, that's the experience of the people I know of who have dealt with him. Avoid. Oct 22 08 03:54 pm Link I was with Victor's when I first started out in 1999. Got a handful of jobs and a few auditions. For the most part, I did not get sent out as often as I would have liked, nor did I feel that I was being aggressively promoted by the agency. After my yearlong contract expired, I chose not to renew it. Victor's is based in New Orleans, which is a horrid market for fashion, but a great market for film. However, if I were you, I would not sign with an agency that is 8 hours away, and that in all likelihood will not get you that much work. It's not uncommon to charge that amount for photos and comp cards. And, with respects to the "photo mill" allegations, most agencies in New Orleans do seem to rely on photos as a way to pull in a profit. It's borderline shady, but I just take it as their way to stay afloat in our tiny fashion market. Oct 22 08 06:41 pm Link Missy_W wrote: Maybe I will start charging to do this. lol Oct 22 08 06:44 pm Link Missy_W wrote: Yeah, it is. Good for the agency, bad for the models. Especially bad for models who are eight hours away and are only "in the agency" to make a contribution to his bottom line at their expense. Oct 22 08 10:18 pm Link Yes I've heard of Victors. They send models out to a lot of hair castings. I have a friend represented by that agency and she has yet to get any information other than those hair castings. Have you seen the photographer's work from Victors? Careful where you put your money. I'd say build your portfolio on your own, with photographers you like where you believe they can make your portfolio look amazing, especially if you're going to put a lot of money into it. Then, if your still interested in Victors, show them your portfolio and see if they still want you. *edit* My friend is in southern California, so that might have something to do with only getting hair casting jobs.. Hmm. I dont know. Oct 22 08 10:52 pm Link Thanks everyone for your advice... and for the new term "portfolio mill" it draws up horrible images of poor little portfolios having to breed and make baby portfolios  Anyways, I called him to say that I was unsure of the amount of money, he responded with "I don't know your situation or where you come from and I really don't care" but he wanted the money upfront... He then told me that the photos I had been using on my old compcard "could be sat in the corner to scare the rats away" supposedly a comment on the photog and not me... He kept saying that I had to just listen to him don't think about it or do things for myself just do everything he says and listen to every word or I'd never move forward... So I let him know that I wouldn't be shooting with him... you see... during the week I'm a social worker... I'm not quite inclined to work with such a douche bag when I don't HAVE to... and I don't have the money at all right now... I'd be going into debt for photos Oh well... if he wanted to make money off of this little model from Virginia, he should have learned some southern charm... or at least learned that not everyone likes scare tactics and the charm of a bacterial infection. Oct 23 08 12:15 am Link CourtRenee wrote: hahahaha! CourtRenee wrote: hah. I like your style. Oct 23 08 02:26 pm Link CourtRenee wrote: the guy sounds like an A-class fuckwad. Oct 23 08 02:32 pm Link CourtRenee wrote: If they want you to pay them for a portfolio shoot it is a scam. No reputable agency would charge, they recoup their money from the work they get you. They may send you on test shoots but thats about it. Oct 23 08 02:36 pm Link Malloch wrote: This is false. Please stop propagating urban legends. Oct 23 08 03:00 pm Link CourtRenee wrote: What a douche-bag! Oct 23 08 05:42 pm Link I know that smaller agencies might ask me to pay for my portfolio shoot and 8x10s or compcards, perhaps Elite and Ford wouldn't but let's face it... he ain't Ford  However, I assumed that he could defer my payment until later/I had gotten work or SOMETHING... I'm a social worker, I don't make much money, and I just wasted $700 + going to Philadelphia for a Proscout Invitational where I met him... (nothing against proscout, they're just a little scammy... sort of like IMTA) Oh well... I don't need an asshole representing me, that isn't the image that I want to put out to clients or anyone else in the business... No wonder he can't get girls anything but hair shows! Oct 23 08 10:17 pm Link Well, I just went through Proscout as well, and he has called me back to sign me with his agency. I live in Northern Cali, and he wants to get my comp card done before christmas. Basically its going to cost me $600. The photographers name he wants me to shoot wiht is Jeff Strout. He hasnt guaranteed me work but he did say he would take me to the next level. From researchign this guy, most people say it wasnt worth their time, and that he was a first class jerk? I dont know if this is true, but Im sure it's possible. Dec 09 08 11:21 pm Link I am a model, and I met Victor at Proscout. I did the photoshoot with Jeff Strout. 4 months later I recieved the photos. I left Victor a voice mail right after the photo shoot telling him how it went. I also left him a voicemail telling him I recieved the contract and comp cards. I still have the contract, I have copied it, but I have not yet signed it and sent it back. I live in Kansas. I do not know if I should sign it or not.... Dec 18 10 07:29 am Link A friend of mine is signed with him after ~4 years, because he did not inform his models that the contract renews each year unless you notify him by registered or certified mail within 90 days of the signature date. His contracts are "non-exclusive" but claim you can't work with anyone else worldwide, which makes no sense to me. He also refused to send a copy of the contract with his signature, and only sent an unsigned and undated copy. Which makes it hard to know when that 90 days is. I was under the impression that an unsigned contract by either party is not legally binding? Apr 20 11 10:15 pm Link I just finished with the same phone call with him, I went to proscout and got called back by him, and he told everyone to call him monday but that wasnt posible because of my work schedule, so I emailed him and then called the next day and finally called back today, and for a good five minutes I got yelled at and called unprofessional for not being able to call that day, and then was told to call back in an hour and a half, then he told me he was going to be my agent, and I now will have to pay 600 dollars and also gas and the 8 hour drive each way to denver..I dont think its worth it!! Jun 28 12 05:31 pm Link CourtRenee wrote: At 5’ 6” the thought of a scam comes to mind Jun 29 12 07:02 am Link Creating a models book and promotional items is simply a "cost of doing business" for a reputable agency, not a profit stream! Jun 29 12 07:13 am Link I actually have a A photoshoot with Jeff today to renew my compcards I'm only paying $300 though and btw does anyone have Jeff's number? Jul 08 12 03:37 am Link Why don't you look them up on BBB in LA. The law I understand that is in place in California is that no agency can ask for monies upfront....They are your agent...they provide you jobs, and will take out their own effort..of 15%. I have always told my models, who venture into agencies...or Commercial Agencies..IF they ask for money upfront...get up and walk out. They are scammers. Jul 08 12 05:00 am Link Legit agencies only take a fair commission for work assignments obtained, and never sell a photo product: http://www.talentmanagers.org/#!tma-code-of-ethics/cqfi http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/mod … s/bbb.html https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/sites/defa … l-Scam.pdf http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/mod … s/ftc.html http://www.krautlaw.com/cons/em6.html http://fashion.about.com/cs/models/l/blmodelscam.htm ...so many more... Feb 29 16 06:28 pm Link Missy W wrote: In other words - they don’t make enough money from getting their models actual paying jobs to stay afloat. Feb 29 16 08:59 pm Link |
