|
Forums >
Model Colloquy >
Pro Scout Event - Are you Going ?
Apr 10 06 06:02 pm Link hey! I got invited to the proScout event there in Atlanta. Is it worth the money??? I didn't go last time, but they usually come here every year so I might consider it...even though they wanted like $700 for the weekend, and no guarantees Apr 10 06 06:05 pm Link Apr 10 06 06:14 pm Link Apr 10 06 06:16 pm Link I'm sorry...although they may be legit, you can easily pass through the same agent's doors free of charge! When I was a teen, I was chosen as a participant...but in reality, I was a "financial sponsor!" Lord knows, I couldn't make it at 5'8 as a male...(although I was photogenic as hell! LOL) BUT...I was so dillusional...I was happy to have been picked....I didn't realize I was helping the bill for the models who actually had a chance! Luciano, your work is phenomenal and your models are beautiful...I just don't understand why someone of your caliber would endorse "Pro Scouts." The $700 registration fee would easily pay for a ticket to Chicago or New York. Apr 10 06 06:20 pm Link AnToNiA BaKaLoVa wrote: Exactly, I sat in on one while they were in the Seattle area once.. They might be "legit" but they are not a true agency.. NO REAL agency takes a 'door fee'. Apr 10 06 06:26 pm Link What would make anyone believe one of these "advance fee" outfits is legit? Check out http://www.easybackgroundcheck.com/proscout.html Apr 10 06 06:26 pm Link Lund Photography wrote: Ummm, folks . . . Proscout is not an agency. They don't claim to be an agency. That's not what they do. Apr 10 06 06:29 pm Link Luciano, Please do some research about ProScout before considering subjecting yourself or your niece to get involved with them. There have been many complaints about ProScout. Try a Google search with the name "Proscout" and "Scam" and you'll get a list of things to check out. While Proscout isn't neccessarily doing anything illegal, most people say they really don't do anything to help further your career. They are not a talent agency, just another company that claims to be an agency that will hook you up with a talent agency. You're a great photographer (one of the few who's talent I really admire), and a good guy as well. I'd really like to see your efforts put into something that will give you great results. Apr 10 06 06:34 pm Link I'd agree that for Luciano's niece it's probably not a good idea. Apr 10 06 06:37 pm Link Apr 10 06 06:45 pm Link Lund Photography wrote: They don't pretend to be an agency...they are a service that flies in agents from across the country (and some internationally) to gather into one location. Apr 10 06 06:46 pm Link Apr 10 06 06:56 pm Link I did, she went for the first time and she wants to come back... I call some major agencies and talk with then about, they all said to me the same thing, they enjoy going it's a good chance to get some news talents. You can call too if you want. "I call some major agencies and talk with then about..." Apr 10 06 07:05 pm Link Apr 10 06 07:21 pm Link She is not a model, I talked with model agencies only. So I can't subimit her for there. "She is not a model, I talked with model agencies only. So I can't subimit her for there." Apr 10 06 07:27 pm Link Apr 10 06 07:32 pm Link luciano Mello wrote: Your repertoire with fashion agencies can lead you into contact with the other types of agencies. They can suggest to you reputable colleagues. Apr 10 06 07:35 pm Link Luciano, may I ask how you "know they are legit?" I have some experience with Proscout since I went with a model to report on them as a media person. In my opinion it is NOT worth the money! Why? Because they tell you they won't make you a promise for the reason that it is a scouting event. What that means is that the major agencies like Elite and Fords send their "scouts" ... NOT the licensed agents! I called and asked! So why is this important to know? Well the person who said if you can travel to the office of the agency, you'll get seen for FREE is correct! I sent a young model whose mom paid me to photograph her to the LA Elite and Fords agencies where they met with her and both offered her a contract! She had missed the Proscout event. So if you doubt what I say, just look up the agency phone number nearest you and ask! I interviewed the owner of ProScout on the phone in which he was kind enough to give me much of his time .. selling me on his "event!" So as long as the fee of $700 is not excessive, then go for it! It's fun and she will meet other aspiring models, but don't expect much from the event itself. Even of she does get accepted, she will still need to travel to LA (or where ever else the scout is from) to meet the agents who actually make the final decisions. I think it is worth spending the money to visit LA since Las Vegas, Nevada is not that far away ... $700 will put her and a parent in a hotel for long enough to get in the door of a few agencies while there! Apr 10 06 08:12 pm Link Sigh. I've actually attended more than two dozen scouting events, including several by Proscout. I don't want this to come across as endorsing these kinds of events, because I feel they are advisable only for a small subset of the people who attend. But I would like to set the record straight. Patrick Walberg wrote: Ford usually does not support scouting events at all because they have their own. It's very rare for them to show up at one, although I have encountered one of the Ford people (a booker) from the Chicago office at a Proscout. Elite generally sends Karen Lee, their Director of New Faces, who works in the New York office with the bookers. She's vastly more than "a scout" - she's the primary person who makes initial decisions about models. If they don't get past Karen, they don't get into Elite NY. They will also have a booker from the local office (if there is one nearby). For instance, they will have someone from NY and Atlanta offices at the event in Atlanta. Patrick Walberg wrote: Yes you can. However, "free" depends on what it costs you to get there, and if they will let you in. Commercial agencies generally don't have open calls. International agencies don't have open calls in the US. Fashion agencies (which predominate, as Bert said, among the model agencies present) do have open calls - but to get to them you would have to spend a lot of time each in Miami, New York, Los Angeles and, usually, one or two other cities. Getting to them all can cost a lot more than $500, which is why Proscout can be cost-effective for people who aren't near those major market cities. Patrick Walberg wrote: Yes, she will. And if she is accepted by the agencies, she will have to relocate to NY or LA or wherever to work. You can't phone it in, or fly in just for jobs. It doesn't work that way. Apr 10 06 11:23 pm Link waste of time Apr 10 06 11:44 pm Link Fotografikos Imagery wrote: Go to this link and READ IT!... it pretty much TRASHES Model Search America AND Proscout... exposing both as scams and ripoffs. Save your money... Proscout, MSA, IMTA and all these 'traveling dog and pony show' model searches are a MAJOR waste of your time AND (loads of) money... Apr 11 06 12:09 am Link In my opinion, it could be a rip-off, or it could be worth the money, depending on your situation and what you are looking to get out of it. My friend's sister has a beautiful daughter. She (the mom) talks about these conventions a whole lot, about how they attended a couple of open calls and both (mom and daughter) kept getting picked. They haven't gone to an actual convention since it is a lot of money for them. My friend kept telling her not to do it because -she lives in a major market where there are tons of agencies to walk to -it is not likely she will need to or be able to move anywhere for her 8-year old to model, if it even comes to that Anyway, so we talked over dinner (she brings up these "being picked but don't have money to go" thing every time we see each other) about how she can see agencies on her own, etc. Gave her some names of those who specialize in kids. Next time we talked, she was still talking about the next convention-type open call, and we were like, "Um. Do you remember what we talked about last time?" Lo and behold, she did go to the agency I suggested and was turned down. She was just outraged about how they said her daughter was too short. "Too SHORT?!?! SHE'S A CHILD!!!", she screamed. Apparently the agent called a bunch of kids back according to their photos and gave a lecture on the industry and basically tried to educate the parents about what to expect if your kid starts working. Then some kids were signed and some were sent home for different reasons. And to this, she felt that they misled her into believing they were going to represent her daughter and turned around and sent them home. This, in her mind, made them illegit. So, the point to this very verbose post is, to yet some people, a shortcut to a quick No is not as good as a long road of pricey and time-wasting Yes-es. People will do a lot to earn the right to brag and feel that they have what it takes but just had to turn it down for whatever reason. As for me, I think I'll just smile and nod next time she talks about being picked YET AGAIN at one of the open calls. Personally I think it could actually be a good opportunity for the right, albeit very few, people. Apr 11 06 01:20 am Link If you've exhausted every other avenue open to you and you have the money to burn, do a convention. However, most aspiring models are simply looking for the easy way and they are flattered to be "invited" to attend....flattered that they are asked to PAY MONEY to attend! that's dumb. If you are 5'10" and extremely unique, you can probably go to any convention, workshop, class or whatever and you will be scouted heavily. However, you could also simply WALK THRU THE DOORS of a legit agency and be welcomed FOR FREE. I've given up trying to educate people about these type of events..they don't do their homework and they dont listn to those of us who have first hadn information about them. Why do we all bother to try to advise folks who don't listen when you don't say what they want to hear? Zoe Apr 11 06 07:01 am Link Select Models wrote: The trouble is, the guy who runs easybackgroundcheck.com is not an industry professional, has an axe to grind, and doesn't know how to put things in proper context. The article you linked to is a mish-mash of comments on things that are not the same as Proscout (or MSA), and are every bit as misleading as he claims the searches and conventions are. Apr 11 06 09:12 am Link ModelInstinctive wrote: I agree with you I was chosen to attend a cattle call oops.....Pro-Scout event and let me tell you DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!! It is not what it is cracked up to be at all! Don't get me wrong I was one of the VERY few out of almost a thousand people picked for "Call Backs" and after the excitment of the event wore down I'd never heard back not even once from the agent who chose me. But if you have 700.00 to spend (and I see they up-ed the pot because mines was 650.00) on going to the event for two days the first being spent sitting all day listening to some bonk mc trying to hype you up that you are the next Top Model then being asked to buy their "Agency Approved Pictures" for an additional 135.00 only to flash them very quickly across the faces of people of whom are not paying you any attention because as the mc will state you are not allowed to talk to the agents during the casting process because they are "working". Then go ahead but like stated in some of the other comments you can use that money for a ticket to a larger market and have one on one meetings for free and have a hell of a better chance then going to something like that! Just my opinion Apr 12 06 09:55 am Link |
