Is Style Entertainment a Scam

AtlantaFashionweek 07-13-2007, 04:01 PM

Rating: (1 votes - 3.00 average)

Hello,

I was wonderig if Style Entertainment was scam because they want me to pay $750 for a portfolio. I know I heard a million times that you are not suppose to pay for anything when you join an agency. I would like to know before I go any further with them.

Britwoman

I would highly recommend looking into the company that you are inquiring about. Companies or agencies should NEVER charge you any fees to audition (and I'm pretty sure that they shouldn't be charging you for your portfolio either), but you will want to visit their website (always be aware of any company that does not have a website), or you may go to Hoover's.com to view a full company report. Legitimate agencies should not be "soliciting" meaning that they are REQUESTING money instead of offering money to the talent that applies for their jobs, and is I believe also illegal.

mykkal

Does Style Entertainment have a website? What email address did they use to contact you or how did you find them?

AtlantaFashionweek

Hello, I am so glad you responded because I do not know what to do. I was browsing the internet one day and I found their website and I seen they were having an open call. I drove down there to attend and they sent me a letter in the mail stating they wanted to work with me but I need to sign a contract and pay for the portfolio that is 750. They do have 2 websites a myspace page and a regular one. Their regular page hasn't been updated in about a year and that is www.styleentertainmentco.com/home.html and their myspace page is www.myspace.com/mike_styles. I went on Hoover's.com but for me to get a report on them I have to subscribe is there anyway I can get a free report on them?

mykkal

Honestly I feel like you could get a highly professional photoshoot on your own for $750.00 with most photographers and local make up artists of your choice.

I can understand if the agency did things such as charge you for extra prints (ZED Cards, Comp Cards, buisness cards, etc...) to keep on your person. But I can't understand signing models to contracts in mass and telling them that they need a pay for a photoshoot with them to begin working together. That's just not how the fashion industry or any other section of the modeling buisness works. Plus many of these kinds og "agencies" offer unrealistic promises or oppurtunities to talent.

Alpha Model Group and Wilhelmina Scouting Network are good examples of companies that took advantage of talented and untalented models by charging them for photoshoots and producing very little.

I can't say that the company your dealing with is a scam but I do believe you can invest in yourself in much easier ways. many models are signed with more then one Agency. That wouldn't be possible if agencies charged new talent. Who could afford it?

Here are a few more links in the MMT Scams section you may want to look at:

NEVER PAY TO BE LISTED ON A SITE OR FOR CASTING CALL NOTICES

The Bogus Agency Scam: By NewModels.com

Alpha Model Group is a Scam!

Wilhelmina Scouting Network (Formerly TCT Talent)