Sometimes when you try to do the right thing it makes you a target. Well I wear my bulls eye proudly this week. If you see below, the "scouting company" saw fit to finally come out of their hole and attack me. I could have just deleted their comment but I thought I would continue to let them bury themselves. They wrote below that they tried to contact my company and got a response from me. Here is what they wrote: "Uh, I emailed you in reference to being with your company and sent you a photo. An automated email then responded stating that my photo was not good enough and you gave me a list of name for professional photographers in my area, so how is that not telling me I need to go out, SPEND MY MONEY, and get photos because my personal photos were not good enough. SO how are you any different, You are not! Also you are affiliated with a modeling school so again you contradict yourself time and time again!"
First, It is very rare that we can get back to anyone that writes to us in less than a few weeks as we are so busy booking talent and we get dozens of submissions a week (we state this on our website). If they sent us a "fake" inquiry this week, we would never have responded already (especially this week as we were twice as busy with all of this additional blogging and taking phone calls from tearful people who went to this "casting call". We also never send "automated" responses. We send replies directly to the sender. Second, we are not, never have been, and never ever will be affiliated with a school. Everyone knows that about us. Third, we always give out photographers names because WE DON'T shoot people ourselves and and make money on our own photo shoots. If someone needs their photos done it is our job as model managers to give them this info and allow them to make their own decision OR go to a photographer of their own choosing. If a model brings us inferior photos that we can't get them work with then it is our job to counsel them and give them the names of qualified people. I have said this for years. It is my job.
Another update- I spoke to my contact at Carousel Mall and they have never booked a show with this "scouting company". Many others called the mall as well (I feel bad for all of the people that have had to suffer because of this.)
I am glad I was able to help so many people this week and I am so sorry for all of the pain that many of you have felt. I do encourage all of you that are unhappy and been unable to get satisfaction to contact the NYS Attorney Generals Office as I heard they may already have a file started on this company (they do business under the names Direct Connect 123 as well. http://www.ag.ny.gov
Again - always, always do your due diligence!
I won't be posting anymore directly from this company BTW. I just thought I would keep you all apprised of what was going on.
First, It is very rare that we can get back to anyone that writes to us in less than a few weeks as we are so busy booking talent and we get dozens of submissions a week (we state this on our website). If they sent us a "fake" inquiry this week, we would never have responded already (especially this week as we were twice as busy with all of this additional blogging and taking phone calls from tearful people who went to this "casting call". We also never send "automated" responses. We send replies directly to the sender. Second, we are not, never have been, and never ever will be affiliated with a school. Everyone knows that about us. Third, we always give out photographers names because WE DON'T shoot people ourselves and and make money on our own photo shoots. If someone needs their photos done it is our job as model managers to give them this info and allow them to make their own decision OR go to a photographer of their own choosing. If a model brings us inferior photos that we can't get them work with then it is our job to counsel them and give them the names of qualified people. I have said this for years. It is my job.
Another update- I spoke to my contact at Carousel Mall and they have never booked a show with this "scouting company". Many others called the mall as well (I feel bad for all of the people that have had to suffer because of this.)
I am glad I was able to help so many people this week and I am so sorry for all of the pain that many of you have felt. I do encourage all of you that are unhappy and been unable to get satisfaction to contact the NYS Attorney Generals Office as I heard they may already have a file started on this company (they do business under the names Direct Connect 123 as well. http://www.ag.ny.gov
Again - always, always do your due diligence!
I won't be posting anymore directly from this company BTW. I just thought I would keep you all apprised of what was going on.
