Millie Lewis AMTC
(American Modeling and Talent Convention)

Dear Mrs. Carey Arban,

At the end of the first message you sent to Modeling Scams, you said: "I would be happy to answer any other questions."

Good.

After reading your letter and after reviewing your websites, one question that remained unanswered about the Millie Lewis Convention, otherwise known as AMTC, or American Modeling and Talent Convention, is what everyone wants to know or needs to know: the price.

What does it cost?

Is part of being ethical not being up front? The first text outside a graphic on the millielewis.com website home page read: "Since 1960, Millie Lewis International has promoted excellence and integrity in the modeling and talent industry." Being up front with pricing would appear to fit your stated ethos. You yourself wrote: "We believe that we wear the 'white hats' in this industry."

I was unable to find the price of your convention on the home page or anywhere else on the millielewis.com website.

I had hoped to see the total price of AMTC as a distinct part of the website, one section of it, with a breakdown of expenses, but the only categories on your website were: Home, About Us, Success Stories, Upcoming Searches, Questions & Answers, On-Line Registration, Photo Testing, Ask Dr. Bill, Scouts, AMTC Link, and, finally, Email Us.

I looked at the Questions & Answers section, assuming the cost of the AMTC would be a common question.

The title of the web page was "Most Frequently Asked Questions," and yet the question, "How much does the AMTC cost?" was neither asked nor answered. Is the convention price not a Frequently Asked Question?

Next I went to the mlamtc.com website, which is devoted specifically and exclusively to the AMTC (I clicked on the link on millielewis.com next to a large graphic which said "AMTC"), thinking surely the price of the convention would be included, because the website address defined the purpose (mlamtc being short for Millie Lewis American Modeling and Talent Convention), and the website had a FAQ.

I clicked on the Answers and Questions link, and found the same Most Frequently Asked Questions web page as on millielewis.com, and again, no price was given. Why?

Curiously, in the list of Most Frequently Asked Questions, one of them addresses finances: "I've heard that if an Agency wants you, they will not charge anything up front and they should even pay you." But it doesn't list the price of the AMTC.

If there are no hidden costs to the AMTC, why is the cost hidden?

Or is it free because Millie Lewis makes all its money through finder's fees like scouts for modeling agencies who are paid only after the models get work?

Response from reader:

The cost to attend the Millie Lewis AMTC is around $1,700. ($1,700)

This includes three categories. Each additional category is $100. These are said to be optional, but you are also told the more categories you enter the better your chances.

The $1,700 does not include the cost of the hotel, which is around $150-$200 a night. YOU HAVE to stay in the hotel where the convention is located.

The convention lasts six days. Total hotel expense: $900-$1,200. ($3,900)

You are told there are no hidden costs. But you must pay $100 per pass per person if you want to watch the convention. ($4,000)

You pay around $600 for pictures that you have to take to the AMTC. ($4,600)

The AMTC book is $35. ($4,635)

I think you pay for the AMTC shirt, too. ($4,650)

You must pay for your travel, food, etc. ($5,000)

On the sheet they provide you are told you won't have to invest in the clothes you must wear at the convention, but when you take your clothes to the "wardrobe" check you will learn something different.

You are led to believe that the $1,700 will cover everything until you pay your $500 deposit, and you get your information on the AMTC.

You can't get the information until you pay the deposit.

Also, you are told that you can make payments on this. You are even given a payment plan.

After they get your $500, they tell you to forget about the payment plan.

You can't get your money back, either.

Let's say something happens and you can't attend, or you have paid for half of it, and something comes up. You have just lost your money.

The total cost, roughly speaking, is around $5,000. This is when you add everything together. It's probably more than that if you take a closer look.

N.B.

Response from reader:

Just an FYI on prices. I would have to look at my receipts for what I paid for just the convention itself. I thought it was closer to the $2,000, but it could have been the $1,795.

And from the price difference of $495, it appears I paid $1,300 for training, even though we did not receive all of the minimum allotted time (24 hours).

But even if my daughter had received the full 24 hours of training, that is $54.17 per hour per person ($1,300 per person/24 hours). I believe they had 50-some people. That is quite a rake-in of cash ($1,300 x 50 = $65,000). When you add in all the other costs, which that other letter (above) did so well, it is amazing!

R.Z.