Minx Models - Queries / Complaints


To Whom It May Concern:

The reason for my writing this is pretty much my mom. I'm an aspiring actor/model/vocalist (16y/o), and I have been through a lot in the past year.

I wish I would have found this site earlier, because I was scammed into taking classes at John Casablancas....

It has been almost 3 months since my photo shoot, and I still have not had an agency. We spent nearly $1,500 after all the expenses were calculated.

That is not my inquiry though (sorry about the fuming).

My question is if you have any information on MINX Models? I have read everything on their site, www.minxmodels.com, and I don't see anything wrong with them.

However, their web designer costs $129 to put your pictures up on the web.

If you could let me (and my mom) know if this is a good idea or not, please let me know.

I'm very eager to begin my career, and I know things don't happen overnight, but they won't happen at all without a reputable agent.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,

N.

P.S. Have you ever heard of www.modeling.gr?


Hi N.,

To answer your last question first, I have not heard of modeling.gr, but I did take a look at it. It looks as if it could be a teen website. Or even a parody teen website. It is not clear.

In any case, it has lots of flash animation, but it's irrelevant, because the image quality is generally mediocre to weak.

Modeling agencies are probably more interested in quality pictures, not flash animation. But the photography is poor and the pictures too small. Some of the scans or doctoring make aspiring models look disfigured.

But let's look past their bouncing balls, photography issues, and web design, and look at their claims:

"Modeling.gr is the prime contact between models and the business world."

"International exposure"

Photography - "Opening on the 15nth."

If modeling.gr is the "prime contact" between models and the business world, as modeling.gr claims, where is the proof?

To make such a bold claim, to set itself up as the leading modeling agency of Greece (.gr), if not the entire world, you might expect to read the comments of the business world.

Where are they? And where are the pictures (tear sheets) of the magazines in which the models have appeared?

The silence is deafening.

Now, there is nothing wrong, unethical, or illegal about offering "international exposure" to aspiring models, although "international exposure" is a redundancy, because we all know their website is on the internet, and the internet is international.

The problem is with the claims and whether there is misrepresentation.

Can a modeling agency represent you any better than it can represent itself?

Then you can take a look at the management. The management section tells you what management does not do, and what they do. Sort of.

It is a strange format and non-presentation presentation, asking a question it never answers.

The modeling agent part ends with a picture of the back of a man, looking at a map of the world. Huh?

It is very brief, very vague, and you never see names, pictures, or background experience, to find out if there is a management (i.e., not just a webmaster), and if the "management" is any more qualified than you are to be the "management."

Since it is totally unclear that the website is anything more than a webmaster recreational project (who is management), and there are no signs of results (modeling contracts with agencies, tear sheets, testimonies), let's look at the potential to deliver those results at some point in the future.

There is nothing wrong with having a website to offer international exposure, and modeling exposure websites have to start somewhere, some time, and they are unlikely to have instant results. But the real issue is who will view the pictures? Will they be seen by modeling agencies?

On the question of Minx Models, at the website address you provided, they appear to have a solid track record, a lot of experience, and are evidently well-connected in the modeling industry.

You said:

I have read everything on their site www.minxmodels.com, and I don't see anything wrong with them. However, their web designer costs $129 to put your pictures up on the web.

They said:

VMH Models and MINX MODELS are not modeling schools and we do not require that you register in modeling classes or pay fees to be represented. We earn a commission on work that you perform through our agency.

Then they say:

To have your photos placed on our website there is a one-time fee of $129 US. This is NOT a fee to be represented by the agency. It covers the cost incurred from the web design company that manages our site and uploads and handles your photos.

Why are they charging $129 to get your pictures on the web? It is probably fair to ask aspiring models to pay for scanning, uploading, and web management of their pictures, although it is not skilled labor, and $129 looks expensive.

Unfortunately, the image quality of the scanning is not exceptional, and mostly mediocre, without color correction, and the pictures are small. However, it is comparable to most modeling agencies online.

Modeling Scams has not received any prior comments, positive or negative, about Minx Models.

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To Whom It May Concern:

My daughter is seven years old and wants to get into modeling. So I sent a photo of her to Minx Models.

I got a reply from Minx confirming they received the photo and they said if they were interested they would contact me. They also said that if we don't hear from them within two weeks, don't be discouraged, because they only except less than 1% of the photos they receive.

Three days later I got an email saying the photo was approved and Minx would like to represent my daughter.

They also said that a one-time fee of $129 was due to place her photos on the website and that is a mandatory process of Minx Models.

They also say that there is no fee to be represented by Minx and that Minx will earn a 20% commission on any work that my daughter will receive.

Is Minx Models a reputable agency or do you know anything about them?

Thanks so much,

J.D.


J.,

The Minx Models website said they are not a modeling school. So what. Whether or not they are a modeling school is irrelevant. The issue about modeling schools is they charge upfront fees. Which is exactly what Minx Models is doing. Minx requires upfront fees.

You said: "They also say that there is no fee to be represented by Minx." Well, do you really believe them? There is a fee to be represented by Minx because the photo on the website is representing her, and it's their site.

You said: "They also said that a one-time fee of $129 was due to place her photos on the website and that is a mandatory process of Minx Models."

The fact that it is a mandatory process makes it exactly the same as a registration fee. You cannot be represented by Minx Models unless you pay them an upfront fee at the time of registration for advertising.

The purpose of the photo on a website obviously is advertising. But advertising is the fiscal responsibility of the reputable agency.

In an interview with an attorney regarding his class-action lawsuit against top New York agencies, which are far more significant than Minx, he said:

Most all of the "expenses" that the agencies charge to the model, such as internet fees, messenger and FEDEX fees, and agency book fees, are, by NY Law, the responsibility of the agency, not the model.

There are different laws in different states and countries, but the fact that there are laws which require the agency to pay for advertising and internet advertising clearly shows legislators have already seen or figured out consumers are not protected if agencies are allowed to charge models upfront fees and advertising fees.

You don't know and you'll never know if their claim that only 1% are selected is true and there is an obvious conflict of interest. You have never dealt with these people before so you have no reason to trust them.

The extremely high price for putting a photo on their website suggests a few problems. Either they are trying to make a profit off the registration (advertising) fee, because the actual cost of putting them on a site is much less than $129; or they don't have the minimal computer skills of a teenager to put the photos on their website themselves; or they don't have the business sense to find a company which will charge much less.

In any of these cases it's difficult to take them seriously. You may want to shop around and keep looking for agencies which don't charge upfront fees.

Realize there is limited work in modeling for seven-year-old kids. Most kids would probably have to wait until they are twice her age (i.e. 14) before they can expect to get modeling jobs.

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