New York Model Contract (NYMC)
Visions Showcase
Complaints / Queries
To Whom It May Concern:
I recently went to this open call for Visions here
in Ohio. They were scouting for full-figure models to
go to this Visions Showcase in Chicago.
The showcase is supposed to feature all types of agencies
and representatives from Elite, Mode, Ford, etc., all
for the full-figure model market.
The thing is, we have to pay $595 for the showcase,
which excludes hotel, food, transportation, pictures,
etc. It's just paying for the showcase.
Is Visions legit?
B.M.
Hi B.M,
There have been no complaints or comments about Visions
reported to Modeling Scams. You are referring to New
York Model Contract's Visions Showcase?
The first thing you could do is call Elite, Mode, and
Ford, and see if they know of and work with Visions.
Make sure there is no fraudulent advertising.
People who were scouted by other modeling/talent/scout
companies have called big agencies to find out if they
work with them, and they were told, "No, who are
they?"
If the big names work with Visions,
you can ask them how many models they have contracted
through Visions.
The quoted price of $595 excluding associated and unavoidable
expenses sounds like a lot of money with no guarantees
or money back. You could spend as much to get photos
taken professionally and send your pictures directly
to agencies.
Visions Showcase sounds like a modeling
convention. The president of The Models Guild suggests
modeling conventions may not be the best use of money
to launch a modeling career.
It is a good idea to start locally and work your way
up to big agencies, as the smaller ones recommend models
to the larger, but you can go for broke if you want.
It can work.
Modeling conventions or showcases may not be scams just
an expensive gamble. Some people consider expensive gambles
scams, because so few people get results from their money,
and this is not always made clear up front.
You might want to figure out why it costs $595. Is that
justified? Why does it cost that much? Does that pay
for the rent of the place where the showcase takes place?
Or is it only making them a good chunk of change with
low overhead?
If there are 1,000 people who attend the showcase, and
it costs each one $595, the revenue is more than half
a million dollars: $595,000.
There is one story of a New York Model Contract's
Visions Showcase where 830 women attended,
200 received initial callbacks, but only 50 received
a final callback. Of those final 50, it was not known
how many received contracts.
Please send more information about Visions,
including their website address, if you have it.
To Whom It May Concern:
I am so happy I found your site. I really need some
advice, please.
I attended an Open-Call Screening for Full Figure —Curvaceous
Teens and Women. I heard the casting request on the Radio.
The Call was in Concord, CA on 3/18/02. The name of the
Modeling Agency is New York Model Contracts from
Metairie, Louisiana.
I was told with about 40 (out of 200 or so) that I may
have what it takes to be a Full Figure Model, which basically
was my "foot in the door."
The next step is a VISIONS SHOWCASE that
the chosen ladies were "INVITED" to attend,
based on the open call.
The cost... only $600 for a two-day showcase.
Day One would be workshops with the pros / seminars
and such.
Day Two would be a RUNWAY Showcase where we would get
our chance to walk the runway in front of the world's
top model and talent agencies.
Then, of course, 1st Round Callbacks, and then 2nd Round
Callbacks.
Well, the session does not seem too expensive for two
days of learning, which I am willing to do.
The information distributed to us is wonderful material,
but my concern is why is New York Model Contracts located
in Louisiana? And why can't I find any information on
the internet regarding that company?
The information I have is as follows:
New York Model Contract (NYMC)
2424 Edenborn Avenue Suite 230
Metairie, Louisiana 70001
504-835-5654
The name of the showcase is:
Visions Showcase
Anaheim Hyatt
11999 Harbor Blvd.
Garden Grove, CA 2840
714-750-1234
(May 25-26, 2002)
Of course, any information you can help me with would
be great. I would really appreciate knowing that this
company is a well-known company, and that the Visions
Showcase is exactly what they said it was —top
professionals and agents on a mission to find us big,
voluptuous women.
I am extremely interested in this wonderful opportunity,
but would appreciate any advice you can provide.
Thank you again for your time,
J.V.
J.,
Thanks for writing.
Modeling Scams received an inquiry about New
York Model Contract (NYMC) / Visions Showcase,
also by a full-figured aspiring model, not very long
ago.
Based on volume, it is still not clear if New
York Model Contract / Visions Showcase is
a modeling scam, but at least one person thinks it
is.
A mother of an aspiring model attended NYMC seminars,
which sound very much like what you are thinking of attending.
She posted the following complaint online on 11/12/2001:
- Well, I feel utterly stupid. I took my daughter to
a so-called "Open Call" in Houston, Texas.
These people called themselves "New York
Model Contract / Visions Showcase."
-
- I checked the BBB, and they had nothing on them,
so I figured they were legitimate.
-
- After I paid $575 upfront to attend the seminar in
Dallas on December 1st and 2nd, I began hearing things
from other girls who had attended prior seminars.
-
- Nothing that is promised by these people
will happen.
She went on to say there was no money-back guarantee.
She asked for a refund, but they refused, and she couldn't
figure out a way to get her money back.
Apparently there are false call backs. Different modeling
scams use the term "call back" loosely and
deceptively.
Visions Showcase seems to be a modeling
convention which makes money from talking but not contracts.
Legitimate modeling companies make their money from contracts,
not talking.
You said on Day #2 you would have the opportunity to "walk
the runway in front of the world's top model and talent
agencies."
Contact the top modeling and talent agencies directly
and ask how they want pictures delivered. Then you can
mail them or even email them and save a lot of money.
That would improve your chances of being discovered and
cost much less.
Cut out the expensive middlemen who offer no money-back
guarantee.
P.S. You are right to question their web presence. It
is odd, but you have their phone numbers, so I think
you might have to call them to ask for their website
address. Please ask for their website address and send
it for review/comments. Also, since their full name includes "Contracts," get
a list of all the models who received contracts. Do they
live up to their name?
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing about NYMC (New York Model
Contract).
My daughter and I came back from Chicago where we spent
Easter Weekend at a NYMC showcase.
I was concerned about it being a scam, so I also contacted
the BBB, but I could not get any info.
Then I decided to call Elite Model Management in New
York.
I spoke to someone there who told me I could send my
daughter's picture in.
She also asked me if she was 5'8" (which she isn't,
she is only 5'6").
I asked her if she had ever heard of New York Model
Contracts, and she said, "Yes, they are a convention."
So I asked her if they attend any of these conventions.
And she told me, "Yes, agents do attend these conventions."
My daughter did not get a contract, but she did get
call backs from eight modeling agencies: Elite, Ford,
Next, Wilhelmina, Page Parkes, and three other agencies
that were looking for actors.
I was told on the phone (Elite) that they liked for
their models to be about 5'8." So we were not really
disappointed, we kind of expected it, but, all in all,
we had a good time.
I thought it was very educational, and she learned a
lot.
We will probably attend another one in about a year
(maybe she will grow, haha).
You don't know if you don't go...
A.C.
A.,
Thanks for writing.
You could go to the convention next year or you could
do what Elite said: send in your daughter's picture when
she is 5'8."
At the same time you could call the other agencies like
Elite, such as the ones who already expressed an interest,
namely, Ford, Next, Wilhelmina, and Page Parkes, and
see if they, too, will accept your daughter's picture.
The cost of sending a picture to those five agencies
could be significantly less than the cost of going to
another convention.
With each picture you could include a note saying your
daughter received eight call backs at a convention; then
name the top agencies; and add she is now 5'8."
Good luck!
To Whom It May Concern:
I'm really happy I found your site. I wanted to know
more about modeling agencies and modeling scams.
My parents spent $1,500 in modeling classes for me and
I am looking for a good agency.
I live in Puerto Rico and tomorrow New York
Model Contract will be here "searching
for talents," and the "select ones" will "have
the opportunity to participate in a convention in Orlando."
What should I do? I really want a modeling job.
S.M.
S.,
Do they have a website? What is their website address?
There is no website address listed in the BBB record
like other modeling companies.
There is a Better Business Bureau record for New York
Model Contract in Louisiana:
NEW YORK MODEL CONTRACT
2424 EDENBORN AVENUE SUITE 230
METAIRIE, LA 70002
It says New York Model Contract (NYMC) has
been in business since 1984, and has been a BBB member
since 1992.
However, it also said Type-of-Business Classification:
Modeling / Talent Agencies, but it is not clear if NYMC
is in fact a modeling/talent agency, because shortly
after in describing the Nature of Business it said, "This
company offers Model Management/Scouting/Events."
There is a huge difference between being a modeling/talent
agency and being only a scouting business which has "events" or
modeling conventions. In New York, for example, it is
illegal to operate as a model/talent agency without a
license. The same is true in other states where there
is a lot of modeling like California.
Additional Doing-Business-As Names:
AMERICAN MUSIC SEARCH
FACES MODEL AGENCY INC
N Y M C
NEW YORK MODEL CONTRACTS
NYMC
VISIONS SHOWCASE
Apparently the New York Model Contract (NYMC) is not
even based in New York. It is in Louisiana. Not the city,
not even the state. That could obviously be very misleading
if people are going to assume they are based in New York,
the modeling capital of America.
Since you said you want to get modeling jobs, but you
are in Puerto Rico, you might want to send good pictures
of yourself to reputable agencies in New York and get
a contract there, not Louisiana.
It could be a lot cheaper than flying to Orlando for
a modeling convention where you would have to pay for
the modeling convention as well as the airfare, accommodation,
meals, etc.
As well as direct contact to New York (Elite, for example,
will accept photos sent by mail, but call ahead, anyway),
you also may want to contact reputable modeling agencies
in Florida, e.g., in Miami or Orlando.
The BBB file for "New York Model Contract (NYMC)" included
some very useful tips:
- Before signing an agreement, read it carefully and
understand what the model or talent agency promises.
Ask about its success rate and ask for references.
Verify all claims made by the agency and make sure
oral promises are included.
The same principle is very important for and must be
applied to modeling/talent searches and conventions like
NYMC. Ask about their success rate, especially if they
don't tell you, or somehow forgot.
Apparently the success rate of modeling conventions
(showcases are the same thing, and NYMC has a Visions
Showcase), is very, very low. It could be as low as 2-5%.
If this is true, it means their failure rate is 95-98%.
Do they get paid more for their failures than their
successes?
In every case, for each convention, ask for the statistics,
because they will vary, and ask for the proof of their
claimed success rate, so you know they aren't just making
it up.
There are earlier questions and comments about New York
Model Contract.
To Whom It May Concern:
I recently took my daughter to an open call in Dearborn,
MI. We now have to go to Chicago for the convention.
It's $595 plus $95 for additional people.
I have heard a lot about scams. I am really scared.
I don't make a lot of money and I can't afford to lose
that much on a scam.
The scouts were from NYMC. My question is have you heard
anything new on them, if they are a scam or not, and
is there any cheaper way to get my daughter noticed?
H.S.
H.,
When you spoke of NYMC, were you referring to the New
York Model Contract? They hold modeling conventions,
including one in Chicago, Illinois.
In any case, modeling conventions are not the most wise
way to spend your money. They are more like gambling.
If you don't win you leave with nothing to show for your
money.
Since you said money is a big issue, and you can't afford
to be scammed, it's not worth the risk.
A cheaper way is to do open calls. You said you attended
an open call where your daughter was called to a convention.
Try to attend an open call for a modeling agency near
you. They will not ask for $595; in fact, it should be
free.
Cindy Crawford did not attend a convention to get discovered.
She visited agencies in Chicago with her father. That
is how she was first signed with a modeling agency.
You may want to save your $595 and instead of visiting
a convention in Chicago, visit agencies in Chicago.
I have a list of modeling agencies in Michigan (Flint,
Lansing, Southfield, etc.) if you want to visit or contact
them instead of, or as well as, going to Chicago.
There is a lot of potential modeling work in Chicago.
It is one of the major modeling markets. Cindy Crawford
worked there for two years before moving to NY.
The point is your daughter does not have to start with
a New York model contract.
New York Model
Contract (NYMC) Letters Index
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