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.

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