Expert: Peter Messaline - 8/28/2007

Question
QUESTION: hi I'm concerned about this school I'm into and i wanted to know if they're not a scam.. cause at first they've said that you'll win a 100,000 scholarship but then when we (my parents and I) came in there we were just offered for a 3000-dollar-workshop... and when we finished the workshop we were given coupons about the scholarship but we were never given information bout that again... well, afterwards we had a very short photoshoot and gathering which was apart of the workshop then there's  a conference on summer 2008 which would definitely cost us another 5000 dollars... the name of the schoo is "barbizon" and the conference was said to be "International Performing Arts Conference or IPAC" I am concerned about themoney my parents is risking for this school or agency and conference for me to pursue my career and I don't want them wasting it all for nonsense scam... what would you advice me?

ANSWER: I'm sorry to say that Barbizon has a very poor reputation.
There are perhaps two model conventions which are worth going to, and the competitors are typically sent by their smallish agencies, to get better representation. (The mother agency would take a slice of her commission!)
The best thing I can do is to suggest you Google "Barbizon scam" and see the conclusions other people have reached.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi thanks for your answers... but I have more questions about barbizon... I really want to make sure before I jump into something which I might regret later on... Is barbizon a really known in modelling business??? are they just a promotional agency???

I really want t know every truth about this schoolor agency...

thank you in advance! (=

Answer
Google "barbizon scam" and see what other people have said about Barbizon.
Many people will warn you quite clearly not to waste your money.
You will only be able to start modeling if you are in a pretty large city. If you are, then you can ask one of the modeling agencies to see you on their Open Call days. They will not charge you for giving their opinion of your chances.