I went to the mall in charlotte NC to buy my moms a mothers day card i was with my grandparents. There was a stand in the middle of the mall saying they need new model give them your name age hieght weight etc and put it inot the box. I thought it would be funny so i put my grandmothers name and mine into the box. They called us both back my grandmother wa sno interested at all but i am. they want me to come to their office tomorrow at 1pm for an audition/photoshoot the woman said i dont need any money and dont need to bring anything with me just look nice. i see ALOT of complaints on them online but i search the charlotte location on BBB and its a BBB accredited business and has an A rating the second highest rating. Is this a talent agency or a modeling “school” im 20 and would LOVE to be an actor or model but im weary they will ask me to pay 3000 for a school learn nothing and then have my same job with no hope of being a model just 3000 poorer. should i just go and see what it is but if they ask for money say no thanks? im really excited but nervous and weary any advice would be a great help. Thanks!
i searched the charlotte location on BBB and i has a A rating and its accredited by the BBB and it has very little complaints i called the woman again and asked if it was a school she said absoloutly not i will not have any training or any schooling they will teach me how to pose while taking pics thats all and there will never be any price for anythign i will never have to pay she told me the stuff i read on the internet is other companies using their name to scam people she said if you dont believe come in for the photo shoot and if we ask you to pay or sign anything which we wont you will be free to leave and then she told me to check them out on the BBB it sounds legit so im going to go if there is classes or anything i can always say no thanks and leave with my money 
go in and see,most wont ask for any money up front,HOWEVER they may ask for “your book” (pro photos etc),than set you up with a pro photog who WILL ask you for $$$…walk away…any legit agency that wants you.knows youll make money for them by going on jobs, and they get a % of that,not any up front.but you should check it out.just dont SIGN ANYTHING.
It is a school – that’s what John Casablancas is, and you will be poorer. If you are really model material, a real agency will never make you go to school first. A school can’t make you taller, better looking or give you higher cheekbones.
if you would love to be an actor, take a real acting class or get involved in community theater. You can take a class at a community or junior college for less than $3000 to see if you even like acting or have any sort of talent for it. Or get into the UNC Theatre Department if you are serious about pursuing acting
forget it. scamsville. check the link below
unfortunately, it is a scam. they used to call me twice a week so i finally checked it out, and they wanted sooo much money and it was this whole scam with classes and stuff.
It’s ultimately your choice.
On the slim chance (and VERY slim…) chance that it’s not a scam (doubtful!) there’s still the fact that there are SO many OTHER John Casablancas agencies around the COUNTRY
that are scams and any real casting directors and industry Professional probably wouldn’t want to hire from that one anyway.
Find a real agency that DOESN’T have such a bad reputation… I’m sure you will find one that is WAY better than them
The ONLY thing that John Casablancas will help you with is becoming $2000 POORER and getting LAUGHED OUT of LA and NY! You do NOT want this “school” on your resume!
I’ve gone to a few of the JC franchises and given REALLY BAD auditions just to see how selective they were. They obviously were NOT when they called me the next day saying that I got the highest ratings and gave me a chance to attend a few classes for free, RED FLAG!
The JC classes that I went to were overcrowded filled with people who have no business to be actors. They were probably told by the JC people that they also got the highest scores at the audition. The teachers were VERY unqualified. Most of the teachers from what I’ve gathered were struggling actors with very few credits teaching to pay their bills.
John Robert Powers, Barbizon, and John Casablancas are all SCAMS! They are NOT agencies! They MISLEAD people into thinking that they are, but are NOT. LEGIT Agencies only make money when you do (10% for film/tv and commercials, 20% for commercial print). REAL AGENTS DON’T take $2000 upfront and DON’T make you take their subpar classes. YES! You’ll be paying at least $2000 for crappy classes!
A school for modeling is the biggest scam, period! When you get picked up by a LEGIT agency like Ford or Elite, they will teach you or hire coaches. They’re not going to reject your resume because “oh, you don’t have any modeling classes.”
If you don’t think they’re scams, then go waste thousands of dollars that could go towards good headshots and training from the BEST schools (JRP, JC, and Barb. are NOT the best!) Also, go to a major market like L.A. or N.Y. with those schools on your resume. You’ll get LAUGHED out!
Schools like Barbizon, JRP, and JC still exist because there are a lot of suckers trying to get into acting and for the money. They think that going to one school will be the answer and it’s not. It’s these schools that give them and feed off of those false promises. For every 100 people that go through these scammy schools and lose their money, there will always be that naturally talented kid that gets work and that these scammy schools take credit for.
JRP-Banks on the name of a very famous and DEAD agent. They say that Lucille Ball, John Wayne, Barbara Walters, Heather Locklear, Peter Fonda, Jane Fonda, and many other famous actors went to the school, when NONE of them did! Some of those celebs even threatened legal action for using their names. So you see, they use bait and switch tactics.
John Casablancas-The franchises have been known for unethical business practices and really have nothing to do with the founder’s original intentions.
Barbizon-It was popular back in the 70s and 80s. Now these franchises have been known for unethical business practices and false promises. EXPOSED ON DATELINE!
These schools are OVERPRICED and DON’T provide the caliber training that more affordable and REPUTABLE schools like Howard Fine Studios, Ivanna Chubbuck, Upright Citizens Brigade, Groundlings, Second City, Beverly Hills Playhouse, Stella Adler, William Esper Studios, Tom Todoroff, Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown, Margie Haber, etc. do.