What do you think about John Robert Power modeling agency?

Question

I am looking to get my daughter involved into doing some modeling or print work. We attended a session at John Robert Powers and they like her but to begin you have to pay. Is that right? Do you know of any agency that would be good for me to look into. We live in St. louis.

Answer 1

This is what I tell all new beginers in any field...DON"T PAY, unless you are paying for an actual service. From the information I can find out about John Robert Powers they are a training school for models and this is why you have to pay. You are paying for a SERVICE just like any training school. Do they offer to represent your daughter after or during her training peroid? Do your research completely before making any desision.

Answer 2

John Robert Powers is a scam and will charge you thousands of dollars. JRP cannot help your daughter get into modeling, they will ask you to pay them thousands of dollars which is not going to make your daughter a model, especially not a TOP model.

The top modeling agencies are located in New York City, Milan and Paris.

Legitimate modeling agencies NEVER charge the model. The agency gets its money "when the model makes money," for the agency, as a model.

Here is contact infomation for some of the top New York City
Modeling Agencies:
Click Model Management, Inc.
129 West 27th Street, Penthouse
New York, NY 10001

Women's Division [phone]
Special Sizes [phone]
Runway [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]

Wilhelmina Model Management
Women (size 10 & up)
Attn: 10/20 Division
http://www.wilhelmina.com

Click Model Management, Inc.
129 West 27th Street, Penthouse
New York, NY 10001
Women's Division [phone]
Special Sizes [phone]
Runway [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]

Wilhelmina Model Management
300 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
212-253-88844
Women (size 10 & up)
Attn: 10/20 Division
http://www.wilhelmina.com

Elite Models
404 Park Avenue South, 9th Fl.
New York, New York 10016
Telephone: [phone]

Ford Models
111 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10003
212-219-6500

IMG Models
304 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor
New York, New York 10010
http://imgmodels.com/contact.asp

Wilhemina Model Management
300 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010
212-253-8884

Elite Models
404 Park Avenue South, 9th Floor
New York, New York 10016
Telephone: [phone]

Ford Models
111 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10003
212-219-6500

IMG Models
304 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor
New York, New York 10010
http://imgmodels.com/contact.asp

Answer 3

Well i am actually attending the school at the moment and a lot of people feel as though John Robert Powers is a scam. It could be where some people are located why there being scammed but my experience so far has been good. They didnt promise me fame, in fact they made sure to emphasize that they cant guarentee fame but give us a chance towards our goals. And regardless of which school you go to that is its own company you have to pay. John robert powers offers 20 weeks for about 1950 and a extra 120 for books. Plus no matter which place you go to make sure that they have documentation of their alumnis and john robert powers alumnis are impressive in how far theyve gotten. Just look into the school at st. louis i wouldnt be able to tell you if there phonys over there but i can guarentee you that over here in nj there definatly good people. So check out the john robert powers in your area and do a little bit of research.

Oh Oh and i forgot to say that they did NOT except everyone at my auditions .. about 50 came to the auditions, 7 were called back and i think only 5 of us made it so they dont just except everybody like everyone is saying.

Answer 4

John Robert Powers is a long-standing and long established scam. Scam scam scam. They accept those with the credit to pay for classes.

my best friend was in John Robert Powers when she was about 8 or 9. Her mom became friends with the recruiting agent who once burst into tears on the phone with her and confessed how awful she felt about working for a place that was just out to take everyone's money. Scam, scam, scam. After the mom finally yanked her out (thousands of dollars poorer) she got signed to a real agency (on her own, no thanks to John Robert Powers) and got a ton of booking like a national commercial and a big part in a disney movie. John Robert Powers promptly put her headshot up on their wall and started using her picture in their promotional brochures. Scam, scam, SCAM!

Adults who leave "agencies" such as John Robert Powers or John Casablancas on their resume are snickered at in the industry. it gets you nowhere.

If you are serious about getting your daughter into this, and your daughter really wants to do it and is willing to commit the time and hard work, then look on sag.org for a list of franchised agencies in Missouri and then just send them a school photo or a cute digital snapshot of her - maybe one smiling up close headshot and one standing up and looking cute and perky like a catalogue shot (3/4 or full length) wearing normal school or play clothes and minimal to no hair and makeup (look like a kid, not a dressed up doll.) You DON"T need pro pix to get an agent for a kid - if you get an agent they will have you get them then. If she is really young (under 7 or so) even then they might not bother because her looks will change so fast.

there is also something called the Ross Reports which lists agencies available nationwide. I don't know if it's still published. Sag.org is easy and free to get a list. Trust me, it's ALL you need.

Answer 5

They are well known, but they are much more about training than about getting a model jobs. People I know have gotten further after taking that kind of training (Powers or John Casablanca, etc) OFF their resume. Agents want to be able to train models their way. Any real agent will not ask for money to train a model, they make their money off of commission from jobs alone. If you search either of these places online, you'll find lots of angry people who feel they've been ripped off.

You could look in the phone book or search online to find local agents. Just send them pictures or attend an open call.

Answer 6

those companies are all fake. i don't know what kind of modeling you can get into in St. Louis. if they ask you to pay for photos and classes it is a trick. i think she would be better off waiting until she is old enough to come to LA or NYC. and as far as i know Wilhemina was investigated for the exact same thing. i think the only thing you can do is pay an honest photographer, not affiliated with this talent scout agency, then send the photos in to a real agency.

Answer 7

My daughter was solicited by them when she was about 7. We went to a seminar at which the directors of the local JRP spoke about their business. To make a long story short, my daughter was one of those selected out of a rather large number of young people to "audition." She had to walk and talk to a panel of the staff.

We paid over $1,000 but it wasn't so much an agency as a modeling/acting school. She took acting and modeling classes there for over a year, plus went to auditions that were held there by outside companies. She never got chosen out of any of those auditions. I would say, 'tho, that she acquired poise and self-confidence in dealing with people. So just be aware that it's really not a modeling agency. They don't try to get jobs for your child; they train your child, for which they charge a fee.

A true agency would accept your child as a client, try to find her jobs, and then take a percentage of her earnings.

Be aware of the difference! Barbizon is pretty much the same as JRP. Neither are scams, but they don't do exactly what you might imagine.

Answer 8

John Robert Powers agency likes all applicants, They are a cash cow for the agency. Be careful, LOTS of hidden costs.

Answer 9

Probably not quite technically a scam but you will end up parting with A LOT of money for classes, photos, etc. And having JRP on your resume will do nothing except hurt you in the eyes of industry professionals - all it says is that you got ripped off.

St. Louis must have other agencies that don't charge money up front. Check AFTRA.org for their list of agents, or SAG.com for theirs.

Answer 10

sounds sketchy.. im not gay or nothing but the other day i was sick so i was watching tv talkshows..and the tyra show was on.

she was doing a special on how new models are getting scammed and their pics really go through the internet and stuff. and she said any good agency will not make you pay up front..so if thats what they are trying to do its a scam.