Has anyone worked w/ Boston area modelling agencies?

[invalid_char]

We need to decide which of the following 2 agencies to go with: Dynasty or Model Club Inc. We are new to the industry. Both seem to be extremely nice, flexible, encouraging and confident about dd's potential. dd loves both! Before we sign anything we were wondering if anyone has had experiences with either of them. We know very little about their respective reputations. Which one is more professional? Which one provides better opportunities?


We need the inside scoop! (we have already gotten some stories from other models and photographers... thought we'd ask here too!)

Please feel free to PM me! Thanks!

 

[helenabear]

 

[glo]

OMg...My DD did work for Dynasty when she was little. They were always curtious and very professional. I can not remember the name of the owner to save my life, but she was Asian. My daughter did print work for Honeywell Bull, Keds Shoes and Keds shoes runway modeling, Bradlees, Ames and a few dance catalogs. She did it for about a year and a half. We were always sent to very professional auditions and we never had a problem getting paid. They always told us how to dress her and I think they were awesome. We stopped doing the modeling when she hit school, as school was more important to us than auditions

 

[gemmie214]

My 2 nieces that live in this area are represented by Dynasty. They have been with them for years. My SIL is happy with them and when I haveto bring them by I find all the staff there extremely nice

 

[invalid_char]

Thank you for all of the feed back regarding Dynasty.

It appears that the original owners are still running Dynasty: Joe and Ginger Freeman. I have found them to be extremely nice and courteous.

They do however require a 1 year commitment, whereas Model Club does not require this. Also, Model Club is union; they are members of the Screen Actors Guild; they have offices in New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut; they also have an exclusive arrangement with Filenes, a big account here in Boston.

I find them to be more aggressive and abrasive, but I wonder how much interaction I will really have with them and if they will provide a better opportunity for my daughter. I guess part of this boils down to whether we are willing to travel outside of Boston.

Anyone out there have experiences with Model Club Inc.?

Thanks again!

 

[invalid_char]

Thanks to everyone who PM'd me. We've decided to go with Model Club, primarily because they do not require an exclusive, year-long contract. It will be easier for us to switch if things don't work out.

Thanks again for your help. Hopefully dd will continue to have fun with this!

 

[Kaos Creator]

Just PLEASE beware of any talent/modeling agencies that make you pay them a fee or do 'in house' photography. These are the biggest signs of a rip off. There are so many scams out there and I have seen many many people taken for thousands of dollars to become stars and models!!! A licensed and legit agency does NOT charge fees outside of commission on jobs you book, and does NOT do in=house photography.

 

[invalid_char]

Kaos Creator-- don't worry. Model Club is a member of the SAG and all they do is book talent. They do not make any money from photography nor do they have any in-house photographers. They also do not allow you to submit professional photographs for acceptance to the agency; they must be candids.

Also, this agency is doing us a favor in that we will not even need to pay the photographer to have dd's pictures re-done for her composite card. Apparently, they know the photographer as he is the head photographer for a major department store.

Anyway, it was nice of you to alert me to all of the terrible modeling scams out there. I have heard that there are some agencies and photographers in Boston who will charge hundreds of dollars to put together a "portfolio" for submission to an agency. This is a waste of money!!! As I said, dd's agency will not even look at professional photos! The only portfolio that an agency would be interested in would be "tear sheets" or copies of ads from modeling work you've done.

I have my own experiences in the modeling world, so I am going in with my eyes open, but thanks again for your tip!

The only thing a model should pay for when dealing with an agency is for a photographer to do your comp card AFTER you have signed with an agency and then for printing of the comp card (if you are new and can't get the agency to pay for it!)