Many young females are getting rip by these no-good modeling schools, in this case "John Casablanca". Two years ago my American dream was to become a top ideal, maybe a singer, maybe even a model. I got a letter threw the mail about a agency review at the local "holiday inn". I was 13 at the time, i wore glasses, very skinny, low self-esteem.
The hotel was pack, in the letter it said that only a few people were sent an invitation, (to me it looked like everybody BUT a few people was sent a invitation). It was so many people that we had to stand in the hotel hall to listen to the woman talk about John Casablanca and how it is with Elite (which everybody know is a big name agency) and how they got people like Tyra Bank famous (which now i know is a lie).
Finally they had us walk the runway. At the end they told us they had three list, one where people who they didn't need to see, the other where a list of people who had talent and needed to wait outside the hotel room, and the last list (which was the one I was in) was people who they thought had talent but needed a little practice which the referred us to their modeling school. Then I was happy, finally somebody seen threw my shyness and found the "Diva" hidden within.'Oh boy, I was about to go on a ride of my life'
The modeling school came up to a total of 2,000 dollars. They gave us a list of things we were suppose to learn (I still have that list) and we didn't even go over half of it. Each class was like a repeat. Basically the stuff was common sense (you know like, think positive about yourself when walking the runway, you need pictures in order to enter the business.) They actually gave us a modeling workbook that we never did anything out of. They actually told that one day we might come to class and there will be a big time director there wanting us to perform in front of him. (That never happen)
They told us we needed to take pictures but use their photographer. The man made it seem like I was so good. (Remember now I'm going through my maturing stage, pimples like crazy, big glasses, no kinda figure just plain jane, but I could really work the camera - I wonder how many other girls they told that to?)
After I finish the classes I heard nothing from them. About a year later, I get a call from a Woman who say she works with John Casablanca and has a management company open and would like to help me find a agency. "WOW" i thought I'm really moving up.
We get down there and they want a 1,000 dollars. So we pay them. I go to all the classes but the finally 3 and during my classes I was suppose to be getting calls for casting within the North Carolina area.
Now I say casting because they tell me I can't do modeling. "Your not model material, your not tall enough, they looking for a certain look and that's not you" all this is presented to me AFTER I paid the thousand dollars. My main purpose for doing this was to MODEL.
Well I continue going to the classes anyways, and it get time to take pictures (these modeling scams always resides around these costly headshots). And the same man who took my picture at John Casablanca is the husband of the woman who's at this new place "Avanti" pretending to be my mananger.
They say they not going to choose everybody just a few people who they think can make it in the business and they write certain time on everybody paper. While in the end everybody who is at the "open call" comes back. They just have total different times for you.
So you thinking "I'm hot stuff I got picked out of 60 girls" when all the wild all 60 of yall have been picked and paid the 1,000 dollars. And them knowing that you ain't modeling material. Having you get all happy about a scam. And in the end it hurts you the most when you a 13 year old kid who got picked on all their life and finally you think you gona be the next Tyra Banks, when all they want is your MONEY!
They tell you they made people like Tyra Banks (which was my role model at the time) famous but you find out they didnt! Maybe she went to the school but they had nothing to do with her becoming famous.
Then to top it off, they refer our names to other "so call agencies" that come to north carolina looking for talents.
Ladies please think this through "a big name agency is not gonna go to no small city looking for the next supermodel" They wanted us to give them 3,000 dollars upfront and wait til november and go to Texas (we got to find our own way to texas and book our own hotel room and pay for our own food).
The money is to pay for a man coming to help us with runway moves. Well in Texas we suppose to talk in front of these big agent people, who suppose to talk to us one-on-one, and sign us. If we are not signed we can always pay 3,000 dollars more and come again next year.
These people also worked with John Casablanca, they were not outer state people. One of the same woman i remember from the hotel review that got me to go to john casablaca modeling school.
Jc is about money!
If anybody want to help me legally put a stop to this scam let me know, im willing to help 100 percent. It's not cool to play with people emotions. I come from a family with money problem, we used our savings trying to pay for these STUPID classes, and for what? In the end it was just a scam!!
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