I and many others have been scammed thousands from this supposed "Modeling Agency."
I found out about Barbizon though an ad in the back of a seventeen magazine when I was 12 years old. The advertiment told of a school for modeling and acting, and with me being a young teen with dreams of fame, I searched Barbizon online and found there oh-so-flattering website: listing all the sucessfull grads of the program. I told my mom about it, and though she was skeptical, decided to call them up and arranged an information session with them. We had absolutley no idea what we were getting ourselves into.
We attended there "information session, " which contained flashy videos and women giving a sales pitch on how these classes 'are the best in the industry'. She told us that the program was very selective, and not very many get called back.
Well, guess what, I got called back, as I'm sure everyone who attends those things are. And we fell for it.
My mom dished out $2500 for the classes. We didn't know any better. They took us in with there pressuring methods and promises. I would give anything to go back and undo that.
I attended all there 'classes', which consisted of crappy runway training and makeup tips. I learned absolutley nothing of any value. They ended the course with a runway show and a photo shoot, in which you have to pay another $200.
Sadly, it dosen't end there. They invited us back a couple weeks later for an audition. It turned out that the "audition" was a sales pitch for IPAC, a convention in Los Angeles that agents and managers go to looking for talent. However, what they don't tell you is how much those agents and managers get paid to attend.
They seemed so trustworthy, and we fell for it again. $5000 for me, another $1500 for my mom to come with me, plus all the photos and travel expenses and crap. Yes, I know it was a stupid mistake, but we were already trapped into it by the time we came to our senses.
We went, only to walk the runway, perform a few commercials and monologues, and attend a dance. I got a few callbacks that didn't lead to anything, and that was it. Our money had been thown out the drain. Not only that, but my reputation was now shot, because if I were to put Barbizon or IPAC on a REAL resume, I would get laughed out of the room.
That was two summers ago, and I haven't heard anything from them sense. I've have been scarred from this experience and can easily say that getting involved with Barbizon and IPAC was the worst mistake my mom and I ever made, or ever will make.
But despite being robbed out of the well-needed $10000 and having my hopes and dreams shattered, I won't let this stop me. I'm now working with a REAL modeling agency in my area were IM acually being paid, and I'm taking REAL acting classes at a theater. If I ever do go on to something big, I will make sure everyone knows about these frauds I got involved with and how not to make the same mistake I did.
If your reading this after considering taking classes at Barbizon, listen to this and all the other scam reports out there. We didn't listen and look were it left us.
*do not get involved with barbizon or any scam like them!!! They will steal your money and run! *
For those who have been scamed like me, I want you to send me an email. If we all get together, maybe we can stop these bastards.
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