We were approched in public in Walmart and told that Disney was holding auditions in Las Vegas and my children had the look. I was suspicious when they asked for an agency fee and I told them other well known famous models that warned us not to sign with an agency that asks for money up front, Josh Barrow the Director of New Faces told me that was a lie and that talent agencies do require a fee. I gave them the benefit of the doubt.
Later I told them that their grade was an 'F' with the BBB Nevada and they would not provide other references for me to assure me that I was working with an honest company. After that conversation their grade all sudden changed to a 'C'. They would not provide references and even forbid me from talking to their "talents".
Why would an agency or any business "forbid" you from getting a verbal testimony? They tell you to "read" the testimonials on their website or give you written testimonials like ones they gave KSL 5 News during their investigation in Utah. Never a real person. If you do talk to a person it will be one of their employees.
They somehow put the wrong email information in their system for me and I asked where they got that information. They could not produce the paperwork I signed to confirm my information, to insure they were sending me audition notifications. I live and signed up in NV, but for some reason my paperwork was sent to Utah.
I left the office with them not having the correct notification information and was told they were goint to wait for the fax to come through. I am afraid they may try to forge that information, I do not trust them. I do have copies of the info I did give them though.
The at least 2-3 auditions promised for my children's age group, are only Auditions with the same 2 agents every month. Other auditions involve you going to the office and them "sending" your picture over to "the client" such as Disney, Ed Hardy, Pottery Barn, etc. I did not want to continue pouring my money down a black hole, so they sent me to collections after missing 1 payment and then piled another $1000.00 on top of the original amount. We had not even gotten the pics back yet! Not to mention the pics look like they were taken at Walmart (nothing against Walmart though), but I am a amateur photographer, I could have taken those pictures.
They make you pay for copyrights from their photographer. Why? To insure that their photographer don't use your pictures with your face in them. Why would an agency's photographer do that? You can not bring in your own photographer or take your own pics.
They have 100's of complaints. According to another victim They used to go under another name Soleil. That company went down, then Tru Talent started to occupy the same office and started to receive the same complaints as the previous Soleil company.
The collection agency they send you to, another victim and KSL news explains that Brandi's (Manger/CEO whatever her title) Father or other relative is the owner of the collection agency. I talked to her and she would not give me references other than Patrick Baca and Mara Santino. She explained to me she would disclose her other clients information. I asked were they a secret agency?
You can not start your talent careers without giving them your money first. If you don't they send you through a world of hell because of the "Tru ly Talent ed" way they painted a picture and got you to sign a bogus contract that will never give you a return worth your while. I personally would not even trust the casting directors/agents they work with either, such as Patrick Baca & Mara Santino.
The two names they say come audition people. Who would work with a company like this, maybe no one which is why they can't tell you of other agencies or contacts in the industry that can vouch for them. They have not confirmed the info I put on my paperwork, therefore I can't receive audition announcements.
The Collection Agency after me now is called Outsource Recovery LLC in Salt Lake City, UT
In my opinion they prey on specific people, run credit reports and extend credit to people they maybe shouldn't extend credit to. They do that for a reason. Just to get the money that people will pay and then send them to their relative's collection agency after they won't pay anymore.
So many that paid fees in full, still didn't get the service they were expecting.
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