I first visited IMAGE DEVELOPMENT TALENT PROMOTIONS after discovering their ad on Craig's List. Craig's List can be quite sketchy, but I wanted to keep an open mind. The drive from Los Angeles to Thousand Oaks can take 1 1/2 hours, depending upon traffic. I arrived about ten minutes early, and sat in the IMAGE DEVELOPMENT TALENT PROMOTIONS waiting area for over 45 minutes. During that time, a woman staffer inquired with me if I had color photos. I responded that I had just signed with a modeling agency, so yes, I did.
I sat confidently and poised as I waited. When I was finally called into an office, I was asked to read script. I am an internationally known performer, and the scripts were pretty standard cold reads. When I finished, SHELENE BRYAN told me she could sign me. She described their "agency's" "success" with Candice Cameron, and began trying to sell me on classes and photos. I informed her that I already had worked with top photographers in Los Angeles, like Juliet and Theo and Lesley Bohm, and had trained with celebrity acting coaches, like Ivana Chubbuck and Margie Haber.
Shelene became quite incensed, telling me how I came in thinking I was so great. I thought I came in with professionalism. Shelene then proceeded to insult my acting credits, asking if the films I has featured in were "student films, " when in fact, the films had acquired distribution and screenings at festivals and theatres internationally. I told her I would not be interested, and was disappointed, after making such a long trip and waiting so long. "Welcome to Hollywood, " she sneered, smiling.in fact, I had lived in Los Angeles for over a decade, ran my own arts and entertainment company, and my husband is a famous rock musician.
In all of my years, I had never experienced such a lack of professionalism, and would never conduct business in that manner. I do not know of a single genuine professional in this industry who conducts themselves that way, and certainly no one I would work with.in the end, a legitimate talent agent or manager might recommend certain classes or photographers, but they're not in the business of selling them. They're too busy booking their talent. I present the information herein in the hopes that either IMAGE DEVELOPMENT TALENT PROMOTIONS clean up their act, or consumers are forewarned about this organization. I concur with the reviews posted here. This agency does not conduct itself in a professional manner.
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