Marisa Sclafani & Empire Talent and Models is a fraud from the start. They buy student information from marketing companies and mail off flyers saying they have an important message for the addressee. These postcards tell the individual to call as soon as possible and a Maria signs the card. There isn't a Maria. She's imaginary. Her real name is Marisa Sclafani. She used to scam people at Elizabeth Savage models, and then opened up her own company.
When people call in they are read a script telling them a friend or family member recommend them and everything is free, they will never have to pay any money.
They also say a Casting Director is coming in from Hollywood is coming to interview them and this is a "once in a lifetime opportunity and he will be in town only this once."
These people come in thinking they are meeting a real agent. But they meet Marisa Sclafani instead. She has no real connections and pretends to be a freelance casting director, yet she has NO credits.
At this "interview" they get you excited, tell you that you have potential and they definitely want you. Then they hand you a packet that has fictional success stories on the front page and the last page ask for $ to attend classes and shoot with a photographer they "reccommend". It's all fake!
They tell you to call in to get results and for those that do call in they tell them you are part of the 15% that made it. However, no one ever seems to notice everyone that attended the interview that could cough up $ ASAP is in attendance. No one is turned away. Not a signal soul.
Why would you tell a 18 yr old girl that is 5'4 with scoliosis she will be a runway supermodel. Why do you tell them that they must have an A/B' average in high school to attend. But you accept an F' student that is disrespecting and cursing their mother right in front of your face and you tell them they have a great personality. What is worse is when they smile in people faces and as soon as they walk out the door they are laughing at them.
They use every tactic to make the sell. They have you max out your credit cards, postdating checks, chopping of your limbs, selling your soul to the devil, anything to get your money and get you in debt. They will promise you free makeup and lots of paying jobs and a career in the industry. It's ALL LIES.
The instructors are not real industry professionals. They are former students from Elizabeth Savage (where she used to work) that couldn't make the cut in modeling. They are will work for little pay and baby-sit. The teachers don't have a clue what they are doing. They will tell you I don't know what I am doing and they will even tell the students you are wasting your money because nothing will come out of this. All classes have had at least 4 different instructors.
Paychecks are never correct and are never received on time. You find yourself rushing to the bank just to make sure your check clears. There are students that haven't been paid for jobs that they have worked months ago. Many students have not received jobs like they were promised.
Don't waste your time calling the accounting department regarding a refund. You might as well kiss those funds goodbye because they will make up fake class dates and give you all kinds of excuses. They will even say they have had a system break down and don't have any record of your information so they cant issue a refund. Whenever you call and leave messages for the imaginary accounting department you will never receive a call back.
There are girls that have paid for Comp Cards and have never received them and never will. You will only hear from them when they want your money.
I could go on and on about this so called Modeling School/Agency. But I will leave you with a warning. Watch out. If you ever hear one of these names Marisa Sclafani, Maria Sclafani, Empire Talent and Models... Run Like Hell and don't look back.
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