W or UTG or Wilelmenia is a total rip off and preys on uninformed people. No talent agency should ever ask you for money!
The classes I was promised were never delivered, this company is a scam!
My daughter was interested in modeling, We met with a woman at W who barely spoke to my daughter and said she was perfect to be a model.
Since she had no experience they would put her into their modeling classes and she would be trained for a year on all types of modeling, as well as discuss nutrition and have her attend personal training. This woman was sure that my daughter would be "booked" prior to the end of the year. A photo shoot and were included. I was to pay $175 a month for classes 2 x a week as well as weekend sessions and "practice calls".
My daughter attended all classes and 1 month into the contract the personal training was canceled. I had to call to have my fee reduced, the man from the agency said they were only reducing fees for families who requested it.
There are 3 levels to graduate from and my daughter appeared to be doing very well as she accelerated a level per month. During these classes all she ever did was walk up and down a runway. She was not taught nutrition, makeup, poses, etc as had been promised. Not one potential booking ever happened.
When she had "graduated", (after 3 mos!) I called to discuss next steps with the school and was told that she had to attend a casting call where the agents would sign her or not. However she had to have her photos before she could attend, (they had lost them). The photo shoot that was promised was a pathetic joke. They told her to bring 3 outfits (no detail) and was supposed to be made up by a professional before the shoot. The "professional" spent approx 10 minutes on her makeup. The photographer took about 60 shots in 20 minutes. We were supposed to receive these back in 4 weeks and the agency could not book her without them. Somehow the pictures were "lost" for almost 6 months and when we finally did get them, they were terrible. Out of focus, terrible poses. I ended up having to pay for getting the pics printed, despite the verbal promises that all this was included.
She was told at this call that she was "too fat" (she weighs 120 and is 5'7") and that her face had too much acne to be signed.
This horrible place played on my daughter's dream and never had any intention of signing her. Even though she had completed the classes early (clearly because they rushed her out, rather than work with her), I was still supposed to pay the monthly fee for another 6 months.
This agency preys on young girls and uninformed families. The girls they promote in their agency are clearly suffering from eating disorders. The company itself is a total mess, no organization, no communication. It is a total ripoff.
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