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Is barbizon modeling and acting really a scam?

Is Barbizon a scam or not?

  • I was approached by an agent of this place call Barbizon or something like that today and she gave me a card and said I should look them up if I was interested in acting and modeling. I typed it in and so many things about it being a scam popped up. Who's ever been there or know about it can you explain it to me? Tell me if its not a scam then what kind of agency is it? How much is it?

  • Answer:

    Barbizon is a school that teaches acting and modeling. They have been around for as long as I can remember. I remember seeing commercials on TV for them back in the 1980's, so they do have a long history. I'm quite sure they have more people who have gone to their school than ever made it as an actor or model. Under that logic, many people would consider them a scam. However, they do not guarantee you success by going to their school...they didn't guarantee success 30 years ago, and they still don't today. By that definition, they are not a scam. So, as you can see, the term "scam" is not that easy to define. To find out their prices, simply call them and ask. It used to be around $1500, but that was a long time ago. I'm sure it has gone up since then. If you want to model or act, you don't have to go to school, and a really legit agency, photographer, or anyone like that WILL NOT CHARGE you for photos or to submit portfolios or to look at them. You would only be charged once you sign a contract with an AGENT/MANAGER. One person who is paid on commission. Before signing anything with anyone, read all paperwork, and if you don't understand it, don't sign it.

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I know someone who at one time worked as an "agent" for Barbizon. She was hired because of her strong sales background and she was compensated based on the number of people she enrolled in the school. . So if your definition of a scam is someone pretending to be an agent who is really a commissioned sales person whose job it is to enroll you in a school - then Barbizon would qualify.

Kathy H

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30156875 is a whole story about them and how much they cost

Ghana Banana

Well first of all Barbizon is a modeling, acting and personal development SCHOOL not an agency. So are they a scam...no. But you need to understand that Barbizon will teach you the techniques to prepare you for a career in modeling. That is sort of the misconception...people think they are paying for a job....you are actually paying for class. Although they help provide you opportunities for jobs they don't guarantee you will get a job in modleing or acting. I went there and actually really enjoyed my classes...I also found them to be really helpful and I got much more out of it than I thought I would. I found it to be an upstanding company.

Barbizon is a school, not an agency. If they said they were an agency or promised to find you work, that is false advertising. You pay for classes, you take classes, that's it. They are not an agency. They do not find you jobs. No school in the world is going to make you a model or even improve your chances of becoming a model. To get into a real agency, they are only interested in your height, body type and facial features. That's it. Agencies don't care if you went to modeling school - in fact many of the big agencies will not take you if you went to modeling school as they feel the poses and walks taught are too pageant-y and it's impossible to unteach these habits once they are learned. You never need training to get into an agency - if you get an agent, then THEY will pay for a runway coach to work with you one-on-one. That's the only real training a model needs. You learn on the job by working with photographers on test shoots, doing low-paid/unpaid jobs to get comfortable posing in front of others, etc.

Kittysue

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