UdoR wrote:
Yeah, the Barbie-Zone is sneered upon by brick and mortar agencies and ridiculed in the real modeling industry.

Thanks for posting this one, since it's written by a former instructor for them and hence shows the money generating side of that "school".

Greetings

UdoR

I am glad you've responded.  Isn't there is something could be done?  The trick with IMTA are teenagers (only up to 22y.o.) and the fact that they use all these other agencies to work through - so the name would never get "dirty".

UdoR wrote:
Yeah, the Barbie-Zone is sneered upon by brick and mortar agencies and ridiculed in the real modeling industry.

Thanks for posting this one, since it's written by a former instructor for them and hence shows the money generating side of that "school".

Greetings

UdoR

Hey, weren't those pictures done by you? ))))))))))))))))))))))))))) see my profile!

Madcitychel wrote:
I am glad you've responded.  Isn't there is something could be done?  The trick with IMTA are teenagers (only up to 22y.o.) and the fact that they use all these other agencies to work through - so the name would never get "dirty".

The only thing that can be done is to educate people.

I used to participate on MySpace modeling groups, and got disenchanted by all those 14 and 15 years old converts, who discuss how great the experience is and how much they learned and how good the instructors made them feel about themself.

No matter what kind of real life advise you provide those gIrLs/mOdEls, they just know better.

There was even a "model" who inquired about Barbizon, because she was about to sign up, with her mom writing the check ("My daughter is going to be a model... she is sooo pretty!") weeks after former graduate, real world industry insiders etc. gave her advise after advise and she still signed up, going through the motions.

I think that there is nothing anybody can do.

Madcitychel wrote:
Hey, weren't those pictures done by you? ))))))))))))))))))))))))))) see my profile!

Sorry, wasn't me... there is another German photographer named Udo in NYC... this town becomes too small for the two of us... LMAO.

UdoR wrote:
Sorry, wasn't me... there is another German photographer named Udo in NYC... this town becomes too small for the two of us... LMAO.

Hehe! Is that right?! I guess Germany is known for producing not only great cars (beamers "BMW"), but also great photogrphers (Udos)?

Greek-Italian Model wrote:
Hahaha,been there. Done that! I've done IMTA,Fashion Rock and all the above=bs!

What do you have to say about it?

Doug Lester wrote:
Good post, but from my own experience most will ignore it. Most will also ignore the fact that the national success rate (those actually offered representation by real agencies) for those conventions is between 2% and 5%. They will ignore the fact that many if not most of "call backs" are from model schools and/or agencies in your area. If they are in your area, why not contact them directly and save the convention money?

So you live in Short Arm, Nebraska and actually get a call back and a serious offer from a legitimate NYC agency, are you going to move to NYC? Are you prepared to support yourself in NYC for 6 to 12 months? If you are under age, will one of your parents move there with you? Ladies, do what you wish, but first - THINK!

I know but they are just kids - sort of like blind kittens driven to become who the think they want to be.  It is hard for them to be able to understand things like that yet.
Also it is sort of like me shopping when I see it - I want it, I don't think, I just want it
The more ppl voice the issue the more it will get around and become obvious.

Madcitychel wrote:
Right,
I was offered to go to IMTA in NY this July, but scooped all my brains that I pretend I have in my blond head and didn't go.
But I have become friends with the other ppl who went, young, broken, inspired, talanted, fooled.  I just strongly believe that this "whole deal" isn't legal - and I am looking for the way to find out what can one do to stop that scam - it is nothing like scam. Like the Niggerian scam just worse, cuz it is builded on someones dreams.

I agree. Were you offered some contract with barbizon saying they will help you find work if you pay a certain  fee? I wanted to be a model so bad I begged my mom to sign up for it. She did and I was  ONLY offered  auditions and competitions held by barbizon. A waste of my mothers hard earned money. They called be twice for auditions and never called me again. I guess they figured they would move on to the little girl whose parents have more money, since they took all of my mothers.

Broadway baby wrote:

I agree. Were you offered some contract with barbizon saying they will help you find work if you pay a certain  fee? I wanted to be a model so bad I begged my mom to sign up for it. She did and I was  ONLY offered  auditions and competitions held by barbizon. A waste of my mothers hard earned money. They called be twice for auditions and never called me again. I guess they figured they would move on to the little girl whose parents have more money, since they took all of my mothers.

That is so dirty of them to rip off the $ using ppl's hopes.
I actually got an offer from The Rock Agency, www.therockagency.com to go to IMTA.  Yes, we all signed a contract, but that contract is extremly unspecific.  I don't know that much what I am talking about yet, but I believe that if the contract isn't being specific enough the regulations set by the State/Feds would take place then.  In the circumstances where both parties arent satisfied and the contract doesn't describe the situation or regulate the dispute the State's contract law would take place.
According to the contract law there is such a term as ambiguity of contract - that is when the fact were incomplete or misrepresented.  In this case I think that there were huge misrepresentation of facts - but that wasn't documented, which isn't good, but not bad also.  Parties also legaly engage into contract w/o verbally or even by the abcense of action in certain cases. So my though is: that if one could prove that promisee's initiation of contract was done with the intentions of ambiguity - that would fall under the "Law  of torts" - this way the agencies would have to pay back the fees they have collected or else provide the services they made people believe they would provide.

Ivy Bressler wrote:
I did enjoy IMTA, but lets be clear IMTA is not about barbizon and attendents from other schools laugh at the barbies. If you do want to go to IMTA, you should go with an AIM school or just don't waste your time. I know of one school that attends that is actually fully acredited. (Can't say I'm familiar with all school, but I betcha they didn't bother.)

Yes, I went to school, but I went to the one school I know of that is acredited. And going to IMTA is how I got signed. But keep in mind, if you don't know what you're doing, you wont get signed. If you've got it, go for it on your own. If you're cluless, find yourself an AIM achool/agency.

I think that BBZN actually does have smthg to do with IMTA - do you know what is the percentage of models from the during the convention?
There are opinions and versions that they are getting paid for each provided model - and especially from BBZN - there is some wierd situtation with the IMTA manadgment and BBZN management.  IMTA registered with AZ State Department of Labor - take a look - the don't have any annual reports or anything, and their information about the President and contact information just doesn't mach to some of the other information they've got going on.
"Great experience" - yeah I had one of those when went to Great America though the ride in six falgs was much smoother then the ride those gals get for $5000 only - on special....

Doug Lester wrote:
So you live in Short Arm, Nebraska and actually get a call back and a serious offer from a legitimate NYC agency, are you going to move to NYC? Are you prepared to support yourself in NYC for 6 to 12 months? If you are under age, will one of your parents move there with you? Ladies, do what you wish, but first - THINK!

Technically...your parents don't have to go with you to New York... Alot of agency's contracts give them power of attorney, and they can sign anything instead of your parents... So unless your parents demand to stay the whole time you're there...they don't have to....

Ivy Bressler wrote:
Yes, I went to school, but I went to the one school I know of that is acredited.

OK, I have to ask.  What does this mean?  Accredited by whom, to teach what?

I don't know of any modeling school in the country that does a good job of selecting models, training them with the skills models actually need, and preparing them for a career in modeling.

I also don't know of any real agencies that recommend a model go to any modeling school, unless they have some kind of financial interest in the school.

http://www.newmodels.com/school.html

http://www.newmodels.com/searches.html

Ivy Bressler wrote:
Yes, I went to school, but I went to the one school I know of that is acredited.

TXPhotog wrote:
OK, I have to ask.  What does this mean?  Accredited by whom, to teach what?

I don't know of any modeling school in the country that does a good job of selecting models, training them with the skills models actually need, and preparing them for a career in modeling.

I also don't know of any real agencies that recommend a model go to any modeling school, unless they have some kind of financial interest in the school.

http://www.newmodels.com/school.html

http://www.newmodels.com/searches.html

Excellent!  And www.newmodels.com is the best site for a "new" model to vist.  It is packed with accurate and cogent information, if only people would take the time to read it.

Kalene wrote:

Technically...your parents don't have to go with you to New York... Alot of agency's contracts give them power of attorney, and they can sign anything instead of your parents... So unless your parents demand to stay the whole time you're there...they don't have to....

That's true, but I was not really referring to contractual matters. I wonder how many parents would be comfortable sending their 14 to 16 year old daughter off to live in NYC alone.

Doug Lester wrote:

That's true, but I was not really referring to contractual matters. I wonder how many parents would be comfortable sending their 14 to 16 year old daughter off to live in NYC alone.

From what I've heard....aren't the model apartments filled with teenage girls, most without their parents...? They send 15 year olds to Milan, with no parents...

Ivy Bressler wrote:
I did enjoy IMTA, but lets be clear IMTA is not about barbizon and attendents from other schools laugh at the barbies. If you do want to go to IMTA, you should go with an AIM school or just don't waste your time. I know of one school that attends that is actually fully acredited. (Can't say I'm familiar with all school, but I betcha they didn't bother.)

Yes, I went to school, but I went to the one school I know of that is acredited. And going to IMTA is how I got signed. But keep in mind, if you don't know what you're doing, you wont get signed. If you've got it, go for it on your own. If you're cluless, find yourself an AIM achool/agency.

Do you think it is worth of going?
What did IMTA gave you?
Did you get what you paid for?
What was the purpose of your trip?

timea szabo wrote:
Hey just thought id reply to dis
I acually went to imta about 2 years ago it was in l.a
And its right theres no point of it its an amazing experience but you get nothing out of it ..You can take it as learning since there are alot of competitons i acually won a theatrical headshot award for 3rd place and even though i won it it styll didnt mean i got something out of it but a good feeling
So i agree it is a waste of money And barbizon dont even let me go there when i first started modeling i went to that school and they have odnw nothing but rip people off but anyways just thought id let you know

Thanks for sharing!
PS: I like your portfolio and your image.

MHana wrote:
How is this pronounced?

Barbi zone?
Bar bizo ne?
Bar BI zone?
Ba rbi zo ne?

geez just the name give me the creeps.

I think it is pronounced like: "Give me all your money and go to hell!" or something like that, not sure.

AmberULeda wrote:
haha..ya i was one of the smart 4500 people that went to the classes last year... sure they had some pretty people there but once i started the classes there were some people that generally you wouldnt see "modeling" or didnt even want to model. yes, it was a great experiance but once i graduated i was suppose to get into an agency. before they would consider me i had to do a photoshoot (1000 and i had to travel) then a few months later i recieved my IMTA invite, did the audition and actually wowed the half-sleeping judges. they wanted another 5000 dollars. so, needless to say, after the classes anything that sound remotely close to that i said no to and if anyone else that starts talking about barbizon i tell them exactly what it is-about an $8000 dept.

What is the agency, if I may ask - that you worked with?

TXPhotog wrote:

OK, I have to ask.  What does this mean?  Accredited by whom, to teach what?

I don't know of any modeling school in the country that does a good job of selecting models, training them with the skills models actually need, and preparing them for a career in modeling.

I also don't know of any real agencies that recommend a model go to any modeling school, unless they have some kind of financial interest in the school.

http://www.newmodels.com/school.html

http://www.newmodels.com/searches.html

You are right, though it is hard to understand when one is being "brainwashed".  I thik there should be something else that people could do at least afterwards. 
Though Accredited Modeling School sounds just like Licensed Dishwasher.

SLE Photography wrote:
I agree with what several others here have said, I have TRIED to warn people away & they want to believe it SO bad that not only do they not listen, they get angry

and that is a part of the brainwash the get for 5,000 or so.