Michael McGowan wrote:
This isn't from the main agency. It's a scam.

Besides, you're 5-3, and "Willy" doesn't sign girls who are 5-3 from someplace in Pennsylvania.

Pass on this, and look for real commercial gigs in your area.

you're 100% wrong..they have a petite model division!!

& I'm sorry, I spelled it wrong..

here's their main website..

www.modelingpa.com

Alexandra Dennis wrote:
My friend & I attended an open call for a modeling agency that is a part of Wilhelmenia-called Harman Agency.  My friend & I got a call back from them, saying that they're interested in getting us signed.  Now they're asking us to pay $1,800 upfront to get our comp cards done & for the training.  I'm always hesitant with agency scams, and I just want to make sure we're not getting scammed. Help!

Wilhelmina licenses their name out to all sorts of semi-legit portfolio mills like the one you encountered.

The easy answer for you in terms of determining if something is a scam is that you're 5'3".  No legit agency is ever going to approach you.  You're too short.

This is not to say you can't model, you can certainly take a shot at working independently, but agency work's unlikely to be in your future.

The other thing for avoiding scams is education, and that means knowing how real agencies work.
Read this entire site twice: www.newmodels.com
It will answer most of your questions & tell you what to look for.

Alexandra Dennis wrote:

you're 100% wrong..they have a petite model division!!

& I'm sorry, I spelled it wrong..

here's their main website..

www.modelingpa.com

No they don't.  "Petite divisions" are a lie, legit agencies don't have them.
That link is for a portfolio mill that's licenses the Wilhelmina name, not for a real agency.

As a rule, any agency or management company that advertises that they accept "petite" models is a scam. It's just one more marketing ploy that allows them to expand their potential base of victims. "Petite" fashion modeling is almost non-existent except at the very lowest levels of the industry, which pay very little.

When it does exist, "petite" fashion models aren't what most people might expect. In the fashion world, "petite" means "under 5'9" tall", and most of them are 5'7" to 5'8" tall. Sometimes shorter models get jobs as fit models, or in mall fashion shows, but there is very little opportunity in fashion modeling for "petites".

There is at least one current legitimate model agency in New York City that has a "petite" division - but it is a "commercial fashion/commercial print" agency - not a "high fashion" agency - and the girls are mostly commercial print oriented. Even in that agency, the majority of the "petite" models are 5'5" or over, and some are as tall as 5'8".

We cannot in good conscience suggest that a girl who does not meet the height standards for a fashion model spend a lot of time, effort and money pursuing that goal when the probabilities of success are so very low.  She is better off pursuing some other kind of modeling that uses different standards.  If the luck is going to strike, it can do so regardless of what else she is doing.

Alexandra Dennis wrote:

you're 100% wrong..they have a petite model division!!

& I'm sorry, I spelled it wrong..

here's their main website..

www.modelingpa.com

Really? Click the 'Divisions' tab at the top of their website and show me where there is a petite division.

Alexandra Dennis wrote:

you're 100% wrong..they have a petite model division!!

& I'm sorry, I spelled it wrong..

here's their main website..

www.modelingpa.com

Ok, so your portfolio mill agency has a "petite division". Feel better? Good, now read and listen to the advice here.

Alexandra Dennis wrote:
http://www.modelingpa.com/Young_Adults_Women.php

Look through the models ^^

Yes.  See the info I posted.  Sure, they have those pictures on their website.  That's so they can talk young ladies like you out of their money.

That doesn't mean those're real models who're getting work.

SLE Photography wrote:

Read this entire site twice: www.newmodels.com
It will answer most of your questions & tell you what to look for.

+1,000,000
QFT

Alexandra Dennis wrote:
you're 100% wrong..they have a petite model division!!

& I'm sorry, I spelled it wrong..

here's their main website..

www.modelingpa.com

They may actually get some models and actors some gigs.

But they also make money by charging models and actors exorbitant fees (e.g. $1,800 for comp cards and "training.")

Do yourself a favor and go to the division in which you'd fit (http://www.modelingpa.com/Young_Adults_Women.php) and look for girls under 5'6".  Look at their portfolios and see if you find any good tear sheets like they have on the main page.

Alexandra Dennis wrote:
I happen to know a girl who is signed with them, she's 5'6 & getting plenty of jobs.

She's 5'6".  That's the MINIMUM for commercial print.
You're 5'3".
Again, from www.newmodels.com/height.html:

The typical reaction when counseling short aspiring models is that, since they can’t be a fashion model, they ought to be a commercial model. It’s pretty common to hear that “height doesn’t matter” in commercial print.

Here’s the truth:  The criteria are different than they are for fashion, and not as firm. But height does matter in commercial print.

For the most part, very tall and very short models, for women, 5’11” and above, 5’4” and below are not what the print industry is looking for.

The average female commercial print model is 5’6 ½” tall.

We did an analysis of who was actually requested for commercial print work, based on thousands of castings.

96% of requests were for women over 5’6” tall.

But based on what we have observed, we can draw some tentative conclusions:

2. Short older models (over 40) are much more likely to be hired than short younger ones. There is too much competition among the 5’6” and above group for a young, shorter girl to compete.

Again, this is for classic “commercial print” work, not specialties like glamour, promotional or fitness modeling, where height doesn’t seem to matter as much.

The bottom line is this:  Except for Asians, the market for young female models under 5’5” is vanishingly small, much less than 1% of the market.  With rare exception, a taller girl can do pretty much any print job; a shorter girl is limited to a very small subset.

Agencies know that, at least to a rough approximation. And that is why it is so difficult for a short model to attract the attention of a commercial print agency.

Alexandra Dennis wrote:
I happen to know a girl who is signed with them, she's 5'6 & getting plenty of jobs.

Then why are you asking random people on the internet if it's a scam?  Why aren't you asking her how many gigs they get for 5'3" girls?

KarolinaVon wrote:
Well, in all fairness- and I know this is as HORRiBLE reference in which I'll NEVER bring up again-
But this season's America's Next Top Model is for 5'7'' and under. The winning models of past seasons were signed with either Elite or Ford, but this season (because of the height) the winner cannot receive that contract. But they DO get signed with Wilhelmina because Wilhelmina DOES make that exception. Then again; this is the MAIN Wilhelmina.
Wilhelmina affiliates are sketchy. Not all of them, though. I'm with Wilhelmina-Evolution based out of NC and never paid anything. And I've gotten some work as well. But that's because I'm marketed for commercial projects and acting.
Like everyone's said. Getting educated is the best weapon you can have against scams. And best of luck :]

AMT is NOT the real world.  NONE of the past season "winners" are working models.  This season is 100% a publicity stunt to keep people like the OP watching.

Marc Damon wrote:

+1,000,000
QFT

  You hadn't posted when I started typing LOL.

SLE Photography wrote:

AMT is NOT the real world.  NONE of the past season "winners" are working models.  This season is 100% a publicity stunt to keep people like the OP watching.

Lol, like I said. HORRiBLE reference that I'll never bring up again. As I know TV is not the real world. But it is a reference that I feel the OP might have benefitted from knowing. I don't follow the season nor do I know what their winners are doing. I only know what I'm doing. And am wishing the best for the OP and telling her to stay armed with knowledge

Brian Diaz wrote:
Then why are you asking random people on the internet if it's a scam?  Why aren't you asking her how many gigs they get for 5'3" girls?

Because she either doesn't know enough to ask the right questions (which is obviously why she's here) or because she knows the answer is a big fat ZERO and just doesn't want to give up the dream.

SLE Photography wrote:

  You hadn't posted when I started typing LOL.

Ghostbusters crossing the streams!

SLE Photography wrote:
Wilhelmina licenses their name out to all sorts of semi-legit portfolio mills like the one you encountered.

..............................

I am sure you are correct, and I know nothing about the modeling world, but...

Why would they license their name to semi-legit portfolio mills?  Would this not reflect on their own reputation?

Just asking.

Photography by BE wrote:

I am sure you are correct, and I know nothing about the modeling world, but...

Why would they license their name to semi-legit portfolio mills?  Would this not reflect on their own reputation?

Just asking.

In a word... $money$

Marc Damon wrote:
In a word... $money$

I can understand, but once again.. wouldn't that eventually  reflect on their reputation and credibility?  If some of the people who have a "license" are shady, and in the eyes of models they represent a legit operation, sooner or later would that not tarnish their name?

...edit.. that is what the OP was all about.  She was under the impression it was the real agency.

And.. the "real" agency has links to their affiliates (what they call them).  One of those is the link the OP had.

So, I am still not understanding why a legit operation would let anyone use their name and list them on their own site if they were not legit.

I am not disputing what has been said, but I do not understand... makes no sense, but I am easily fooled.

SLE Photography wrote:

Wilhelmina licenses their name out to all sorts of semi-legit portfolio mills like the one you encountered.

The easy answer for you in terms of determining if something is a scam is that you're 5'3".  No legit agency is ever going to approach you.  You're too short.

This is not to say you can't model, you can certainly take a shot at working independently, but agency work's unlikely to be in your future.

The other thing for avoiding scams is education, and that means knowing how real agencies work.
Read this entire site twice: www.newmodels.com
It will answer most of your questions & tell you what to look for.

WOW is anyone watching the new season of America's Next Top Model. Short Season. And yes, they do have a division for short models under 5'7"..hence the point of the show and them working with that agency.

But yes, obviously that was a scam.

Ivy88 wrote:

WOW is anyone watching the new season of America's Next Top Model. Short Season. And yes, they do have a division for short models under 5'7"..hence the point of the show and them working with that agency.

But yes, obviously that was a scam.

I am still confused as to why Wilhelmina, would have a scam agency linked from their own  web site and clal them an "affiliate".  Ok, money you say, but it just makes no sense unless they are so hard up that they must resort to those tactics.
Maybe that is the case, but sooner or later won't something like that get around.. word of mouth?