THE UPFRONT FEE SCAM

Models should not be required to pay a registration fee, signing-on fees, admin, etc, to join a professional agency, and should not have to pay to go on to an agency's website or on their books.

There are two main ways that a model agency should earn money directly from a model;

1. Charging a fee to a client when the client books a model for a job, OR 2. Taking a pre-agreed percentage commission from a models booking fee when they find them a job.

Some agencies may require a model to pay for their composite cards (sometimes called zed cards) but many agencies will pay for the cards and take the cost out of the models earnings. Neither is right or wrong and every agency works differently.

THE PORTFOLIO SCAM

BRAND NEW MODELS DO-NOT NEED A PORTFOLIO. Simple.

A professional agency only requires snapshots to decide whether a new model is of interest to them. If signed, any shoots arranged to build up images should be free or cheap, dependent on what is included. If in doubt, do research from professionals.

If an agency or studio/photographer tells a model that they need to shoot a 'portfolio', or suggests a 'free shoot' with the addition of buying prints or images (for more than £15-20 each A4/10x8) - it's a scam. The people making the approach or recommending the shoot are often also the studio owners or their staff.

A models portfolio (or 'book' as it should be referred to) needs to be built up over time and preferably with good agency or professional management support. A models book SHOULD NOT cost thousands of pounds and SHOULD NOT be shot by only one person or in one studio in a day.

HEIGHT AND MEASUREMENTS

Girls under 5'7 do get plenty of paid work, but depending on their look, it will be limited to photographic and editorial, some magazines, advertising, and promotional work. Heights of 5'8+ (172.5cm) for girls and 5'11+ (180cm) for guys are the mainstream industry standards. Kate Moss is NOT typical!

THE 'CASTING'

Professional castings do not take place as a one-on-one, by web cam, or in a nightclub. It's flattering to be asked... but use your head. If asked to do a show or shoot, get ALL the job details before a casting and research the organisation.

STREET SCOUTING

Some professional agencies do it, occasionally, but 99% of the time it's a con - usually relating to 'The Portfolio Scam'.

THE INTERNET

The growth of the internet has seen a huge increase in less than reputable individuals/organisations scamming prospective new models. This applies to both 'agencies' and fake 'model competitons'. They are often VERY convincing and glossy, but you can generally tell a fake competition as they require paid public voting to qualify or to move through 'stages' - an obvious money making scam. The very few genuine model competitions that exist are judged and decided by industry professionals, not the general public.

All top agencies will have a professional website to promote their model books to clients and will be office based businesses. It's a simple rule to follow - If an agency only operates online, with a mobile telephone or social networking pages... caution.

Many scam agencies and disreputable individuals also prey on girls by befriending them and offering 'advice' through model forums and websites. The ONLY advice that a new model needs to follow should be sought direct from professionals. Don't be lazy. Get on the phone to some top agencies and ask the questions that you would like answered. It's the ONLY way to get advice.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER

As with agencies, similar levels of caution should be taken with photographers. If working alone, ALWAYS take a chaperone - it covers both the photographer and the model in cases of any misunderstandings. The photographer may well be genuine, and if they are, they certainly won't mind you taking a chaperone.

An individual photographer should always be researched beforehand and have their own professional website - NOT just a third party studio website. A model should be sure that they have the photographers name who is shooting them, as some studios employ cheap inexpereinced student photographers.

A new model should make sure that he/she says yes to only the very best photographers to get the best possible images and pictures for their book (portfolio). Being approached is very flattering, but rarely is it a 'free' shoot of quality, so beware.

And finally...

Ask lots of questions and get a second, professional opinion. If a new model is good enough, they'll get signed eventually and will have genuine professional agencies wanting to represent them.

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