A talent agency on the Gold Coast, "EXCLUSIVE TALENT MANAGEMENT (ETM) - CEO Tim Reedy, is not only scamming copious hopeful models and actors, but is also breaking the law.
ETM has been advertising on various 'job find' websites (listings in QLD, NSW, VIC, SA etc.), claiming that they are currently casting many professional industry jobs such as TV commercials in which you can make $800+ per day - no experience required.
Here is a link to their full advertisement:
http://www.jobseeker.com.au/job/Casting-for-new-65c8f890baffaaa4ae242de74efbf49f
Along with their fancy website (www.e-t-m.com.au) and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/ETMPAGE?fref=ts) this advertisement looks highly impressive. Who doesn't want to make $800+ per day!?
According to various people who've enquired and/or had experience with ETM, the first thing you are required to do when joining ETM is pay a $300 fee upfront, followed by possible extra fees for photos by their "in house" photographer and also extra fees for a showreel. The ETM Facebook page states that they currently have 2800 on their agency books. If this is true, that would mean 2800 people have been charged $300, so ETM has already made $840 000 just in joining fees.
IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR ANY TALENT AGENCY IN QLD TO CHARGE ANYONE JOINING / REGISTRATION FEES. A legitimate talent agency makes their money by taking commission on the work they get their clients - not by taking joining fees.
Here is some information regarding this law, taken from accredited Australian Government Websites:
Department of Industrial Relations QLD
Private Employment Agents - http://www.justice.qld.gov.au/fair-and-safe-work/industrial-relations/private-employment-agents
* Click "Private Employment Agents (Code of Conduct) Regulation 2005)" and open the PDF - see "fee charging restrictions" (Part 2, Division 3)
This outlines several fees in which agents are NOT ALLOWED to charge. Fees in which Exclusive Talent Management are charging.
MEAA (Media, Entertaiment & Arts Alliance) - http://www.alliance.org.au/agents-lists
* Scroll down to "QLD agent contacts" and open PDF file to view.
Taken from MEAA (Alliance):
- All agents in Queensland must adhere to the Private Employment Agents Act
-
You should not pay any upfront fees to an agent as a condition for the agent to represent you it is illegal;
- Agents are not allowed by law to charge you more than ten percent (10%) commission on your gross wages for a job whether its a live music gig, modelling, film and television work, television commercials or live theatre;
- The ten percent (10%) commission is the total fee payable by you. You should not pay your agent for postage, phone calls or similar costs.
ETM is listed as a registered QLD agent with MEAA so they would be well aware of the illegal fees they are charging.
BACKGROUND:
EXCLUSIVE TALENT MANAGEMENT first opened in early 2012, but at that time was known as "GLOBAL TALENT MANAGEMENT (GTM)". They later changed their name to "UNIQUE 1 MANAGEMENT", then changed the name again to "TIMKAREN MANAGEMENT", and are now currently running under "EXCLUSIVE TALENT MANAGEMENT (ETM)"
Why so many name changes in such a short time? I decided to do some research online about Global Talent Management and Exclusive Talent Management to gather some information on whether they were a legitimate agency.
Please see the links below with opinions by various people across Australia regarding GTM and ETM (both Tim Reedy). (Also scroll down on the pages to see additional comments.)
Is Exclusive Talent Management a scam?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130117203102AA4CjFW
Please help take down these scamming SOB's
http://anonnews.org/forum/post/22709
Is ETM a scam?
http://www.ask.com/answers/310582981/is-etm-exclusive-talent-management-a-scam
Is $300 an acceptable membership fee?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AmpMxPNk4xRy7zpI649hKWgjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20121212201652AAM5oEo
Is GTM a legit company? http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkIq1B53EnUgZaWMZTRWIncjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20111208223419AAmfeOq
Am I being scammed?
http://answermoz.com/open-question-is-global-talent-management-gtm-australia-a-legit-company-or-am-i-being-scammed/
Is this company a scam?
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20111214063113AAF5WNI
Has anybody done work with GTM? http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj41_mE3a3oWdjBtOdp48VYjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20120313190014AAJEYQe
Email regarding fees from GTM
http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=794734
If you wish to find out information on Tim Reedy from his website (www.e-t-m.com.au), the only info you get is, "I could give you a giant bio and artist statement but who really cares? The short version is this: I am a talent jedi with 20 years industry experience." Established industry professionals have stated that they have never heard of this company and that ETMs practices are unethical and irregular. No one seems to know who 'Tim Reedy' is. Does he have any credibility? Does he have any experience in the industry? The largest casting companies in QLD have never heard of or have ever worked with ETM. If QLDs biggest casting companies dont know who they are, how is ETM getting their clients work?
ETM have quite an impressive Facebook page. They used to frequently post casting jobs on their own page which were put out by other companies such as showcast.com.au, AT2casting.com and StarNow.com.au. Doing this is not only unethical but also confusing to the public as to who is casting the job. Is ETM / GTM casting the TV commercial or is a different company on AT2? Continuously posting other companys jobs on their own page would give out the impression that work at ETM is booming and that they're the agency to be with, which would explain the number of Facebook fans.
Throughout my research, I have not been able to find anyone who has ever gotten any creditable or professional work from Exclusive Talent Management. ETM only seems to be constantly trying to recruit new people to the agency, usually by holding competitions and offering free giveaways etc. "Who wants to be the face of ETM? Like & Share this post to win a free trip to Melbourne for a photo shoot! Send in your photos for a chance to win! Like & Share to win!" Is this another way to suck in MORE aspiring models to charge more illegal fees?
Exclusive Talent Management / Tim Reedy is breaking the law by charging people illegal fees and has been doing so for over a year under various company names. I find it disgusting that this company advertises all over Australia, and is now starting another office in Melbourne. How many people is this company going to take money from? He needs to be exposed and his actions need to be stopped.