Infinite Talent RIPOFF CAMILE AND HEATHER! Costa Mesa California
I just went to infinite talent last month, I looked at their website, and registered, and got a response that same day. I was told to come for an "evaluation". I went and there was about 6 other people there. (All shapes and sizes). They made me fill out some form with all my info. Then they called me in, they took measurements and 2 pictures. They saw my portfolio, and asked me some questions. It all took about 10 minutes or less. Not even an hour passed by, and I had already gotten a call back from Heather saying they where very interested in working with me, and that I was going to meet with an executive. I went the next day, and saw the same people that where there the day before. They called me in, asked me questions, looked at my portfolio again, then told me to wait for an answer up in front. They called me back in and told me that I was very photogenic and that I had a lot of potential. Then she told me that I needed high fashion pictures. i told her I already had some. Then she said those where not good enough, and that they trusted their photographer more. I told Camile that I knew a high fashion photographer that could do my pictures for free. She said NO, that it had to be with their photographer. Then she told me it would cost me $750 for that photographer. His name is Mark Wilkins (markwilkinsphoto.com)I told her I wasn't sure yet. She said I needed to make up my mind because the photoshoot was in 2 days and she needed to book the photographer.
I went back home and called her. I told her I wanted to take pictures with my photographer. She again told me NO. She said that if I did that, she would have to see them, and approve of them (oviously she wouldn't). So I said that was fine. Then she went on to say that if she didn't approve of them, Mark (their photographer) wasn't going to be available for months, and that I wasn't going to be able to be part of their website. So I was pressured into taking these pictures, that I didn't even need.
When I went to Marks "studio" it was in downtown LA in a little tiny place. I went in, he was very nice, and so was his make up artist (named coco, she had no idea how to apply make up, I know because I do male up). I did my 4 different looks, and went home. Around 2 weeks later I got my a cd in the mail, with the pictures in it. I didn't like them very much (not for $750). I'm on their website now, and all I get are offeres to be in stores like Walmart handing out samples for products, and getting paid cheap money. I have responded to all these "clients" but none of them seem to respond back.
I really think they are just making up these "clients" and making me think that I wasn't "right" for the job. They are just sending me crazy booking requests that leed me nowhere.
I am going to try to cancel my monthly fee, and see how that goes. As for the pictures that I paid for I recieved them, but I doubt that the full $750 went to Mark, and his make up "artist", if that is the case I want to file a law suit, because I read every word that I signed, and it said that the full amount was going to Mark and his make up artist. NOT INFINITE TALENT.
**ALSO** Camile tries to tell you that she is also a model, and that she makes anywhere from 3,000- up a month and that is in a slow month. Which led me to believe, if she makes that much money, WHY THE HELL WOULD SHE BE WORKING AT THE INFINITE TALENT OFFICES AS AN "EXECUTIVE". She would be to busy with all those booking requests to even have time for another job!!
So, HEATHER, CAMILE, SEE YOU IN COURT!
Vanessa
Los Angeles, California
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Jjane
Los Angeles,California,
U.S.A.
Just dealt with them a few days ago
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, May 29, 2009
I contacted them after reading an add. They called me in, first with Heather. She said she liked my look and I'd be good for print and promotional. She said to come in the next day to meet with an executive, Camille. I came in the next day. Camille took some pictures and said it was a good sign that Heather wanted to work with me, but that she - Camille - has the final say. She asked me to go back out to the lobby and wait while she made her decision. After about 15-20 minutes she came back out and said I was very photogenic (I don't think so, but other people do so its a toss up on that one) and that they were interested in working with me.
She said they don't take commission, just $29.99 a month, and if you're new you have to stay with them for at least 6 months. After that it's month to month. She said I needed a portfolio: 4 looks and ten pictures in all. She said it was up to me to find a photographer and get her the pictures within a week, and that I could call and ask for a list of their recommended photographers if I couldn't find one on my own (she said this last bit at the end, kind of in an off-hand manner).
I asked about a contract, she said there was no contract, just the paperwork to sign up with them.
They were both nice and professional, although Camille seemed more distant.
So, (so far) they didn't try to scam me out of anything. However, from what my own reason tells me and from what I've heard about their job offers, it's not worth the $30 a month. I remember that some model who had worked with them said she got mostly promo offers for wal-mart and that they have pretty much the same break-downs as lacasting and modelmayhem, both of which are way cheaper.
So while I, personally, did not feel I was dealing with a scam, I do think they are a waste of time and money.
Ed
Glendale,California,
U.S.A.
They Use The Same Story Every Time
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, February 13, 2009
I cannot say I was scammed by Infinite Talent (except out of a lot of gas money), but I do believe they are running a scam. I had an almost identical experience to the one described above.
I responded to an ad, was told to come in for an initial interview with Heather Duback, was called back 2 days later (a Thursday) to meet with an executive (Camille Bernal) who took a few 'test shots', had me wait in the lobby for 15 or 20 minutes, then called me in and said they wanted to bring me on and work with me. She even said I was very photogenic, which immediately put me on guard because I happen to know that I'm not photogenic. The pitch for getting high fashion photos was the same too, but what really struck me when I read the complaint above was how they gave the same reason for getting the photos done immediately: the photographer was doing a shoot that Sunday in downtown LA, and this was the last group shoot he'd be doing for months because very soon they were going to stop accepting new models. If I wanted to think about it, I'd miss the shoot and have to book him as an individual, which would be much more expensive. I had to let her know by the next day. It seemed plausible at the time, but now it's just too much of a coincidence. It's a high pressure sales tactic, employed right when they give you the great news about accepting you to work with them, meant to rush you into making a bad decision.
After hearing about the website at $30 a month I told them I'd get back to them. I decided that if they don't take a commission, then they have no incentive to get work for their models, but plenty of incentive to sign up suckers like me for their website. I asked a friend of mine who had worked as a fashion model and she told me her agency took a commission and paid for all the photos they initially took when they signed her, and that she was told this was standard practice.
I think the reason they've been able to get away with this for so long is that they don't necessarily do anything for which they could be arrested, or rather nothing we can prove. They'll probably get sued into bankruptcy like Heather's previous 'agency' in Seattle, then move to Las Vegas or San Diego and open under a new name. It makes me sick just thinking about it.