I made a sale working for MWP in February of 2013 and was never paid for it. Instead I was given the run around in every conceivable way.I did have reservations with doing any work for this organization, because it didnt really seem they had the capacity to deliver on many of the outlandish claims they made regarding the ability to help models get a leg up in the business, but decided to put my reservations aside, lest I lose out on the opportunities eluded to in my dealings with them.
for the one sale I made, I saw no will or care as to whether I would ever receive payment for it. I didn't see that as a priority at all and no mention or even response was given for it. Something that was agreed upon prior to me performng a service isn't coming true.
After months of nonpayment, I finally thought that perhaps this agency didnt possess the wherewithall to pay me, so I agreed to have my pictures done as a substitute for the payment which apparently never seemed forthcoming.
Rather than properly address my greivance every effort to skirt the issue and kick the can down the hill was given, culminating in me finally getting annoyed enough to "threaten" this company by exposing to the internet what a bunch of parasitic rip offs they really are. In response, I received a text from Michael instead of apologizing and finally coming clean with the commission i was promised, threatening me with his lawyers and his 'friends' in the mayor's office and homeland security, and finally once again, promising a commission, which miraculously dwindled to less than half of what it was supposed to be. promises of payment start becoming as hollow as the nonexistant payment which ensues.
I can only guess its more more valuable for MWP to withhold my commission from my one lone sale and profiting from that, for earnings that based on our agreement have been earned but never paid, rather than actually paying me the commission promised as not only good business, but an act of good faith.
I dont know why it would even be a debate. When I make a promise regarding remitting payment for goods or services, I stick with it. That way people know that i can be trusted, and i have a clear conscious and stellar reputation.
Maybe young, naive models and interns that michael and sarah are well versed in bullying and manipulating can be dissuaded by hollow threats of homeland security or the mayors office ( i believe he is the one in trouble for implying that such an agency would have any interest in any of this), but I will do anything in my power to not allow an unsuspecting model or professional from having anything to do with this 'company'.
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MWP bookings <bookings@mwpstudios.com>
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You will receive your commission, the only reason it was placed on hold was your request to have your head shots taken in lieu...then you had a lot of personal things going on and I didn't hear from you for a long time.
Your commission request has been submitted to the accounting department and will be sent ASAP
All the best,
Sara
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Mindful
New York,New York,
United States
CON ARTISTS: DO NOT TRUST THEM
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, February 10, 2019
BEWARE!!!!
I have no doubt that either Michael or Sara paid off the original poster of this report to write their rebuttal and put this under the radar. I knew Michael intimately for years and he complained about this report many times. I was a young model looking for work in NYC. I came upon Michael after making a profile on modelmayhem, which I know now to be a pretty amateur/taboo network. He actually messaged me first, meaning he had sara reaching out to tons of models bringing them into the "studio", which is actually Michael's apartment.
It was at a different location at the time, but after becoming friends with me, Michael openly admitted to me that he has each model pay $800 for a test shoot, which is unheard of for someone like him who isn't doing actual work. He claimed to lie to his partners about spending the money after I paid him cash to get me off the hook (since he had taken a liking to me). He doesn't actually have connections. His entire website was well designed as a hoax to make it look as professional as possible, I'll admit, he did a good job.
For years the shoots and images are the same, just from tests or fake editorials that he moves around. Occacionally he will come accross a job and he makes it stretch for years. He uses the studio to sleep with models and take advantage of young girls. He once made me play part of his scheme. I feel terrible about it, but he charged a girl who wanted to be a model THOUSANDS for a crap shoot. Didn't even have a makeup artist. The images were laughable. He pretends to have an agency with sarah as his partner. Sara is his WIFE and she got deported for her involvement. Michael got another studio after I kept my distance for awhile. He started an instagram buisness where he tricks models into coming in for a "casting", but he just sells them a scam instagram robot for hundreds a month subscription. He makes all his money off scamming models at his fake agency. STAY AWAY!!!!!!
Apart from this...he is a CREEP. He only wants to shoot nudes and gets frustrated when you don't want to shoot anything aside from soft core porn with baby oil. He forces massages on models and rubs his hard d**k on you when he shoots. I was dumb enough to put up with it and even somewhat be a part of it. I hope this helps other girls stay away from him. He is a good con artist and he will try to convince you that everyone is not trustworthy, but he has made his bed to lie in.
talent agent
jersey city,New Jersey,
they settled my problem amicably and in a timely fashion
#3Author of original report
Wed, September 11, 2013
After the company paid me in a timely manner, I only wish I was a little slower on the trigger finger to post this report in retrospect. I wish them all success. I hope this doesn't disuade anyone from doing business with them in the future. My apologies for wasting time and maligning their reputation in any way.