- Report: #187451
Complaint Review: Infinite Talent USA - Newport California
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Infinite Talent USA
1901 Newport Boulevard, Suite 350 Newport, 92627 California, U.S.A.
Phone:
949-999-2040
Web:
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Infinite Talent USA Photo mill ripoff all the real agencies say they are a scam and refuse to work with their people Watch Out Newport California
*Author of original report: What is a photo mill?
*Author of original report: What is a photo mill?
*Author of original report: What is a photo mill?
*Author of original report: What is a photo mill?
*Consumer Suggestion: ming wu is a photo mill photographer!
*Consumer Suggestion: california labor code
A couple of models have asked me about this company so I called a couple of bookers at the real agencies here in LA. They started laughing when I mentioned Infinite Talent USA. They said that the images are not only awlful but that the makeup and styling is typical of a photo-mill. One booker said that if the images include brickwalls, fences, grafitti, bedsheet backgrounds,etc....it is a sign of a beginning or student photographer. And certainly not "high fashion" photography.
All three agencies said that they will not sign any of their models because they do not want to be associated with questionable business practices and because of all the bad publicity associated with IT USA.
This company started in Portland under Options Talent and is all over the BBB, ....had to leave the city for bad publicity. Then they started in Seattle, WA....moved offices several times...and finally shut down and moved to California. Even though they claim to have no link to Options Talent...Easybackground Check lists them with the same business adress and founder...Heather Duback.I also came across several newspaper articles on Heather Duback and IT USA....it is a clear ripoff. Real agencies will never use high pressure sales or ask you to bring a credit card to an interview. This is so sad for the industry. Shooting 6-12 models in one day with 4 clothing changes is a photomill...how can you get good images. I "googgled" their name and found their ad looking for a fashion photographer...pays $80 per model, $40 for make-up artist...6-12 people in one day. My fellow fashion photographers and I photograph one model at a time with a professional make-up/artist, hair stylist, and clothing stylist for about the same price. Why does IT USA charge $695-$975 and ask you to pay them and not the photographer......the easiest sign of a scam. Make sure that the photographer has a website...if not then they are probably not legit. Finally, talent agencies are required by law in California....to have a licence and be registered.... I looked on the State Registration site and did not see their name. A talent agency licence is not the same as a business licence....don't be fooled and stay far away from these people. There are at least 30 legit agencies in LA with a Yellow Pages ad...if they turn you down it is because they can not get you work at this time...at least an honest answer...and it is free! People need to be more carefull as IT USA gives modeling a bad name.
Anonymous Shooter
LA, California
U.S.A.
All three agencies said that they will not sign any of their models because they do not want to be associated with questionable business practices and because of all the bad publicity associated with IT USA.
This company started in Portland under Options Talent and is all over the BBB, ....had to leave the city for bad publicity. Then they started in Seattle, WA....moved offices several times...and finally shut down and moved to California. Even though they claim to have no link to Options Talent...Easybackground Check lists them with the same business adress and founder...Heather Duback.I also came across several newspaper articles on Heather Duback and IT USA....it is a clear ripoff. Real agencies will never use high pressure sales or ask you to bring a credit card to an interview. This is so sad for the industry. Shooting 6-12 models in one day with 4 clothing changes is a photomill...how can you get good images. I "googgled" their name and found their ad looking for a fashion photographer...pays $80 per model, $40 for make-up artist...6-12 people in one day. My fellow fashion photographers and I photograph one model at a time with a professional make-up/artist, hair stylist, and clothing stylist for about the same price. Why does IT USA charge $695-$975 and ask you to pay them and not the photographer......the easiest sign of a scam. Make sure that the photographer has a website...if not then they are probably not legit. Finally, talent agencies are required by law in California....to have a licence and be registered.... I looked on the State Registration site and did not see their name. A talent agency licence is not the same as a business licence....don't be fooled and stay far away from these people. There are at least 30 legit agencies in LA with a Yellow Pages ad...if they turn you down it is because they can not get you work at this time...at least an honest answer...and it is free! People need to be more carefull as IT USA gives modeling a bad name.
Anonymous Shooter
LA, California
U.S.A.
6 Updates & Rebuttals
Anonymous
Los Angeles,California,
U.S.A.
california labor code
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, April 29, 2006
California Labor Code Section 1701.12: "An advance-fee talent service, or its agent or employee, may not do any of the following.... Charge or attempt to charge, directly or indirectly, an artist for creating or providing photographs, filmstrips, videotapes, audition tapes, demonstration reels, or other reproductions of the artist, casting or talent brochures, or other promotional materials for the artist."
Anonymous
Los Angeles,California,
U.S.A.
ming wu is a photo mill photographer!
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sat, April 22, 2006
and Tom Casey is too!!!!
Fred
Seattle,Washington,
U.S.A.
What is a photo mill?
#4Author of original report
Thu, April 20, 2006
What is a photo mill? A modeling scam in which an individual, group, photographer, agent, agency, modeling school, model manager, etc., financially exploits aspiring models or working models by engaging in continuous sales of photography and/or comp cards and/or portfolios which are overpriced, unnecessary, or by which a profit is derived at the expense of the models under the pretext getting the photography, comp cards, or portfolio will land them modeling jobs worth more than the photography-related expenses. Red flags: * payment is made to the agency, not the photographer * high sales pressure * extreme pricing * agency recommends only one photographer
Fred
Seattle,Washington,
U.S.A.
What is a photo mill?
#5Author of original report
Thu, April 20, 2006
What is a photo mill? A modeling scam in which an individual, group, photographer, agent, agency, modeling school, model manager, etc., financially exploits aspiring models or working models by engaging in continuous sales of photography and/or comp cards and/or portfolios which are overpriced, unnecessary, or by which a profit is derived at the expense of the models under the pretext getting the photography, comp cards, or portfolio will land them modeling jobs worth more than the photography-related expenses. Red flags: * payment is made to the agency, not the photographer * high sales pressure * extreme pricing * agency recommends only one photographer
Fred
Seattle,Washington,
U.S.A.
What is a photo mill?
#6Author of original report
Thu, April 20, 2006
What is a photo mill? A modeling scam in which an individual, group, photographer, agent, agency, modeling school, model manager, etc., financially exploits aspiring models or working models by engaging in continuous sales of photography and/or comp cards and/or portfolios which are overpriced, unnecessary, or by which a profit is derived at the expense of the models under the pretext getting the photography, comp cards, or portfolio will land them modeling jobs worth more than the photography-related expenses. Red flags: * payment is made to the agency, not the photographer * high sales pressure * extreme pricing * agency recommends only one photographer
Fred
Seattle,Washington,
U.S.A.
What is a photo mill?
#7Author of original report
Thu, April 20, 2006
What is a photo mill? A modeling scam in which an individual, group, photographer, agent, agency, modeling school, model manager, etc., financially exploits aspiring models or working models by engaging in continuous sales of photography and/or comp cards and/or portfolios which are overpriced, unnecessary, or by which a profit is derived at the expense of the models under the pretext getting the photography, comp cards, or portfolio will land them modeling jobs worth more than the photography-related expenses. Red flags: * payment is made to the agency, not the photographer * high sales pressure * extreme pricing * agency recommends only one photographer
