Complaint Review: Interface - gaithersburg Maryland

Please do not sign an agreement with InterFace. They will bring you into a room and conduct what is known in business, as a  high pressured sales pitch.  It reminded me of the aggressiveness of the Time Share folks when we visited Florida. Further, do not make any major decisions during your visit.  I put down a $50.00 deposit due in part to the sales persons high pressured tactics,  and immediately went home to cancel my daughters photo shoot. I have a policy in my family that we do not make any purchases over $500.00 without 'sleeping' on it first.  Thankfully, we only put down 50.00, because, as you see below, the prices of their photo shoots are very expensive.  I will return to this site within 30 days to let you know if I actually got my refund returned. Though I work hard for my money, and $50.00 is a lot of money, it certainly won't break the bank like some of the prices I listed below.  Please note that in order to receive your refund, you must submit your cancellation notice via certified mail and within 3 days (note, these are not business days, they are counting actual days). 

All InterFace purports to do in their contract is take pictures and send them out. I would recommend that if you are interested in the entertainment business, to go listen to their sales pitch as my daughter and I got some good advice about how to present a professional looking card, making sure you have different looks for your session (preppy, sporty, hipster, sophisticated). To me, if they were only concerned about getting your childs face out in front of agents, they would accept quality photos taken from any reputable photographer, but no, they require you take photos with them.  I've listed all of the prices below, so that you can at least be aware of what it will cost you prior to entering into the high pressured sales pitch of doom!

 1 Outfit (Infants) 48 Images/$595.00

 1 Outfit + headshot  48 images/ $775.00

2 Outfits + headshot 48 Images/$925.00

3 Outfits + headshot 48 Images/$1075.00

 4 Outfits + Headshots 48 Images/ $1225.

3 Outfits + Headshots 96 images/$1495

4 Outfits + headshots 96 images/$1645

5 Outfits + headshots 150 images /$1895

Elite Customers (8 hours) Unlimited shots $5500.00

Half day elite (4 hours)   Unlimited shots $34.95

As you can see, these are astronomical prices. Any reputable agency is willing to invest this in you because they expect to get money in return from you as client when they book jobs for you. In fact, I learned that no reputable agent will ask for any money from you up front. Like a real estate agent, there motivation is in getting the deal done, not peddling products for up front cash! 

In addition to the cost of the shoot, you are required to purchase 50 prints at $4.25 a pop. Additionally, they own the copyright to your photos unless you read the fine print and pay $49.95  However, upon closer examination of the copyright policy, it seems that these crooks are making money two unscrupolous ways, 1st, by charging exorborante amounts of money for the photo shoot, and secondly, by retaining copyright of your images.  

Additionally, in their disclaimer section of the contract, InterFace purports that:

 We make no representation or warranties regarding likelihood of employment

 We will not procure or obtain ...employment for you.

We will not identify ,appraise, refer,  or recommend you to be considered for employment.

InterFace is a photo agency. If you want to take expensive pictures as keepsakes, go for it. Otherwise, if you are really interested in pursuing the entertainment industry, speak to a reputable, licensed talent agent. Agents don't get paid unless you do, so they are motivated to get you employment. The people at InterFace are only motivated to get you to take pictures. I

I talked to my daughter about this in detail after our visit because I believe it serves as a teachable moment for anyone remotely interested in this industry. There are a lot of sharks out there who prey on your hopes and dreams, InterFace is one of those entities.  Let's put these folks out of business in the state of Maryland!