Complaint Review: John Robert Powers - Laguna Hills, Brea, California

I want to disect this complaint for a minute... I went to the Laguna Hills John Robert Powers about a year ago, and brought them my 3 year old son. The owner did a seminar, his name is Michael Joston, I did not think too much of that, but my wife wanted to get our son into modeling and acting. So when she met with Dan Josten, I went along with giving them all that money. Indeed, they charge $10,000 for their life time classes, the only thing is that there was only one class available for my son's age, and I would have to wait for him to be a teen ager to be able to bring him to more classes! (This one-class comment is outrageous. There are many classes offered to the children's division. There is Scene study, Comedy, commercial audition technique-which, I assume, is what your child has taken-, film scene, fashion commercial print, improv, voice/diction, etc..) In addition, the class was about teaching the kids how to do a peanut butter commercial over and over for ten weeks, my son was doing this mechanical robotic account of peanut butter, and would be unable to audition in front of anybody for any real job! (again, I think your child was in commercial audition technique. At his age, we start off with this class because it helps with memorization, diction, comfort with performing in front of the camera, and it helps with marketing the child with material that would be suitable for their look and age. Granted, if he only received ONE commercial in ten weeks, then the instructor wasn't challenging him enough, but I doubt that.) I asked one of the teachers there whose resume said he worked on a John Malkovich movie what part he did on the movie, and he said: 'Oh, I was just a stand-in on the movie'. He then explained to me that the 'stand in' job, pertains to standing where an actor stands and take his marks while they fix the lights! So their teachers are extras, that pose as actors. Then came the meetings with 'agents', after the ten weeks, and this young girl was there from some small agency, and said that she needed to take my son's headshot to her boss, because he makes the decisions. So why wasn't her boss, the 'actual agent' there? (this is where you get real ignorant. Most actors do stand-in work, and extra work to suppliment their income. Its a great way to network, and it keeps you working. You obviously know nothing at all of what this business is about. Only about 4% of working actors make over $50,000 a year at it. 85% make less than $15,000 a year at it. If you think you're going to be an instant movie star, get another job and keep your dreams to yourself. That instructor probably works harder than you ever have and has gotten some great jobs from it. If you think acting is all about fame and fortune, you're better off not even trying it, because you're going to be really upset with yourself. As for the agents, do you honestly think the head of an agency can personally make it to every audition? Thats why they have agent(s)...plural. Most agencies are more than one person. I feel sorry for the agency that is just one person because their workload would be a nightmare. So an agent who worked for an agency under the owner's name came to audition your child. Are you THAT self-centered that the world must cater to your every need? If so, then like I said before, you don't belong in this business. ) When I got upset with them and asked for my money back, I left various messages, and a woman named Natalie, who was probably another one of their receptionsts finally took one of my calls, and told me that there was no money back. When I said I was going to write letters to their main location in Beverly Hills, she said: 'Be my guest, they are like a different company, because we are a franchise, and under a different ownership. They will not give you any money back either. If you wanted to cancel you had to do it within seventy two hours'. (This is why it is always important to read everything in your contract before ever signing anything. If this cant be done, then believe me YOU DONT WANT TO BE IN THIS BUSINESS!) How did I know then how much of a scam they are. I have the feeling that those 'agents' are actual employees of that place, that are just there to make them look good, and never call anybody. I even called SAG, the actors union, and asked them what I could do about this, and their response was that they are aware of this school, but cannot help my son, because he does not belong to their union. How can he ever belong to that union if he does not do work as a model and actor? (again, you have no idea how the business works. You have to earn your way into the union. You must do your research! There are different unions for actors and you have to earn your way into each one, and after you earn your way into it, you then have to pay for your union card. I believe SAG has jumped up a bit in price as of late. I believe its about $2,200. AFTRA, and AEA also have their costs as well...thats after you have to work for several years non-union. Try looking up SAG, or the other unions online before you go calling them to complain about things they don't deal with. And SAG has nothing to do with modeling. You need more education.) I strongly recommand for people to think twice before they go to ant of the John Robert Powers schools, espcially the Laguna Hills one. The one in Brea also must belong to them because when they call you, they offer you either locations. (I strongly recommend you do some research about the business of acting before shelling out thousands of dollars to anyone. All acting schools are going to cost you money, JRP simply gives an added bonus of giving auditions to our talent to go along with the excellent teaching.) Pascal Laguna Niguel, California U.S.A.

I have been through the whole JRP system, sadly before I found this website. While I completely agree and most people on here would agree that JRP is a scam, I think that in your anger you might have mixed up your thoughts a little bit on this subject, and may not even understand the relationship of the employees at JRP to the administrators. One of the teachers there left without warning and later we found that she had posted on another one of this type of site, saying that she didn't know that it was a scam while she was working there, and was angry that her employers had been lying to her. She was a relatively new employee as I understood it, so the other teachers there who had been there longer must have caught on but been okay with the scam. As for your jab at the teachers, saying that they are "extras that pose as actors"...do you know how hard it is to get a real part in Hollywood? I've rehearsed for auditions, gotten callbacks, and rehearsed more only to get work as an extra and it is TOUGH, UNDERPAYING HARD WORK. But sometimes it is all an actor can get. However, that doesn't mean that they are not actors. Besides, isn't the whole point of AN ACTOR to POSE AS a particular character? The two phrases are basically synonyms. Think about your statements before you seriously offend someone later on. If you had stated that in real life to a roomful of working actors, they would be furious that you did not take work as an extra seriously. And most importantly, think about your son. Was he the one who wanted to try modeling, or was it you who was so invested in it that you were willing to blindly invest 10 grand in an unsure thing just so you could live out your dreams through him? Next time do your research and at least ask your son if it's what he actually wants if you havent!

My rebuttal is directed towards Pascal, who says the JRP school only had one age appropriate class for his child. Did you ask what classes your child was to be taking. when they were offered and would the child be given an evaluation, before being able to enrole in another class. These are all questions you needed to ask before to signed up for lifetime classes. My daughter is 5, currently enrolled in a JRP, she has attended six classes in just under one year. At 4 1/2 she repeated the first class. Since the first week in school she has been given audition opportunities. Legitimate agents and casting directors come to our school nearly bi-weekly. In Jan. 2007, 5 1/2 years old competed at IMTA. Entering 11 coompetitions, both in acting and modeling. Received two awards, placing 3rd runner-up in fashion jeans and Honorable Mention for placing in the top 15 overall in her age division(4-8) for actor of the year. She now has a Manager in LA who recruited her and is in the process of signing with a major Talent Agency, also in LA. IMTA(International Modeling and Talent Association) competitions earned her 23 callbacks. So you do the math. We did the research before we spent our $10,000. By the way, she still attends class, going on to advanced acting. She has had 2 paying jobs and is actively going to callouts. Best of luck to you in the future. Enrollment at JRP is honored and transferrable by all locations. James Las Vegas, Nevada