Complaint Review: MMG - MODEL MANAGEMENT GROUP NYC - New York City New York

MMG - they're intentions ARE NOT to find their "models" work. Let me explain my experience:

When first submitting myself to the agency, I got an immediate response about setting up a meeting with one of the talent managers, Stephanie. When I arrived for my appointment, there were about 10 other models waiting for their "meetings". This should have been a red flag to me. I waited a half an hour for my meeting and upon review of my portfolio, Stephanie said that I needed more photos even though I had tons of images. She said that she could use them but I needed more commercial looking photos that "shows the front of your face", she said. She then went went on and on about the fees that needed to be paid to market me on MMG's website (over $200 annual fee and some other initiation fees). This should have been another red flag. Wait. There's more.

She said the main way they get castings is through Actors Access but their bookers submit you themselves for paying gigs- which I doubt. (Side note: theyre "bookers", a Caucasian girl with blonde hair- Symona and black guy will shout out across the room about a client they just booked for one of the "models' but don't let it fool you.) I figured I didn't need to give them money for the marketing material as long as they were submitting me to castings for free because Actors Access charges $2 per submission regularly. In the manual, it says not to submit yourself to any jobs by yourself. I wonder why?! They don't show receipt that they ACTUALLY submit you themselves. Maybe it's because they don't actually submit and pay for you but ok.

After 2 months, I heard nothing about auditions or any castings. I asked Stephanie about it and she said I didn't have enough pictures and that she recommends I take more with MMG's trusted photographers and that I had to pay, out of my own pocket, for the shoots. WHAT?! What agency makes you pay your way. If they think that you have potential to make them money from gigs why wouldnt they invest in your port? They will get their money back and more. I then mentioned if it was ok to find my own photographer to shoot and she said MMG's photographers are better than any other photographer. I saw their photograper's website and their work looked decent but not that great to spend over $1000 on. There are three red flags here: 1) She didn't mention how MMG submits models for commercial print work or what source they used for that matter and 2) she made it clear that MMG was not investing ANY MONEY in me and 3) There's no proof mmG really submits you.

After stamping it in her head that I wasn't using MMG's photographers she left it alone BUT proceeded to try to get me to payi for the upfront fees for the marketing materials. She proceed, not once, not twice, but about three times to get me to do it. WHAT?! She then mentioned that she doesn't know if I would book a job EVER. WHAT? Why did you sign me on the spot then? By now it was clear to me that all of her attempts were to get me to basically give up some money.

In retrospect, all of those models that were at the office really didn't look like models. No offense, but a lot of them were barely 5'5 or in shape. One girl even had a green rinse in her hair. Their roster is extremely long but I doubt that they even find all of these people work. If this was the case , they would be making tons of money and would be able to pay for these upfront fees and photo shoot expenses. Come on. Their office looks slightly dilapidated and small.

At the end of the day, this was my experience. Maybe they do find some, as in 2%, of their talent work. But honestly, if they're using Actors Access then anyone else can find themselves work on their also. I've done and so can anyone else. I wish I read other complaints on here about MMG because there's a lot of time I wasted that I can't get back. For all of those out there reading this, dont sign with them. If you do, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY.

Good luck and never settle!