- Report: #1206858
Complaint Review: RPM Talent Agency - Burbank California
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Author Not Confirmed
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RPM Talent Agency
2600 West Olive Avenue, Burbank, CA 91505 Burbank, 91505 California, USA
Phone:
818.333.5150
Web:
www.rpmtalent.com
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RPM Talent Agency Thexposure Studio Scam, conflict of interest, con artists Burbank California
I won't say how I know Tiffany Atwood-Richer (RPM Talent) and Jim Richer (ThExposure Studio). I will say that I know them well and I'm ashamed that I didn't cut them out of my life sooner.
Here's how their scam works. Tiffany (posing as a serious talent agent) will set up meetins all day long just to meet new victims. She will sit with the victim and first sell them on the idea that she is a professional talent agent, and she actually does talent agent work all day. The truth is that she does not. She mainly takes meetings with "new potential clients". How does one get any work done when this is their day to day agenda? She doesn't it's all about finding marks.
Once a victim has made their way to her office she will sell them the story of how they are this big time agency. Once that is out of the way, she will probably ask to see your photos. It does not matter how good your photos are, she is going to find a reason to refer you to her husband, Jim Richer for photos. She will say that you need a photo in a business outfit if you are not showing it to her immediately, or you need photos with your hair back so she can get you auditions for younger roles, or you should grow out your facial hair a bit so you can go in on more rugged or slacker type roles. There are dozens of things you can do with photos that she will try to convince you to do and conveniently with her husband Jim Richer who I will get to later.
Okay, now you've convinced her that you don't need photos and you're not willing to reshoot. That's okay, she's now going to tell you about the acting classes at Thexposure studio.
If you were unlucky enough to book the photoshoot with Jim Richer, here is how his scam works: Oh!, great deal. Only $300 for headshots. I can swing that price. Jim will present you with a contract to sign before the shoot. This contract basically says that he can charge you for any expenses incurred for the shoot and how you will be responsible to pay for varous nickle and dime fees along the way. Let's say they don't convice you that you need to be riding a live elephant for the shoot and you just come with your own close and do a shoot. After the shoot, guess what? You don't own any of the photos, cause you signed that contract. Yes, you paid for Jim to shoot the photos, and that's all that's paid for. You want to see the photos you say? Well you can view them online for up to a week, they are going to be watermarked and unusable, and then you will probably have not had time to select them. So once they fall off the site, then you just have to pay $25 for a CD of the images. Oh those are watermarked too. You still don't own any of the images. Tiffany said you needed 5 looks, but that's going to cost you $50 per image (cause they retouch it). What are we up to now? That's right $575 from $300. They also do printing! Did I mention that Jim has been accused of sexual harrassment by several people I've known personally and at least a half a dozen online?
Back to RPM...
Okay Tiffany has your photos. Time for auditions and bookings! Psych! I won't say that they don't have Breakdowns and LA Casting accounts, they do, and I'm sure they have some brainwashed agent wannabes clicking away, but their reputation is so bad that many casting directors who know their scam don't want to call people into their office because they hope that these actors end up somewhere else. Seriously ...everyone that works for them is brainwashed into thinking the same things that their prospective talent think. If you spend a couple years watching just their website you will see employees come and go very quickly. See if you can find anyone that's been employed by them for more than 2 years. You can't.
I've been in the industry over 20 years and I have never met more crooked people than this husband and wife team. How RPM has not lost their license by now is beyond me completely.
It's very disappointing to see that MarK Tillman (casting director) presumably came to their defense ion this site. I thought he was a legit casting director. Could be that he's brianwashed like the rest of them into thinking that there is somethign real going on over there. Maybe he's teaching on of Thexposure Studio's acting classes. Either way, it's a shame. If you are reading this, please just go find an agency that is a member of the Association of Talent Agencies and stay away from this place. If you are there currently and you've actually gotten a booking or two, then please do yourself a favor and go somewhere else where you can flourish.
