Debut Events LA / NY (www.debutevents.com); Nova Talent Scouts (www.novatalentscouts.com); JB Entertainment (Justin Brown) Tami Smith (www.entertainmentjb.com) World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA)
Consumer Comments
December 8, 2004
Today when I went to go on the website to check for recent news, it said the 'website could not be found' ( _www.debutevents.com_ (http://www.debutevents.com).
In the search results there was a post from OCdealers saying it was a scam. But when I went to go to _www.ocdealers.com_ (http://www.ocdealers.com) that website couldn't be found.
I am constantly trying to research and find out more information but haven't found much other than their own press releases.
The scouting agency that came up is Nova Talent Scouts. _www.novatalentscouts.com_ (http://www.novatalentscouts.com) The company that we are training through is JB Entertainment (Justin Brown) 2060 D Avenida De Los Arboles, #261 Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 805-529-4390, _www.entertainmentjb.com_ (http://www.entertainmentjb.com).
The event that we are supposed to go to is in LA , March 25-28, 2005. I would like to find out more information.
I know usually the posts say that you should not have to go to a convention/showcase to be discovered.
The total cost is $4,495.00 which includes: Event registration fees and badge, enrollment in 3 performances (additional performances are 50.00 each, seminars/workshop admittance, 4 days/3 nights accommodations at the hotel, roundtrip airfare, ground transportation, tickets to dance party, ticket to finals, photo in directory, copy of directory, ticket to awards ceremony, ticket to award dinner, entrance to call back room, headshots/zed cards, management and marketing services during and after event, custom marketing and development program throughout training, daily meetings at event, workshops for interview, audition, and go see day.
Prior to the event there is over 60 hours of training in preparation, professional photo session, professional acting seminars with acting coach, professional modeling seminars w/ modeling coach, the business of acting/modeling seminar, image workshop, fashion and commercial print workshop, hair, makeup, diet, posture, and wardrobe preparation by staff.
I did speak with Tami from Nova Talent Scouts . . . Now instead of going to Debut for four days in March, we will be going to the World Championship of Performing Arts for 8 days in August all for the same price.
This sounds pretty legit to me and I've done some research on WCOPA and haven't found anything negative. Let me know what you find please. Thank you,
Concerned
Comments
This sounds a lot like IMTA and AMTC, prices, everything else. They have
copied them. Have you read the stories on those companies?
/letters-imta.html
/letters-millie-lewis.html
The price is just astronomical. So much of what they package into the
4495.00 is not necessary. All that professional photography is wrong. It's
obviously designed to get as much money out of people as possible.
You said it sounds pretty legit to you. That's the problem. It does *sound* legit, but it's just a big money-making scheme. They have done nothing to bring the price down; instead, they've added things to jack the price up.
Even if you're not in a big city or fashion capital, that doesn't mean young people have to fly out. You have to start by finding agencies which are reputable, then find out what they want, then send pictures or resumes, etc., whatever they ask for.
Choose the end point, such as an agency, then ask them if young people
need to go to conventions, and schools for the conventions, etc. Get an
unbiased opinion from those who know.
Can't find a ton of dirt on the people involved, but it's really not necessary
to find it when you see the breakdown on prices, and the total price itself,
set against the history of extremely similar companies.
If you look around the web, you'll find there are talent industry professionals
who speak out against these types of school/convention schemes.
Complaint
I am writing you today because I have been pursued by Tami Smith with Nova Model and Talent Scouts about WCOPA AKA "World Championships of Performing Arts." This is suppossed to be the socalled "olympics for performing artists," but in my opinion it is a rip-off.
Here's why. I inquired about WCOPA in August 2004 and the price to attend then was only $995. That was before Tami Smith came on board. After January 2005 they raised it from the initial $995 fee to $4,995! Why such a HUGE PRICE JUMP?!!!!!
They are trying to make major bucks and include bogus things that are definitely NOT NEEDED except to line their pockets. They are trying to say that this socalled convention will be aired on TV in 2006; we will see.
I believe they know a lot of aspiring models, actors, singers, and dancers really want the chance to be seen and they are taking advantage of that and our money. Outrageous!!!
Model
