I was talking to my friend and she was telling me that tomorrow she was gonna go to this Model Search. And she was all like "Why dont u come?" And i was like "ok". She said that I should go because im "skinny". But I dont think that I have the right "look". Im female, brown eyes, medium brown hair, weigh around 95 lbs., my height is only 5ft! Im 13 years old about to turn 14 in April. And eventhough Im mexican I have pale skin! (THANX TO MY GREAT GRANDFATHER!). And I think my friend is cuter than me plus she has had modeling experience (just alittle). My friend has light brown hair, it looks like tanned skin, big eyes (my eyes are kinda big too), she's a good height and a nice build. I think Im gonna go with her but I feel insecure and nervous cuz I'VE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE!
MSA is not a scam..i know cuz without them i would've never gotten signed with Wilhelmina models. The money that u have to pay (the 700 dollars) is so they can fly 50 different agencies out to where you are, to see you. You would never have the oppurtunity to see agencies like MTV, and 20th century FOX, ford, wilhelmina etc. In the same room at the same time without MSA. What you do is you walk a runway in front of all these agencies, if they like you, then they call you back. From there they talk with you and just get a feel to how your attitude is (they dont' want stuck up models) From there it is your job to stay in touch with them. If you live in california and the only agency is in N.Y. Then u have to decide if it's worth flying out and meeting them. If it is then go for it (i did). ( you should probably keep in contact with them over phone or email) from there u say(on the phone) "i'm from MSA and i got called back from ____(name) i was wondering if i could make an appointment to meet with you" usually they will say yes. So you go in and if they like you then they will sign you. BUt it all depends on YOU! they won't call you, you have to call them! if modeling is something you seriously want to do , than by whatever means follow your dreams! MSA isn't a scam it happens! i know this sounds REALLY cliche, but if it can happen to a normal girl like me, it can happen to you!
Model Search America (MSA) has hired the scam artists from Model 1 (busted by the Feds). These "consultants" were recently fired by Lou Pearlman of Wilhelmina Scouting Network (WSN) shortly after the Orlando media exposed their business history and criminal records (which Pearlman, incidentally, knew).
Now these con men have started to operate the same type of business they set up at WSN for MSA. Based on the intervention of the Orlando Attorney General's Office, MSA's ads for scouts on Monster.com were terminated, as the Monster.com ads for WSN scouts were also terminated after Newsweek reported on WSN.
Despite the removal of the ads by Monster, they have reappeared. This happened previously with emodel.com. When they were banned by Monster.com, the ads reappeared under a different name. If you see any ads for Model Search America on Monster.com, contact the Attorney General's Office in Orlando, Florida.
Just as WSN posted GoogleAds, now Model Search America for the first time has started using GoogleAds. The format of MSA's new website, msatalent.com, is also very similar to the format of the WSN website, wscouts.com. (Before the company changed its name, its website was at tctalent.com.)
Model Search America is now advertising a modeling convention in Orlando, Florida, where the consultants (emphasis on con!) live and worked for WSN (which is also based in Orlando). Conveniently, Florida has an Economic Crimes Division of the Attorney General's Office in Orlando, Florida.
For more information contact:
Jacqueline Dowd, Assistant Attorney General
Economic Crimes Division
Office of the Attorney General
135 West Central Blvd. 10th Floor
Century Plaza, Suite 1000
Orlando, FL 32801
407-999-5588
Fax: 407-245-0365
My best friend works for MSA - they pay models who are already with agencies to act in the show as amateurs and they get all the callbacks to make it look like aspiring models can get discovered. Each agency has a list of the numbers of the actors in the show, those are the only people who get callbacks. They also pay big name models like Kathy Ireland to use their name, they did not discover her, that is a fact. Go to some of her websites and research it if you must.
They also pay people to go onto forums, like this, and say that they got tons of callbacks. The models who act in these shows know the drill....trust me, I was never in MSA and I model for Boss Models in NYC so I have no "sour grapes" as you call them. However I know this to be the truth, they have approached me to work for them as well as many guys and girls I work with.
Stay away from ANY type of model search, they are all scams.
Poster you are 100% correct! One of my best friends Catherine Mccord worked at MSA convention in Atlanta. She definetely was NOT discovered by David Monster (error intentional). I also know Cocoa Mitchell (the 1st black woman on Sports Illustrated) and Doug all of whom worked for MSA and were not discovered by it's founder. I do not know one single person who got 1 job from MSA. If you indeed did (previous poster) why don't you scan & print your tear sheet so we can in fact know that MSA is not a scam
My daughter was supposed to be a participant in Model Search America out of New York (212) 969-0898. We paid $290 and had a balance left of $300 when we show up at the convention. I called and requested my money back several times but have been unable to get any results. Has anyone gotten any money. If so, please include me in your lawsuit. You may contact me at the above address. As soon as we can find out who the owner is, we will try to contact him. Please advise.
My friend was found by MSA and she was already in Vauge Koria, and will be in the Feb.'04 issues of YM and Seventeen. Maybe you didn't get found because your not good enough. Ever think of that?
