5 Red Flags of The Modeling Agencies You Should Avoid
Avoid the modeling agencies that show any of these red flags:
- They ask for a one-time or recurring fee
- They know about only free or low-paying modeling jobs
- They get double commission
- They don’t have a website, IG account, and office
- They have low ratings
#1 They ask for a one-time or recurring fee
This is an obvious red flag about agencies. A good agency will never ask you to pay to get representation.
This is a well-known red flag. Therefore, some agencies disguise their fees under different names. It’s important to be aware of these schemes:
- Photoshoot fee: If paying for a photoshoot is mandatory to join an agency’s roster, avoid that agency. There are some shady entities asking for an $800-$1000 photoshoot fee to sign with “their agency”. It’s not different than asking a model to pay to be represented. It’s still the agency fee, renamed as photoshoot charge. A photoshoot should never be mandatory to join an agency.
If an agency signs you in and then offers an optional photoshoot with a fee, It’s a different story. Those photoshoots are legit and helpful.
- Casting database fee: Some agencies sign with models and then ask them to pay a yearly fee for sending them casting notices from a premium casting database they work with. This yearly fee could be anywhere from a few dozen dollars to a few hundred dollars. For an agency I came across, it was $150.
The casting database might be really premium and casting notices might be about good modeling projects. However, the fee to access that database should be paid by the agency, not by the model. Access to casting sources is a core component of running a modeling agency. If models pay for it, what would be the next? Paying the rent and utilities of their office?
Also, it’s impossible to know if the full amount of the fee you are asked to pay goes to the company that owns the casting database. The modeling agency might -and likely- take a commission out of it.
- Coaching, comp card, and digital fees: Again, just like the photoshoot fee, if these fees are mandatory to join the agency, it’s good not to proceed with them. However, if they sign a contract with you and offer these services afterward, then it’s not a red flag. It means they want to help you develop your materials and improve your modeling skills.
The only way for a modeling agency to make money is to get a commission from models for the jobs they find for them. And this commission is generally between 10% and 20%. If it’s above 20%, it’s likely not a good idea to sign with them unless they are a well-known elite agency.
#2 They know about only free or low-paying modeling jobs
An agency might be a legit one but if the castings they share with you are only for the non-paying or low-paying jobs, reconsider working with them. It’s a good idea to continue your contract for a couple of months to give them a chance to find better opportunities for you to submit to. Then you can make a decision.
If they never or rarely share high 3-figure ($500 – $999), 4-figure ($1,000 – $9,999), or 5-figure ($10,000+) jobs with you, it’s better to look for another agency. They are likely sending you jobs from free casting sites. You can find and apply for those jobs by yourself. In this way, if you book a job, you don’t have to pay them a commission.
An agency I worked with shared only castings for small gigs paying $50 – $100 and free photoshoots. I frequently come across those notices on free casting sites anyway. Why would I need an agency for those kinds of castings? It was a very interesting experience though. They went after me relentlessly for commissions from even the small projects they happened to find for me. I once paid them $7 as a commission.
You may ask: “Isn’t it better to work with that kind of an agency rather than not having an agency at all?”. It’s not better. If you are signed with an agency, it’s unlikely that you will actively try to find another agency. It’s better to terminate your contract with them and start looking for a better agency. You are missing out on a lot of fantastic opportunities by staying signed with them.
What if there is a penalty to terminate your contract? Just wait for it to expire. The majority of the agency contracts expire in a year. And these kinds of agencies are mostly non-exclusive so you can look for and sign with another agency while being with them.
#3 They get double commission
This is quite an annoying situation, even more annoying than being asked to pay an agency fee upfront. It’s because a double-commission request happens after booking and completing a job through the agency. This extra fee is hidden in the contract.
Here is how it goes: You book a job through the agency. Let’s say the payment is $1,000 plus 20% agency commission. So the production company wants to pay $1,000 to the model and $200 to the agency. After you complete the work, Production transfers $1,200 to the agency. The agency takes the $200 agency commission out of it which is normal. And then, the annoying part comes: They take another 20%, this time from your share. So they take out $200 from your payment which is $1,000. They send you $800 as a result. In total, they take $400 out of $1,200 which is 33%, way above the acceptable agency commission rate of 20%.
When this happened to me, I asked my agent if there was a misunderstanding. In her response, she said that’s what my 20-page contract says. An extra commission like this should be communicated separately before signing the papers, rather than hiding it deep in a long contract.
Taking double commission is sneaky and unethical. And it tells a lot about that agency.
#4 They don’t have a website, IG account, and office
If an agency does not have a website or Instagram account, just don’t even communicate with them. It’s a non-starter.
However, not having a physical office is not the sole reason to cross off an agency from your search but it’s something to be cautious about. If they ask you to meet at a coffee shop with them for your audition, it’s better to look for another agency. They should at least rent a studio or workplace temporarily for auditions and other agency work.
#5 They have low ratings
Before applying to a modeling agency, search this on Google: “[Agency Name] reviews”. For example: “ABC Agency reviews”. If they have less than a 4-star rating on average on any of these sites, Google, Yelp, and Trustpilot, it’s not worth spending your time with them.
Conclusion
It takes time to find an elite agency to represent you. You may need to apply to dozens of agencies. During this process, keep these red flags in mind, and don’t hesitate to skip an agency if something doesn’t sit well with you. To make the process easier, you can use a service to help you with this process. For example, Agency Submission Service applies to hundreds of elite agencies on your behalf and manages the process for you.
