Some songs are made just for strutting. You know, the type of song with the right beat and the right sass, that just brings out the fearless runway model in you. A particularly good one is Britney's 'I've Just Begun Having My Fun', prominently featured in the film 'Bridesmaids'. So there I was, strutting out of the Boonlay MRT station and feeling like the world was my runway and all the passers-by were gawking photographers, when a diminutive little woman runs up to me and repeatedly taps my arm.
"Excuse me! Hey, excuse me! Are you local?" She peers up at me. I must look like a specimen of beauty from another planet to her, this 5ft tall lady. "We are a modelling agency and we would like to invite you to an interview, would you be interested?"
Why, 'The Secret' really isn't a crock-of-bull after all. Picture delicious thoughts and they all mysteriously materialize. I drift away amidst my thoughts. It must be my statuesque stance and confident stride that they're interested in. Or or or! My angular features and strikingly gorgeous eyes that betray a deep, mysterious vulnerability. The scout's voice pulls me back to the present by pressing me for my number. I give it to her, knowing that the 'interview' would make a hilarious blog post. I'm not doing it out of vanity, silly. It's for the world of journalism.
Now I'm sure there are many out there who have been hunted down by the hard working individuals of Create Talents. Many are thrilled to their very cores at this invitation, believing it to be a validation of their appearances. A significant number are suspicious at their intentions, and rightfully so. There are a great cohort of unscrupulous, black hearted men and women who would stop at nothing to prey on the hopes and dreams (however far-fetched and foolish) of the young and the deluded.
I believe that the universe has chosen to to bring forth this message to you: Create Talents is not a scam. Depending on what your definition of a scam is. For freelance work, you have to fork up a few hundred dollars for a portfolio, where the company then shows to prospective clients. If you decide to sign a contract with a client, they would be the ones that pay for your portfolio. Of course, with a contract comes zero options with choosing jobs, so your body is basically theirs for the duration of the contract. Most opt for the freelance option, and end up rejecting jobs where they don't feel confident or comfortable enough doing, and hence they never manage to recoup the losses of the portfolio investment. That's basically the low-down of their organization.
Legitimately, they're an actual modelling managing company. Their office is located at Dhoby Exchange, and I walked in there actually pretty fucking nervous. My natural inborn insecurities all surfaced at the very moment when I walked in their door, feeling as if every inch of my body, from my hastily assembled hairstyle down to my plain leather shoes, were scrutinized to an inch of its life. What am I doing in a place like this, I think to myself. Two beautiful blonde Caucasian girls were on the couch next to me. They must be actual models! They must think I have some balls showing up looking like this! I'm out of my fucking mind, no blog entry is worth this kind of psychological torture!
A woman greets me, shakes my hand, and takes me to a back-room. To me, this is where the legitimacy of their business is made or broken. If I get clobbered by a man behind the door, and then proceeded to get brutally raped and murdered, though not necessarily in that order, I would probably consider this a shady business. I hold my breath and walk through the door, and to my utter horror, the walls were all covered in photographs of past victims. This must be where the brutality happens! They're gonna take a snapshot of me screaming and have their way with me! I was high with adrenaline and preparing to knock the woman out with a one-two jab when I realize that she's patiently gesturing me to a chair, and that all the photos are photos of their models. It does make some sense, a modelling agency having photos of their own models. Fine. But I'm still suspicious.
I really wanted to hate the lady, I truly did. I was ready to paint her as a heartless vampire, willing to suck the soul out of anybody who looks dumb enough to be swindled. I quickly inform her that as a unpaid employee of a law firm, I am fully equipped to rip apart any contract she might be hiding in those thick, suspicious looking files of hers. "I'm familiar with my constitutional rights and I'm not afraid to use them!" I hope she doesn't know I'm talking about the US constitution. She is, however, a decidedly pleasant woman. When I informed her that I would not be able to commit to anything, and that I would only be in Singapore for school holidays, plus I have no plans to return permanently in the future, she was the one who told me that there's really no point for me to get a portfolio with them. I expected them to be pushy about it, and had actually prepared my rebuttal like a good law-intern, but my opportunity to use it never came. Instead, we chatted for an hour about procedural law, for her friend's son is currently having trouble with the law.
She also confided in me about the various loser-kids who come for interviews. You know, the type with no capability to make their own decisions and require the assistance of their entire families to say 'I can think of a million things I'd rather do with five hundred dollars', or 'yes please continue deluding me with dreams of supermodel-dom'. Do people like that really expect to accomplish anything in the world of fashion? Has Tyra and 319 cycles of America's Next Top Model taught them nothing? Amateurs.
The interviewer lady very courteously thanks me for my time, and I thank her for a delightful chat. Inside, I'm glad that things didn't have to get ugly, the way I expected it to. I guess it's very easy to villianize these people, calling them crooks and highway-robbers. The truth is, they have a commitment to their models, and they have a legitimate business to run. Don't expect to be treated like Heidi Fucking Klum because you're not, and don't expect modelling jobs to just fall in your lap without any effort on your part. Don't feel like you're entitled to anything, just because you were one among hundreds that they deemed 'decent' enough to approach. If one puts in his time, with a little luck, there's no reason why you can't add 'model' to your resume.
6 comments:
You only wrote about your own perception and so-called wise judgement that the agency must be genuine based on your experience being there. Your write-up is INCOMPLETE because YOU DID NOT SAY WHETHER YOU JOINED CREATE TALENTS AT THE END. You did not claim that after joining Create Talents, you got many modelling assignments or did some shoots for ads, TVCs and corporate videos. There was no testimonial or success story. Hence, you're just a helluva writer who has been paid to write a good review to promote Create Talents. Nothing more.
You wrote: I was ready to paint her as a heartless vampire, willing to suck the soul out of anybody who looks dumb enough to be swindled.
Believe me, that is the truth!
THE BOSS OF CREATE TALENTS IS A BLOOD-SUCKING VAMPIRE. Thousands have lost the opportunity to be in the modelling industry because SHE IS A CON-WOMAN OF THE HIGHEST ORDER - THE REIGNING QUEEN OF SCAM IN SINGAPORE. She is a "pro" - far more skillful than Tom Ripley or Frank Abagnale.
Everything that you see in the agency's office - the photos of the models, the stacks of magazines and files after files of portfolio - they are merely made-believe props to deceive, enchant and trap everyone. So highly intelligent is she that all those who join Create Talents or IModels (which is run by her gay brother named Ivan) will be left with no choice but to sign a DEADLY CONTRACT with her after their portfolio is done.
She rarely conducts interviews though. She employs Filipinos as 'consultants' to do the job most of the time.
WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE BOSS OF CREATE TALENTS? CALLY TENG. HER INITIAL IS C.T., WHICH ALSO STANDS FOR CREATE TALENTS.
However, she does leave some very obvious clues so that only morons get conned. Why does she call herself Cally? Because if you're smart enough, you'll be able to think LogiCALLY and see through her lies.
Create Talents' website has a white background but its name card is black. IModels' website is coloured black while its name card is white. Totally opposite of each other because it symbolizes Yin and Yang of Taoism.
It IS a "Legit" agency all right - but one that over-promises and under-delivers. She, like many other modelling agency bosses, can get away with it because the modelling industry has never been regulated. There is no law to govern model agencies, neither is there a law to protect model wannabes.
ONLY MORONS JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER AND DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PROFILE A CON ARTIST. Neither do they know how to profile a genuine model agent either.
Create Talents at Dhoby Ghaut - it looks like "heaven" for model wannabes, and if you're lucky enough to be interviewed by the boss (who will lie and say that she's only a booker), has the face of an angel.
You will not see hell nor people with horns and a pitchfork at Create Talents because the devils disguise themselves as angels of light.
Other clues she leaves behind for smart people to decipher:
- All the consultants' name card has no surnames, e.g. just Michelle, or Cally, without any surname.
The email address on her name card is merely enquiries@createtalents.com.sg
The phone no. is the office main line, and she also does have a mobile phone no.
How in the world would a client be able to contact a booker if the name card does NOT state her direct email address and mobile phone number? And isn't it odd too that a person's surname is not known? These are all clues that she leaves behind for smart people to decipher but morons will be blind to them.
Create Talents at Dhoby Ghaut - it looks like "heaven" for model wannabes, and if you're lucky enough to be interviewed by the boss (who will lie and say that she's only a booker), has the face of an angel.
You will not see hell nor people with horns and a pitchfork at Create Talents because the devils disguise themselves as angels of light.
Other clues she leaves behind for smart people to decipher:
- All the consultants' name card has no surnames, e.g. just Michelle, or Cally, without any surname.
The email address on her name card is merely enquiries@createtalents.com.sg
The phone no. is the office main line, and she also does NOT have a mobile phone no.
How in the world would a client be able to contact a booker if the name card does NOT state her direct email address and mobile phone number? And isn't it odd too that a person's surname is not known? These are all clues that she leaves behind for smart people to decipher but morons will be blind to them.
Its about you realizing what you need or what you want to become. If you've good looks, go for it . Every modeling agency in Singapore charges for portfolio, without even noticing your looks. Its better they reject you, so that you can explore many other better options.
I see as it isn’t a big deal for any agency to ask for portfolio. I have encountered so many modelling agencies in past and it’s a common criteria to have a portfolio. Not defending the companies named by the author, as I feel this is the way most agencies work.
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