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[> Subject: AQUARIAN ASSOCIATES = SCAM
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Date Posted: 18:34:25 03/18/04 Thu
I would like to share my experience with the Aquarian Associates Great American Model and Talent Search.
We live in the Pittsburgh area and first learned of the open casting call on a radio advertisement for the Aquarian Associates Great American Model and Talent Search. We took our four year old son to the event which was held at a local hotel where they first had the children approach a panel of so called industry professionals. The children were introduced and asked some basic questions along with some small talk. Next, they were instructed to walk across the room for a brief video filming where the photographer asked them their name, favorite food, friends etc. The first "hook" was cast when one of the industry professionals told me that my son was amazing and how would we feel about a trip to Hollywood?. The second hook came while we were in the lobby getting our coats on when one of the Aquarian Associates staff (who we later found out was the president's wife) informed us that the woman who made the fuss over our son was a casting director for the Power Rangers TV show and very seldom gives out compliments. Well, after that I was star struck! Hell, at that point they probably could have taken me for 3 times the amount we eventually paid! There was even an embarrassing scene where two parents and their children were asked to leave due to the children misbehaving. The president of Aquarian Associates became very loud as if he wanted everyone to see and hear him. It was almost like he was acting. Looking back, my husband now feels that the whole thing could have been staged to give the other parents a feeling of confidence knowing that their children were model citizens, very cooperative and well behaved.
As anyone would have guessed, we received our letter a few days later informing us that our son received a favorable review and invited us to the parent's meeting. The meeting was held at their Pittsburgh office where the red carpet was rolled out with all the visual effects (movie posters, advertisements etc). It was a small group with about 15 parents. We first watched a video highlight film from the previous search along with commercials containing children. Seeing only 15 parents made you feel good. You felt that your child was special since they saw so many at the open call and only invited a small amount back. The president then spoke where he kept re-emphasizing that Aquarian Associates was not an agency. They even had signs posted everywhere stating "not an agency". We were told that the biggest obstacle in an acting or modeling career is exposure and his company can put you in front of top industry professionals at a fraction of the cost if you were to set out on your own. He said that you don't have to live in NYC or CA to be successful. The casting directors also understand that parents have obligations to work, children have an obligation to school resulting in most commercials being shot during long weekend type arrangements. He went through all this and STILL hasn't mentioned money. Finally at the end of it all he stated that for only $435.00 all this can be yours! Don't miss out on your opportunity. Attend the Pittsburgh
search. It was kind of an "act now" type thing. They only gave you one day to make up your mind. Oh, and how could I forget, they charge $45.00 each for tickets (child goes free), cash only which can be paid the day of the search.
My husband and I left and hung out in the parking lot for a while pondering the situation when all of a sudden here comes the next wave of cars for the next meeting! It seems that they had MANY small meetings. They wanted you to think that your child was so special. They didn't tell you that there were other groups coming in. All of a sudden I became a little disappointed. We should have left and never returned.
We decided to pay the money, attend the search with about 188 children from all over the east coast. It was quite an event. They introduced about 30 scouts/casting directors from prominent modeling and talent agencies. It all seemed so legit. We were told that anyone who had conversation with the scouts and agents would be automatically disqualified. They had the children do a runway presentation, a photo shoot (which they'll sell you an 8X10 B/W for another $45.00) and a small commercial read which they say was videotaped.
At the end of it all, acknowledgments were given for each category along with opportunities. My son received acknowledgments in each category along with an opportunity. Then they announced the names of only 6 children out of 188 to remain after the search to speak to the Aquarian staff. Well as luck would have it, my son was one of the six. We were in shock! We were told that a major agency in California was interested and at this time only wanted to know where we lived. I thought isn't that strange. Whatever happened to the crap he told us about it not mattering where you live. And furthermore, why in the hell would an agent from California attend this search in Pittsburgh and then ask where we're from. Not our address, only where we're from. This event is also held in California so you would think they would know that the Pittsburgh search covers the east. We were given the women's name and agency and she checks out from their web site, so who knows.
About a month after the search I didn't hear anything so I called the agency in California asking to speak to the person who liked my son at the Pittsburgh search. Well as you would have guessed, I never reached her and left three messages which she never returned. In August, we finally received our opportunity letter! What could it be?? The Power Ranger Lady??, the Hollywood casting director?? we were so excited until we opened the letter and found it to be a local TV commercial for a country club. It was printed on a cheap run off paper from Aquarian Associates. It turned out to be an outdoor swimming pool shot with about 50 kids from the search. The kids sat around the pool where a low budget film crew shot about 15 seconds! What a joke. The event was supervised by the president of Aquarian Associates who put on a phony show as if he were some Hollywood casting director. We were paid $40.00 in a check made out by Aquarian Associates which seems odd since they claim not to be an agency.
In closing, I feel that I've learned a valuable lesson. This outfit was very clever in how they presented themselves. We were definitely misled, duped, outsmarted by this jerk. The opportunities were just as phony. It's like telling someone that you're giving them a Corvette for their birthday and then hand them a match box model.
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Aquarian Associates
My experience with them is HORRIBLE - -
Tell her the truth that they are a scam. She'll be getting a letter
worst thing that happened to me not
worst thing that happened to me not
ProScout-Little Rock
My Child Was Chosen For Proscout
Aquarian associates
dear single parent Charlotte A Davis
Thanks for info!!!
AQUARIAN ASSOCIATES