[Lynda 123]

I wonder if anyone can help. My daughter has sucessfully auditioned for a Company called AMTC which is American based, but are auditioning for the first time in Europe. Basically it is a conference which is held in Paris where casting directors/agents etc attend. They hold numerous showcases where you can perform and be seen by these agents etc.

Everything sounded ok until I was asked for 2,000.00 for the privelige.

Has anyone had any dealing or know anything about this.

Any comments would be appreciated

Thank you

[only me]

I wonder if anyone can help. My daughter has sucessfully auditioned for a Company called AMTC which is American based, but are auditioning for the first time in Europe. Basically it is a conference which is held in Paris where casting directors/agents etc attend. They hold numerous showcases where you can perform and be seen by these agents etc.

Everything sounded ok until I was asked for 2,000.00 for the privelige.

Has anyone had any dealing or know anything about this.

Any comments would be appreciated

Thank you

we are also in the same position HAVE you heard from any one yet?

[Haz]

I've not heard of them but I would be VERY wary of parting with ANY money for something like this.

It's a completely different kettle of fish if they are providing, say, a week's training and teaching, before staging a performance for these people, but if they're literally taking your money for the privilege of being in the same room as these people then I would tred very, very carefully.

At the end of the day, £2k is a good chunk to go towards fees at a drama school. My feeling would very much be to put it towards something like that, that is more easily checked up on and probably ultimately more beneficial.

Perhaps try ringing Equity and see if they know of them and can advise?

[Lynda 123]

we are also in the same position HAVE you heard from any one yet?

Hi we decided to give it a miss sounding a little bit suspect and after all 2,000 is a lot of money

Regards

[wendylou]

My daughter went to one of these auditions on sunday 7th sept. We had no intention of taking up any offers made and just went really in support of her friend. She was offered a place and we stayed out of interest to listen to the callback information. I didnt actually stay for the whole meeting as I walked out in disgust at the rude and arrogant attitude of the incredibly unpleasant woman who is the regional director.(I wont mention her name here but if you've been you will know who I'm talking about.) My husband and daughter stayed to listen and at the end my husband (who is a sales manager) siad that he felt like he had been in a high pressure double glazing sales session, my daughter, aged 14 was sensible enough to say that she wouldn't want to have anything to do with it! The whole concept sounds attractive, lots of big names mentioned on hand to give advice to hopefuls but how many auditionees are seen at once? How much one to one training is there? It's all very well having the voice coach for the Andrew Lloyd Webber shows on hand to teach but does she teach a class of 1,2,10 or hundreds? None of this is explained. The American website, which is evangelical,(there isn't a UK one) states that for your money you get training equivalent to a year at college. If we had taken up the offer made on sunday we would have just 8 weeks to squeeze all this in. Impossible surely? Although I didnt stay to the meeting I did, out of interest, read all the paperwork given to my daughter and I have to say it made me very concerned. Lots of demands for money, no guarantees for anything. in my opinion you would be a fool to take up this offer. Unfortunately there will always be enough people desperate enough to get their child on the stage and because of that this organisation will survive, however two quotes came to mind when I was giving this some thought, those being, "if it sounds too good to be true it usually is" and " If you are talented they will pay you". I was also reminded of many stories I have heard over the years of hopeful models being taken on by agencies who made them pay hundreds of ponuds for portfolios only to disappear or fail to find them any work. The advice from all the top modelling agencies in these circumstances is NEVER to pay any money up front. A reputable agency who believes you have potential will provide you with a portfolio at no cost. You clearly want was is best for your child and you have obviously have a strong gut feeling that all is not right. Go with your gut,this organisation is dodgy to say the least. I am endeavouring to find out more about them and if I do I will gladly pass it on to you. I wish you both the best of luck.

[MsLaGuardia]

I believe the way it works is, if your child is not taken on by any agents/producers/companies at this showcase in Paris - they can attend the following year free of charge in the hope of finding work then. Please check this info as I can not be certain this is the case. However, I know two scouts who work for AMTC and they are both genuine people who would not associate with a money grabbing scam. However - I have not heard it costs 2000 pounds! Is this including flights and accomodation though? I was told it was cheaper than the NYT and that costs 1500ish...

Good Luck!

[wendylou]

I believe the way it works is, if your child is not taken on by any agents/producers/companies at this showcase in Paris - they can attend the following year free of charge in the hope of finding work then. Please check this info as I can not be certain this is the case. However, I know two scouts who work for AMTC and they are both genuine people who would not associate with a money grabbing scam. However - I have not heard it costs 2000 pounds! Is this including flights and accomodation though? I was told it was cheaper than the NYT and that costs 1500ish...

Good Luck!

Since my last entry there has beeen a development. Although we had made it perfectly clear that we wanted nothing to do with AMTC my daughter has been offered a full scholarship to attend the conference. I thought this was very odd and we have declined.I have found some worrying stuff on the web which only compounds my first concerns about this company. Please check out www.forum.unrealitytv.co.uk, bbs.backstage.com/eve/forums, manchester-forum.co.uk, zoomonme.com/gallery/view, modelingscams.com/letters/millielewis, whatsonstage.com/board.
I too know a scout who is a good person with a thriving dance school with an excellent reputation. She has not been involved for long and I can only hope that in time she will see sense and detatch herself from them. It is true that you can attend again for free but the free bit is just the entrance to the conference. All other expenses such as transport, food, accomodation and the entry to the individual competitions themselves are down to you just as on the original visit. Anyway if AMTC are so successful at what they do why do you have to go again and again? This whole thing worries me a great deal especially as I know of several people who are considering sending thier children to Paris. Hope this is of some help.

[Diane]

There has been a further update to the situation concerning AMTC Europe run by Lynne Millar. They have now had their affiliation to AMTC rescinded.
This means that AMTC won't be producing the show. I have no idea if the Paris Convention is still going on.
For the sake of the children and,
their parents who paid thousands of pounds to Ms. Millar I hope they do end up with something for all their hard earned cash.

[Godeskian]

While not directly applicable this sounds an awful lot like any number of property scams that I have had the dubious pleasure of having heard of, been to, and even in one case narrowly avoided participating in. I'll do some research and come back, but it smells like a scam to me.

[topboy]

My daughter is with Italia Conti. Their view is you should need to pay if the agents good. But be prepared to pay for things like spotlight registeration. Agents will charge you for that.