Crying foul ...

[Canonised]

Hi everybody,

I used to work as a model till not so long ago. But had a very nasty discovery that my agent was keeping the most of my fees.
So I have desided to open my own model friendly agency that would be fare to models.

This seems to be a common issue in Singapore.....
Firstly, the model stated that she has only started modeling not too long ago, and as such, she has no prior or only little experience in this line.

Secondly, she had a very nasty discovery on her fee ..... I am just wondering how come she didnt know about the agent's commission or is it a common practice in Singapore that agent's cut is not in a contract, or that agents in Singapore actually make illegal/unfair cut over the model's fees?

Thirdly, it is really so easy to start a modeling agency in Singapore without having much experience and contacts? .... How can one ensure that one can be more fair to the models than one's ex-bosses?

Is this for real?

Any comments, bros and sis here?.... :think:

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Eng sia...

Well, i think if all models open their own agency, then confirm fair liao... cos they get paid for their own modelling, agent comission, misc cost... then nobody to eat except themselves... since only 1 model agency... nobody else to contact except themselves, save fone bill even...

 

[catchlights]

Eng sia...

Well, i think if all models open their own agency, then confirm fair liao... cos they get paid for their own modelling, agent comission, misc cost... then nobody to eat except themselves... since only 1 model agency... nobody else to contact except themselves, save fone bill even...

best advice ever. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Deadpoet]

This seems to be a common issue in Singapore.....
Firstly, the model stated that she has only started modeling not too long ago, and as such, she has no prior or only little experience in this line.

Secondly, she had a very nasty discovery on her fee ..... I am just wondering how come she didnt know about the agent's commission or is it a common practice in Singapore that agent's cut is not in a contract, or that agents in Singapore actually make illegal/unfair cut over the model's fees?

Thirdly, it is really so easy to start a modeling agency in Singapore without having much experience and contacts? .... How can one ensure that one can be more fair to the models than one's ex-bosses?

Is this for real?

Any comments, bros and sis here?.... :think:

As much as many agents out their taking advantage of all too eager models, there are cost involved in being an agent. These costs are related to getting models jobs. So, who should pay for them?

Without agents, can model reach out to as many clients as they can? Let's assume it's a full time model who makes a fair living. Between actual gigs, shoots and shows, does the model have time to do business development, to make sure she is on all the good casting calls?

Many agents do take advantage of unsuspecting and naive models. Angent commissions
are high, but if there are jobs, then all's well.

 

[garou12]

This seems to be a common issue in Singapore.....
Firstly, the model stated that she has only started modeling not too long ago, and as such, she has no prior or only little experience in this line.

Secondly, she had a very nasty discovery on her fee ..... I am just wondering how come she didnt know about the agent's commission or is it a common practice in Singapore that agent's cut is not in a contract, or that agents in Singapore actually make illegal/unfair cut over the model's fees?

Thirdly, it is really so easy to start a modeling agency in Singapore without having much experience and contacts? .... How can one ensure that one can be more fair to the models than one's ex-bosses?

Is this for real?

Any comments, bros and sis here?.... :think:

it's not rare to encounter unscruplous agents regardless of industry...why you think there are quite a few well known singers who went bankrupt even though they're supposed to be successful...

 

[weevil84]

Anybody can claim "to be fair to models". But how "fair" is fair? How much commission is considered "fair" towards model or agent? Such questions cannot be answered easily even in regulated industries, i.e housing, insurance where commision is easily found out, much less in modelling industry where there's no regulatory board. Perhaps a satisficing way would be an agreement between model and agency beforehand, and full transparency regarding job fees, otherwise agency can always tell model job fee is lower than what was actually paid while staying true to the agreed commision rate, and thus gaining much more.