AGENCIES
Thoughts & Information

I resisted taking Jess to any agencies for some time now. You might wonder why? Well, I really wanted her to focus more on the imaginative aspects of modeling, I worried about it turning into "work" (so young, so fast).  A friend talked with me about this subject recently and it got me to thinking, maybe I have taken her as far as I can (or maybe not). I wonder if signing with an agency should be the next step in this process. I struggle with this and admit I prefer the path less traveled in life, I don't see the point in simply being another child in the commercial herd.  I enjoy nurturing her interest, and am excited to see where that journey takes us, with or without an agency. I have added this page as a place to share our experiences.

Please click on a name (if linked) to find any info I have written.

• The Kim Dawson Agency
  1645 Stemmons Freeway, Suite B, Dallas, TX 75207 214-638-2414 
  Information from their website: There is no open call for children. If you are interested in having your children seen by the agency, mail non-returnable color snapshots of each child along with the child's sizes, age, and contact information. If your child has the right look and is the right size you will be contacted. 

• The Campbell Agency
  Two Turtle Creek, 3838 Oak Lawn Ave., Suite 900, Dallas, TX 75219 Attn: New Faces
  Information from their website: If you're younger than the age of 14, you may still submit photos by postal mail (no agency visits, please).

• The Clutts Agency
  4528 McKinney Ave Suite 103, Dallas, Texas 75205
  Information from their website: The Clutts Agency does not hold open call

• Page Parkes Agency - Page 214 - Page 713
  See below

• Get Real Agency
  2807 Allen St., PO Box #779 Dallas, TX 75209
  Information from their website: "Instead of hiring professional actors or models, a majority of the time ad agencies or photographers look for everyday people to be in commercials, TV shows, films, print advertisements, market research, product opinions, etc". (See below)

Page Parkes Agency
On October 28th, 2010 I received an email, the subject contained: Paige Parkes Interview, from Toni Smith, the National Recruiter for the Page Parkes Corporation. The email stated, "I am interested in seeing you in person" and invited us to attend "face to face interviews and auditions". This was to be on that Saturday, October 30th, 2010. I could choose between two appointment times. The email contained links to the Corporate website, Agency (713), and blogs. 
  I did some research, absolutely nothing came up on a Google search for the email address, who was Toni Smith? Well I leaned that he, is in fact a she. My search for more information led me to several post on a website called "Ripoff Report", and much more by searching ""Page Parkes scam". As I read, I couldn't help but wonder if it was a scam, or where these simply disgruntled parents of children who did not make it in the industry? Should I still go? Jess had never been to an interview, so in the end I decided regardless of what happened, it would be a good experience for her (which it was. By going into it thinking it was a scam, there was zero stress wondering how she was doing). I was sure I would receive the pressured sales pitch, but as I later wrote Toni, she was surprisingly engaging, and very good at her job (no pitch btw, only papers sent home with us). The next day I received an email, "I would definitely like to extend an invite for Jess to participate".
  So was it a scam? At this point the only answer I can provide is, I don't know. Does anyone make it into the agency that has not attended the school? Information from their Corporate Website under "The Model Camp" division states, "Only those with the highest potential for development are accepted into this exclusive division." My response to the invitation was, "I am not really interested in paying for a modeling/acting camp". No further communication has been received so far...
So a optimist might say they wanted Jess.
A pessimist might say they wanted money.
Me? Maybe a little of both. I do feel the need to state if the email subject had been Page Parkes Modeling School, it would have been deleted, as would something from say, Barbizon. It is not that I am against training, but truthfully, Jess doesn't need an introduction to modeling.

It seems more fitting to generally refer to them as The Page Parkes Corporation, consisting of several "Divisions" - Page Parkes Management (Dallas), Page 214 (Dallas), The Page Parkes Center of Modeling & Acting (Houston), Page.713 Model and Talent Agency (Houston), and The "Development Center" (Houston). 
No wonder it can get confusing, for instance search 713-807-8200 you will get results for both
The Page Parkes Center of Modeling & Acting and Page 713 Model & Talent Agency.
I even found Page Parkes Center of Modeling and Acting along side Intermedia Models and Talent Agency, both located at 2727 Kirby Drive Suite 800 Houston, Texas 77098 with the same phone number.
At this website they are all listed together at the bottom of the page...
"Page Parkes Corporation | Page.713 Model & Talent Agency | Page Parkes Center of Modeling & Acting" 
So even if they are separate business, they are most defiantly linked together. It becomes difficult to make a distinction. The agency seems to have a good reputation, where the school has much controversy.

Get Real Agency: 
A post came across facebook about this agency, so I decided to check it out. The first thing I noticed were the owners names, I like that. The company launched in June of 2009 according to a CBS 11 interview/video "Local Casting Agency Looking For 'Real People'" (Cached). You can also find more information on NBC 5 interview/video "You Don't Have to Look Like a Model to Be One". It should be obvious that I am a fan of stepping outside the box.
The only thing that concerned me was on their page to join there is a box you must check stating that you "agree to the terms and conditions", but there is not a page to read this information. I emailed asking about the location of these terms, but have not received a reply.
Get Real is a full-service talent agency licensed and bonded in the State of Texas (License #TALAGY00000567)

Disclaimer: It is not uncommon for me to have strong opinions, simply go to the main address of this site to see what I am talking about. This page is based solely on my personal opinions and any statements perceived as negative are not made with malicious intent, but to simply share information.