Tru Talent Management

They came up to us at the state fair. They told me my daughter looked like the Olsen twins (she does) and that she would go far. So we went and signed her up payed thousands of dollars and we have yet to hear from them about auditions or anything (it has been 4 years). When we called them to find out why we haven?t gotten anything they told us that we are the ones that are suppose to be finding the auditions and that we give them the information and they just set up the appointments for us. So I am like then why are we paying you? more

Since at least 2007, and continuing thereafter, Respondents Tru Talent Management SLC, Inc. (TTM) and Brandie Lee Frommelt have engaged in. or caused others to engage in, a variety of deceptive acts or practices to induce consumers into purchasing acting and/or modeling classes and other related services such as headshots and fashion photography. Respondents have marketed a scheme that will purportedly help consumers make their dream of becoming an actor or fashion model a reality. Respondent?s talent scouts use untrue statements to solicit names and phone numbers from potential consumers. Respondent?s telemarketers call scouted consumers and use untrue statements to entice them to come in for an audition. At Respondent?s place of business, consumers meet with sales agents, a/k/a new face agents, who use untrue statements to get consumers to sign contracts for modeling and/or acting classes and photography. Respondent?s contract requires consumers to purchase a minimum of six (6) photographs at $40.00 per photograph. Respondent?s use untrue statements to up-sell photographs to each client. In addition, Respondent?s website misrepresents that TTM has been in business for ?over 12 years?, when in fact TTM has only been in business since 2005. Read the full complaint on my blog. Just Google blog.patyuen more

Tru Talent is a bust! Lets get real here folks...all the stories are the same, we know the run around so i won't bore you with reiterating what has been said a thousand times. Hopefully now with an investigation of their scams people can now see confirmation of their lies. Get on KSL search for tru talent is 'true deceiver'. The story speaks for its self! Also lucky enough they provide the citation for Tru Talent! So for those bogus remarks that their ""talent"" has had the opportunities in High School Musical, Disney and whatever crap they claim...guess what there is no such thing. In the citation, those involved with the actual auditions for Disney etc. claim tru talent is NOT LEGIT or even affiliated with them.... See for yourself, I'm just informing the misleading. more

Tru Talent approaches people at stores in the mall and places like Walmart, Target, etc. These stores have rules that actually PROHIBIT people from soliciting to other customers in these stores. If they approach you in a store, tell them what they are doing is not allowed and let management/security know and they will get kicked out. Let's work together to stop these scammers from taking advantage of members of our community!!!!!!!!!!! more

My son and his friend were at the movie house in Sugerhouse when a man approached them, told them that he was looking for a couple of boys to be in a disney movie, told them that they could make alot of money. He did not say his name just gave them both a card and told them to call. Of course they are were excited and I for one did not want to tell him no. I took my son down to the ""Talent Management Co. and listened to what they had to say. As I suspected it was a sales pitch. I asked them who was the man that a approached my son and they had no clue and acted like they didnt know that someone had giving him a card. they asked for $2000 dollars for 6 week of training. the floors were dirty, no covers on the electrical outlets yet everyone is making thousands of dollars. More than that I think it is unethical to approach young kids and hype them up just to try to exploit parents. because if you ""love your child then you will do this for them. its just sad. more

First of all, the people writing most of the bad reviews don't even know what they are talking about, for one, they havent been with tru-talent. I've been in tru-talent for awhile now and I've had absolutely NO problem with them whatsoever. I took acting classes from them when i first signed up, my teacher was a legit director who had already written a few movies. I was somewhat familiar with acting but had no experience in the field before signing up. My teacher knew exactly what he was talking about and opened up numerous possibilities for me i didn't think possible. The booking agents there let me know whats up, how i can improve, Explained a little about their job and what they do etc. Looking at the reviews i hear a lot of people dogging the 'scouts' for tru-talent. First of all, in a buisness point of view, sending people to go out and get people interested is a no-brainer way to be successful. this is a review that you probably have read if your reading this, it seems to be a big deal for those who don't know tru-talent. ""They bring in everybody and anybody they come across. They have a quota that they have to meet daily and weekly of how many people they bring in. They get paid based on that quota (all commission base). So you know those ""scouts"" are not worried about who, they're worried about how many. The agents tell you all you wanna hear when you come in, because they get paid commission base as well."" This just sounds like a group of employees doing their job. Commission? Anyone? They obviously aren't Head-Of-The-Company, just employees making a simple living. ""So you know those ""scouts"" are not worried about who, they're worried about how many."" WHO should they be bringing in, if not everyone they see anyways? In my experience ANYBODY can be an actor, because I've seen Great actors in all shapes and sizes. put on a movie and you will see. The only thing stopping one form being an *actor*<---(fill in the blank) is themselves, its universal knowledge. I haven't been given any reason to expect any scam whatsoever with them. I'm a simple actor and i get bombarded with auditions all the time. And i haven't been that successful yet! My advise is to listen, and see what they have to offer. Look at your options and make a intellegent decision. I'm not saying other agencies are better, or worse, i have no experience with that. I'm just saying that this isnt a scam so dont be swayed by the reviews of people who complain about being scouted. more

These people are very decorative. That why most people who sign up with them want to back out but it's too late, because the closer they look, the more they see the SCAM. This company has changed their names about 3 times already. You'll see what I mean when you go look them up in the BBB website. They're not registered this year (which should tell you something) but when they were, they had ""D"". They literally assign people from their company to be write good reviews for them on the web to clear up the mess on here. They bring in everybody and anybody they come across. They have a quota that they have to meet daily and weekly of how many people they bring in. They get paid based on that quota (all commission base). So you know those ""scouts"" are not worried about who, they're worried about how many. The agents tell you all you wanna hear when you come in, because they get paid commission base as well. I have a lot more on this company but I have better things to do. Leave me a post and ask me any questions and I'll try to answer it to the best of my knowledge based on my experience with them, both as an employee and a talent with them. more

Tru Talent's Jason Manning and Kali Lefteris casted in Money Train Title Loans commercial. Youtube search: Loan Shax by money train title loans One of the most recent examples of success in the Tru Talent Management agency. Remember that most of Tru Talent's work is done locally. ""When I first joined the Tru Talent Management team, I wasn't sure that this was going to be something I wanted to do. I'm doing my pre-med classes and this just seemed like a diversion. A month after I signed up I did my first photo shoot with En Vogue Bride and had so much fun I could hardly believe it. I then started taking the modeling and acting classes and they were also great. This past summer I got to participate in High School Musical III with two of my brothers. Since then I've met people from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and even Paris. This is every little girl's dream, to get dresses up and be treated like a princess. Thanks Tru Talent - you've made my life a lot more colorful and fun."" -Amelia Prete ""For anyone who has ever thought about acting or modeling, TRU TALENT is the easiest way for someone with little or no experience to get their career launched from Utah or Nevada without having to give up everything for a one in a million shot by going to Los Angeles or New York. TRU makes it easy to get started with big name film makers and modeling agencies on both a local and national level."" -Christmas Lutu ""Being apart of Tru Talent, makes you more than just talent, you're a real person. The booking department works hard to help you get work; they move and shake so you can move and shake. I've gotten a lot of national work from being with Tru, Sony Play Station 3, Wal-mart, Matrix... just to name a few. It's good to know that your agency is always looking out for your best interests."" -Nai Sok Model/Actress ""Acting changed my life. I was thinking of Acting as a hobby and wondering if I should pursue my education or other careers. I started getting more involved with Tru Talent and next thing I knew, my resume began to quickly build. Even my modeling career ignited. My booker, Tru Talent has been a vital part of building my career and knows where to look in getting me auditions. Tru Talent has been a huge mentor and influential in pushing me towards success. I was flown to San Francisco for industrial work for a Sony Playstation 3 video game called SingStar Country. I love acting because the industry requires me to be my genuine self and pays me to feel emotion in front of the camera. Acting to me is very therapeutic because it's a healthy way to release and experience emotion."" -Timothy James ""My experience with Tru is invaluable to me. The day I signed, I booked a hair show modeling for American Crew. I got into a sundance film called Chick Magnets. I've had six photoshoots. You can say, legitimately, ""I am an actor and model"" after signing with Tru... Because when you sign, you are officially YOUR OWN BUSINESS as an actor and model. It's a great self esteem booster!"" -Z. Rhett Akers more

I have been reading a ton of trash talk about Tru Talent and I know it to be true that a company cannot please everyone. If you are looking to walk a red carpet or are already practicing your Oscar speech then this is probably not for you. Here is what I know, the ""bigger"" agencies on the coasts (east or west) work differently, this is true. I have a very good friend that is represented by a major agency in Los Angeles. He is under obligation to go on EVERY audition and to earn X amount of money or the agency can actually sue him for breach of contract. We live in Utah and I have a teenage daughter who has decided that acting and modeling are the avenues that she wants to travel in life. I HAPPILY signed her up with Tru Talent. There was no money demanded up front. They did offer classes in modeling and acting. My daughter was eager to participate in those classes so she is currently still taking one, the other she has graduated from. She had a very professional photo shoot and is sent on several auditions a month and has had several small jobs. My daughter is 15 and I feel Tru Talent is exactly what she needed to get her feet wet and test some waters to ensure this is what she wants to do. Also, with Tru Talent as opposed to larger agencies, my daughter, and more importantly I, get to decide what auditions she does or doesn't go to and there is absolutely NO penalty for this. I think people should check it out for themselves and remember this is Utah, not LA or NY. more

I am SO glad I found this page! After reading all these reviews, I am NOT going to my appointment tomorrow. These people really know how to use psychology. I was approached by a fake woman at Barnes & Noble. I walked in through the journal section and the fake lady approached me like a vulture and asked if I had ever considered acting. Like everyone else said, I was flattered. Except one thing. I was in my bummy Saturday afternoon clothes, no makeup on, young, naive and a target. I looked up the agency online. I thought they were legit because they said they were with HSM. A LIE. Everyone, be SMART. Don't go down this route. Always do your research. more

I was stopped by an agent with my 2 year old in front of toys r us about a week ago. I get alot of compliments about my daughter and so I didnt think anything about it. So I took the card and went home. They called the next day to schedual appointment and I asked what kind of money I would need and they told me there is no money at any time! I am glad I didnt go the appointment was for today! Thank you everyone for your stories they helped one poor sucker out. And I have worked for telemarketing companies and all the good reviews are from people that work for them I know cause our company asked us to do the same thing. more

Apparently these people are still out there and still ""scouting"". I was just approached at Wal Mart about my 4 year old little girl. She said they are always looking for kids and they have placed children in Toys R Us ads and Oreo commercials. more

this is a serious scam and they should be stopped from having others waster their time money and effort, i recently signed up with out looking into it, i was under a lot of pressure and didnt realize what i was getting in to now. i would like to expose them and would love some help please email me at janed_o_e@live dot come i would really appreciate it thanks and please lets stop the scamming i think if we can get enough people together we might have a chance of shutting them down !! so please please contact me also check out my blog it has my full story helpjanedoe dot blogspot dot com !! please i need all the help i can get !! more

I have never considered doing any modeling/acting ever. I was approached by this ""agent"" (later found out he is actually the assistant) and was told how good I look, ""look at your arms bro"" I was told. FOR A MAN TO TELL ANOTHER MAN THIS IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER REALLY MAKES YOU THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING LEGIT HERE! THERE IS NOT! (The wife loved it) He told me I would receive a phone call in a few days and I could decide from there.. I get their phone call.. I asked how much? Kristin told me ""honestly"" that the only way I would end up paying is if I WANTED to take some classes if needed. Cost also ""depends on the agent."" ""Many times we have clients who pay nothing"" I scheduled an appointment only on the fact that it was REALLY close to my house. As soon as I got off the phone I felt like I had been sold a used car that I didn't even want to buy. (GREAT JOB KRISTIN) I then decided to surf the world wide web. In under a minute I got all these reviews. Needless to say I didn't keep my appointment. The woman (who didn't state her name) said she was sorry that I chose to take your reviews as word and didn't come see for myself. TRU TALENT EMPLOYEES MADE UP MY MIND. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. VERY SHADY IN A VERY NICE WAY. CITISEARCH REVIEWS JUST CONFIRMED I NEEDED TO CANCEL MY DAMN APPOINTMENT! more

I got ""scouted"" at the mall the other day by one of Tru Talent's agents. It's a very charming approach and really flattering, of course- and I took the flattery and walked away smiling. End of the line. more

I was scouted in a mall and it was very flattering. So they called me and set up an appointment. I waited for an hour and 20 minutes. That alone made me not want to work with them. If they can't manage appointments what would make them a good manager? So finally I went in and the girl was very flattering and I ate it up. The lady told me I would have to enroll in a class since I was new. She even told me I would have an audition in two days! This all sounded wonderful, as I really want to be a model. There were so many financial forms to initial and sign; it seemed like more emphasis was on getting my money and even in the contract it says you will not be booked for work until after you finish the 10 WEEK long classes. I asked the lady and she said that because I was so pretty, that would not apply to me.. it started to seem shady, so I kept the forms I had already initialed, told her I would have to talk it over with my husband, and left. Later at home I decided to read the reviews and I am so glad I left.. no real modeling agency will ask you for money, they will only pay you money!! This place is a terrible scam, and I really feel sorry for parents who use their savings to give their 'talented' children what they think is a lifetime opportunity. Pros: too friendly Cons: money oriented more

My friend and I were in Wal*Mart and a lady approached us telling us how pretty we were so on and so forth and told us that she was helping her husband out with recruiting for his company. She told us that we'd be great, blah, blah, flattery, gag me please. We went in and met with an agent who was very good with words, convincing us how good we were, we went through a script and he raved about our talent, that with a few classes we'd be fabulous, yadda, yadda, stop. It was already time for him to be off work, he kept rushing us for a decision and when we said we wanted to sleep on it he persisted, adding in that if we signed right then we would get our pictures done for free and low and behold I am thinking that EVERYONE does because we still had to pay $275...we didn't even get our pictures taken. He was pushy and we signed the papers with hopes that our dreams could be made a reality. Yeah right, they are all frills then you sign and it's all peachy still, until you realize what happened, when it's too late, then they try to avoid you, except they still expect that money. They love kids, especially ones that just turned 18 so the parents DON'T have to be present!!! We tried to get out of our contract because we had things come up in both of our lives that made it so we wouldn't be able to do that OR pay and were told they keep it secret but we could get out of the contract the first month. LIES. That was in June, finally in December I received a statement from some collections agency threatening me for payment and of course I was behind...6 MONTHS!!!! They didn't budge, they don't want to help you do anything but fork over money to pay them so they can enjoy things like trips to Brazil. I hate when people take advantage of people. So now we're stuck paying $200 a month and are behind so there's a fee, of course. Apparently the owners daddy owns this collection agency so they hand the contracts over to them. Who are we kidding we got beat up by the school bully while the teachers looked on. DON'T SIGN ANYTHING, DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE, DON'T LOOK IN THEIR EYES!!! Just stay far away!!!!! I'm pretty sure the farthest and closest to fame anyone got was our Mayor's son who was in Napoleon Dynamite, he played Summer's boyfriend, whoo. Rip-offffffff!!! Scam, scam, scam-dalous. Tru Talent, HA! Tru (we just want your money you're really not as great as I'm telling you to your face I'm just really good at being flattering *lying* to people) Talent (Money) Management. Pros: Nice, but lots of people are nice. Cons: The whole operation. more

I was approached by a Tru Talent agent at the mall and was told my child was gorgeous and that they did a lot of work with gapkids, macy's, jc penny and etc. I was really excited so they set up an audition and told me to bring some pictures of my child to the audition. Anyway, when i got home i did some research online and found many bad reviews, a ksl investigation and that they are not accredited with BBB. Long story short i am glad that i did my homework and saved myself and my child from wasting time, energy and gas! Pros: Friendly agent. Cons: Too many. more

My daughter believed in the dream they sold her to model for them. When we arrived at the appointment we were then given the real idea of getting her there. The modeling dream went out the door and the acting presure was on. They refused to train her for modeling and wanted her to train for acting. Thats all well and good if the enitial reason for going there in the first place was to act. They are now trying to charge us for pictures we never received and for training she was not allowed to finish as she was put into a very dangerous possition with another one of thier unscreened actors to be. Pros: The Photographer was a female Cons: Lies, Misrepresents, targets young children more

Also, why are all the good reviews dated on May 15 and 16? Pros: They are great at flattering! Cons: Alot of complaints.... and scam reports..... and issues..... more