9/30/08
John Wood needs to make your living and needs your money to do it
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Shey D Deal": This is so great that the agency and John Wood are being busted for their scam. John did not "just arrive from LA" - he has been here for a number of years. In addition, beware other non-descript CL postings. For example, I responded to an add that said The Four Seasons Hotel was looking for models for approx. $3500 per shooting day. I thought, great...I'll respond and see what happens. Who should call me today, but John Wood, looking to set up a "private casting" with me tonight. Uh NOPE! Be careful, it looks like John is not spreading out and trying a whole new host of scams. I assume that his new scam is having you come down for a casting call, then telling you he can't submit you for the job unless you get comp cards. Here is a heads up for everyone....the acting industry does NOT use comp cards as the standard! Modeling, yes....Acting, NO! Headshots are still the industry standard for film and television, no matter what John tells you. Ask anyone legit in the industry and they will confirm that.
John Wood Needs to make a living, and needs your money to do it
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Shey D Deal": This is so great that the agency and John Wood are being busted for their scam. John did not "just arrive from LA" - he has been here for a number of years. In addition, beware other non-descript CL postings. For example, I responded to an add that said The Four Seasons Hotel was looking for models for approx. $3500 per shooting day. I thought, great...I'll respond and see what happens. Who should call me today, but John Wood, looking to set up a "private casting" with me tonight. Uh NOPE! Be careful, it looks like John is not spreading out and trying a whole new host of scams. I assume that his new scam is having you come down for a casting call, then telling you he can't submit you for the job unless you get comp cards. Here is a heads up for everyone....the acting industry does NOT use comp cards as the standard! Modeling, yes....Acting, NO! Headshots are still the industry standard for film and television, no matter what John tells you. Ask anyone legit in the industry and they will confirm that.
9/23/08
John Woods Cinderella Modeling Agency Story
John Wood and Richard Bertone have left Massachusetts and are now working with the unsuspecting people of New Hampshire with The Cinderella Modeling Agency located in Manchester New Hampshire.
I answered an ad from CL in Manchester Nh.
It was the Cinderella modeling agency and the guy who called me back was John Wood. Same story, he is just in from LA. after 20 years there and the Boston scene is gonna be huge, I have the look and then it was down to photos.
He just called and I was reading these blogs.
I may call back, but why bother if it's really just a legal way to sell hopes.
Is it the same guy?
Same deal?
It was the same photographer Richard, so I guess so.
Please chime in.
I answered an ad from CL in Manchester Nh.
It was the Cinderella modeling agency and the guy who called me back was John Wood. Same story, he is just in from LA. after 20 years there and the Boston scene is gonna be huge, I have the look and then it was down to photos.
He just called and I was reading these blogs.
I may call back, but why bother if it's really just a legal way to sell hopes.
Is it the same guy?
Same deal?
It was the same photographer Richard, so I guess so.
Please chime in.
9/19/08
Well it looks like there still at it and I thought Karon learned her lesson
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I answered another add on Craigs List for Acting a...":
Reading this website made me feel somewhat like a fool because I experienced the exact same thing you have written with Karon, John and Richard. Here's my $0.02.
Karon - never met her. Don't think I ever talked to her. Traded some voice mails and a few e-mails, but that's it.
John - IMO, sleazy. Didn't trust him. Gave his "personal" cell number because people are less likely to "flake out" if they have that contact. Never trusted him. Same story… check the BBB, call around. We did check the BBB – there was nothing really, and checking around resulted in not much.
Richard - seemed like a nice enough guy. Shoot was OK, pictures were OK. Artistically they were nice. Technically, nothing to be amazed with. It sure didn't seem worth $800.
What gets me about this whole thing was the story was the same for everyone... gotta have you as a client... special deal on photos - only $795... never hear from them again. Then the hard sale on the $25/month website came… “you won’t get jobs if you don’t have our website…”
Our shoot took place right away and we were told it would be 6-8 weeks before the comp cards were in. That put us around the holidays. We waited until mid-January and called only to be told (by Karon’s front desk person) that Karon would call back. Karon never called. We called one to two times a week for three weeks. Each time, “Karon would call back.” Then the front desk person (Haley?) said the cards were lost and they’d get back to us.
After two months of this, the next call was simple: “Money back by the end of the week or we go to the AG and the BBB.” That got a call back! We were told the cards had to be reprinted since the wrong name was used on them. We said we didn’t care… it had been six months and we never heard from them so other plans were made. They didn’t deliver in a timely manner, and we want a 100% refund.
Karon initially refused to refund anything, so I filed a report with the BBB and the AG. After a couple of phone calls from each, Karon agreed to pay the whole amount (she initially offered her portion – Richard had to get paid). We said pay all or we take her to small claims court. We paid her $795, so $795 was due back.
She caved and said we would have our money in two weeks. In the meantime, the BBB and the AG called and asked if the matter was finalized. I said no because I didn’t have the check yet. I said if they call back in two weeks and I have the check, I would agree. Since I didn’t trust them to deliver anything I wouldn’t sign off until satisfied.
A week later the check arrived and it cleared!
I should have realized when the contract was a copy of a copy of a copy, missing portions, that this was a bogus setup. Also, when I tried to get information on anyone and there wasn’t much out there it should have been a red flag. We went into it knowing we could lose $800, but fortunately, we did get our money back.
Reading this website made me feel somewhat like a fool because I experienced the exact same thing you have written with Karon, John and Richard. Here's my $0.02.
Karon - never met her. Don't think I ever talked to her. Traded some voice mails and a few e-mails, but that's it.
John - IMO, sleazy. Didn't trust him. Gave his "personal" cell number because people are less likely to "flake out" if they have that contact. Never trusted him. Same story… check the BBB, call around. We did check the BBB – there was nothing really, and checking around resulted in not much.
Richard - seemed like a nice enough guy. Shoot was OK, pictures were OK. Artistically they were nice. Technically, nothing to be amazed with. It sure didn't seem worth $800.
What gets me about this whole thing was the story was the same for everyone... gotta have you as a client... special deal on photos - only $795... never hear from them again. Then the hard sale on the $25/month website came… “you won’t get jobs if you don’t have our website…”
Our shoot took place right away and we were told it would be 6-8 weeks before the comp cards were in. That put us around the holidays. We waited until mid-January and called only to be told (by Karon’s front desk person) that Karon would call back. Karon never called. We called one to two times a week for three weeks. Each time, “Karon would call back.” Then the front desk person (Haley?) said the cards were lost and they’d get back to us.
After two months of this, the next call was simple: “Money back by the end of the week or we go to the AG and the BBB.” That got a call back! We were told the cards had to be reprinted since the wrong name was used on them. We said we didn’t care… it had been six months and we never heard from them so other plans were made. They didn’t deliver in a timely manner, and we want a 100% refund.
Karon initially refused to refund anything, so I filed a report with the BBB and the AG. After a couple of phone calls from each, Karon agreed to pay the whole amount (she initially offered her portion – Richard had to get paid). We said pay all or we take her to small claims court. We paid her $795, so $795 was due back.
She caved and said we would have our money in two weeks. In the meantime, the BBB and the AG called and asked if the matter was finalized. I said no because I didn’t have the check yet. I said if they call back in two weeks and I have the check, I would agree. Since I didn’t trust them to deliver anything I wouldn’t sign off until satisfied.
A week later the check arrived and it cleared!
I should have realized when the contract was a copy of a copy of a copy, missing portions, that this was a bogus setup. Also, when I tried to get information on anyone and there wasn’t much out there it should have been a red flag. We went into it knowing we could lose $800, but fortunately, we did get our money back.
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