Numa - NUMA Group - NUMA Models- NUMA International Institute Of Makeup And Design - NIIMD Did not deliver, lied, mislead, Calgary Alberta

As I am sure not many people would not lie on this website, I trust that you most likely had a positive experience with Numa. However, if you search on the web or ask around, there are so many people who had poorer experiences with them, and sometimes it might seem like they are the majority.

I was a model and what I've experienced with them was inconsistency and poor performance. Staff quits and new staff comes in. There is no relationship between the models and the staff in the office (Vancouver). Most of the time I don't know what's going on and it feels like they remember you occasionally and it is quite hard to have the office pay attention to your needs/requests.

I and a lot of co-models find jobs on our own because there is no contract signed. It doesn't really feel like an agency which you get jobs from with Numa. It's confusing and I wouldn't recommend them if you are serious about modelling.

They would tell you good things like we would work together for your benefit and so on, and they have great-looking documents, but they don't actually do that. The staff has never talked with me about my career development, or even after new test shoots are done, I don't hear anything from the office. Because the photo shoot coordinator is not working in the office, I had no idea whether the office has received my pictures. There was no follow-up - nothing. The communication is kind of broken and the overall professionalism was kind of low.

I did hear about castings from them, but the office never took initiative to develop me, which is what a mother agency should do. They are signing mother agency contracts with models when what they are actually doing are not. (Plus, the contract doesn't look professional either. :P)

Anyway, I'm sorry for rambling! The whole point I wanted to convey is that Numa is definitely not a scam, but they kind of suck at what they are doing. :)

I had a photoshoot done for like 3 hundred and 50 dollars and the lady never gave me my photos and everytime i went there she would change the story. One time she told me to come so she (pregnant lady) can chat with me and i ended up doing some model cretic thing that i wasn't even suppose to do and i came to also pay the rest for my photoshoot and shes like " don't even worry about the rest of the money" like wtf your the one who kept bugging me about that money.. and then shes like since your shy we need to get you in acting lessons which was like another 500 dollars.Like thats b.s this agency is disorganised and should be closed down. first of all you never see any of the models that were on their website..its so messed up i really hate no one should go here ive heard so many other girls complain too an they've all gone to cristie's or mode model!!!!! =b

I just have to say that I have worked with Numa and found that they are a great company with great staff and owners. Yes, they are a newer company.. but they are working the kinks out.

First off, I went to one of the most highly accredited Makeup Schools in Canada and for the complaints about the room being cold I think it is silly. The rooms are always cold! It helps from the Makeup getting too warm and will also help when applying the makeup. Another thing about the room being a bit on the cold side, with all of the lights being on it will get warm or with the blow dryers/flat irons/curling irons being on, it will get warm too.

Second off, they always pay on time. They are very understanding and willing to work with my schedule.

Third off, they have a great location and let other artsists i.e. Stylists, Photographers and Makeup Artist work with the models at their insitution as well. This is more than onc could ask for when looking to build their portfolio and also get experience.

Everyone has some sort of bad experience with something in their lives. I just think we can't bash them.. I know it's an unfortunate experience but at least they offered something. The contract in which you signed stated "no refunds."

Anyways, good luck in your endeavors..

As a member of the industry I find it quite interesting that this individual has no clue of the stated company. Numa is one of the best agencies in the country hands down. Celing fans, are you kidding. If you have ever been to Numa you will note how estically pleasing of a space they have. They work with some of the top clients in the business. How would they be able to hold the brands they do if they had a bad reputation, how would they roster over 100 models, how would they be working with the top agencies from around the world, how would they have class loads of students, how would they have just done 3 top add campaigns in the city of Calgary alone at the start of this year. I have a feeling that this individual is very mislead to think one person is going to jepordize the well being of a company with good standing. As a reader of this rebutle I would encourgage you to check Numa out for yourself and find out we have an estranged individual trying to tarnish the reputation of a major organization.

Kind Regrads,

Since I have received some feed back on the report I thought that it would be helpful if I were to clarify somethings.

Yes NUMA or NIIMD did sit me and the other student down telling us that if we wanted we could start the course over starting Jan 13th 2009; however, when a teacher quits because they are not getting paid any school would not make the students start all over again, you would make them pick up where the course was left off. Personally I did not want to waste anymore of my time because NUMA is not an accredited institution which mean at the end of the course you get nothing.

If anyone is thinking of becoming part of NUMA models or is even considering the school, go ask people that are in the same industry as NUMA about them and their reputation and you will receive some shocking feed back.

What NIIMD did to their student and staff was horrible and all of us are still feeling the effects of it. Having put out $8000 to not receive and education was very hard on me and my family because we don't have that much money to just be throwing it out the window. The owners of NIIMD said that they would give each student the remainder of what should have been in the makeup kit at the beginning of course, this still has not happened. NIIMD said that there would be another course starting up in January of 2009 and that didn't happen. If no one is willing to hold these horrible people accountable for what they did then they will continue to ruin families. The only reason why there is ceiling fans in NIIMD is because they could finally afford them after they didn't have to worry about paying the teacher or buying anymore supplies for the students.

These people are extremely misleading, if you go onto their website and look at the instructors only one of them is still there, the other one quit back in December. If this school is everything that they say that it is then why couldn't they give even a little bit of the money back to the students? Could it be because their broke? Maybe because there is some "shifty" things going on at the school.
For anyone reading this please just be careful of what they tell you and get everything in writting, that's where I wasn't thinking and am now facing a huge loss of money.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Please don't let this happen to you.

Hello, I have been present during many of the interactions at NIIMD, and overheard the student with which is desiring defame their name had acted completely innapropriate with instructors and a classmate to the point of poking someone in the eye with a brush. This student was very unprofessional and unruly. I know the owners and have performed makeup for them before and have always been paid and treated appropriately. The place is warm, in fact I stopped by the other day to drop off an invoice. They have done me favours in the past as far as giving me leads as an artist. I thought it only right to return the favour and speak up. The facility is great, everyone should see it and I have always been welcomed with a warm hug.

ps. It is my understanding through seeing some numbers that the instructors were paid well above competitors. And students have been offered positive leads for their portfolios. They are very straight forward. Trust me I know.
KC
Calgary, Alberta
Canada

Hello, I have been present during many of the interactions at NIIMD, and overheard the student with which is desiring defame their name had acted completely innapropriate with instructors and a classmate to the point of poking someone in the eye with a brush. This student was very unprofessional and unruly. I know the owners and have performed makeup for them before and have always been paid and treated appropriately. The place is warm, in fact I stopped by the other day to drop off an invoice. They have done me favours in the past as far as giving me leads as an artist. I thought it only right to return the favour and speak up. The facility is great, everyone should see it and I have always been welcomed with a warm hug.

ps. It is my understanding through seeing some numbers that the instructors were paid well above competitors. And students have been offered positive leads for their portfolios. They are very straight forward. Trust me I know.
KC
Calgary, Alberta
Canada

Hello, I have been present during many of the interactions at NIIMD, and overheard the student with which is desiring defame their name had acted completely innapropriate with instructors and a classmate to the point of poking someone in the eye with a brush. This student was very unprofessional and unruly. I know the owners and have performed makeup for them before and have always been paid and treated appropriately. The place is warm, in fact I stopped by the other day to drop off an invoice. They have done me favours in the past as far as giving me leads as an artist. I thought it only right to return the favour and speak up. The facility is great, everyone should see it and I have always been welcomed with a warm hug.

ps. It is my understanding through seeing some numbers that the instructors were paid well above competitors. And students have been offered positive leads for their portfolios. They are very straight forward. Trust me I know.
KC
Calgary, Alberta
Canada

Hello, I have been present during many of the interactions at NIIMD, and overheard the student with which is desiring defame their name had acted completely innapropriate with instructors and a classmate to the point of poking someone in the eye with a brush. This student was very unprofessional and unruly. I know the owners and have performed makeup for them before and have always been paid and treated appropriately. The place is warm, in fact I stopped by the other day to drop off an invoice. They have done me favours in the past as far as giving me leads as an artist. I thought it only right to return the favour and speak up. The facility is great, everyone should see it and I have always been welcomed with a warm hug.

ps. It is my understanding through seeing some numbers that the instructors were paid well above competitors. And students have been offered positive leads for their portfolios. They are very straight forward. Trust me I know.
KC
Calgary, Alberta
Canada

I just recently stumbled across this report and thought I would shed some light on the situation from a insiders point of view. The Numa International Institute of Makeup and Design is a new organization that has great potential. There has been a major need for a well rounded Makeup school in Calgary for sometime - hence the opening of NiiMD.

The school is an extension of a very successful modeling and talent agency Numa Models www.numamodels.com The makeup school was set to start class in October of 2008 and did so with two students. It should be noted that the accreditation of the school was and is in process. The hair portion of the curriculum is fully accredited.

Do to contract disputes with the past creative director and instructor of NiiMD there was an abrupt and absolute discharge of the small staff. This emergency situation left two students with a lack of full certainty of what would become of their studies. Because of legal nature of the matter the students were brought in for a private interview in which it was told to them the current situation. Both students were given the options for the current set of circumstances. It should be noted that both students were given their makeup kits and were assured that they would receive any items that had not yet been given.

Because of the absence of certified instructors and the fact that it was so close to Christmas - the two students were told they would have the option of resuming the classes they needed for full graduation on either the first or second semester of the new year. As is the school policy there are no refunds but rather all accommodations possible would be granted to insure full value and experience with NiiMD. It can be understood the concern the students would have in regards to their investment and or schooling commitments. This said, it should be noted that the owner and his wife were more than honest, straight forward and kind in all matters considered to this report.

I would suggest to anyone reading this report to see the limited view being offered and go and research for yourself. The school is very accommodating in that it provides Free parking, student lockers, kitchenette, photo studio (access to real models etc) When visiting NiiMD please note 6 industrial ceiling fans that offer an amazing flow of fresh warm air circulating through out the New York style layout in a 2300 plus sq ft location. It should be noted the other makeup school in Calgary offers none of the above.

I would also like to have it be noted that each time I walk into Numa I enjoy the positive atmosphere and creative process they offer. Prospective students should note the experience the owner brings to the table in regards to the entertainment/fashion/communication industry.

Kind Regards