John Robert Powers JRP WILL THEY REALLY RIP US OFF!? WHO SHOULD WE BELIEVE!? Saint Paul Minnesota

I got a cold call around 7pm last night from a JRP associate for my daughter.  They knew her first name, but had no idea what age she was, and really didn't know anything about her.  We were invited for an audition at their Detroit offices, which I agreed to, thinking my daughter's talent agency may have referred us. 

The next day, I did some research online, and was bombarded with story after story from JRP franchises across the country.  Several clients never got what they paid for, in terms of actual merchandise like books.  Others saw their particular school shut down before they could attend more than one or two classes out of a year's paid contract.  Still others complained about the fact that they went in for an "audition" that turned into a 2 hour sales pitch, at which the representative from JRP FINALLY admitted that they are a school, not an agency, and cannot actually get you work.

I am not surprised that you, who now work for the company, would defend them.  I find your manner of defense rude, though, to all the people who've had legitimate bad experiences.  I cancelled my appointment for my daughter's "audition," and would certainly recommend to any of my friends that they do SERIOUS research before getting involved with this company.

Whether or not JRP is a "rip-off" depends on consumer expectations.  When we signed up, it was explained to us that JRP was not a talent agent per se.  Rather they offered acting classes along with periodic opportunities to audition with talent agents and casting directors.  Consumers pay their fee for those two reasons:  to attend classes and to have access to various talent agents and casting directors that JRP would periodically bring in.  When my son signed up with the one in West Palm Beach, FL several years ago, headshots by a professional photographer were also included in the package.  In retrospect, JRP was a little pricey, and the sales team at JRP was a bit high pressure on their sales tactics, but they were also very clear about what they were offering.  When we paid them the money, we weren't expecting my son (then 8 years old) to become a rich and famous star, but we felt the value of the classes and the access to casting directors and agents was worth the cost.  My son attended many casting calls and while he didn't get his shot at any of the big-time roles with Disney or Nick, he did land a couple of smaller roles.  However, I do know that one of his friends did get a bigger movie role as a result of his audition at one of the casting calls. We found the classes to be good quality and very helpful. 

Would we have had access to these agents and casting directors without the help of JRP?  Maybe or maybe not.  Even if we did, though, it would have taken a lot of time and effort to do so.  We basically paid JRP to do the legwork for us and they did bring in a lot of agents and casting directors whom I believe were legitimate.  No one at JRP ever tried to tell us that our child would be famous or promised him stardom.  Rather, they told us that they offered a unique opportunity by giving our son access to the industry, which was more than he might otherwise have.  We didn't expect a "return on our investment" by having my son land a major role and start pouring money into our family coffers (although that would have been nice ;)  ).  Rather, we took the program for what it was--acting classes with audition opportunities.  The experience and enjoyment he gained, for us, was well worth the cost.

I have been a teacher of acting for a long time. I have worked with some of the best in the business, including some who are coaching Academy Award-winners in Los Angeles. I have also spent a great deal of time with teens who wish to pursue careers in the performing arts. I can tell you that there are a good deal of SCAMS out there. John Robert Powers appears to be one of them. I can't tell you the numbers of teens who get all excited about the fact that John Robert Powers (also in Tucson, Elizabeth Savage or Barbizon) who "want to sign me!" or "think I have what it takes to be a star!" or "want me to train to become a famous model!" - the list goes on.

I have one question for them when they share their excitement - "How much are they asking for?" If we're talking about someone who is AN AGENT, and they're REQUIRING that you take their classes in order for them to REPRESENT you, then there's a good chance it's a scam. Some of them charge WAY more than the well-known Cameron Thor in Los Angeles, believe it or not! In Tucson! If they're just providing training and they're not claiming to make you a star or even BE YOUR AGENT or MANAGER, they can charge what they like. BUT...they see stars in the eyes of these kids and charge WAY TOO MUCH AND MAKE TONS OF MONEY. Imagine, signing up 40 kids in a month and getting $4,000 from each of them. Do the math!

An example: I have heard of teens paying upwards of $1,200.00 and more for 8 hours of commercial acting classes. THIS IS A RIP OFF. I am considered to be an outstanding professional teacher/coach/director who has coached many WORKING actors, and I would not charge more than $250 for 8 hours of training - in a class where you're with a group. I charge $40/hour for INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE COACHING, but that's typically short-term and for specific purposes, such as an actor who has an upcoming audition for college or grad school or a commercial, theatre, film, etc. We'll meet for a few hours (depending on the goals) and prepare them for that audition.

Another example: A co-worker at an arts center I was at came to me telling me that "Elizabeth Savage wants to sign me." Now, this was an attractive gal, and I could see why they might like to sign her - to REPRESENT HER. But, they were asking a TON of money for training. I told her to call them and tell them that she had an acting coach already and ask if they'd still sign her. THEY CAN'T MAKE REPRESENTING HER CONTINGENT UPON HER GIVING THEM MONEY - IT'S WHY THEY HAVE NO UNION AFFILIATION. She came back to me and said, "They want to know what your background is." She faxed them my bio and then called them. They said, "Well, he seems to know what he's doing. When you're done training with him, give us a call and we'll AUDITION you again and think about signing you." SCAM! They WANTED to sign her when she was going to give them thousands of dollars, but DIDN'T WANT to sign her when she wasn't going to give them that cash. It's a travesty.

ALSO...DON'T BE PULLED INTO THE SO-CALLED TALENT CONFERENCES THAT THEY TAKE YOU TO IN L.A. AND NEW YORK. THE FACT IS THAT OFTEN THESE CONFERENCES MAKE THEIR MONEY BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING WAAAAY TOO MUCH. THEY CAN CALL AN AGENT OR PRODUCER AND GIVE THEM $20,000 FOR SHOWING UP FOR AN HOUR AND MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A BIG DEAL. IT'S NOT. IT'S A CATTLE CALL. YOU'D BE BETTER OFF USING THAT MONEY TO FLY THERE YOURSELF AND SET UP MEETINGS WITH REAL AGENTS AND CASTING DIRECTORS - OR PUT THAT MONEY INTO "REAL" TRAINING. Think about it - you can get university acting classes for a semester for what you'd spend on a weekend you're likely to get nothing out of!

For those of you who are serious about it - call some real agents in the big cities and see what they have to say about these guys. Get some good training, and DON'T EMPTY YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO DO IT.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty humble, but I can say that the actor training you'd get from me is going to be superior to what they're offering, and would cost WAY less. The one thing teachers such as myself DON'T DO is LIE TO YOU. We don't tell you you're going to be a star because there are so many variables in the business, we just don't know. And we're not agents. I do believe that good training can give you the upper hand on your competition, but there are simply no guarantees - even for very talented performers.

AND, FINALLY - DON'T SIGN LONG-TERM CONTRACTS AND EXCLUSIVE CONTRACTS. UNLESS, OF COURSE, IT'S WITH WILLIAM MORRIS OR ANOTHER HUGE AGENT IN L.A. OR NEW YORK WHO WILL ACTUALLY GET YOU IN THE DOOR FOR MAJOR WORK.

Peace.

Steve

I have been a teacher of acting for a long time. I have worked with some of the best in the business, including some who are coaching Academy Award-winners in Los Angeles. I have also spent a great deal of time with teens who wish to pursue careers in the performing arts. I can tell you that there are a good deal of SCAMS out there. John Robert Powers appears to be one of them. I can't tell you the numbers of teens who get all excited about the fact that John Robert Powers (also in Tucson, Elizabeth Savage or Barbizon) who "want to sign me!" or "think I have what it takes to be a star!" or "want me to train to become a famous model!" - the list goes on.

I have one question for them when they share their excitement - "How much are they asking for?" If we're talking about someone who is AN AGENT, and they're REQUIRING that you take their classes in order for them to REPRESENT you, then there's a good chance it's a scam. Some of them charge WAY more than the well-known Cameron Thor in Los Angeles, believe it or not! In Tucson! If they're just providing training and they're not claiming to make you a star or even BE YOUR AGENT or MANAGER, they can charge what they like. BUT...they see stars in the eyes of these kids and charge WAY TOO MUCH AND MAKE TONS OF MONEY. Imagine, signing up 40 kids in a month and getting $4,000 from each of them. Do the math!

An example: I have heard of teens paying upwards of $1,200.00 and more for 8 hours of commercial acting classes. THIS IS A RIP OFF. I am considered to be an outstanding professional teacher/coach/director who has coached many WORKING actors, and I would not charge more than $250 for 8 hours of training - in a class where you're with a group. I charge $40/hour for INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE COACHING, but that's typically short-term and for specific purposes, such as an actor who has an upcoming audition for college or grad school or a commercial, theatre, film, etc. We'll meet for a few hours (depending on the goals) and prepare them for that audition.

Another example: A co-worker at an arts center I was at came to me telling me that "Elizabeth Savage wants to sign me." Now, this was an attractive gal, and I could see why they might like to sign her - to REPRESENT HER. But, they were asking a TON of money for training. I told her to call them and tell them that she had an acting coach already and ask if they'd still sign her. THEY CAN'T MAKE REPRESENTING HER CONTINGENT UPON HER GIVING THEM MONEY - IT'S WHY THEY HAVE NO UNION AFFILIATION. She came back to me and said, "They want to know what your background is." She faxed them my bio and then called them. They said, "Well, he seems to know what he's doing. When you're done training with him, give us a call and we'll AUDITION you again and think about signing you." SCAM! They WANTED to sign her when she was going to give them thousands of dollars, but DIDN'T WANT to sign her when she wasn't going to give them that cash. It's a travesty.

ALSO...DON'T BE PULLED INTO THE SO-CALLED TALENT CONFERENCES THAT THEY TAKE YOU TO IN L.A. AND NEW YORK. THE FACT IS THAT OFTEN THESE CONFERENCES MAKE THEIR MONEY BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING WAAAAY TOO MUCH. THEY CAN CALL AN AGENT OR PRODUCER AND GIVE THEM $20,000 FOR SHOWING UP FOR AN HOUR AND MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A BIG DEAL. IT'S NOT. IT'S A CATTLE CALL. YOU'D BE BETTER OFF USING THAT MONEY TO FLY THERE YOURSELF AND SET UP MEETINGS WITH REAL AGENTS AND CASTING DIRECTORS - OR PUT THAT MONEY INTO "REAL" TRAINING. Think about it - you can get university acting classes for a semester for what you'd spend on a weekend you're likely to get nothing out of!

For those of you who are serious about it - call some real agents in the big cities and see what they have to say about these guys. Get some good training, and DON'T EMPTY YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO DO IT.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty humble, but I can say that the actor training you'd get from me is going to be superior to what they're offering, and would cost WAY less. The one thing teachers such as myself DON'T DO is LIE TO YOU. We don't tell you you're going to be a star because there are so many variables in the business, we just don't know. And we're not agents. I do believe that good training can give you the upper hand on your competition, but there are simply no guarantees - even for very talented performers.

AND, FINALLY - DON'T SIGN LONG-TERM CONTRACTS AND EXCLUSIVE CONTRACTS. UNLESS, OF COURSE, IT'S WITH WILLIAM MORRIS OR ANOTHER HUGE AGENT IN L.A. OR NEW YORK WHO WILL ACTUALLY GET YOU IN THE DOOR FOR MAJOR WORK.

Peace.

Steve

I have been a teacher of acting for a long time. I have worked with some of the best in the business, including some who are coaching Academy Award-winners in Los Angeles. I have also spent a great deal of time with teens who wish to pursue careers in the performing arts. I can tell you that there are a good deal of SCAMS out there. John Robert Powers appears to be one of them. I can't tell you the numbers of teens who get all excited about the fact that John Robert Powers (also in Tucson, Elizabeth Savage or Barbizon) who "want to sign me!" or "think I have what it takes to be a star!" or "want me to train to become a famous model!" - the list goes on.

I have one question for them when they share their excitement - "How much are they asking for?" If we're talking about someone who is AN AGENT, and they're REQUIRING that you take their classes in order for them to REPRESENT you, then there's a good chance it's a scam. Some of them charge WAY more than the well-known Cameron Thor in Los Angeles, believe it or not! In Tucson! If they're just providing training and they're not claiming to make you a star or even BE YOUR AGENT or MANAGER, they can charge what they like. BUT...they see stars in the eyes of these kids and charge WAY TOO MUCH AND MAKE TONS OF MONEY. Imagine, signing up 40 kids in a month and getting $4,000 from each of them. Do the math!

An example: I have heard of teens paying upwards of $1,200.00 and more for 8 hours of commercial acting classes. THIS IS A RIP OFF. I am considered to be an outstanding professional teacher/coach/director who has coached many WORKING actors, and I would not charge more than $250 for 8 hours of training - in a class where you're with a group. I charge $40/hour for INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE COACHING, but that's typically short-term and for specific purposes, such as an actor who has an upcoming audition for college or grad school or a commercial, theatre, film, etc. We'll meet for a few hours (depending on the goals) and prepare them for that audition.

Another example: A co-worker at an arts center I was at came to me telling me that "Elizabeth Savage wants to sign me." Now, this was an attractive gal, and I could see why they might like to sign her - to REPRESENT HER. But, they were asking a TON of money for training. I told her to call them and tell them that she had an acting coach already and ask if they'd still sign her. THEY CAN'T MAKE REPRESENTING HER CONTINGENT UPON HER GIVING THEM MONEY - IT'S WHY THEY HAVE NO UNION AFFILIATION. She came back to me and said, "They want to know what your background is." She faxed them my bio and then called them. They said, "Well, he seems to know what he's doing. When you're done training with him, give us a call and we'll AUDITION you again and think about signing you." SCAM! They WANTED to sign her when she was going to give them thousands of dollars, but DIDN'T WANT to sign her when she wasn't going to give them that cash. It's a travesty.

ALSO...DON'T BE PULLED INTO THE SO-CALLED TALENT CONFERENCES THAT THEY TAKE YOU TO IN L.A. AND NEW YORK. THE FACT IS THAT OFTEN THESE CONFERENCES MAKE THEIR MONEY BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING WAAAAY TOO MUCH. THEY CAN CALL AN AGENT OR PRODUCER AND GIVE THEM $20,000 FOR SHOWING UP FOR AN HOUR AND MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A BIG DEAL. IT'S NOT. IT'S A CATTLE CALL. YOU'D BE BETTER OFF USING THAT MONEY TO FLY THERE YOURSELF AND SET UP MEETINGS WITH REAL AGENTS AND CASTING DIRECTORS - OR PUT THAT MONEY INTO "REAL" TRAINING. Think about it - you can get university acting classes for a semester for what you'd spend on a weekend you're likely to get nothing out of!

For those of you who are serious about it - call some real agents in the big cities and see what they have to say about these guys. Get some good training, and DON'T EMPTY YOUR BANK ACCOUNT TO DO IT.

Believe it or not, I'm pretty humble, but I can say that the actor training you'd get from me is going to be superior to what they're offering, and would cost WAY less. The one thing teachers such as myself DON'T DO is LIE TO YOU. We don't tell you you're going to be a star because there are so many variables in the business, we just don't know. And we're not agents. I do believe that good training can give you the upper hand on your competition, but there are simply no guarantees - even for very talented performers.

AND, FINALLY - DON'T SIGN LONG-TERM CONTRACTS AND EXCLUSIVE CONTRACTS. UNLESS, OF COURSE, IT'S WITH WILLIAM MORRIS OR ANOTHER HUGE AGENT IN L.A. OR NEW YORK WHO WILL ACTUALLY GET YOU IN THE DOOR FOR MAJOR WORK.

Peace.

Steve

Yes, there were times I thought John Robert Powers - Minneapolis might be a scam but I have been pleasantly surprised. My daughter started classes at JRP early August, 2008. That same month an audition for a JRP sponsored event called IPOP occurred. My daughter was picked to attend IPOP. This is when I started to have reservations. With such little training in acting and with her young age I just was not sure what to think. I will admit the added cost of IPOP was scary. My daughter was adamant that she wanted to attend and wanted to compete in Los Angles so we decided to go. We just returned 3 weeks ago. 23 students from our school attended IPOP between the ages of 4 and 17. The event was very organized and agents were everywhere. All of the students were able to interact with the agents during organized time periods and IPOP truly made the children feel like stars!!! All of the students received call backs from agents with some receiving numerous call backs. We brought some trophy's and honorable mentions home and everybody had a very special time. Some of the children will be signing with agents soon and spending some time in Los Angeles. This event truly takes your child to the next step. Yes, this industry moves very quickly. Between the fast pace, the extra expense, and the lack of knowledge about this industry by most parents it is only normal to feel anxiety. However, everybody at John Robert Powers - Minneapolis deeply cares about the children's success. They are genuine!!!

Not I said SUPPOSED TO.

What were you all trying to do --be a star or something right off the bat without paying any dues or taking any drama classes without any experience or not?

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE AUDITIONING FOR AND IF YOU WERE IN FACT AUDITIONING.

THE LAST I HEARD THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT A CASTING AGENCY --THEY WERE A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING TO TAKE VERY EXPENSIVE PHOTOS OF "THE TALENT" AND TEACH YOU HOW TO WALK, TALK, ETC. SUPPOSEDLY SO YOU CAN GET A STARRING OR FEATURED ROLE IN A FILM....

I JUST BYPASS THESE PEOPLE ALTOGETHER AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE CASTING DIRECTOR THAT CASTS EXTRAS AND I HAVE BEEN IN LOTS OF FILMS AND TV SHOWS.

MAKE SURE YOUR CASTING AGENT HAS THE PROPER ACREDITATIONS IN THE PROPER GUILDS AND IS LEGITIMATE THOUGH.

NOT THAT JOHN ROBERT POWERS IS NOT LEGITIMATE.

I JUST PREFER TO STAY ON FILE WITH WHAT I KNOW TO BE A TRUE CASTING AGENCY.

Not I said SUPPOSED TO.

What were you all trying to do --be a star or something right off the bat without paying any dues or taking any drama classes without any experience or not?

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE AUDITIONING FOR AND IF YOU WERE IN FACT AUDITIONING.

THE LAST I HEARD THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT A CASTING AGENCY --THEY WERE A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING TO TAKE VERY EXPENSIVE PHOTOS OF "THE TALENT" AND TEACH YOU HOW TO WALK, TALK, ETC. SUPPOSEDLY SO YOU CAN GET A STARRING OR FEATURED ROLE IN A FILM....

I JUST BYPASS THESE PEOPLE ALTOGETHER AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE CASTING DIRECTOR THAT CASTS EXTRAS AND I HAVE BEEN IN LOTS OF FILMS AND TV SHOWS.

MAKE SURE YOUR CASTING AGENT HAS THE PROPER ACREDITATIONS IN THE PROPER GUILDS AND IS LEGITIMATE THOUGH.

NOT THAT JOHN ROBERT POWERS IS NOT LEGITIMATE.

I JUST PREFER TO STAY ON FILE WITH WHAT I KNOW TO BE A TRUE CASTING AGENCY.

Not I said SUPPOSED TO.

What were you all trying to do --be a star or something right off the bat without paying any dues or taking any drama classes without any experience or not?

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE AUDITIONING FOR AND IF YOU WERE IN FACT AUDITIONING.

THE LAST I HEARD THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT A CASTING AGENCY --THEY WERE A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING TO TAKE VERY EXPENSIVE PHOTOS OF "THE TALENT" AND TEACH YOU HOW TO WALK, TALK, ETC. SUPPOSEDLY SO YOU CAN GET A STARRING OR FEATURED ROLE IN A FILM....

I JUST BYPASS THESE PEOPLE ALTOGETHER AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE CASTING DIRECTOR THAT CASTS EXTRAS AND I HAVE BEEN IN LOTS OF FILMS AND TV SHOWS.

MAKE SURE YOUR CASTING AGENT HAS THE PROPER ACREDITATIONS IN THE PROPER GUILDS AND IS LEGITIMATE THOUGH.

NOT THAT JOHN ROBERT POWERS IS NOT LEGITIMATE.

I JUST PREFER TO STAY ON FILE WITH WHAT I KNOW TO BE A TRUE CASTING AGENCY.

Not I said SUPPOSED TO.

What were you all trying to do --be a star or something right off the bat without paying any dues or taking any drama classes without any experience or not?

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE AUDITIONING FOR AND IF YOU WERE IN FACT AUDITIONING.

THE LAST I HEARD THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT A CASTING AGENCY --THEY WERE A SCHOOL OR SOMETHING TO TAKE VERY EXPENSIVE PHOTOS OF "THE TALENT" AND TEACH YOU HOW TO WALK, TALK, ETC. SUPPOSEDLY SO YOU CAN GET A STARRING OR FEATURED ROLE IN A FILM....

I JUST BYPASS THESE PEOPLE ALTOGETHER AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE CASTING DIRECTOR THAT CASTS EXTRAS AND I HAVE BEEN IN LOTS OF FILMS AND TV SHOWS.

MAKE SURE YOUR CASTING AGENT HAS THE PROPER ACREDITATIONS IN THE PROPER GUILDS AND IS LEGITIMATE THOUGH.

NOT THAT JOHN ROBERT POWERS IS NOT LEGITIMATE.

I JUST PREFER TO STAY ON FILE WITH WHAT I KNOW TO BE A TRUE CASTING AGENCY.

In order to post two back to back rebuttals. And that's fair. If one has a positive experience with them, they should post about it.

And I'd go so far as to say it's not a ripoff in the sense that they do give you what they say they will give you. The question is- do you need what they offer?

The answer to that, at least as far as modeling goes is no.

I can honestly say that going to John Robert Powers Bloomington has been one of the greatest choices I have ever made. It's not a scam. You can do so much through John Robert Powers if you want it and work for it. I went to iPOP in Los Angeles about two weeks ago and it was an amazing experience. I'm going to be flying out to Los Angeles this coming monday to meet with people. They really care about you at JRP BLOOMINGTON, especially The Owner, Connie, and The Vice President, Heather.

Think about it, JRP BLOOMINTON changed my life and is changing my life and if you give it a chance... it'll change yours too.

At first I thought John Robert Powers was a rip-off, but JRP Minneapolis started my career. I have auditioned for multiple roles and agencies and now I'm currently going to LA this weekend to see a couple of different agencies. The director and owner, Connie and Heather, are very genuine and trustworthy. They have helped me with the start of my acting career and continue to help me as much as I need it. I would say that is definetly worth it to sign with JRP Minneapolis.

Here's the ugly truth- most students at a modeling school will not go on to become mainstream models. In fact, the prominent agencies such as Ford or Elite are not impressed if you tell them that you went to a modeling school.

Either you have what the agency is looking for or you don't. I don't know what the OP looks like, how tall she is, how old she is, how much she weighs or how she walks. I do know that there isn't that much of a market where she lives. If she meets the requirements for fashion modeling, she can submit with polaroids directly to the agency. If she meets the requirements for commercial modeling, she can develop a portfolio and submit that to a commercial agency.

If she doesn't meet agency requirements or doesn't want to move to New York City or other major market but has a great look, she can become an independent model. Or she can become an art model.

None of these options require going to a school.

I think you've got John Robert Powers Minneapolis all wrong. First of all it's not an agency and second of all it's not a rip-off or a scam. I have been with JRP Minneapolis for six months and I have had the time of my life. I have gotten the opportunity to go to Los Angeles, through JOHN ROBERT POWERS MINNEAPOLIS, none the less. The Owner, Connie and the Vice President, Heather are two of the most amazing people I have ever met and they run JRP with the utmost organization and reliability. They get to know the talent and they are very responsible. I get the chance in February to fly back out to LA to have a callback with an agency and I owe all of that to Connie and Heather and the JRP Minneapolis instructors. John Robert Powers Minneapolis is not a scam, because trust me it's definately worth it.

At first I thought that John Robert Powers was a scam, but JRP MINNEAPOLIS helped my dreams come true. They are definitely NOT A SCAM. It's a group of people working to help us accomplish our dreams. You can believe whoever you want but I-as a consumer- KNOW that JRP is no scam. The owner and director(Heather and Connie) are 2 of the most genuine women I know. They are THE REAL DEAL. They want people to go far in this business and do what it takes to get them there. They help people in singing, acting, modeling, and dancing. I'm a student at JRP and in March I'll be back IN Los Angeles living up my dream. Please stop the nasty comments on how this is a SCAM. Because, reality check, it most certainly isn't. I can't thank JRP MINNEAPOLIS enough for everything they've done for me. A scam? NOO WAY.

This is The VP of JRP MInneapolis(Bloomington). I am confused by your statement
You said:
JRP SAID TO US THAT WE WERE THE ONLY 7 OUT OF 48 SELECTED. THEN AFTER THAT DAY THEY TOLD US TO GO BACK AND WE DID. AFTER INTERVIEWING, THEY THEN TOLD US TO PAY RIGHT AWAY AND DIDN'T LET US TALK ABOUT IT. THEY DID BUT THEY SEEM LIKE THEY WEREN'T GOING TO LET US GO THAT EASLIY. THEY EXPECTED US TO STAY THERE IN THE OFFICE AND HAVE A DICUSSION OVER IT AGAIN

My response: We do not have interviews the day after an audition. You call us back at a specific time and at that time we tell you if you are a YES or NO. Who did you speak with, Who did you audition with? What City was this in. BECAUSE TIS IS NOT US OR OUR JRP FRANCHISE!!!!

You said:
WHEN THEY CAME BACK WE SAID THAT WE DECIDED NOT TO DO IT, BUT THE HOST OF THE JRP CONVINCED US NOT TO GO AND DECIDED TO MAKE IT A GOOD DEAL WITH US. WE THOUGHT IT OVER 3 TO 4 TIMES AND SAID NO BUT THEY KEPT CONVINCING US. I MEAN IF WE SAID NO THEN THEY WOULDN'T CARE TO CONVINCE US, THEY COULD BEEN LIKE YEA, OKAY, WE CAN STILL FIND SOME MORE PEOPLE

What was the name of this HOST, we do not have a host. There is myself, THe owner and 1 other talent scout.
We weould never have you come in and then decide if you are moving forward we tell you duting the audtion that when you call the next day and IF you are a yes you need to know then if you are moving forward before you would ever come in to sign contracts. There is no 2nd interview at thsi JRP FRANCHISE

You Said
I AM REALLY CONFUSE AND DON'T KNOW WHICH TO TRUST. WE WERE THINKING IF IT WAS A RIP OFF, SO WE TEST THEM AND ASKED IF THE HOST DO TRAVEL, THE MAN SAID YES SHE TRAVELS ALOT, THEN WE ASKED THE OTHER HOST SHE SAID NO I DON'T TRAVEL MUCH AT ALL. IF THEY WERE TO REALLY TO MAKE YOU A MODEL AND A STAR THEY WOULDN'T EXPECT US TO PAY, ITS JUST WEIRD, HOW COME SOME OTHERS DON'T AND THIS JRP HAS TOO. OBVIOUSLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT, WHAT SHOULD WE DO. IS THERE ANY TIPS!? IF THEY WERE RIP OFF , WHO CAN SHUT DOWN THEIR SO CALL RIP OFF COMPANY?!!!!!!

We have no men at this Bloomington MN Franchise so where did you audition and what where the names of the HOST. We have NO MEN HEAR at this location SO I AM REALLY CONFUSED???????

I am stating my classes there later this month and have a friend that have been taking classes for 5 years now. Thank you Billy for straightening things out. JRP is not a ripoff.

If one wants to get their child exposed to acting, find out if your town or city has a local theater that offers classes for children. If not that, find out if your local community or recreation center offers classes. Sometimes dance schools even offer such classes.You'd probably come out a lot cheaper.

Find a reputable agency in yout city or town. Reputable agencies don't take money from you, and suggest that the only money you spend will be for professional head shots... and they usually recommend two or three photographers; or you can choose your own.

If one wants to get their child exposed to acting, find out if your town or city has a local theater that offers classes for children. If not that, find out if your local community or recreation center offers classes. Sometimes dance schools even offer such classes.You'd probably come out a lot cheaper.

Find a reputable agency in yout city or town. Reputable agencies don't take money from you, and suggest that the only money you spend will be for professional head shots... and they usually recommend two or three photographers; or you can choose your own.

If one wants to get their child exposed to acting, find out if your town or city has a local theater that offers classes for children. If not that, find out if your local community or recreation center offers classes. Sometimes dance schools even offer such classes.You'd probably come out a lot cheaper.

Find a reputable agency in yout city or town. Reputable agencies don't take money from you, and suggest that the only money you spend will be for professional head shots... and they usually recommend two or three photographers; or you can choose your own.

Dear Candra147,

I am a director for a John Robert Powers studio in Florida. I have recently stumbled upon this web site, and have seen all of the ridiculous comments written by people who thought they would be Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie in six months. Or comments from parents who look in the faces of their sons or daughters and see a 401K plan, and thought that training and marketing (as useful as it is) would be the silver bullet to superstardom. They brought their kids into on of our studios, and spent thousands of dollars, and six months to a year later no one is asking for their autographs, and now they have buyer's remorse. Want some advice? If someone is blanketed by stupidity to the point that they sit down at a table, and the person across the table says something to the effect of "we can make you a superstar overnight and the only thing that stand between you and your dreams is you giving us money before you get up from this table", and that person proceeds to give them thousands of their dollars, don't take their advice. This school girl in the dark alley scenario (which is unfair to us) sounds terrible, and if it were true it would be. It is not, however yet that is what most people who have filed complaints on this website are claiming they heard from an associate of JRP. Unfortunately they then go on to publicly document their own stupidity by saying "so then we gave them thousands of dollars."

Understand what you are thinking about getting involved in. The entertainment industry is fast paced, and highly competitive. The odds of becoming a rich and famous Hollywood celebrity are like being struck by lighting (although in Florida those are pretty good odds). No one who has filed a complaint about JRP on this web site has denied that. In fact they say that the odds are so overwhelmingly against the single individual that it is stupid to invest in any kind of professional training, personal development, or industry marketing at all. This mind set itself is where the problem lies. Anyone who has an intellectual capacity that can surpass that of a fourth grader should know that training and marketing are always going to help. You like kinda just maybe need to know how to act if you want someone to cast you in anything. Dah. (Ha-ha) Especially if you think you're ever going to be up their with Tom Hanks in the twenty five million dollars per major motion picture bracket one day. (Notice I said one day) But if you don't have the commitment to stick it out, and pursue this until you have reached your goals, spending money is not going to do you any good. Many of our students have a parent who has quit their job so they can take their son or daughter to L.A. and audition seasonally. This kind of effort is the result of unbreakable resolve to accomplish their dream. It doesn't happen over night. Examine you situation in the broader context. Hard work, staying focused, and patients are the primary ingredients to success, that, coupled with training and marketing can help you out a lot.

As for Metairie from Louisiana I am sorry to hear you had a bad experience at JRP, but ask yourself was it bad because of JRP, or because of what you started telling yourself in your head thinking that maybe you made a bad choice by attending classes. Now I know that you attended your seven classes RELIGOUSLY! (Wow seven whole hours of training I bet you could make a Tom Hanks performance look like a jack black flick after seven whole hours of training) But perhaps you need some schooling on determination. I had to loose 105lbs after I signed with JRP as an aspiring actor, before an agent would think about signing me. It took me an entire year to sign with an agent. A YEAR! TO SIGN WITH AN AGENT! But I have since done a lot of things on television, from nationally televised commercials, featured films, even lead roles. But on my seventh class I had the same mindset I had on my first class. That was the thought that it was going to be hard work and take time. I hope you grasp the reality of that one day. How can you possible use several opportunities on this website to blast JRP and classes as something no one will get anything out of, but say that the benefit those classes can't provide can easily be provided by a twenty dollar book from the book store? Must be some book! Anyone reading this who thinks that the benefits of a book are comparable to a comprehensive training and marketing program do indeed need to buy a book. "How To Think For Dummies." Now Metairie, in all sincerity I wish you the best, and hope to see you on TV one day because I think it would be great for you to live your dreams. I just think perhaps your looking at your situation the wrong way. Get back in your classes especially if you already paid for them, they will help.

Candra call the JRP you visited back, ask them to provide you with references, this will help you get an objective look at classes. Metairie stay focused, work hard, be patient and you will have possessed qualities most people who pursue their dreams don't have. Best Wishes two both of you

Billy,

JRP Director and former student

P.S. Metairie we are not, as you said about taking peoples money I can't tell you how many people either I or others in our studio refused to work with even with their credit cards sitting on our desk.

Hey Candra, JRP is all about taking ppl's money so please do not give any of your hard-earned money to them. As soon as you give it to them, you will never see it again. Classes aren't worth taking at all. If you feel you must go to JRP's classes, ask them to sit in on a class and judge whether you want to pay so much money or not. I've been a victim, and I can't get my refund b/c I've been told I took a good percentage of classes when I paid for 2 fricken years. I didn't even finish the first workshop yet.

There are lots of self-help books out there that you can read and try being an extra on set so you can see what it's all about. A respected screenwriter whom I've met recently said her actress friends recommend acting books by Eric Morris. I've ordered 2 of them, and I think they are pretty good. Just know that as soon as you sign that contract and hand over your money, you will never see any of it again. Hope this helps!