John Robert Powers Reviews

Well guess what, never got them and still haven't. When I asked about the practices that my son was supposed to be going to, to help with with his monologues and commercials, they said that wasn't important right now. Glenda was very rude and not organized. She didn't like the fact that I was questioning her. I had finally told them that my son wasn't going to participate, because they were very unorganized and I wasn't putting anymore money into it, because I didn't feel comfortable. They said I couldn't get my money back, which is stated in the contract. I can see if it was my fault and if I wasn't paying them, then I can see where no money back. I have contacted a lawyer because I feel this is a scam and this is their way of getting free money. I have paid $2500 into this agency and they haven't applied what they were supposed to.

As she promised, she called later that evening to inform me only 6 children (which I saw in another post) were chosen and my son was one of them. I was SO excited and REALLY thought this IS promising. We had to return the following day to sign contracts and commit to the next 3 Saturdays and pay $1000.00 (which my Mother paid, being I'm a single Mother). Our next 3 Saturdays turned out to be once a month for 3 months with the final being a showcase where TALENT SCOUTS FROM ALL OVER would be there to choose children (turns out ALL OVER was local companies that are affiliated with JRP).

FINALLY after emailing and texting a month for some answers I get a call that extended an opportunity for my son to attend iPop (which they didn't extend to the others). The cost for my son is $2900.00 and myself $1000.00, they assured me I could make payments but had to pay $1000.00 deposit (which my Mother paid again). During that conversation I'm told BAILEY'S ENTERTAINMENT GROUP wants my son. I got ONE email from Bailey's he wanted to Skype. Okay, so maybe it's legit. After a month of NO response I FINALLY get a call from Doug Bailey there's a photo shoot in Orlando in 2 days that would cost $500.00, could I be there? I informed him I'd have to check with my job and call him the next day.

The next as promised I informed him we were unable to attend on such SHORT notice and my response was "You have to be ready in this business." Later that night I get an email, a casting just opened up for 2 boys w /long hair to cast for THE ORIGINALS CW. BUT w/o me driving to Orlando and paying there would be NO casting. After emailing this smart ** back and forth, I told him my son either has the look or he doesn't regardless if they were photos in my backyard (as he put it, little does the smart ** know they weren't in my back yard), submit my son's pictures and I'll get busy on professional photos. He then emailed asking if I would be able to make the next photo shoot and I responded yes.

Last night at 11:00 I get an email my son didn't make the Atlanta casting call due to his POOR BACKYARD photos. The next shoot is February 8, 2014, can I attend. I informed him I'm working on it and already working w/ someone on professional photos... And oh hell, he snapped and started sending me emails saying I'm going to use a photographer he doesn't even know that has NO knowledge of the industry and he doesn't have any desire to work w/ someone 8 hours away that WON'T take my advice. Ok well, Mr. Genius smart ** you knew I was 8 hours away when you so called accepted my son. After doing some research on him, he had a company called THE CHOP SHOP that was closed due his inappropriate behavior toward his students.

I've forwarded all these emails to my nephew who is an attorney, I've emailed 20/20, filed w/ FTC, BBB, State commissioner and I'll continue until these scum scam artists are STOPPED. This little Southern belle has lost her Southern hospitality and it's game on. I'll be listening for every audition they have now and going just to Picket it and warn other innocent families. YOU WILL BE BROUGHT DOWN AND PAY FOR THE PIECE OF CRAP YOU ARE... On a good note I did find someone who allows u to set up a FREE online account to upload your photos.

We were told that she needed a headshot and comp card for talent agents to even consider her. The photographer, Jeremy **, contacted me by email. We were offered 'packages' to purchase. A $250, $450 and $650 package. The package gave us his counsel from her wardrobe and three photo sessions, one of each wardrobe set. We were told that the package included 25 prints somewhere along the line but that was never to be seen. So I made arrangements with Jeremy to deduct $225 from my account one pay period and another $225 the next pay period. This was per phone conversation. He said that he would email me her shots and then I could take them and have them printed myself at $2 per print. But that I needed the prints for the showcase that next Saturday.

I get to his photo shoot and after all the shots are completed with my daughter, I learned that I need to print the shots at HIS lab. And that the lab will not print less than 100 prints. Now my daughter in interested in modeling, not acting. The way the packages were arranged, I had to purchase 100 headshots and 100 comp cards for my daughter's particular interest. A total of $375 plus shipping and handling. He said that I would receive my daughter's prints this Friday. He said that I would have my prints before my daughter's showcase which was yesterday and they have not arrived yet (Sunday, 10/10/13).

He did call me Friday to say that he was concerned that I have not received my prints yet. There was a problem with UPS. He said that it would be no problem and that he would email me her shots and that I could just go to Walmart and print up 5 for the showcase. I told him that at this time (he left a message about 6pm my time and I was in a meeting and was not able to talk to him until around 7:30 and all photo labs close here at 9pm), I would not be able to get the shots printed because of lack of enough time. He said that it would be okay and that you can just email the shots to the agents. I told him that is why I asked him if I had to order 100 shots because I would not use all the shots. He laughed and said that I can send them all to Ryan (UTG's talent coach).

I told Ryan the experience the next day. He said that he felt my grievance and that it was not right. He said that I did not have to order 100 shots and told me to call the president of UTG with the experience. When I saw the deduction from my account, I see that it was paid to John Robert Powers. I don't know the connection between Undiscovered Talent Group, iPop and John Robert Powers but it is all fishy to me.

Upon arrival a few minutes late, there was a LONG line going into a room that held a few hundred people. We were told, along with a few others that we had to wait for the next session that would open up in 2.5 hours. So, we were first in line in the second round and after a 30 min pep talk from one of 3 semi-retired models, we were directed to one of three tables in the front of the room. In five minutes they listened to my son (who CAN sing and act and does so locally) and handed us a thick folder full of info. "READ ALL OF THE INFORMATION CLOSELY" we were told and if in agreement email us at 9:30am tomorrow and we will call you back to come talk to us again.

The bottom line was a sales scam ranging from a "showcase commitment" of $2000 (for five sessions) PLUS photo shoot for $800 to $4500 to go to California for an IPOP convention sans airfare and hotel ($3000) PLUS cost for one parent to accommodate to California for a convention ($4000). But IPOP only offered AFTER two rounds of showcase. Bottom line… no promises or guarantees. The saddest part is preying on the innocence of young children and their doting parents. They need to be held accountable for false advertising!!!! My poor son was upset ALL day the next day because I wouldn't go back. He thought they didn't think he was good enough. So now I am explaining the heartless side of sales to an 8 year old who spent an entire day in a hotel hallway and banquet room thinking he was being interviewed by REAL talent scouts (and a mother who actually THOUGHT better of something that actually screamed SCAM)... RUN!!! FROM THIS COMPANY!!!

Because I went on vacation the next day, I informed them I will be in the day following my return. Believe me, they did everything possible to get me in before I left for vacation. I did as promised and came in on August 9, 2012. I signed up for 10 weeks of classes to start September 5, received a call on August 31 that due to instructor conflict, classes would begin on October 3, 2012 at 7 pm for a two-hour class every Wednesday. Fine. At 2 pm on October 3, the phone rang. Class was cancelled because the instructor was ill and class would have to begin on October 10, 2012 and not to worry because we would not lose credit and that it will not count as a make-up. The ten-week program would start on October 10 at 7 pm.

On October 9 at 6:45 pm, a universal email was received that they have closed their doors effective October 9. Wait a minute! Less than a week ago, you assured me that classes that I paid $1950.00 for in full is no longer existing. Wait, it gets better. The email had an email and telephone number. The phone is off the hook from 10 am to 9 pm and voice mail boxes are full. The email address on notice was auto-returned to us as "for more information please contact our director Cathy **" at a fake non-existing yahoo email.

So in summary, I paid, never started classes because JRP aka John Robert Powers keeps on postponing them knowingly. Wasn't it easier to say, "I'm sorry but right now classes are on hold, here is a refund until we get the class schedule on track." Or better yet, give the parents the option for a credit or hold, but no, they took our money fraudulently. Isn't that a felony?

I was in a good mood and just in case it would lead to acting or modeling job/s, I filled out a short form and took a business card from her. Ten days later, we were called for an audition. I thought wow, that was fast, maybe JRP was okay.

Note: I am somewhat familiar with the acting-casting procedure and know when you audition for anything in the acting business, it is for a possible job!

The lady who called studiously did not say what the audition was for (shampoo, Coca Cola, Toyota etc.). She did say that they had casting type people coming from different places. She studiously didn't state when these people were going to be here, nor if we were going to audition with these people for a job. A second red flag went up.

Note: After our JRP adventure, I reviewed complaints concerning JRP on the internet and found that the audition word was constantly used and casting people are always looking for new faces (especially for Pilots shows), implying these people come to JRP to find new faces. From more than one JRP insider would register complaints, stated these casting people frequently, simply JRP staff from other offices. I don't know if this is true or not, but I have seen this tactic before in other businesses.

I thought well okay, going to this audition might give our son something to do regarding acting, so I accepted the audition. I told the caller that we had already had plans around when the audition was being held, I asked how long the audition was and was told that it would take two hours and this fit our schedule, so I accepted. A third red flag went up as to why it would take two hours for an audition when it's normally 30 minutes for a first audition. Additionally, the audition lasted 2.5 hours.

We arrived at the JRP office on time for the audition and were provided a form to be filled out with a mass of personal information for our son, as well as my wife and I. I did not appreciate being asked a bunch of unnecessary personal questions for an audition, especially since we did nothing yet and knew nothing yet about JRP. A fourth red flag went up.

Instead of being called in one by one for the audition, we were rounded up in a room by a guy in a suit, that was desperately too large for him (I thought this was very unprofessional) and sat down, told us to turn off our cell phones, given a piece of paper with multiple paragraphs on it regarding various products, ours was for peanut butter. I thought okay, this looks like the real stuff for a first audition (they usually take three to get the part). Afterwards, we're introduced to a director of this particular JRP (they don't tell you this is a franchise establishment around the country like McDonald's (found out myself)).

This lady director, while having a lot of good things to say generally, started in on her family, in the singing and show business, and went on about her family for two straight hours acting/singing successes never letting up over and over and over about them. I am happy she is happy for her family, but we were not there for this. This was a pressurized sales tactic. A fifth red flag went up.

While 30 minutes would have been good and interesting to hear about any success story, she beat us over the head with it without respite, going on and on and on and on and on. I, my wife, and my son, and many others had to go to the bathroom. It took unmercifully long. There were a lot of children wiggling in their seats and sitting sideways with complete boredom about things that they did not understand or concern them. They didn't even need to be there, parents could have handled the sales pitch. Additionally, as usual with these Positive Power speakers who never shut up they never, never, never let you question them or their presentation, this is for a good reason on their part.

Halfway through the Amway style sales pitch (Sandbagging people into listening to them without telling you what they are about and what their product is is until the very end of the pitch), she mentioned training. A sixth red flag flew. I told my wife, here it comes (meaning the real reason we were there). I was wrong; this was just a bit of chum.

An hour and a half after the start of the diatribe, in final brute force, came training, training and training, which was the real reason we were sucked into JRP. After finally letting us know what JRP was about, the lady stated we are not agents! This revelation took two hours of wasted time for me and my family and was what I wanted to know all the time (requested at the festival (red flag one)), but was side barred with implications when attempting to discover this - especially because this was supposed to be an audition.

An agent gets people work, this is what I, and I am sure other people there, where there for - work. This was not an agency and was studiously hidden from attendees whom, like I, thought we were auditioning for acting or modeling jobs.

Note: There is nothing in the JRP office at all except posters of movies. No brochures - nothing. A walk in has no info provided to them. Red Flag number six; there is a brochure, but it must come from the marketing people only after the so-called audition.

I asked the lad Director while bored out of my mind with her repetitive monotony 2.5 hour speech what we were auditioning for? She got perturbed and said she talked about this previously - she did not (unless I was in the bathroom at the time) otherwise, I would have walked out. There was no audition, what there was, a short video and the statement of a line they provided us earlier and a last ditch high pressure marketing entrapment. What audition there was, was an audition to let JRP work with us, if, we were accepted and good enough!

The marketing director lady said, if we passed the audition (which she was the audition person), we would be called the next day for another audition. At this point, people are given the brochure about JRP. They actually give the gullible a day to look over the brochure (and decide if you can pay) and if you are still interested you can go back and pay for the classes the next day. Oh I forgot to mention the hook. We were told the next week casting people would be there for auditions (they are not an agency? ), so if you paid up for the classes you might audition with these people. Of course who are they who pays them and will they show. JRP said, there would be people there for our audition as well, who were the JRP people? A JRP director bombing us with the 2.5 hour lecture.

Of course, everyone is good enough for JRP to work with, they are a business and a business is to make money and they make money by making people pay for training courses and head shots and other photographic cards. JRP sandbagged me and likely all others not telling you anything about who they are, what they are producing until you are psychologically manipulated and psychologically entrapped to give them money for something you were not wanting and were not looking for.

Take a look at the JRP website and see what it is about (only a form to give away marketing information to them). The only transparency on the website is directly below the John Robert Powers name in the logo, in small letters (small letters means what is hidden psychologically) is the word "School", which is something. Don't fall for JRP financial predatory tactics. Read the other complaints about them (ignore those that state they are great, whom is writing these no doubt someone working for them). Anything you hear good about JRP was likely written by themselves. Search directly for a reputable agent if you want to get in the acting business, not an acting school, you don't need one, but when involved, look into training. A waste of time if JRP was honest about what they really are and do 'Up Front' you know with a bit of ethics.

Our girls watched Disney shows for 2 days practicing skits and could not sleep the night before the "audition". My husband took an entire day to take them and they never mentioned anything about money, just pumped all of the kids up with a script that would be read before a "Disney Director". When I got the call back, I was asked for money. The girls cried their eyes out.

This is a scam that needs to be stopped. This has caused emotional scaring of our daughters and our family time because of the bait and switch tactic from this scam company. And for my daughter to be put down when I refused to pay money, crossed the line. We have contacted the local news and this has caused major stress to our family and our daughter's self esteem.

I contacted Bank of America and they temporary credited my account $191.70. That total was disputed because I still wanted to purchase the $45.00 book. I inquired every week thereafter to Ms. A as to the status of my book. After several weeks of not receiving product, Ms. A told me that my order was completely cancelled. In the meantime, the disputed amount that was temporarily placed in my account was deducted by Bank of America. I contacted Bank of America and JRP. I spoke with Inna A who told me that my order had been cancelled and that the money ($236.70) that was taken from my account had been returned to my account. Bank of America verified that JRP in fact did not place the $236.70 back in my account as stated. As of today, I have received no product, nor has JRP returned my money for product that was never received. When speaking with Inna A on the evening of December 16, 2009, she said that she would have to contact the accounting department and then get back to me. I have had no contact with JRP or Inna A as to the status.

This experience let myself and my daughter down, and I don't think that anybody deserves that.

On 04/21/2008, I mailed my letter to John Robert Powers stating my child will not be able to participate in the John Robert Powers School, at this time ... our receipt number is 10993, our contract number is 136867 for cancellation of the contract.

I followed-up with a phone call on 04/21/08 at 4:00 pm, on 04/22/08, 05/07/2008, 05/23/08, 05/30/08, and 06/07/2008. On 04/22/2008 I was informed that the letter had been received and would be handled, accordingly. On 05/07/2008 I was informed by Tran that Mr. Bennett was out and would get in touch with me; on 05/23/2008 I was informed that Mr. Bennett was out due to the holiday and he would receive my message. Mr. Rick Bennett did call me back on 05/23/08 at 5:52 pm and left a message stating that I see the refund which is pending with corporate ... they are out due to the holiday and I'm not sure why it's pending, but I will send them an email to expedite the process which should be refunded on Tuesday [May 27, 2008]; and on 06/07/2008 I called and Tran took my message again and stated that Mr. Bennett will not be back until Monday and she will pass the message along to him.

Their, John Robert Powers Academy, policy states The CLIENT may cancel this contract within seventy-two hours after its execution my mailing a certified letter to John Robert Powers. The client will be refunded the tuition, but not the non-refundable $500.00 registratin fee, within 21 days of JRP's receipt of the cancellation letter.

I did exactly what was asked and I have yet to receive my $5400.00 refund to my credit card. It took five minutes for them to charge $5900.00 to my credit card, keeping $500.00 for paper and more than 21 days for them to refund my $5400.00. It has been exactly 46 days since they received my certified letter and I want my refund.

This company did not provide me nor my child with any services and they are not holding to their company contract. Therefore, because they've breeched the contract then I should be refunded the total amount of $5900.00.

I don't think parents should send their child on auditions without experience. And I don't think anyone should interview for a job with out knowing how to do it.

We, the parents and children, were brought into small offices (1 family per office) about 3 offices to be exact. We continued to wait until it was our turn. The director called us into the room to go over the form we filled out(which included parents' name and occupation) and to give us a portfolio about the cost of programs they have available. She also stated that my son was special, brilliant, exceptional, handsome and so on......

The director said if my son makes the audition, he'll will have to come the next day for a second audition. We agreed to call at 6:20am the next morning to see if he passed the audition. Keep in mind, 11:45am was the actual audition time, we were told to come back at 1:00pm and it's 3:15pm and we're in the director's office and my son still hadn't auditioned. An agent with an English accent was giving the auditions. The children were told to go in a room one by one w/o the parents to stand in front of this lady to audition (Skippy commercial 2 or 3 lines script). We finally left there at at approximately 6:30pm.

My husband and I briefly looked at the portfolio given to us and agreed on the 20 class competitive program costing about $1950 if my son were to make the first cut.

It's March 16th and my husband calls the director to find out if my son made the first cut which he did. The director again complimented my son. She also stated that the agent who auditioned my son would like to see my him again, after some instruction only if he makes the second cut to find out if he's directable and coachable. The director reminds us that if my son makes the second cut that we will have to pay for instruction on same day.

We then go to the second audition at 2:30pm and my son was given a Kix 2 liner script. We were called to the office about 3:45pm with the director. She again compliments our son. After my son auditions, she gives him instruction and correction. My son makes the second cut. The director then states that my son came out in the top 3 out of 100 kids so she would like to offer us the invitation only career program costing $5,900 and he'll need a photo shoot package costing $1795. She also states that my son has a good shot in making it

My husband and I got caught up with all the emotions and my son's driven interest to act and to have a chance to be on TV that we gave into the $5900 program. The director gives us a scholarship for $500 to deduct from tuition making it seem more affordable. When signing contract, a $500 nonrefundable fee was preprinted in the contract and if you cancel the contract within 72 hours, you will be refunded the tuition in full(in 21 days after receipt of certified letter) minus the nonrefundable fee. We also purchased the 2 books and were told that we cannot return them. The books were $150 plus $10 tax.

we canceled that contract and mailed the letter on time. We are not happy loosing $660 and waiting 21 days to receive credit on the tuition of $4900. When I went home, I googled (Is John Robert Powers a scam?) and it came back with several websites on it. The next audition will be March 29. Please look into these websites. I paid by credit card and they also asked for my driver's license for identification purposes. I believe they made a copy of credit card and driver's license. The services were to commence on March 29 at which time another audition was to take place. The only merchandise given was 2 books which I was told by above contact that it's not returnable. ($150 plus $10 tax)