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Sep 10

Is AMTC a Scam?

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AMTC, Broadway Song

After my friend and I took our daughters to the AMTC auditions, we wondered, “Is AMTC a Scam?”

My friend and I suspected that everyone at the auditions got callbacks, since both of our daughters and another girl we knew got callbacks.

Also, we were surprised at the high prices to attend the convention.  So we were skeptical and began investigating to determine if AMTC could be a scam.  (See more on this topic in “Should Your Child Attend Talent Contests?” and “What is AMTC?“)

What is a scam, really?

The definition of scam, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, is:  a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation.

It is hard to decide exactly when something is or is not a scam.  If you are misled and promised certain things that are not provided, then it is a scam.   Also,  if you are charged much more for something than what it is really worth, it is a scam.  But how do you define how much something is worth?  That is a difficult thing to do.

Do Industry Professionals Actually Attend AMTC?

My friend actually called up some of the talent agents, talent managers, and casting directors on the list of AMTC attendees and asked them if they regularly attended AMTC.  They all confirmed that they did indeed attend. She asked them other questions and was satisfied with their answers.

Does Everyone Get a Callback?

Still, we wondered if every person who auditioned got  a callback.  I asked the talent scouts and was told that not everyone was selected to attend the convention.  I was never absolutely able to verify this, but at least one person told me they knew someone who was not called back.

I was also told of one person who was not “selected” to attend but asked if they could attend anyway. They were allowed to attend. Was it wrong for AMTC to allow them to attend if they really wanted to attend?

Our Decision About AMTC

After much soul-searching and many discussions with friends and family, my husband and I did sign our 5-year-old daughter up to participate in AMTC. My friend planned for her daughter to attend but changed her mind since she thought her daughter was not ready for an event like this.

There were two sets of classes (one for adults and one for kids and teens) being held at Millie Lewis of Charleston to prepare the participants for the competitions. My daughter and I attended the weekly classes from October to January to help prepare her (and me) for the convention being held in January of 2003 in Charleston, SC (AMTC is usually held in Orlando, Florida.)

We worked hard on preparing her for the competitions, practicing frequently at home. We watched videos from previous contests. We got costumes and other clothing ready and planned hairstyles. I also read all the materials I could find and asked questions to help ensure that we’d be prepared. (See “How Do You Prepare for Talent Contests Such as AMTC?” for more on how to prepare if you do decide to attend.)

The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays passed, and the next thing I knew, it was time for the convention.

Staying in the Convention Hotel

We planned to drive over for the various events since we lived only 30 minutes to an hour away. But as the time grew closer, we decided to stay in the convention hotel. We shared with another girl and her mother, so the price was not bad.

We both enjoyed the various events going on in the hotel. I don’t think we would have had the same experience if we had not stayed on site at the hotel–my daughter enjoyed swimming with the other contestants, eating with the other contestants, and hanging out with them in the evenings. It was very convenient to be able to go back to our room to change clothes, freshen up, rest, or just to escape for a few minutes.

The truth is, my daughter had the time of her life at AMTC, and absolutely loved every minute of it. I found the seminars taught by the industry professionals to be quite informative.

And for our family, this was a life-changing event. My daughter did well, and the end result was that we ended up here in L.A. (And soon a detailed account of our experiences will be available for your reading pleasure.)

But I know of others who were very disappointed and felt cheated and unhappy when the convention was over.

So what is the answer to the question “Is AMTC a SCAM?

AMTC is not a scam in terms of making false promises.

What does AMTC promise?

What AMTC promises is that you will compete in front of numerous industry judges from around the world — talent agents, talent managers,  casting directors, and other entertainment industry professionals. And on that part they do deliver.

If you compete and do well, the results from the convention can be life-changing.  These things are all absolutely true.

AMTC Does Not Promise:

  1. To make you a star if you attend.
  2. That you will get a talent agent if you attend.
  3. That you will get a talent manager if you attend.
  4. That you will get a job if you attend.
  5. That you will be “discovered” if you attend.

And it is important for you to seriously consider the fact that none of the above things are promised to you if you attend.

While the things above can actually happen as a result of AMTC, the chances of them happening are somewhat slim. And it is important that you understand that.

Should the industry judges be paid for participating in AMTC or other conventions?

Many people are critical of the fact that the industry judges are paid and at least part of their expenses are covered by the convention.

It would be nice to think that the industry professionals just go to AMTC or other events at their own expense to find new talent. But for the most part, they don’t.

The way I view it, though, is that all these people are trying to make a living in the entertainment industry. I don’t have a problem with them receiving some compensation for the time that they spend “working” at the convention.

Besides working as judges for the competitions, they also present informative seminars to the contestants and their parents and provide useful feedback to those trying to break into show business.

Many of these same people teach classes or workshops or give seminars in L.A., New York, or wherever it is they live, and often get money for those as well.  While they might occasionally do a seminar or class for free, that is pretty rare. And some of them travel around presenting workshops and seminars, and people pay to attend most of those as well.

Let’s face it, people do most of what they do in life in order to get paid.  Sure, there are charities that people work for out of the goodness of their hearts, and that is admirable.  But people who work in the entertainment industry as a career have to make money at it just as people who work in any other industry do.

Are they honest in their selection process?

Another thing that many people question about AMTC and other similar talent contests is whether the people who run the events and solicit for the events are honest in their selection process.  Do they select people to participate who have absolutely no chance of ever being noticed or selected for anything in the entertainment industry? It is suggested that they encourage people to pay a lot of money to attend when they know in their hearts that those people have almost no chance of being noticed during the convention. And that is really the questionable part of it.

Is it okay that the founders make money from running AMTC?

The people running the events make money from the events, but I personally don’t see that as being a scam. They really do deliver what they promise with AMTC.  It is a very well-run, family-friendly and safe event.

And you know how much it will cost up front as that information is furnished to you. Holding the AMTC events is what they do for a living and they work hard at it.

And there are people who would not ordinarily be able to afford to go  to AMTC who get scholarships, sponsorships, or financial aid to attend AMTC .

There are many things about AMTC that are right.  You can check out the AMTC website and get a good handle on what AMTC believes in and what it does. There is another site that discusses the AMTC auditions that has much useful information.

Some important things to keep in mind when you are considering attending AMTC are:

  1. Money. If you cannot afford to pay to go to AMTC, don’t go. Don’t spend money you need to live on in the hopes that your child or you will become a star. Try a different avenue to get into show business.
  2. Financial Aid. If money is tight, ask those who “invited” you to the audition or those in charge of AMTC about the possibility of a scholarship, sponsorship, or other financial aid in order to go to the event. There might not be any available for you, but it does not hurt to ask.
  3. Best Possible Outcomes. Understand what the best thing you can possibly get out of going to AMTC is, and then really think about whether or not that is what you want or what you expect! If talent agents, talent managers, and casting directors are really interested in your child, are you willing to move to where they are — New York, Los Angeles, Chicago? — Especially knowing that there are no guarantees on how much you will make or even on whether you will even ever get a single paying job in the entertainment industry?  Use this to help you make the decision of whether to go or not.
  4. Other Routes to Showbiz. Investigate other methods of becoming an actor before you pay the money for the convention. Look for a talent agent on your own in your own hometown or some place nearby. You can practice the craft of acting/modeling locally before trying to compete in L.A. or New York.  Working with an agent where you currently live might result in more small  jobs, and that work might just get you the break you eventually need to make it in showbiz. And face the facts. The competition is fierce in the bigger markets, so starting locally where the talent pool is smaller makes a lot of sense.
  5. Your Goals.  Analyze your goals, and if you really just want to be in the entertainment industry locally, an international talent competition may be a waste of your money. You can pursue local markets on your own without the help of such a huge talent competition. Face the facts. The competition for jobs is fierce in those bigger markets. You are better off working the smaller markets first even if your goals are to make it in L.A. or New York.
  6. Worst Possible Outcomes. Think about how you’ll feel if you leave the convention without winning a single award and without getting a single callback from one of the industry professionals. It does happen that way many times…  If you think you will be happy with the experience you gain and with the information that you get and that you will enjoy it regardless of the outcome, then good for you.

Do Your Research

If it is a different event than AMTC, it is important that you thoroughly do your research and make sure it is not a scam. While there are other conventions besides AMTC that are legitimate,  there are many scam operations that make promises that they cannot and do not keep. Do your research for AMTC as well to make an informed decision about whether you think it is something you want to and should do.

Other Less Expensive Ways to Get The Information You Need to Start a Career in Show Business

You can get into show business without attending a talent convention like AMTC, and it will be much less expensive. For a comprehensive DVD course on show business and acting, take a look at The Actor’s Journey for Kids and The Actor’s Journey (for adults). These two DVD sets contain essential information about starting a successful career in the entertainment industry from people who know very well how to go about this.

The Actor’s Journey is presented by over 100 industry professionals sharing their perspectives on the entertainment industry. The DVDs were created by Stanley Livingston, a producer and director in Hollywood today, best known for his role as ‘Chip’ on My Three Sons, a very successful sitcom of the 60s and early 70s.

To your success,

Debbie Sikkema

133 comments

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  1. Darryl Coleman

    You know, I have to tell you, I really enjoy this blog and the insight from everyone who participates. I find it to be refreshing and very informative. I wish there were more blogs like it. Anyway, I felt it was about time I posted, I?ve spent most of my time here just lurking and reading, but today for some reason I just felt compelled to say this.

  2. Randy Nichols

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  4. geo@Discout

    very informative and interesting.Thank you for the truth about AMTC.

  5. Cash Loans

    Thank you for this great article, and giving me knowledge on how I can find a good child agent.

  6. Sue

    Thank you so much for your insite on AMTC. I have tried to get straight answers from the company with no success. I couldn’t even figure out if they were an Agent, Manager of a cunsultant firm. So thank for clearing that up for me.

  7. Sue

    ❓ How much does it cost?

  8. Debbie Sikkema

    Hi Sue,
    I am sorry you had a hard time getting the information you were looking for. If you have any other questions about AMTC, let me know. I do have first-hand experience there.

  9. Sue

    Debbie;
    I finally was in touch with Lisa. She gave me all the info and the cost of every thing. She dis talk about scholarships. However even if I got the full amout, i couldn’t afford to go to the Carolinas and Florida. Plus I have 4 kids that are interested in acting, 2 with some experience. So I highly doubt ill get full money for one let alone all of them. So I have to do this the old fashion way, hit the pavement and start sending out resumes…

  10. Dale

    Hi Debbie,

    Just ran across your blog. You are right on with everything you wrote. I checked out AMTC thoroughly or as much as I could and everything seemed on the up and up. We explained to our daughter just as we have in past involvements, what expectations we should have. This is no different. I had the same questions about callbacks, etc. and analyzed the business end of it. (I am a business owner) I see no problem with what they are delivering or promising either. We told our daughter that worse case scenario it will be good experience and education. She makes friends easy so I expect she will enjoy the trip down to Florida this Jan. 2010. She is going through the training in St. Louis currenty. Like any proud father and mother.. you can see her video from her State fair competition at http://www.ntetc.com/component/content/article/30-congratulations-kaitee-bailey. Her youtube songs and plays are at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcaBCeyODr8
    or http://www.youtube.com/user/dalorian5968
    We are also looking at getting our grandaughter Lexi in AMTC one day. Our experience for the first time has been great!

    Thanks for posting, it was very informative and correct!
    Dale

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  19. Tanmay@Ticket printing Australia

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  21. Tanmay@Ticket printing Australia

    I found your blog on Google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

  22. Bethani

    I’m going to AMTC this year. This was really insightful. I did wonder about a lot of the questions that you answered. Im sending this to all the girls i’m competing with. I know they are thinking the same things.

  23. Debbie Sikkema

    I am glad this was helpful to you. Be sure to read more info on my blog about trying to start an acting career and let me know if there is information you are interested in reading about, and I will try to include that on my blog. Also, if you have questions, please let me know, and I’ll do my best to provide a good answer for you. Thanks! Best wishes for lots of success for you! Debbie

  24. sanarita@Ticket printing

    actually i didn’t know about AMTC but if this is true then i must say that this type of institution should be banned so they do not play with the students career.

  25. Erin

    Thank you so much for your post! My daughter went to an open call for AMTC interested in acting and modeling. We’ve never done anything like this before so we didn’t know what to expect. I was glad that before the auditions they explained the company and talked about expectations and cost. My daughter did receive a call back and they were extremely nice and answered all my questions. I believe we are going to try to get our feet wet with some local modeling before jumping into something of this magnitude but I will continue to follow your blog as hopefully I will need alot of your advice if my daughter pursues this career.

  26. Elizabeth

    Hello. I attended the talent convention and I must say I agree with Debbie’s p.o.v. Despite the fact that it is costly and that there is no guarantee that a person will be discovered, a person is basicly paying for the “exposure”. Sort of like being at the right place at the right time in the hopes that you stand out a little bit more than some of the others and that you have the look of whatever agent/agency at the time. A lot of it is just pure luck and some people have attended AMTC many times before being discovered. If you have the money and the time to dedicate to it then it can be fun. But I agree with Debbie, I wouldn’t put my family in financial bind to attend the convention.

  27. Deloris

    AMTC is not a scam it is a business to give you skills/ to persue your dreams, I think its a wonderful organization and an exciting venture.

  28. Debbie Sikkema

    Yes, Deloris, I agree with you and hope I have communicated that in my post. (Did you read all of it?) It is, however, something that should be done only if the funding is not a problem and if people understand what may or may not happen as a result of attending AMTC. Thanks for commenting!
    –Debbie

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  30. Christina

    Thank you so much for posting the beginning of your AMTC experience. I went to one of the auditions and got a call back, and so I am doing my research. I did the audition just for fun, not expecting anything out of it, but now that I have a choice to make, I need to be educated in it. So thank you for your inside peek into the AMTC industry and confirming what it does or does not offer.

  31. MV

    Thank you Debbie for taking the time to write this information. My friend and I did go with our children to the AMTC audition and we all got a call back. She sign up, but I haven’t for two reasons, 1. I have to raise the money to go and 2. Some people that I had been talking to kept on saying that it is just a scam. With your information and more research I will be able to make a decision before the dead line.

  32. Debbie Sikkema

    Good luck, Mory! It is a hard decision to make, and I can only emphasize again that if money is very tight, I don’t recommend it unless you can get a sponsor or get a scholarship through AMTC. I am glad my information is helpful to you, but I do want to make sure you read all my articles about AMTC and talent contests. Understand that things might not go as you hope. I know people who were happy with all the seminars and the experience of being at AMTC even though they did not get awards or callbacks, but I know others who were upset after the convention ended because things did not go as they hoped. If you go, concentrate on the whole experience rather than focusing so much on being a winner. Be positive, have fun, and do your best. You can get into acting without attending a convention, especially in this day and time when you don’t have to be in LA or New York to become an actor. Best regards, Debbie

  33. Borus N.

    I neither endorse, agree with, nor do I have any connections with the following information, but I am allowing this comment to be posted so my readers can view the information before making a decision to attend AMTC. Note that this is the perspective of one person. I have stated my opinions on AMTC in this and other posts on my blog here, and while I have not recommended AMTC to everyone and do consider it quite expensive, the following views are not my views (Debbie Sikkema):
    AMTC is a 100% scam! Read this on their scam written by an actual modeling agent for one of the big agencies:
    http://reportyourcomplaint.com/amtc-auditions-a-mega-scam-for-christ-beware-of-and-avoid-this-scam/
    I was going to go with my daughters until I read this. I am glad I read that. I have since written a complaint to my state attorney general about AMTC and their scam. Hopefully they will close them down before too many more people aqre ripped off by their scam.

  34. Hard Money Los Angeles

    Great advice! I was really aprehensive about these Amtc! things …. so thanks for the tips! 😉

  35. Lavette Bencivenga

    Some good facts you presented here, some I agree with some not really with the rest.

  36. anonymous

    The link below is an updated versoin of Debbie’s above. A lot of specifics are exposed here about AMTC by different people. One is a past employee that shares what’s going on in the background.

    Please read before you make plans to attend this now $4000 event…which ends up costing between $8000 and $10,000 after traveling, hotel, and meal costs.

    http://reportyourcomplaint.com/amtc-auditions-a-mega-scam-for-christ-beware-of-and-avoid-this-scam/

  37. Discover the Truth

    See what others are saying about AMTC:

    http://www.maybenow.com/Is-AMTC-auditions-a-scam-q5437284

  38. Alex@Hairstyles 2010

    Some facts? This is the most comprehensive article on topic out there!

  39. zainab

    hiii just wanted to say thank you so much for this information… i audition the other day and i got a call back from AMTC but i was so scard to pay the 500 dollars registration fee because everyone keep saying i a scam but i am glad at least now i see a blog about someone who was once a part of it and i have heard what they had to say. thanks again this will really help me make my mind if i actually want to do it or not

  40. May

    AMTC is grossly over priced for one reason only: to line the pockets of the owners. I encourage everyone to shop around and see if you can find a company that offer the same benefits, but at a reasonable price. You may be surprised at what you will find. AMTC is not a scam on what they offer, just on what they charge.

  41. Debbie Sikkema

    Hi zainab,
    What did you decide about AMTC? It is definitely important to thoroughly think through spending the money on this. It is not a scam, but it is very expensive and so you must think about whether the cost will be worth it. Glad the information here is useful to you, and thanks for commenting. –Debbie

  42. Unfortunate Contestant

    I found the AMTC website online and decided to audition. I auditioned and was told I was placed in the “Star Power” category- which means they believed I could attain some sort of commercial success as a performer. Over the next 15 months, I attend workshops given by people who knew no more about performance than the contestants. All they had was Convention experience. They used this knowledge in a superior way. Now, these people are mostly very kind- but they have no commercial success. They will point to rare cases such as Megan Fox. Do not be misled. I really need for someone to read this and take action. I am doing what I can as a previous contestant thinking about my current situation. Let me be clear. This Convention is like a huge youth meeting. The upside is that it is a place of faith. The downside is that no one is going to experience any performance fulfillment in the future because they have spent their money on an organization that provides inept performance assistance with hardly any credibility.

  43. Debbie Sikkema

    Hi unfortunate contestant,
    I am really sorry that you had a bad experience with AMTC. The training you get prior to attending the event is very dependent on those who invited you. Was your experience that many of those running the convention were very young and inexperienced as well as those who trained you prior to the event? It has been some time since my daughter and I attended the event. It was quite expensive but I did find that it was a well-run event. I hate that the experience was not a good one for you. Thank you for sharing your experiences here on my blog, as it is important for everyone to see. It seems that some have good experiences and some have bad, and I hate to see people spend a lot of money for AMTC and to then walk away very disappointed and out all the money they paid. How much did you spend on AMTC and when did you attend?
    Sincerely, Debbie Sikkema

  44. LaRissa

    i went to AMTC its Not a scam its 100% real and serious and you can go to the site to get more details….i went to college through them and they give scholarships for the event. 😉

  45. Debbie Sikkema

    Hi LaRissa,
    I am glad that AMTC was a good experience for you, and thanks for reading here on my blog and putting your comments about it here. Unfortunately, it is not always a good experience for people, and usually those who win and get callbacks feel that it is a good experience, and most who don’t get callbacks or win competitions consider it a bad experience and a scam. It is expensive for those who have to pay for it, but you can get a lot out of it. Getting a scholarship is a great way to go, and I always encourage everyone to try to get a scholarship with them, especially if money is an issue! Best of luck to you.
    To your success,
    Debbie

  46. Caleb

    I’m currently in training for AMTC and I will be attending the event in January. I’m very excited and regardless if i get callbacks, i know that i will gain so much knowledge and insight. I’ve read where a lot of websites say AMTC is a scam. I think people need to understand that AMTC isn’t promising you fame. That’s not even what i want out of this experience. I would love to get an agent right after AMTC, but if that doesn’t happen then it doesn’t happen. God has a plan for my life and I’m excited to see where He takes me. I believe that AMTC is the start of my journey/ career in acting. That doesn’t mean i think i will become the next Brad Pitt. I just want to do what i love which is acting.

  47. Debbie Sikkema

    Hi Caleb,
    Thanks so much for your very mature and positive comment here on my blog. That is an excellent attitude to have. I hope AMTC goes well for you. Be very prepared and very confident and have fun and show your personality. Those are the things that will help you the most. I know people who have gone to AMTC multiple times just for the experience of it. I hope you have the time of your life and that it helps your dreams come true. Attend the seminars and all the events to get the most out of the experience. Make sure you show your stuff to all the industry professionals who are in attendance. Remember that the seminars give you a chance to meet industry professionals as well, and if there is a chance to ask questions, be sure to do that as that will also get you seen! Let me know how it goes, please.
    To your success,
    Debbie

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