Being a professional model in Toronto is not an easy task. There are a lot of agencies to choose from, and it can be hard to know which one is the right fit for you.
It’s vital that you do your research on any agency before signing with them. Signing with a modeling agency is the first step to starting your modeling career. You want to make sure you’re comfortable with them and that they’re a good fit for you.
So, should you trust Max Agency? We’ve decided to review Max Agency, one of the many modeling agencies in Toronto, to help you in your research.
Table of Contents
About Max Agency Management
Max agency is located on Yonge St in Toronto and has been in business for a while. Max Agency is a modeling agency that supplies models and actors to the film, television, fashion, and advertising industries. They claim to have worked with brands such as Nike, CBC, GM, Coca-Cola, Sony, McDonald’s, Hugo Boss, TD CanadaTrust, L’Oreal, and Motorola.
They pride themselves on being one of Toronto’s leading modeling agencies. But is it true? Let’s take a closer look.
Max Agency Roster of Models
Analyzing a modeling agency’s roster is a great way to understand what kind of models they represent and if they’re a good fit for you.
When we took a look at Max Agency’s roster, we noticed that their models are all over the place. They have men, women, and children who do not have a set look or seem to have prior experience. This lack of focus makes it difficult to understand what Max Agency is all about.
Men
When looking at the men represented by Max Agency, we found that they do not seem to have experienced male models or even male models featured in print or digital media. As a result, the men’s portfolio images are of poor quality and do not reflect what a professional model’s portfolio should look like.
Women
The women represented by Max Agency seem to be a mix of experienced and inexperienced models. Some have been featured in print or digital media, but most have not. As a result, the images in the portfolio are low-quality, and they don’t represent what a model’s portfolio should look like.
Development & New Faces
There is absolutely no distinguishment between experienced and new faces on the website. While all the portfolios are subpar, there is no indication of which models are new to the industry and which ones have been modeling for years.
Is Max Agency a Scam?
So far, Max Agency is not looking like a good opportunity for representation. But is it a scam? Let’s dig deeper.
Website
One of the first things we noticed when we went to Max Agency’s website is that it looks very dated. It has a very ’90s vibe and does not look like it has been updated in recent years. The website is also poorly designed and difficult to navigate. This makes you question whether potential clients would even consider hiring models from Max Agency.
Model Roster Diversity
As we mentioned before, Max Agency’s roster is all over the place. They have men, women, and children who are not specialized in any one area. This lack of focus could be a turn-off for clients who are looking to hire models for specific projects.
When we took a look at Max Agency’s Instagram, we found that the images they post are of poor quality. This makes you wonder if they are hiding the quality of their models behind low-quality photos.
Agency Recruitment Process
Max Agency is known for requiring newly recruited models to hire a “Published Fashion Photographer.” They force you to book a photographer through them; while they say it’s not a requirement, they will deny your portfolio no matter how good it is. This is a sign of a photo mill agency.
Photographers are only given a small percentage of the money paid for the shoot, while the agency keeps the majority. This is not a good way to start your modeling career. You do not need an expensive portfolio to get signed, and you should never have to pay an agency to be represented by them.
Google Reviews
Unlike reputed modeling agencies that have been in the business for a long-time, like Anita Norris, Dulcedo, and B&M, Max Agency has a suspiciously high 287 Google Reviews. But, again, this is a sign of buying reviews, which you should be wary of.
After a deeper dive, it is apparent that the 5-star reviews stem from profiles that have not left a review anywhere else. Furthermore, the profiles with positive reviews have left similar reviews on other businesses located in different countries. Lastly, the negative reviews mainly involve forced, and expensive photo shoots with their photographers.
Model Portfolio Quality
As we mentioned before, the quality of the portfolios on Max Agency’s website is subpar. Compared to established and competing modeling agencies in Toronto, it is clear that Max Agency is not on the same level.
Is Max Agency Legit?
While Max Agency’s business practices are their prerogative, our job is to keep models’ confidence levels stable, avoid monetary losses, have a good start in the industry, and not put them in a position to be scammed. Based on our research, we would not recommend working with Max Agency. There are much better and more reputable modeling agencies in Toronto that can help you further your career.
Max Agency Checklist
Photo Mill
A photo mill is an agency that requires new models to shoot with photographers that they provide. These photographers only get a small percentage of the money, while the agency keeps the majority. This is not a good way to start your modeling career.
Is Max Agency a Photo Mill?
Yes, Max Agency is a photo mill. They are known for requiring newly recruited models to hire a “Published Fashion Photographer.” They force you to book a photographer through them. While they say it’s not a requirement, they will deny your portfolio no matter how good it is.
Up-Front Fees
An agency should never ask for any type of payment upfront. This includes registration fees, portfolio fees, or anything else. Likewise, it would be best never to pay an agency to be represented by them.
Does Max Agency ask for Upfront Fees?
Not to our knowledge. Max Agency earns from requiring new faces to hire their photographers and get a cut from the photographer’s fee. It’s also possible that they earn a commission from models’ work. However, we have not seen any evidence of models getting jobs through this agency in recent years.
Mall Scouting Recruitment Process
Mall scouting is the process of approaching potential models in malls and other public places and getting them to sign with the agency. Unfortunately, this is a widespread practice among scam modeling agencies.
Does Max Agency use Mall Scouting as their Recruitment Process?
No, Max Agency does not use mall scouting as their recruitment process. Instead, they recruit models through online submission forms and open casting calls.
Forced Signing of Contracts
Some agencies will force you into signing a contract by promising your work or saying that it’s a requirement and giving you a short and hard deadline. You should never sign a contract with an agency without reading and understanding it first.
Does Max Agency Force You to Sign?
Yes, Max Agency does provide models with short and hard deadlines to sign. This has been a common complaint on their Google Reviews.
The Bottom Line
After reviewing all of the evidence, it is safe to say that Max Agency is not a reputable modeling agency. They have many red flags that should make potential models hesitant to sign with them. From their poor website design to their lack of focus on their roster of models, Max Agency is not an agency we would recommend.
If you’re a model in Toronto, there are much better agencies out there that can help you further your career. Do your research and be cautious when signing with any agency.