Gary Spatz Conservatory

This company advertises open call "Try Outs " with no experience necessary directed at children and teens who want to find work as television actors. If you answer an ad you may be told outright that they will help you obtain acting or modeling employment. The catch is they say everyone needs lessons or training to go before a camera or down a runway. This training is really what the company is selling and their courses can obligate you for thousands of dollars. In reality they cannot guarantee you employment and you will not find such a guarantee in their written contract.~~Consumers should be aware that despite verbal promises that may imply work in the industry is easily available this company's classes will not gurantee employment and the company is prevented from assisting students with procureing employment due to State Advance Fee Talent laws. ~~California law contains certain requirements of advance-fee talent services and prohibitions against certain practices. If the company promises you auditions or employment or if they even ask you for a fee in advance a talent service is considered to come under the provisions of this law. Under the law they are not allowed to charge you for example to provide photographs filmstrips audition tapes or videotapes lessons or training. ~~By law you are entitled to a refund of anything you pay to an advance-fee talent agency if you do not receive the services you were led to believe would be performed. The refund is to be made within 48 hours of your request for it.~~Additionally you have the right to cancel your contract for any reason within 10 business days of the date of the contract. If you cancel your payment is to be returned within 10 business days.~~If your written contract does not inform you of your right to a refund or to cancel you may demand your refund or cancel your contract at any time without regard to these time limits. If your money is not returned within the 48 hours or 10 days respectively the company is required to refund double your money.~~Despite the law’s protections if you are not dealing with a reputable talent service you may find it difficult to enforce your rights.