I don't even know where to start. There were two other reports on this same company that I would have to agree with at this point.
Just like the other "businesses" that come through Kansas promising that you or your children will be in the presence of top agencies, this company did the same.
First, they have this sign up that will place you on their list to send information on auditions or try-outs or what ever they call it. You show up and they give you the run down of how things are going to play out during the hours you are there. They show you clips, as the others do and then have about four families come up at one time. There, they have the commercials acted out, ask a few questions, either tell you yes, maybe, or no. Later, if you are on the "call back" list, you are sent an email stating that you need to reply to get your time to come back. Yes, the email includes a brochure that states training costs, but that is if you need it. In my eyes and I am pretty sure I am right at this moment, that no one has gotten by without having to go through their such high rated training, or rehearsals as they call it. Well, needless to say, I paid the upfront $150 and agreed to make two additional payments of $345. My total cost was $840.00, which I was given a deduction or scholarship for the other $840.00 that was claimed I was the only one to get.
Three day rehearsals, 5-8 hours is what they say. But truly each class does not last even four hours. The singing class was 30 minutes and was just someone giving advise that my daughter has been getting since she was 9 years old. Just beccause they claim they are actors,producers,educaters for so long, which is what the guy said-he was in that for 14 years, we are supposed to come out of pocket all this money.
I had emailed Denise after the class asking if I could make a $200.00 payment early and then pay on the arranged dates. I received no response. I emailed again stating that I was not able to make the $200 but to take $150.00, still no response. I then sent a third email stating that I could not make the early payment and for them to disregard my question due to emergencies that had came up. Still no response! I happened to check my account to see if I had anything left over from the bills that came up and found that Next Star had taken the $200.00. There was no confirmation that an early payment could be done, nor was there a confirmation sent to me that they had taken the money. BUT when I emailed her stating that I noticed the money had been taken and that I had asked them not to take it , she replies to me stating that she had followed instructions and that the other emails had come after. I became furious, for this had caused an overdraft, which caused my bank to reject payments causing return check fees ontop of more overdraft fees.
I began researching this place, which I should have done prior to all of this. I came across the two reports on this site and grew even more upset to see that I am not the only one feeling the way I do and that she is getting away with the kid of business she is pulling on people.
I sent her an email with the two reports and advised her that if I found that this was in fact a SCAM that I was going to sue the company. She replied with a thank you for the reports, that she has gone to her legal team to handle this and that she will be refunding me all my money and that my daughter will be pulled, not a direct quote, but I have all the emails to back up what I am saying. I replied to her that I was not satisfied and that this was not the last she has heard from me. I told her that they should be refunding me all my money plus the overdrafts they caused. Now she will not give me my money back AND she is telling me I need to go to my bank and legal team to get it!!!!
There was no sympathy there for what they have done to me, now my bank account is overdrawn $600 total and there is no way that I can cover that on top of still having to pay the bills that had rejected payments!! I can go on and on right now but that will not be good. I want action at this point AND MY MONEY!!!!
This company held auditions where they had a callback situation. My daughter made it to the callback (where I'm guessing everyone did.) She was accepted to perform at a showcase in front to of top agents in the country (according to NEXT.) Included in this showcase was actually acting and training. For each section parents have to pay $495. I wanted my daughter to have an opportunity, so we did it. We went to this "intensive training." And casting agent who was hired at the last minute was the one putting on the weekend and he barely taught any modeling. Literally, my daughter walked, looked left, looked right, smiled, then moved on. She did this about 8 times and that was the extent of the training. I emailed Denise Johnson, the owner, to I quite about what exactly my money was going to since she did not provide the services promised. She gave me a runaround answer. I wrote back stating that and she then responded that she removed my daughter from the program because she didn't think she was a good fit. So because I asked what we were paying for, she cut my kid. Very disappointing! Now I get to tell my kid that she doesn't get to participate at all. But that's ok, we will pursue modeling on our own without getting ripped off again.
Next Star Productions falsely advertise they are holding auditions for TV commercials. When you go to one of their so called auditions it turns out to be a sales pitch. They get kids hopes up by telling if they make the cut they will call back for the next day. Looks to me like everyone gets the call back. You go back the next day and that is when they try to get money from you. They say they are putting on a showcase and there will be many reps from different talent agencies at this showcase. They make the kid do another little "audition" they ask them to say their lines and do a little of whatever the kids talent may be. they then say OK I have to go talk to the owner. You sit there and wait while obviously this person is not talking to the owners they are hitting the people at the other tables in the room. They come back to you and tell this little 6 year old kid you are awesome and we want you in our showcase. The kids face lights up with happiness. Then comes the sales pitch. for your child to be in this show case you have to pay $495.00 per talent or you can pay $2900 and get a package deal this will include your child in the LA showcase as well but if you read the fine print you will again have to pay per talent. So if you do not pay them to bad for you are out. Do not give these people money. It is a total scam and all they do is hope that you as a good parent can’t say no when your child is crying because they pumped this kid up and then you are the bad guy in your kids eyes when you refuse to pay. these people are scum and should not be allowed to do things this way. How can they advertise as an audition for a TV commercial when clearly this is not an audition at all. This is just a total scam STAY AWAY from these people.
Scam from start to finish, they call back 99% of kids who audition. At each “call back” you will be required to pay a fee for each category, plus pay for a photo shoot $375 then $250 for the prints! showcase is at a conference room in a hotel with 3 people who will be the only 3 people you will see the whole time! they do not want you talking to other parents Their words exactly) probably because they don’t want you discussing the 100+ red flags you experience!!! your child does not receive training, they are grouped together and talked to without parents there, each workshop you pay for is the same as the last one! no training, no outside speakers, just the same 3 people who take your money, do the audition and they do the “workshops” we received a call back for our kids to go to la but when we saw another list of fees we are done, no thank you, unless you have an endless amount of money to throw their way expect to go round in circles till you run out of money! scam... Totally waste of money!!!
Scam from start to finish..... call backs are a given.... $$$$$$$$ for another “call back” costing more $$$$$$$$ each call back consists of MORE $$$$$$ they are NOT looking for talent, they are looking to FILL their pockets on the backs of star stricken kids and parents willing to move heaven and earth at the chance to give their kid a chance to shine! Do.not.trust.them!
Please please do not Get caught up in this scam!!! It was an expensive lesson learned and after $2000 and a trip to Vegas we learned the hard way not to trust these people! You will only ever see 3 people in the “workshops” that cost a small fortune for your child to attend! They are in the acting, modeling, singing and dance workshops which is basically a sit down with your kids to get there hopes up, no training, no skills taught nothing!!! My kids were so disappointed and bored with the “workshops” then you will be told to have an expensive photo shoot done for the “showcase” by them of course! Then comes the fee for the prints of said photo shoot!!! Workshops are held in hotel conference room with music being played on a small Bluetooth speaker and a “live Facebook feed” after spending all you can and more you are then given the chance to get “a call back” for the national showcase (at another hotel somewhere) you are told at the first call back that once you have paid all the money they ask for that you won’t have to pay for the next showcase because “ you have been trained by them”.... LIES! They call you back with the usual “congratulations you made the call back” and attached to the call back email is another schedule with a list of the same fee’s but with different wording! ALSO parents will each be charged $175 EACH to attend the “national showcase”!!!!!
We got the call back to LA but after experiencing first hand the first thrown together cheap showcase ( we had to pay $20 each to watch our kids walk up and down on a creaky hand made stage) they won’t get anymore money out of us! They DO NOT want you talking with other parents either! A bunch of us did talk and we all had our own suspicions about how this was all thrown together and many will not be attending the LA showcase because the Vegas one was such a sham!!! Most kids will be called back, you will be asked for your work info too!
My granddaughter has been to Next star production twice so far. Yes you have to pay for it
They are not an agency and they tell you that. I don't understand why people are saying it's a scam but yet people will pay up to $10,000 with wardrobe and other misc to be in a beauty pageant that gets you nowhere. No next doesn't give everyone a callback. My granddaughter enjoyed her time with them and even though it's been 3yrs since she first was with them she still remembers her training. She is going thru her second time now.
I saw an ad on facebook which had a cover photo of disney's descendants so i signed up and they emailed me a script of what i had to say for my audition and also the required dress attire... so on the day of the audition was very unorganized we gad to go upstairs and downstairs atleast 4 times because the company didnt even know which room to go to so when i got to the room ms. denise spoke saying that she worked close with dove camerons family and she told us of all the talent agencies she represented.. she also says how if you make the callbacks your name will be on their video that night... mind you it was supposed to be for the top 20 in the room and from what i saw at my callback everyone was there from the previous day...so they called about 4 families up at a tine to ask questions such as "tell me about yourself" ? and she would ask the parent "do you feel your child is ready for this"? after that you'll have to go recite your audition in front of the camera... so i was excited that i made the call back and nextstar emailed me the prices for the different trainings which was a "minimum" of $150 and the email stated "reply to this email to get the time for your scheduled call back" so i went back the next day for my call back and one of the people workin with nextstar spoke with ne and my parents saying that tgere were 3 rehearsals that was required that i attend to be in their showcase.. each rehearsal cost $150 whic all together was $450 but it was quite strange how he was trying to get me to take on two other categories.. he asked me to sing and he also asked me to walk as if i was a model.. meaning that more categories meant more training and more training meant more money so instead of paying just $450 for acting if i would have taken on the other two categories it would be $1,350... so we went ahead and put a down payment if $150 then they told us to cone back for rehearsal so i went home and cane back for rehearsal which was supposed to be from 3:45 to 6:00 but instead they were just starting rehearsal at 6:00 so we had to wait there for 2 and a half hours until rehearsal... but there was this one parent who cane in stating that he wanted his daughters photo back because he called his attorney to do a background check on the company and they said it was not "BBB Credited" meaning its not legitimate mind you this was in between the times of 3:45 and 5:30 before actual rehearsals had started so we waited and my parent asked one of the company workers when they were gonna start rehearsals and she stated "well start when everythings ready but, you can go if you want we have your money now" the whole experience was just very unprofessional and unorganized to say that they've worked with sone of the top actors/actresses in the industry this is just a WARNING ⚠️ DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE
I haven’t gone to an audition but find it super suspicious that In no email and nowhere on any site does it say where I am even supposed to go in the first place. Glad I saw this before I went any further and got lied to about whether Or not I had actual talent and a chance to model or act. The ad I saw was on Facebook and they use a picture of a popular Disney show and claim their reps represent all these different actors including actors from the movie Thor! What a sad scam. :( I’m very disappointed I thought I had something to look forward to.
I haven’t even gone to the “audition” but I figured I would do my research beforehand to see if this offer was legitimate. I’m a massive grammar freak and after seeing the misuse of “your” and proper punctuation, I became increasingly suspicious. This is not a professional company at all- you can even tell from the incorrectly written, choppy script that they email you after you sign up for an audition. I mean at least try to mask your incompetency! So thankful for this site so I could confirm my suspicions.
Next Star Productions Reviews
BS
Please stay away from this company. Trust me and everyone else who has previously stated they’ve experienced deception.
I don't even know where to start. There were two other reports on this same company that I would have to agree with at this point.
Just like the other "businesses" that come through Kansas promising that you or your children will be in the presence of top agencies, this company did the same.
First, they have this sign up that will place you on their list to send information on auditions or try-outs or what ever they call it. You show up and they give you the run down of how things are going to play out during the hours you are there. They show you clips, as the others do and then have about four families come up at one time. There, they have the commercials acted out, ask a few questions, either tell you yes, maybe, or no. Later, if you are on the "call back" list, you are sent an email stating that you need to reply to get your time to come back. Yes, the email includes a brochure that states training costs, but that is if you need it. In my eyes and I am pretty sure I am right at this moment, that no one has gotten by without having to go through their such high rated training, or rehearsals as they call it. Well, needless to say, I paid the upfront $150 and agreed to make two additional payments of $345. My total cost was $840.00, which I was given a deduction or scholarship for the other $840.00 that was claimed I was the only one to get.
Three day rehearsals, 5-8 hours is what they say. But truly each class does not last even four hours. The singing class was 30 minutes and was just someone giving advise that my daughter has been getting since she was 9 years old. Just beccause they claim they are actors,producers,educaters for so long, which is what the guy said-he was in that for 14 years, we are supposed to come out of pocket all this money.
I had emailed Denise after the class asking if I could make a $200.00 payment early and then pay on the arranged dates. I received no response. I emailed again stating that I was not able to make the $200 but to take $150.00, still no response. I then sent a third email stating that I could not make the early payment and for them to disregard my question due to emergencies that had came up. Still no response! I happened to check my account to see if I had anything left over from the bills that came up and found that Next Star had taken the $200.00. There was no confirmation that an early payment could be done, nor was there a confirmation sent to me that they had taken the money. BUT when I emailed her stating that I noticed the money had been taken and that I had asked them not to take it , she replies to me stating that she had followed instructions and that the other emails had come after. I became furious, for this had caused an overdraft, which caused my bank to reject payments causing return check fees ontop of more overdraft fees.
I began researching this place, which I should have done prior to all of this. I came across the two reports on this site and grew even more upset to see that I am not the only one feeling the way I do and that she is getting away with the kid of business she is pulling on people.
I sent her an email with the two reports and advised her that if I found that this was in fact a SCAM that I was going to sue the company. She replied with a thank you for the reports, that she has gone to her legal team to handle this and that she will be refunding me all my money and that my daughter will be pulled, not a direct quote, but I have all the emails to back up what I am saying. I replied to her that I was not satisfied and that this was not the last she has heard from me. I told her that they should be refunding me all my money plus the overdrafts they caused. Now she will not give me my money back AND she is telling me I need to go to my bank and legal team to get it!!!!
There was no sympathy there for what they have done to me, now my bank account is overdrawn $600 total and there is no way that I can cover that on top of still having to pay the bills that had rejected payments!! I can go on and on right now but that will not be good. I want action at this point AND MY MONEY!!!!
This company held auditions where they had a callback situation. My daughter made it to the callback (where I'm guessing everyone did.) She was accepted to perform at a showcase in front to of top agents in the country (according to NEXT.) Included in this showcase was actually acting and training. For each section parents have to pay $495. I wanted my daughter to have an opportunity, so we did it. We went to this "intensive training." And casting agent who was hired at the last minute was the one putting on the weekend and he barely taught any modeling. Literally, my daughter walked, looked left, looked right, smiled, then moved on. She did this about 8 times and that was the extent of the training. I emailed Denise Johnson, the owner, to I quite about what exactly my money was going to since she did not provide the services promised. She gave me a runaround answer. I wrote back stating that and she then responded that she removed my daughter from the program because she didn't think she was a good fit. So because I asked what we were paying for, she cut my kid. Very disappointing! Now I get to tell my kid that she doesn't get to participate at all. But that's ok, we will pursue modeling on our own without getting ripped off again.
Next Star Productions falsely advertise they are holding auditions for TV commercials. When you go to one of their so called auditions it turns out to be a sales pitch. They get kids hopes up by telling if they make the cut they will call back for the next day. Looks to me like everyone gets the call back. You go back the next day and that is when they try to get money from you. They say they are putting on a showcase and there will be many reps from different talent agencies at this showcase. They make the kid do another little "audition" they ask them to say their lines and do a little of whatever the kids talent may be. they then say OK I have to go talk to the owner. You sit there and wait while obviously this person is not talking to the owners they are hitting the people at the other tables in the room. They come back to you and tell this little 6 year old kid you are awesome and we want you in our showcase. The kids face lights up with happiness. Then comes the sales pitch. for your child to be in this show case you have to pay $495.00 per talent or you can pay $2900 and get a package deal this will include your child in the LA showcase as well but if you read the fine print you will again have to pay per talent. So if you do not pay them to bad for you are out. Do not give these people money. It is a total scam and all they do is hope that you as a good parent can’t say no when your child is crying because they pumped this kid up and then you are the bad guy in your kids eyes when you refuse to pay. these people are scum and should not be allowed to do things this way. How can they advertise as an audition for a TV commercial when clearly this is not an audition at all. This is just a total scam STAY AWAY from these people.
Scam from start to finish, they call back 99% of kids who audition. At each “call back” you will be required to pay a fee for each category, plus pay for a photo shoot $375 then $250 for the prints! showcase is at a conference room in a hotel with 3 people who will be the only 3 people you will see the whole time! they do not want you talking to other parents Their words exactly) probably because they don’t want you discussing the 100+ red flags you experience!!! your child does not receive training, they are grouped together and talked to without parents there, each workshop you pay for is the same as the last one! no training, no outside speakers, just the same 3 people who take your money, do the audition and they do the “workshops” we received a call back for our kids to go to la but when we saw another list of fees we are done, no thank you, unless you have an endless amount of money to throw their way expect to go round in circles till you run out of money! scam... Totally waste of money!!!
It’s a scam!
Scam from start to finish..... call backs are a given.... $$$$$$$$ for another “call back” costing more $$$$$$$$ each call back consists of MORE $$$$$$ they are NOT looking for talent, they are looking to FILL their pockets on the backs of star stricken kids and parents willing to move heaven and earth at the chance to give their kid a chance to shine! Do.not.trust.them!
SCAM!
Please please do not Get caught up in this scam!!! It was an expensive lesson learned and after $2000 and a trip to Vegas we learned the hard way not to trust these people! You will only ever see 3 people in the “workshops” that cost a small fortune for your child to attend! They are in the acting, modeling, singing and dance workshops which is basically a sit down with your kids to get there hopes up, no training, no skills taught nothing!!! My kids were so disappointed and bored with the “workshops” then you will be told to have an expensive photo shoot done for the “showcase” by them of course! Then comes the fee for the prints of said photo shoot!!! Workshops are held in hotel conference room with music being played on a small Bluetooth speaker and a “live Facebook feed” after spending all you can and more you are then given the chance to get “a call back” for the national showcase (at another hotel somewhere) you are told at the first call back that once you have paid all the money they ask for that you won’t have to pay for the next showcase because “ you have been trained by them”.... LIES! They call you back with the usual “congratulations you made the call back” and attached to the call back email is another schedule with a list of the same fee’s but with different wording! ALSO parents will each be charged $175 EACH to attend the “national showcase”!!!!!
We got the call back to LA but after experiencing first hand the first thrown together cheap showcase ( we had to pay $20 each to watch our kids walk up and down on a creaky hand made stage) they won’t get anymore money out of us! They DO NOT want you talking with other parents either! A bunch of us did talk and we all had our own suspicions about how this was all thrown together and many will not be attending the LA showcase because the Vegas one was such a sham!!! Most kids will be called back, you will be asked for your work info too!
Great experience
My granddaughter has been to Next star production twice so far. Yes you have to pay for it
They are not an agency and they tell you that. I don't understand why people are saying it's a scam but yet people will pay up to $10,000 with wardrobe and other misc to be in a beauty pageant that gets you nowhere. No next doesn't give everyone a callback. My granddaughter enjoyed her time with them and even though it's been 3yrs since she first was with them she still remembers her training. She is going thru her second time now.
Very Suspicious
I saw an ad on facebook which had a cover photo of disney's descendants so i signed up and they emailed me a script of what i had to say for my audition and also the required dress attire... so on the day of the audition was very unorganized we gad to go upstairs and downstairs atleast 4 times because the company didnt even know which room to go to so when i got to the room ms. denise spoke saying that she worked close with dove camerons family and she told us of all the talent agencies she represented.. she also says how if you make the callbacks your name will be on their video that night... mind you it was supposed to be for the top 20 in the room and from what i saw at my callback everyone was there from the previous day...so they called about 4 families up at a tine to ask questions such as "tell me about yourself" ? and she would ask the parent "do you feel your child is ready for this"? after that you'll have to go recite your audition in front of the camera... so i was excited that i made the call back and nextstar emailed me the prices for the different trainings which was a "minimum" of $150 and the email stated "reply to this email to get the time for your scheduled call back" so i went back the next day for my call back and one of the people workin with nextstar spoke with ne and my parents saying that tgere were 3 rehearsals that was required that i attend to be in their showcase.. each rehearsal cost $150 whic all together was $450 but it was quite strange how he was trying to get me to take on two other categories.. he asked me to sing and he also asked me to walk as if i was a model.. meaning that more categories meant more training and more training meant more money so instead of paying just $450 for acting if i would have taken on the other two categories it would be $1,350... so we went ahead and put a down payment if $150 then they told us to cone back for rehearsal so i went home and cane back for rehearsal which was supposed to be from 3:45 to 6:00 but instead they were just starting rehearsal at 6:00 so we had to wait there for 2 and a half hours until rehearsal... but there was this one parent who cane in stating that he wanted his daughters photo back because he called his attorney to do a background check on the company and they said it was not "BBB Credited" meaning its not legitimate mind you this was in between the times of 3:45 and 5:30 before actual rehearsals had started so we waited and my parent asked one of the company workers when they were gonna start rehearsals and she stated "well start when everythings ready but, you can go if you want we have your money now" the whole experience was just very unprofessional and unorganized to say that they've worked with sone of the top actors/actresses in the industry this is just a WARNING ⚠️ DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE
Shit
I haven’t gone to an audition but find it super suspicious that In no email and nowhere on any site does it say where I am even supposed to go in the first place. Glad I saw this before I went any further and got lied to about whether Or not I had actual talent and a chance to model or act. The ad I saw was on Facebook and they use a picture of a popular Disney show and claim their reps represent all these different actors including actors from the movie Thor! What a sad scam. :( I’m very disappointed I thought I had something to look forward to.
Sketchy from the start
I haven’t even gone to the “audition” but I figured I would do my research beforehand to see if this offer was legitimate. I’m a massive grammar freak and after seeing the misuse of “your” and proper punctuation, I became increasingly suspicious. This is not a professional company at all- you can even tell from the incorrectly written, choppy script that they email you after you sign up for an audition. I mean at least try to mask your incompetency! So thankful for this site so I could confirm my suspicions.