Wanted - 300 Extras on Harry Potter 6 - £350 per day!!! I would like to bring to your attention the following information about an employment agency called ‘Model Me’... Click on: http://www.modelme.co.uk/html/part1.asp where it states “5,000 clients in the modelling industry visit our site every week”; this is absolute ****! It also states at the bottom “Copyright Model Me 2004-2007” which gives the impression they have been in business since 2004? But, according to ‘Who Is’, it quotes the website as only being registered on 22 February 2007; four months ago! Click on: http://www.modelme.co.uk/index.html ‘Latest Jobs’ where it states: Extras – Batman Movie - 200 girls and boys - £225 per day; Harry Potter 6 – 300 extras needed - £350 per day. They give the impression that the agency has contracts on these films to actually supply hundreds of people; when they do not. They grossly exaggerate the daily rates of pay. Basic film extra daily rates are only about £72! The agency charges applicants £69 and they accept ‘PayPal’ payments over the Internet. It does not even state the address of the agency; anywhere on their website! Even the Advertising Standards Authority has no remit to cover Internet website content. So who can the public/performers turn to, to find out what is true and what is not? The then DTI Minister, Gerry Sutcliffe stated to Parliament on 5th May 2006, “We are determined to stamp it out, and I shall be taking action.” He also said, “I am very concerned about the number of people who are STILL charged UP-FRONT FEES on the promise of work that never materialises by employment agencies” Can you please tell me how your department now intends to do this? Mind you, he also stated on 10th December 2003, “Agencies will no longer be allowed to charge UP-FRONT FEES before they find work for actors, models and extras - any fee will be chargeable only out of [their] earnings”. And we all now know; he was not really telling us the truth; even then! I wonder when the DTI will take a prosecution against such an agency; who is taking up-front fees under false pretences? You will be delighted to hear that 78 Members of Parliament have now signed the Early Day Motion, (EDM 1598: Fraudulent up-front fees) click on http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=33401&SESSION=885 twenty seven of whom were Labour! I note that there is a new DTI minister appointed, Patrick McFadden, I wonder if this (latest) government minister is now prepared to meet with us? Ten years you must admit, is a very long time to wait… Democracy should even extend to those working in the Entertainments Industry; well shouldn’t it?