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Statement from Chadwick Models:
It is disappointing Jenna is indicating a negative experience with us as our team were committed to developing a professional modelling career for Jenna in an appropriate manner and at no time was any regret or dissatisfaction with any aspect of the association ever communicated to us.
Jenna signed with us on 20/06/12 and left us on 26/05/14 indicating she wanted to focus on an acting career leaving us with a debt of $163 which we absorbed without mention and released her from her contract.
In her time with us Jenna booked herself out extensively for personal reasons including for study and regular voice coaching in line with her acting aspirations which we supported.
I can only say that the entire team at Chadwick are fully focused on our responsibilities to our guys and girls that remain paramount in building on the highest reputation Chadwick's has earned over our 43 years in business.
We vigorously vet any and all photographers working with our girls and are constantly impressing upon our models the need for honest and open communication at all times especially when on any test or assignment arranged by Chadwick.
All models are informed of the industry standard commission we charge and that various expenses incurred in career development will be advanced by the agency and deducted from future work which is also a worldwide industry standard and covered specifically in the executed agreement.
Any charges deducted are included in a detailed statement when a payment is made or upon request and we aim at all times to keep such expenses to an absolute minimum.
With regard to responses on specific points please see below:
- Modelling agencies across Australia, including Chadwick Models, are financially exploiting models by (on top of taking commission) charging expenses to models' accounts with little or no transparency.
Every aspect of the relationship between Model and Chadwick's is communicated carefully and in person to the model [including their parents or Guardian if they are under 18 years]. Preparing and developing a professional model takes time, consideration and expertise and largely is a partnership between model and agent and something Chadwick Models has been very successful with and proud of.
The subject of commission and expenses is also covered in detail in the signed agreement on file [also signed by parent.] As per below.
Source: Supplied
- Allegations made by former model Jenna Owen that when she was 17 years old she was sent by Chadwick Models to a test shoot in Sydney with a photographer who – during the shoot – asked her to pose topless. Jenna alleges representatives from Chadwick Models did not discuss the possibility the shoot will require nudity prior to Jenna being sent there.
We vet any and all Photographers and would NEVER approve or give consent to such a request let alone raise the prospect with one of our models as it is simply not within acceptable behaviour. We advise all our models to contact us immediately any inappropriate request may be suggested in particular with regard to topless or nudity in any way. With that required notification we would be in in immediate contact with the Photographer in question to arrange immediate departure of the model and ensure we do not work with that photographer again.
All our models follow those very specific instructions and we would be extremely disappointed and consult with in any model the importance of never ignoring those instructions in particular if such requests are agreed to.
As this scenario was never raised with her booker at any time and Jenna continued to work closely with the agency for the next 2 years doing numerous future tests we were unaware of the breach in our rules for photographers on that occasion and the trust we have in our models to keep us informed of such breaches. It should be noted that we do suggest a parent be in attendance at any shoot for our models under 18 years of age and most contact with models under 18 is through a parent.
Again I must reiterate how disappointed I am that Jenna has had that experience and disappointed further that we are only now learning of the transgression by a photographer 7 years on when we would have dealt with it immediately if notified at the time or at any time during representation.
- Why is Chadwick Models not registered with the NSW Office of Children's Guardian?
We are not aware of the requirement.
WATCH THE FULL INVESTIGATION: 'BREAKING THE MODEL'
8:30PM THURSDAY ON SBS VICELAND
