READ the fine print and know what you are signing.
That's the lesson 16-year-old Norwegian Ann Ina Olsen learned from her modelling stint in her one-and-a-half-year stay here.
Last February, the then-student at the International School Singapore was in Orchard Road when a representative from modelling agency Create Talents approached her to sign a contract with them.
The offer was for Ina to pay $650 for a photo portfolio. Ina and her mother, Vibeke Ann Johannessen, 45, declined.
The agency changed the deal: They would keep her assignment fees until she had earned $650. The portfolio would be shot after that.
After Ms Johannessen signed the contract, Ina did two advertising shoots, earning $335 in total.
Then last month, Ina's engineer father got a job in Norway.
With the family leaving Singapore for good, Ms Johannessen called Create Talents last week and asked for the salary Ina had made thus far.
The agency refused. After Ms Johannessen e-mailed the Stomp website, my paper contacted Create Talents. Yesterday morning, an agency manager called her and offered to shoot half a portfolio for Ina.
But when they went to Create Talents' office in Singapore Shopping Centre yesterday afternoon, the manager told them the agency had decided not to do the shoot. Ina and her family flew to Norway last night with no money and no portfolio.
A Create Talents spokesman said she would respond to my paper's queries by 5pm yesterday, but did not do so.
However, according to her contract terms, Ina may not be entitled to any payment. A clause states she 'will receive no monetary payment until (the) whole portfolio value is cleared'.
Mr Seah Seng Choon, executive director of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case), said that the contract is legally valid. As there are no conditions for termination stated, 'she will have to forgo the benefits'.
Mr Calvin Cheng, president of the Association of Modelling Industry Professionals, said: 'It's a case of willing buyer, willing seller.' Mr Cheng, who owns Looque Models, said that agencies usually lend models an advance to shoot a portfolio if they cannot pay for it. This will then be cut from their initial salary.
Ms Johannessen said that she had not considered this when she signed the contract as she had expected to stay in Singapore for two to three years.
Mr Cheng and Mr Seah advised parents and models to scrutinise contracts before signing them.
For Ina, it is once bitten, twice shy. 'I don't want to continue with modelling. It's not my thing,' she said.
