Complaint Review: Playground Orange County Gary Spatz - Costa Mesa California

I have a 6-year-old daughter who was approached by a scout for the Gary Spatz Playground.  I'm posting this review as a mom who's just gone through this whole process.   I am not professionally connected to The Playground, nor was I asked to write this review.  I wasn't even bribed.  In fact, I'm a bit anxious that they'll be unhappy with my public description of their process.  But while going through it, I felt like I couldn't find any reviews or information that didn't feel biased in some way, either as a company press release or an axe ground by a disgruntled ex-"employee".  I'm hoping this post will help any other parents who have been approached by the Gary Spatz organization.

The Scouting:

"They...are instructed to hand out cards only to people who look like they can afford classes."

I love this.  B was scouted during a last-minute trip to Target at 11 am on a Sunday when I looked like absolute crap.  Crappy hair, no makeup, crappy clothes.  At Target.  Maybe my scout was desperately trying to reach her "quota"?  Also, after she spoke with us, I didn't see her again - talking to any other parents.  At the Halloween costume department.  Two weeks before Halloween.  Which was full of kids.  If she was only going for numbers, she would have approached a LOT more people.  

Which, by the way, if it is true that they are shooting for bulk, why was this the first time I've been approached in six years?  Or the first of ANY of my friends?  And I must say: of course the scouts work on commission.  Anyone who's surprised or shocked by that doesn't live in this world.  

I was given a card with the name of the company, the location of the tryout, and - in five different places - a disclaimer that this was NOT an offer or guarantee of work.  They tell you this right off the bat.

The Tryout:

For us it lasted about an hour from arrival to departure.  There were maybe 12-15 kids in our "round".  B walked in front of a video camera, gave her name, her age, and said a single-sentence "commercial."  Then the next kid, assembly-line style.  Then we spoke to a rep who asked me a handful of questions, and B some questions, most notably "Do you want to be on TV?"

Let me interrupt my story to say B was asked this question a lot.  But at NO TIME EVER was she told she WAS GOING TO BE ON TV.  Not one person, at any stage, promised to "get them into commercials or whatever."  In fact, at each stage they went out of their way to say they would not procure employment for B (but more on that later.)

The discussion with the rep lasted about 10 minutes.  She gave B several compliments: some seemed genuine, some I wondered if they were her stock "lines".  Probably both are true.  At no point did I feel pressured.  Instead, there was a lot - a LOT - of talk about the celebrities that have already worked with Gary Spatz.  We were given a card to memorize IF we got a call-back. She said they would be taking the top 20 kids they saw today.  I figured B wasn't that much of a stand-out so thought that was the end of it.

The Callback:

We did get a call-back, the end of business Monday.  We had about two days to practice the card (about 3 sentences) for the second audition, which was plenty of time (as we didn't put a whole lot into it.)  The whole evening lasted about an hour.  First we were treated to another dissertation about all the celebrities Spatz has worked with.  There are many big names - and may I point out that they cannot make these claims unless they are true.  Spatz has a lengthy profile on IMDB, and I can say from experience that you cannot claim work on a production unless you've not only done the work but also have a credit actually listed with the production.  There's no faking that.  She also spoke at length about how this is a school - yes, a school:  

"They will tell you that your kid has a great look and a lot of potential but, needs training."

Well, of course.  That's why the Playground exists.  It's an acting school.  They provide the training.  The rep was very clear - VERY CLEAR - about that.  They provide classes and training for a very specialized niche of acting; they teach the kids not just how to act, but also how to handle themselves in front of an audition panel and in front of a camera.  This is a service you have to pay for.  No different than school tuition; no different than home repair; or for any other service anyone would provide.  

"These guys get paid when your kids get paid, not the other way around. "

Straight out not true.  In fact, the rep took great pains to explain that it's illegal for them to take commission.  The parents are given an information sheet about exactly why this is illegal, and why The Playground DOES NOT take any commission, ever.  "These guys" get paid when you purchase their service.  Period.  She also explained at length about how they do not procure employment for the kids; the agents do that.  

As I said earlier, the rep never once promised any of the kids that they would "get into commercials or whatever." She said that after the first course of classes is complete, they hold an agents' showcase, where the agents come to see the kids and choose (or not) to sign your child.  That is where the work comes from: the Playground is merely a school and a conduit with some pretty-freaking-high connections.  But they never once promised "if you sign up with us your kid will be on TV."  They talk a LOT about how their past/current clients are working, in what and how often; any further connection is made in the mind of the parent.  Deliberate, on their part?  Of course, they're selling themselves. Are they using parents' unrealistic expectations?  If you have those expectations, yes.  But they never once lied about it.  

Two other things about this stage: before I could ask, the rep explained why they scout kids.  Kids with no prior learning are easier to teach - they don't have to "unlearn" bad habits.  Not a new concept in a number of fields.  Also that doesn't mean they exclude kids with prior experience.  The rep also spoke at length about being welcome to take the classes even if you don't wish to pursue a professional career, simply for the personal benefits of taking an acting class.

Then it was the kids' turn.  The kids (all ages) read their copy; were given a bit of direction, and asked to read again; then gave a quick interview.  All this was on-camera, which was probably closed-circuit to whomever was screening the applicants this time.  It was all kept light, and fun for the kids.  At the end of this, a few families were dismissed and the rest "admitted" into the school.  We each signed up for an appointment the following Saturday - three days later - to discuss finances and classes.

So actual dollar costs were not presented until an entire week had passed.  I had more than ample time to research the company, find reviews (including this one) and learn about what was going on.  I never had someone slam a contract in front of me and demand a decision "NOW!"  During this time, I asked a friend who works at a top-line agency (a third, disinterested party) if The Playground was a scam.  I was told that while it was not necessarily the "best" school in the city, they are definitely legitimate and not a scam.  

The Sign-Up:

When we went to talk about the classes, B and I were treated to ANOTHER showcase of Spatz's past clients, this time including a video, and asked if B wanted to be on TV.  This is meant to put stars in the kid's eyes but again, she never promised that B would get work.  She gave a vague description of the classes and schedule, and then brought out the price sheet.  The breakdown is about $100 a class, for a 6-month calendar.  If you commit to a longer period you get a discount, just like our private school.  I asked if I could have time to think about it, and was given the "well, there's only one more space in the class, it might fill up" speech, but I chose to take the chance.  I was able to take the contract home to look it over and discuss with my husband, and think about it a bit more.  Again, there was NO hard pressure to sign.  

Ultimately we decided to join the classes.  We're four weeks in, and B is still having a great time. She's learning quite a lot and already has conquered some of her shyness. She is not being "used."  We also like the direct line to agents and possible work.  I'm sure there are dozens of other acting schools in this city, but for personal reasons we declined to look at other schools and took the opportunity that was given to us. 

I'm not counting on her becoming the next Disney star; rather her gaining confidence, self-esteem, and other skills that will help her in all aspects of her life.  If she gets work then that's a bonus.  Maybe this is why I don't feel "scammed" by The Playground; I didn't expect B to be made into an overnight star.  I understand that they are providing a service that I have to pay for, with no guarantee of fame & fortune.  Is $100 a class expensive?  Yes.  Is it unreasonable?  Not in this industry.  Is it worth it?  That's up to you.  

The bottom line is that Gary Spatz' The Playground is not a scam.  They provide a service that you have to pay for.  They give a hard-sell, but they do not lie.  Any "promise" of stardom comes from the expectations of the parents.  At every stage they clearly state that this is not a guarantee of work; if you expect otherwise you are deluding yourself.

I find it interesting that the original poster speaks at length about the scouting process, and not one word about the classes themselves.  How can you claim it's a scam if you have no experience with the actual product you are purchasing?

If you are a parent going through this process and have further questions, I am happy to answer them at (((email redacted))).  If you just want to rail at Spatz and insult me, feel free to write; I'll have a blast reading your email.

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

There's a bazillion companies out there that claim they will help your child get modeling gigs, acting gigs,etc., and the VAST majority are scams. So the probability that this one is a scam is pretty high. And one would be hard pressed to think of a reason the OP would have a grudge. 

Listen, if you want your kid to get into acting, take them to a proper acting school. Not one that promises top get them into commercials or whatever. Once they have some training, get an agent. These guys get paid when your kids get paid, not the other way around. 

It's sad that you're willing to tell outright lies as part of your effort to make us look bad, including posting as a fictional salesperson, that is right someone who never worked for The Playground.it is you sir, that are the complete and utter fraud  Really, I am not a lawyer, but fraudulently portraying yourself as a former salesperson of The Playground then publishing outright lies about the organization has got to be legally actionable.


People.I'd like to state clearly that The Playground was one of the very first companies to become bonded as a provider of talent services and that we have never made any attempt to "get around the new laws".   The Playground is compliant with the law.  This bloggers insinuation that is not is just despicable.   Its outrageous for you to even suggest that the Playground is a rogue organization.
Also, none of the positive reviews available online are fake, or written by us.  This is just another outright lie.

The rest of this fairy tale is completely off-base too.

This post was not written by someone who "actually worked for this company as a salesman for awhile".  The Playground is not some organization with an army of employees.  The Playground has not lost a single employee that even comes close to fitting the position of salesperson that you describe yourself to have formerly been.   The Playground easily verified this.  This amateurish ploy of yours is totally outrageous. You know that while obvious to The Playground that you are making fraudulent representations to the public pretending to be an employee, its effect on those who do not know us is harmful.   I would have to believe that you could be sued for this kind of malicious conduct.  The fact that you need to pretend to be an ex-employee to attempt to legitimize your lies is deplorable and just demonstrates that you are conscious that if your true identity was exposed, you would be held liable for your defamatory statements.

I am not sure why you want to damage the Playground.  Perhaps you are a competitor.  Perhaps you believe it is your duty to protect kids who get involved in the entertainment industry, but if this is the case, then its obvious that your zealot-like attitude towards The Playground has caused you to see ghosts everywhere you look. The end result either way is that you are harming an established company that every day is providing a valuable service to its customers, in a nurturing environment, to their satisfaction.