So You Think You Want To Model…

It starts as a pipe dream… At least that’s what every unknowing adult will call it. They don’t consider the culture enrichment from living in a foreign country as opposed to vacationing in it. They don’t consider money management skills learned. They don’t consider the people skills you develop… They don’t consider these because they want what’s best for you and you can never go wrong with education. That being said… There are a few things you need to consider before jumping in with both feet. Be careful what you wish for because you just may actually get it.

So You Want To Model

Let’s start from the very beginning… If you find you are interested in modeling and want to do more research then I would not be doing you any justice by only telling you the pros to this choice of lifestyle.

Note: I won’t go deep into my specific experiences, detail by detail, as it is different for every person. I may share them in a future post.

The Downside

Modeling is not for the faint hearted… What I mean by this is that there is no pleasing everyone with your appearance. Every client and every agency will have different opinions on their perspective of you. This is a very real thing in the model world. You will constantly be critiqued on both your appearance and on your weight. I know I have struggled with this concept and most of my clothing sizes range from XS to S. Keeping my sanity has required a grand sense of humor and a strong sense of self. You will know, on a daily basis, what your measurements are to the centimeter along with your weight to the gram. I have seen many models be affected by this.

⁃ Any girls I have seen who have been afflicted by a body disorder of any kind have actually lost jobs instead of gained them.

⁃ There is so much irony when you are “too fat” for one job then 30 minutes later at the very next casting you will be “too skinny.” For some people, this will take a lot of putting yourself first to understand that how you are is perfect and the right job for you will come. You do not have to mold yourself to someone else’s expectation as it is highly likely that that ideal will not be consistent with other castings. 

I have witnessed one girl be humiliated in a casting by clients deciding they had to shave her armpits right then and there for the job, in front of all the prospective models, that she later on did not get but they changed her appearance anyhow. Her family’s culture was not to shave so her pain was far more deep than just being publicly embarrassed.

There have been agents and clients who pat models down in public places and state that they are “too fat” in certain areas of their bodies (in places that one would never have thought to consider), in front of peers.

I could continue on with stories such as these but there are other topics I’d like to touch down on now..

I have had negative encounters with photographers where I have had to get tough and stand my ground when I have been treated without respect. There have been moments I didn’t know what really happened until it was over with and all I can do for now is create awareness for other models (both girls and guys) to be cognizant that you are being treated properly and to watch for the signs of inappropriate behavior. When talking to some people, I have gotten the reply of, “Well, why didn’t you say anything?” I have many reasons for this… Sometimes you are afraid people will think you are being ridiculous or demanding. Sometimes it is the fear that your agent will read something wrong. It is also possible for photographers to give your name a bad reputation and make it harder for future bookings elsewhere. You also have to consider the culture. Some countries may not view models with the same regard as the rest of the crew thus the old saying of, “being treated like meat.”

My last down is a double-edge sword… It is both an adventurous and yet a sadly short lived career. 

The Positives

All of this being said, I believe this is an incredible time in life where more models are coming out each day about their stories and more agencies, along with clients, are starting to embrace the healthy body and the fact that everyone is different as opposed to demanding one specific body type.

Okay, now that you have survived reading the possible negatives, let’s go onto the positives, which is twice as long. 

“Modeling gives you the world,” – Jill Johnson, http://www.modelingmentor.com/ . Jill is a beautiful mentor, (She is a former model, current writer, and executive assistant to her four insanely beautiful, busy, career filled kids), and she is a trusted friend. She not only opened the door for me to step into this world but she is a bounty of information on how to survive in this career as well. 

Everyday will be a new place, new people, and if you are like me… This will be the creme de la crème of experiences for you. It’s a magnificent adventure where you will soulfully find yourself. You discover how to handle stressful situations, how quickly you can think, and how you choose to stand out. Through this you can also discover where the next chapter in your life takes you. I have met many people who have gone on to become successful entrepreneurs because they had an idea from their travels as international models.

With modeling you will most likely find yourself alone quite a bit of the time when you are traveling and within this you force yourself to embrace what it means to be independent and to become your own person… What tons of people forget is that this is just as much of a business as any other job.

All this being said, here is ONE of the ways you can take a step in the right direction.

Social Media

Start a specific modeling Instagram to show your personality and develop your online persona… I would keep the account you have that all of your friends follow under a private login for the sake of keeping that part of your life cleanly separated. 

After you’ve created your new found instagram, make sure the first few photos you post are no makeup selfies and simple full-length body portraits.

One of the things you have to remember while starting is that hashtags are everything.

Agencies discover many models through the hashtags directed towards their feed.

When discovering what hashtags you want to incorporate in your posts you have to keep in mind exactly what agency you hope to be signed with. They are literally your best social tool to grow your account as they introduce you to a direct and like minded audience who couldn’t find you otherwise.

Let’s say you wanted to be signed with SIGNED MGMT, my fabulous mother agent https://www.signedmgmt.com/ , you would use the following hashtags:

#signedmgmt #getsignedbyerin #wearesigned #Iamsigned #newface 

You want to post frequently, (twice daily at peak hours), to stay at the top of these hashtag feeds and if you made it over to where it lists “TOP” then congrats! This means your photo has been clicked on the most out of the rest that reside on the recents page. This is the best case scenario as potential agents will see you first before scrolling down their page. Make sure that you keep in mind what your thumbnail will look like. People won’t stop to look if they cannot see your face clearly during a fast scroll.

Also very important, I have known many models and actors who have strayed to the “dark side” believing the only way to get by is to buy followers… Although followers add icing on the cake when clients go through your media pages, if anyone were to get wind and realize your followers do not match your likes on anything, it would mean your reputation.

Another stab to your social reputation is to accumulate “bot” followers. Bots are fake accounts simply generated to create numbers and they are not real people. Nowadays, they not only add to a following but they generate fake comments as well. Believe it or not, instagram, agents, clients, and the general population can actually tell if your following is real. If it isn’t, then you could risk losing your IG account and your reputation as well. https://influencermarketinghub.com/ is a great preliminary and free way to gage if your following is real, (I have not used their paid services so I am not endorsing them at this time). It is important also to note that just because someone has a huge bot following that may not be an indicator that their following is purchased… But it is a factor in determining if you have the ability of being an influencer which, in modeling, is obviously very important. I am pleased to say my following is excellent with real followers rank of 92% but it takes work. I literally take the time to see who is newly following me and if the account is following many, but has very few following it, and has zero posts, with nothing in profile then it is most likely a bot so I delete them. It can be a lengthy process but in the end will feel very genuine as when I receive comments, and comment back, then I know I am talking to real people who have a vested interest in who they are following.

Private Messages and Safety

When it comes to people contacting you in the Direct Messages, you may get wind of some scouts looking to do interviews, which is FANTASTIC, but you will need to do some investigating yourself to find out if they are legitimate or not… Sadly, there are plenty of people who prey on aspiring models posing as someone who can help their career. Fact check the agencies you are looking in to to see if that person is connected to where you applied. Be weary of any dm’s you did not solicit. If a promoter were to DM you, BEWARE. I do not want to be the stick in the mud making you feel it is altogether wrong to party, but if someone approaches you offering to pay you to go to their clubs or bring your friends to boost their popularity, I can guarantee it is a form of a scam or something that could spiral out of control quickly. Not to mention, your morning castings and jobs are not adjusted to allow you to sleep. I see models functioning on less than four hours of downtime, (including shower), so it is hard to be your best on such little rest.

Note: if you do go to a party or club (if you are of age), never go alone and be sure do it on your terms and safely. Have fun! (SAFELY)

Through a little stalking on agency instagrams and following posts you can find model scouts who want to find the next “IT” face just as much as you want to be discovered.

Send details about yourself to the scouts via Direct Message such as hobbies, height and age… This can take a while for them to get to…They receive hundreds, if not thousands, every week. At least for me, once I was signed with Erin Scimeca, I got a reply from an agency asking to do an interview to see where this could go… The message they were responding to was sent one year prior.

Finding The Right Agency and What Exactly Is A Mother Agent?

When first searching for an agency they will usually have an email or a specific link for you to go where you can submit additional photos of yourself that they regularly go through to recruit the new faces. 

Through all of this it is best to keep engaging with your audience, it goes a long long way! 

For those of you who do not know, because I sure didn’t in the beginning, a Mother Agency is your main agent that will fight for you and make sure you are treated like you should be and fairly… They work all the corners of the world, whereas your Agency will book you jobs in that certain corner of their region and not as regularly send you traveling away from it. A good mother agent also acts as a sounding board. If I cannot get a question answered online or if I have a job related issues from model apartment woes, (turns out we all have stories about that one), money matters, inappropriate behavior, or just pure loneliness from travel for nearly a year straight then I call my MA, Erin Scimeca of Signed Mgmt. She has been a beautiful buffer so that I can show up to my international agents clear headed and ready to book. A popular question is whether it costs the model more money to bring a mother agent on board to your team. In my case, there is a set percentage that all agents involved share. Signed Mgmt’s priority is to help the models get placed in their dream agency and work in the corners of the world that would best suit that model. I believe it is best to have a Mother Agent but lots of people survive this lifestyle without so it is up to the model and how comfortable they feel with this.

Boutique or Top Ten… Which is right for you?

Remember this is a business. Whom ever is lucky enough to secure you still needs to bring a paycheck to their people. Top ten agencies have amazing energy. It is easy to walk in and fall under the spell of seeing Vogue cover models pass you by… But remember that if you see only cover models gracing their walls then castings for new faces may get swept under the rug in order to keep the top girls working. Boutique agencies, however, often have a vested interest in all the rising new faces. So maybe you haven’t heard of the agency reaching out but it would definitely behove you to investigate their “New Face” team to see if you would get better attention.

An Agency Has Contacted You… Now What?

If you have scored an interview with an Agency, first of all… YAY! 

Second of all, if you are young (if your mom is tagging along) they want to hear YOUR voice. They want to know that you can look someone in the eye and be your natural and fierce self! 

Just some ideas on what to wear; You want to arrive simple so that they see the true you. Something along the lines of black skinny pants (no ripped pants) and a nice fitted tank top or crop top (feel free to add your own personality to it). These are just some ideas if you don’t know where to start… Then lastly, you will want to bring a pair of heels with you.

Along the lines of makeup, you will want to stay as natural as possible, such as just mascara and if you have a few blemishes it is ok to cover them up and some light blush if you find you want it.

Modeling interviews usually don’t last long and it is best to keep your options open and not rush into any contracts you do not proof read before hand. Your time spent in your first meeting could run as little as 5-10 minutes but don’t despair… They know exactly what they are looking for and they can usually tell when you first walk through the door.

RED FLAGS TO KNOW AND FOLLOW WHEN LOOKING FOR AN AGENCY:

– Look into what their full-time models have booked.

– You should NEVER have to pay any agency for modeling except for a model apartment or related expenses (flight, driver, foreign visas, for example). If the agency is legitimate then all expenses, portfolio and test shoot costs will come out of your first paychecks.

– Never pay for training as you will learn everything you need to know through test shooting, (a good agent will be able to coach you to walk runway as well).

– Do not accept free test shoots from photographers without going through your new agent. When you do, your image becomes their property and they can, and will, use it on sites that they want to promote themselves on but that could jeopardize your future reputation. This happened to me with a photographer I once trusted very much. He entered my pictures onto a website known for soliciting for soft porn models. Even though I was fully clothed, it felt horrible to see myself in the midst of such trashy pictures. He argued it was art… But eventually, and most reluctantly, took them down. I was 13 when the picture was taken.

Your Future Awaits

Once you are secure with an agency, communicate with them on what you want your future to look like and how you want to handle modeling. If you are young, then you will most likely be signing a development contract which means they want to keep an eye on you because they find you interesting. They will guide you through periodic test shooting until you are old enough to go on bookings (usually close to age 18). You will also need to consider college. As a working model, you need to be available for castings and bookings. Are you willing to take a gap year, can you move your classes to evenings and weekends, can you take any classes online? These are some of the questions you should be prepared to answer as your agent will need to know how best to promote you.

I know this was long and I warned you it is not for the faint hearted… Be careful what you wish for and know that it is the adventure of a lifetime. I will never regret taking this journey and I am forever grateful to those who have believed in the “little girl who thought she could.”

And with that I bid you goodbye! Enjoy the ride!