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OK, You want to be a Model?
Ok, first things first. A good portion of this
page may appear to put you off about being a model! Actually, it's quite the
opposite. We would like to think that you go into the modeling business with
your eyes open and make a success of it. Regrettably, it is a business that has more than its fair share of pitfalls,
sharks and rip-offs. We certainly would not like you to fall into any of the
traps that we know about the
business. So please allow us to give you some friendly and professional advice
about what you need to know, what you need to have
and what to look out for.
The modeling business is very competitive. Very few
models make it to "supermodel". Having said that, many make a good career out
of modeling (both male and female) and many enjoy the business enormously! It
can be very rewarding in more ways than one and, as there are many different
types of assignments, it can be open to almost anyone.
Naturally, there are certain physical requirements
that you need to possess to be a successful 'Haute Couture' fashion model. If
you are tall and slim you have a chance. For small local and provincial shows,
5'8''-5'9" may be acceptable. However, usually the minimum height for shows,
cat walk/runway is between 5' 10" - 6', so if you are tall you have a better
chance of this sort of work. Often clients have fairly fixed views of what they
want and so looks do vary. If you have the "look" they want at the time - you are
in whatever your height! However, high cheek bones, big eyes, small nose and a generous mouth are
always positive attributes - if you are lucky enough to have all the above then
you could probably end-up a supermodel. But not many of us do. If you are male
a strong jaw line and athletic  build (not Mr. Universe) with good shoulders and a well
tapered chest to waist ratio is a plus.
Don't be fooled and think it's just looks that
count. On the contrary a good attitude, adaptability and the willingness to
give 110% to your work is essential to make it in this business. It requires a
lot of tenacity, energy and perseverance. So, if you're not prepared to work
more than 9am - 5pm forget it. You will also be required to spend time going
to castings usually at your own cost and whilst an Agent can get you to the
casting that doesn't guarantee the job. It's up to you! Your social life will
be put on hold for a while as well, as you can't afford to be up all night if
you have a photo shoot the next morning.
To be a successful photographic model the
requirements are similar to the above with the exception of height. You can get
away with being smaller as long as you are in proportion. You do however need
to be photogenic. This is something you either are or are not. Some people
can be stunning to look at and yet they don't photograph well. The opposite is
also true - you don't have to be stunning to take a good photograph. The only
way to know is to have some photographs taken and see how they turn out. It's a
bit like charisma - you either have it or you don't and it shows! Of course
with make-up we can do almost anything but the key to a successful photographic
model is their relationship with 'The Camera' and their "Photographer". A good way to gain experience
and confidence without it costing you a lot of money is to offer your services
to a local college or budding photographer as they, too, require models to work
with in order to practice their skills and techniques. However, be choosey about
who you approach and make sure they are bona fide. See the "Essential
Photographs" section below for further information.
So Many People
Ask.....
That all important question! What is the ideal
figure? Well, that really does depend on the type of work you do. As a guide,
if you want to be in high fashion tall and slender is the key. Most lingerie
and swimwear companies base their products and fittings on a 34B bra size 22/24
waist and 34 hip. If want to work in glamour then the well known 'hour glass'
figure is great, 36-24-36. To model shoes and footwear you normally need to be a
size 4. 
If you are close to the above measurements, then you
stand a good chance of making it in some way or other if you apply a high degree
of perseverance and are ambitious. If you are physically nowhere near the sizes
mentioned, then there is little chance that you will have a successful career in
the modeling industry. Time to be honest with yourself!
There are however, other opportunities for some
people to specialize in hand modeling or feet, or legs, or eyes etc. This may
be a possibility for you and something you can explore if you think you have
what it takes.
Another avenue is to be an 'in house' model where
specific statistics will vary depending on the manufacturers requirements. Be
warned! You are usually measured every week for this and cannot fluctuate.
Show room jobs usually run for a few weeks at a time and are a good way to earn
regular income.
Let's review the type of modeling you can do:
-
Runway
- Fashion
- Lingerie
- Nude
- Print
- Glamour
- Promotional
- Show Room
- Specific Manufacturers
requirements (Can be seasonal)
- Specialty (Hands, Legs, Eyes, Bust, etc.)
Which ever kind of modeling you decide, remember
this, unless you are
signed up with a company with a termed contract (and very few are) there is no
guarantee of a regular income. It will vary enormously from day to day, week to
week, month to month. Nothing one day, thousands the next and back to nothing
again. So be prepared.
The Truth About Agents
Many unscrupulous people posing as 'agents' in the
modeling world have come up with all sorts of ways to part you from your money.
So here is some advice that will save you money - DON'T GIVE IT
AWAY! Make sure you're getting something for your money!
Remember, if an agency asks you for money, by way of a joining fee,
forget it! Not worth your time and they usually don't deliver. Most
reputable agencies will not request money to register. They may suggest you
have some photos taken and point you in the direction of a photographer (if you
have none) and they may at some stage ask you if you would like to be included
in their model year book or head sheet or similar but this is something quite
separate to a joining fee or registration fee and can be done in stages. Do not
be pressured into paying out for joining an
agency. Portfolios, Headshots and Composite Cards are tools of the trade and you
should not have to specifically pay for this in order to join an agency but
you do and will need it so that would
be the biggest investment into yourself especially at
the beginning of your modeling career and of course
throughout it to keep your modeling image updated as
often as possible.
Here is another misguided thought about the model
business: There is an assumption that if you register with an agent/agency and
send in some photographs the work will roll in.  All you have to do is sit and wait for the phone to ring.
Unfortunately, this is not true (unless you happen to be Naomi Campbell or
Claudia Schiffer)!
There is also a difference between a model 'agency'
and an 'agent'. If you have a personal agent and you are signed exclusively to
them (or even if you are signed exclusively to an agency) then they should be
working on your behalf to find you work on a regular
basis.
Many model agencies represent a host of models and
will circulate the details of all through different media, i.e. model books,
head sheets and more recently web sites. They will also respond to a client's
request and send out information on the people who most closely represent the
client's need. Ultimately it is usually the client who decides who they want.
So the better your photographs are and the more versatile they are, the more
chance you have of catching the eye, then you will get the call!
No true
agency will guarantee work for you. Some agents may wish to sign you
exclusively and if they do they should offer a contract. Make sure you read the
terms of the contract very thoroughly before signing anything. Our personal
recommendation for a beginner would be to join as many agencies as they can
(none exclusively) and take it from there.
Some agencies will say that you need a good
portfolio and that they will provide, for a fee, an appointment with a local
photographer to get this done. Firstly, a good portfolio is generally built up
over time as a result of work that you have done. So don't pay for one unless
you are starting in the business.
Secondly, you should not have to pay 'an arrangement fee'. Thirdly, as said
before, a good portfolio will be made up of many different shots from different
jobs at different times which includes different photographers and can
not possibly be made from one session unless, again, you are starting in the
business. If you are starting out then you need
to have a portfolio done for yourself. This will
be your 'kick off' and good starting point and tool
for you to use to get you started. Click
Here for Distant Star's very low rates and most times
FREE starter portfolios for you!!
The Truth About Modeling Schools
 Much like the truth about agents! Be careful. It is not
unheard of for modeling schools to take you on even though you have no real
chance of making it in the business. Some of them are, after all, only in it for
the money. Our best advice here is to be totally honest and brutal with
yourself. If you really believe you pass the standards highlighted at the
beginning of this section, then go for it! If you do not, then no amount of
modeling school effort is going to turn you into something you are not. There are a
lot of disappointed potential models around who thought that school attendance
would guarantee them a living in the modeling business. It does not.
There are quite a number of very reputable modeling
schools around. Check them out. Check them out with other people in the
business. Check them out with people you may know who have been there already.
Word of mouth and personal recommendation is a powerful ally of a good school.
Make sure you ask the schools about their successes. You should interview them
too! Ask them if they reject people who they do not think will make it. Its a
very telling question!
Those Essential Photographs
A good photographic portfolio is essential if you
are going to succeed in the modeling business. As you will see elsewhere on the
Distant Star web site, other branches of the industry do not have such stringent
standards. A model will trade on his or her portfolio  and a good portfolio is a made up from modeling assignments
and is a showcase for the skill and expertise of the model. It is a full set
of examples of the type and style of work carried out and is not the result of
an individual photo shoot with one photographer. Of course, you cannot start
out with a full personal "assignments" portfolio. So where do you start and what are the
basics to get going?
If you want to succeed as a model, forget the
digital camera and the local photo booth! (Believe us when we tell you that
we have seen the output of both submitted to Distant Star as a portfolio!). You will
have to be prepared to get some photographs done professionally. You will not
always need to pay for them however. There is an arrangement in the modeling world
called "Time For Prints" or TFP. This is when a Professional photographer will
use you as the model and instead of paying you a fee will give you prints from
the assignment. So the deal is that you provide your time for a photo shoot and
in exchange you get a set of professionally taken prints. It is a very good way
of getting your portfolio started.
If you can afford it, then you can get a professional set
of photographs from any number of reputable photographers. But note our comments
above about dubious links between agencies and photographers.
Most models
start with a "comp card" . This can be in black and white or color. It will
generally be A5 in size or approximately 8" x 6'. It will have a full size
photograph on the front, which can be a head shot or full length shot, and
generally up to four photographs on the back. You can mix black and white and
colour photographs - in fact it is a good idea to have both. The card should
have your vital statistics on it - including height, hair color, eye color,
dress size, bust size, waist size, hip size  and shoe size. You will see, for example, that this is the
kind of information displayed against the portfolios on our web site.
When ever possible you should have full 8" x 10" color and black and
white versions of photographs. These are most beneficial for agencies like
Distant Star who have web sites that your photographs can be shown on. Only high
quality original photographs will give a high quality scanned image on a web
site. Scans taken from cards or printed material will always be of lower or
poorer quality.
Finally, what type of photographs should you have? As
you will see from other portfolios or comp cards, you should present a range so
that both the agent and the client will have a good idea of your overall
capability and looks in a variety of poses and situations - both full length and
close up. Its all about making an instant impression! So make sure that you do
not end up with five photographs on a card that are all the same background and
all in the same clothes. Those tend not to work for the modeling industry but
DO work for let's say a comedian or entertainer who
is not trying to portray their individual looks but
their entertainment skills. This kind of comp card with
the same background and maybe clothes is vital to showing
off their expressions... NOT their clothes and "look".
Signing Up with an Agency
Firstly, find out when an agency is holding
interviews. Make some phone calls. Reputable agencies should always see new
faces and the more professional agencies will always want to see you before
taking you on their books. Some will interview on a regular basis and others
will only interview at certain times during the year.
Secondly, if you
are completely new to this industry, make sure that the agency you would like to
join takes on beginners. Some agencies only take on fully professional people.
You do not want to waste their time or yours!
When going for the
interview make sure you take all your information with you. There is nothing
more infuriating to an agency that has made time available to see you than to
have you turn up for an interview empty handed. You should take an up-to-date
resume which should be complete with all of your personal details
as well. You should also have to hand any other information which you think will
be relevant to the interview for example: special skills or areas you can work
away from the area where you live. Make sure you have your correct measurements
with you and don't make these up - there is no point. Do not forget to take
your photographic portfolio, as well as your comp cards, and take enough cards
to leave some with the agency. If you still do not have any professional
photographs, take any photographs you do have of yourself for reference.
What to Expect or Not !
Do not expect to be an overnight success!
If you are accepted by an agency, you can expect to
do quite a lot of leg work, especially in the beginning. Going to see
photographers, clients and to castings is all part of the job. Sorry no pay for
this part, but if you get the job then it's worth it!
Good Luck!
- Here is just a small list of people, companies, musical artists and venues that
we have had a part of doing photography, video, model hiring, sound and/or lighting
for:
- Paramount's Kings
Dominion Amusment Park
- Six Flag's Amusement
Parks
- Richard
Marx
- Pat
Benatar
- America
- Todd
Rundren
- Tone
Loc
- Peter
Frampton
- Sixpence None The
Richer
- Jeffery
Gaines
- The Neville
Brothers
- Richie
Havens
- Ace Frehley & Paul
Stanley from KISS
- Garth
Brooks
- Charlie
Daniels
- Colin
Raye
- Shaggy
- LeAnn
Rimes
- Faith
Hill
- Time
Warner
- Backstreet
Boys
- WWF
- Doug
Stanhope
- Fighting
Gravity
- The
Temptations
- Blessed Union of
Souls
- Joey
McIntyre
- Michael
Jackson
- Miami Sound
Machine
- Neil
Diamond
- U2
- Jay Z
- Britney
Spears
- Julio
Iglesias
- Liza
Minelli
- Elton
John
- The United
Nations
- MTV
- St. Judes Children's
Hospital
- National Leukemia
Society
- The Boys & Girls
Club of America
- and many many
more!!
Do
you need help putting together a layout for your
headshot or comp card? We can help and virtually
put together almost any kind of layout for you.
Just ask how!
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