The Model You

By Todd Griffin

So you want to become a model. Here’s how! The Model You will guide you through the transition from dreaming about it to managing your modeling career. Learn how to choose a career path, set realistic goals, find photographers and agents, build your portfolio, market yourself, avoid scams and creeps, and much more.

Unlike similar books, this is not only a how-to guide. It is also crammed full of in-depth interviews with successful models and modeling agents. They expose the myths and realities of the modeling business and speak directly to the reader, in their own words, sharing their experiences and advice.

This is a fun, practical, and comprehensive guide to the nuts and bolts of the modeling industry, intended not only for aspiring models but for their parents as well. Discover what modeling is really like, from the experts who live it every day!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Todd Griffin
• Release date: Jan 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9780988723726

Todd Griffin

Todd Griffin is a freelance writer, a refugee from a decades-long career as an engineer, strategic planner, and project manager in the California aerospace industry. He moonlighted for six years as a reporter and columnist for the Tri-City Voice, a newspaper in the San Francisco Bay Area. He currently lives in rural New Mexico, where he alternates writing with hiking, motorcycling, and herding cats. The Model You book is a collaboration with fashion photographer M. M. Gebhardt.

Book preview

The Model You

Stop Dreaming & Start Modeling

Smashwords Edition 2013

Copyright 2013 Todd Griffin & M. M. Gebhardt

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

This book was thoroughly researched. Laws and industry practices do change over time. The authors have strived to ensure all statements herein are true and accurate at the time of publication.

Cover design by Douglas Shuler

Bibliographic Data

The Model You: Stop Dreaming & Start Modeling

1. Models (Persons)-Vocational Guidance. I. Title.

ISBN 978-0-9887237-2-6 (EPUB Format)

Acknowledgement

This project would not have been possible without the enthusiastic participation of the many models and agents who contributed their experience and knowledge. We are grateful to all those who submitted to lengthy interviews, spoke candidly of their mistakes, shared their love of modeling, and offered sage advice. This book is a direct result of their kindness and generosity.

Contents

Title Page

Acknowledgement

Introduction

Section 1 From Dream to Reality

Chapter 1 The Basics

Chapter 2 Getting Started

Chapter 3 Agencies

Chapter 4 The Model Mind

Chapter 5 Scams and Creeps

Chapter 6 The Model Lifestyle

Chapter 7 Keys to Success

Chapter 8 Nude Modeling

Chapter 9 The Model Parent

Section 2 Interviews

Chapter 1 Model Interviews

Chapter 2 Agent Interviews

Additional Resources

Authors

Introduction

Sooner or later, nearly every girl dreams of being a model. She may practice posing in front of the mirror, experiment with her mother’s high heels and makeup, and spend hours reading fashion magazines and watching TV fashion shows. Or she may keep this dream hidden deeply within herself, telling no one, fearing she will be mocked for being too young, too nerdy, or too plain to become a model.

This book is for every girl who wants to be a model, whether she talks about it endlessly or harbors a secret desire. It is also for her parents, those who may encourage their reluctant daughter by pushing her into pageants, those who hold her back by insisting that modeling is merely a silly idea for silly girls, and especially those who wish to understand more about it before taking a position.

Here you will discover how to get started, what it takes to be successful, and what life is like as a working model. You will learn how to find your unique niche among the different types of modeling available to you, how to set reasonable goals, develop your look, find the right photographers, build your portfolio, market yourself, choose an agent, identify scams, and much more. We have also included common pitfalls and mistakes that new models frequently encounter and how to avoid those potentially painful experiences.

This book does not offer advice on how to pose, apply makeup, style your hair, or develop a runway walk, as these skills are best learned on an individual basis, practicing and working directly with the appropriate professionals. We do provide suggestions on where and how to acquire these talents.

Straight from the Experts

Most books on modeling represent the perspective and experiences of a single model or agent. We took a different approach: we asked the experts! We interviewed literally dozens of models and agents, including a broad cross-section of age, modeling type, geographical area, and experience level. We spoke with models ranging in age from 16 to 43. We interviewed fashion models who work in Milan, Paris, Tokyo, and the top centers of the U.S. fashion scene: LA, NYC, Miami, and Chicago. We also interviewed models from small towns in Nebraska and Colorado.

However, we focused primarily on young, early-career models from medium-sized cities who have achieved at least modest success in a local or regional market. These girls have the most recent memories of breaking into the business and we feel their reflections and advice are most relevant to the model who is just starting out in her hometown.

Agents provided tremendous insights as well. We interviewed a number of agents representing various types of agencies. While a model’s viewpoint is limited to her own experiences, an agent handles hundreds of models, works directly with clients, and possesses a much broader perspective on the industry as a whole, including the various avenues available to a beginning model and the factors that determine if, and how, she achieves success.

The book is structured in two sections. The first details the proper approach to beginning and sustaining a career in modeling. It explains in clear, simple terms how to transform your dreams of modeling into reality, how to become a working model. It is intended to be read start to finish, though we conclude with a chapter directed specifically to parents.

The second section contains a selection of interviews that we chose as representative of the various aspects of modeling, providing the perspective of models and agents in their own words. They speak directly to you, explaining what it takes to succeed as a model. Enjoy browsing the interviews. You will get to know each model as she discusses her early career, her emotional ups and downs, and her mistakes and successes. Once you have read the book, you will want to keep it as a handy reference while you develop your modeling career.

Some Words about Words

A few terms deserve explanation. First, we use the word ‘girls’ to refer to young women who model. They themselves use this term, regardless of age. It is also in common usage throughout the industry by photographers, agents, designers, and others. Female models are girls, even into their 40s. It is not intended to be derogatory or demeaning in any way.

Second, we refer to photographers in the masculine gender, simply to avoid the awkward ‘he or she’. The majority of photographers are men, though there are many women in the business too, including some very highly skilled, top-notch photographers. Similarly, we refer to agents in the feminine gender, as most are women, but there are many excellent male agents as well.

Finally, many models use the term ‘bitch’ freely. We all share a common perception of the personality and behaviors that word describes. We removed all ‘four letter words’ and profane language from the interviews, but have retained the use of ‘bitch’ simply because it is so descriptive and so commonly used. We hope no one is offended by this.

Filling a Need

We wrote this book with girls and young women in mind. Most of the material is coincidentally applicable to boys and young men as well, and we recommend it as a valuable resource for boys interested in modeling. But girls are far more likely to desire and pursue a modeling career and, unfortunately, are also more likely to be victimized by the industry. We sought to provide targeted information where it was most needed.

We decided to write this book in part because we couldn’t find anything quite like it. Many models told us they had searched for something like this without success. Several said something very like, I wanted to model, but I just didn’t know how to begin. We sincerely hope it fills a need and is a useful tool for those getting started in the industry. We also hope it’s entertaining and fun to read. Let’s get started!

Return to beginning

Section 1. From Dream to Reality

1

The Basics

No two girls travel the same path to becoming a model. Some fantasize about it from a very young age, plotting a strategy involving modeling classes, pageants, photographers, and portfolios. Others have little interest until one day finding themselves in front of a camera and unexpectedly falling in love with the experience.

Regardless of how you arrived at the decision to launch a career in modeling, you will need to understand some basic facts of life in the modeling world before you get started.

Age and Experience

What is the right age to begin modeling? How young is too young? Some girls, encouraged by a stage mom, begin participating in pageants or even paid posing for photos or art by the age of three. These girls get a head start by learning a lot about the business at a very young age. On the other hand, if parents are not supportive of their daughter’s interest in modeling, a girl may have to wait until the age of 18, when she can model without parental consent.

Believe it or not, the high fashion industry is currently looking for models as young as 13. But this is a very select group of girls. Most models can do very well by waiting until they are at least 16. The right age for you depends on your emotional strength and maturity, the type of modeling you wish to pursue, and the degree of parental support you have.

Modeling as a teenager can be emotionally devastating if you are not prepared for criticism. A model at any age must be sufficiently confident to withstand rejection and negative feedback. No matter how pretty you are, people will say rude things about you and call you names from time to time. Modeling is a very competitive business. You will fail to be selected in auditions and may be rejected by agencies. Strong support from your parents is a huge benefit in dealing with these attacks on your self-esteem.

If you are under the age of 18, you must have at least one parent involved in any modeling experience, to approve and sign releases and other contracts. So talk to mom (it is almost always mom) about your desire to model, ask her to read the book, and explain to her why it is important to you to explore modeling. Do not try to misrepresent yourself as 18 when you are not, or to model without your parents’ consent! It is illegal and you can find yourself in some very unpleasant situations.

If you are not ready to begin yet, what should you do to prepare for a modeling career? Several very successful models have dancing, acting, or singing backgrounds as children. There are certainly some advantages to any entertainment-related experience, including activities such as cheerleading or playing in a band or orchestra, though it is possible to become a successful model without doing any of these things.

You can also prepare by reading resources such as this book, fashion magazines, blogs, model biographies, and so on. Stay current on fashion trends. It’s fine to shoot some pictures with a girlfriend, as long as you don’t enter into a legal contract with a photographer. Practice your posing, your walk, and your makeup. See what works best for you. Who knows, maybe mom will relent when she sees how badly you want to do it and how much energy you are willing to devote to it.

It’s worth mentioning here that a surprising number of models we interviewed—most, in fact—described themselves as shy, nerdy girls with few friends before they began modeling. So if that sounds like you, take heart! We will discuss this more later.

The Myth of Discovery

Fifty years ago, the great actresses and models were ‘discovered’. A 16-year-old was eating an ice cream cone in the train station when a Hollywood producer stepped off the westbound Flyer, signed her on the spot, and made her a star.

Well, the media promoted those stories anyway. In fact, it almost never happened that way then and it certainly doesn’t happen that way now. Yet many girls still believe in this fairy tale and assume they will eventually be discovered. Sadly, scammers and even some agents take advantage of this common misconception.

A few models do fall into fortuitous situations that set their career on a fast track, but the vast majority achieves their goals through careful planning, hard work, and perseverance. To succeed, you will need to take charge of your own career and promote yourself shamelessly and constantly. Time spent waiting to be discovered is wasted time.

Modeling School: Scam or Road to Success?

One way to prepare for a career in modeling is to enroll in a modeling school. These institutions have sprouted recently like weeds in an abandoned lot. They are usually run by someone who claims to be an ex-model from one of the fashion centers. Various modeling schools offer courses ranging from a one-day workshop to a three-month program. These ‘modeling boot camps’ may include classes in makeup, hair, posing, walking, and so on, as well as practice fashion shoots and runway shows. Even relatively small towns may have at least one modeling school nowadays, proving there are a lot of ex-models out there looking for some income.

There are pros and cons, of course. Over time, a model will learn a lot more on the job than in a school, though the school provides a safe place to learn the basics, presumably from qualified, experienced instructors. Mom doesn’t have to worry about where you are and who you’re shooting with, and you don’t have to build a portfolio by shooting for free with some creepy photographer. Some schools also incorporate an agency, and expect students to sign an exclusive contract upon graduation. See Chapter 3 for some cautions on this.

Modeling schools tend to be pricey, ranging from hundreds of dollars for a one-day class to many thousands for a summer session. Some are held in a real school with real instructors, and some are scheduled as needed in a hotel conference room or similar site. Some are advertised in local fashion magazines and others with a signboard at the mall. While some schools provide value for the investment, others are little more than scams: they take your money and offer little in return.

How can you tell the difference? By employing what will become a recurring theme in this book: do your research! Ask the school for references. They should provide the names of graduates who are successful models. Contact these models and ask if they feel they received good value from the school. Ask them specifically how the experience furthered their careers. Get information on the instructors too. Were they truly top models or not? Are they well connected in the industry? Ask for their resumes and references and check them out.

If the school cannot or will not provide references, beware. Remember, you (or your parents) are going to pay for this. You are the customer, and have every right to determine if your money is going to be well spent. If the school is reluctant to help you evaluate them, be very reluctant to give them your money.

Another option is a private high school or charter school specializing in the arts, available in many cities across the country. In some, graduates receive a high school diploma, with a curriculum geared to liberal arts, in some cases at the expense of math and sciences. Others offer intensive programs in the arts with evening and weekend classes intended to supplement and extend a traditional high school education.

These schools offer much more robust coursework in modeling, acting, dance, and/or related studies than the local public high school. If your intent is to pursue a career in the performing or creative arts, including modeling, such a school may provide a strong foundation if your family can afford it. Again, some are better than others. Check it out thoroughly before enrolling!

If you have no background or education in modeling, acting, or other performing arts, congratulations! You are as well prepared as most models were. Some of the successful models we interviewed did take modeling courses or attend special schools, but most did not. It is not a prerequisite to a successful modeling career, and many modeling schools and classes often consume more time and money than they are worth.

At risk of sounding like parents, we should not leave this topic without mentioning that modeling (or acting, dance, voice, etc.) classes are a supplement to a mainstream education, not a substitute for it. Even should you become a hugely successful model, your best modeling years will be far behind you by age 25, and you will be considering retirement. Get a solid, well-rounded education. This will not only enrich your life now, it will open doors to activities and employment opportunities you will find enjoyable and rewarding later in life.

Careers in Modeling

Most models settle into one primary type of modeling, such as fashion, commercial, promotional, or parts, though many do ‘cross over’ and perform related work. For example, some models find themselves doing promotional work to pay the bills while nurturing a career in fashion or building a client base in commercial work.

If you think you have to be six feet tall and as skinny as a rail to be a model, read on! There are many types of modeling and many types of models. There are more options available to tall, thin girls, surely, but there are career paths for models of all sizes.

Below are brief sketches of some of the various types of modeling available to you, and explanations of some of the terms you will encounter. These categories do have some overlap, and other sources may organize modeling work somewhat differently. This is simply one handy way to think about the possibilities.

Fashion is considered by many to be the pinnacle of modeling, and high fashion is the pinnacle of fashion. High fashion denotes the very few extremely high-end models who occupy that apex, as well as those young girls who have what it takes to compete to join them in the next few years. This is the elite pool from which the next supermodels will emerge. High fashion is also the realm of the best fashion photographers, makeup artists, and hair stylists in the world.

Most people picture high fashion models walking the runways of Paris, Milan, and NYC, modeling outrageously expensive clothes from the hottest designers in the world. This is, for many, the ultimate achievement for a model. The top runway models are the rock stars of the fashion world and make incredible amounts of money. These models may also garner contracts with the premier cosmetic companies and designer clothing lines.

Of course, only one in thousands of models will breathe that rarefied air. However, there are runway fashion shows in every major city in the country offering work for a skilled runway model. It will not be full-time work, however, unless she is very talented and is working in a major fashion center.

Runway has the most stringent physical requirements of all categories of modeling. It’s possible in a smaller market to get some runway work as a talented five-six model. One model told us, I’m as tall as the tallest heels I can walk in. Nonetheless, the larger markets are looking for very young, very thin, and very tall models.

As a general rule, to be considered for runway work in a major market you must be at least five-nine and no larger than a size four. A typical runway model may start as young as 15 and retire at about 24. Though a few supermodels still occasionally walk the runway in their 30s, they are rare exceptions.

Warning: you might get hooked! Models told us that walking the runway is as addicting as any drug, and they live for the rush of those few moments in the lights.

While you may get some runway work as a fashion model, unless you are truly exceptional, a high fashion candidate, you will make most of your money from print work. For every runway gig, there are a hundred print jobs.

Editorial modeling is one example of fashion print work. Editorial shoots are for print media such as magazines or newspapers, though typically not for advertising. They often appear in the section of a fashion magazine that tells a story. Including these ‘tear sheets’ (‘tear’ as in torn out of a magazine) in a model’s portfolio is highly desirable. Some models specialize in editorial work. They may have unique looks that do not necessarily translate well to mainstream commercial work; others are fashion models doing editorial work to supplement their income and their portfolio.

Commercial modeling covers a broad range of media and products, and most fashion models will edge into some type of commercial work sooner or later. A commercial model may shoot for all kinds of print media, such as catalogs, magazine advertisements, billboards, and so on, as well as for film media such as television commercials. The most successful commercial models typically develop relatively long-term relationships with certain clients, who then employ them over and over. The top commercial models are very well paid.

Each commercial client is seeking a specific look for a given product line. So girls of almost all physical types may be able to carve out a career in commercial modeling, if they have the right agents with the right connections in the right markets and, of course, the talent. In other words, you don’t have to be tall and skinny to succeed as a commercial model, though it helps. You don’t need to be young, either. You can break into commercial modeling in your 20s or, in theory, as a grandmother. A pretty face, a healthy, wholesome look, and a great smile with straight, white teeth are essential attributes.

Clients promoting a line of jeans will be looking for a lower body shape