Make Your Break

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Instructions

Make Your Break

1. Although there is a little bit of freelancing in the business, almost all models work through an agent. Your agent is responsible for getting bookings and ensuring that you show up on time, no matter how hungover you may be. Good agents will also advise you about clothes and hair and generally guide you through the various stages of your career. There are several tactics you can employ to get an agent.
   
   Many successful models started their careers effortlessly. They were strolling through the airport with mom and dad on the way back from Disneyland when a scout from a top agency spotted them, recognized their potential and gave them a business card. But this is rare, and finding the right agent becomes all the more important.
   
   Periodically, agencies open their doors to hundreds of local hopefuls. This is known as an "open call." You herd together in the hallways of an agency with all of your competitors, wait and wait for a turn, and when you finally do get to see someone, it seldom takes more than 30 seconds for the pros to size up what they consider to be your potential. Welcome to the world of big-league rejection. The good news is that open calls are almost always free. Dress casually in form-hugging clothes so the agent can see what your body is like. Keep your hair simple and makeup naturally minimalistic. They want you to present a blank canvas to them--not your glamor look. Don't waste money on professional photos. If you want, you can just bring in a few informal snaps: full body shots (in a conservative bikini or trunks) from a few angles, one nice head shot and a casual clothed shot.
   
   Some of the top agencies include: Elite, 404 Park Ave. S., New York, NY, 10016, [phone]; Ford, 111 5th Ave., New York, NY, 10003, [phone]; IMG Models, 304 Park Ave. S., New York, NY, 10010, [phone]; Next, 15 Watts St., New York, NY, 10013, [phone]; and Boss Models (mostly for male models), 80 8th Ave., New York, NY, 10011, [phone], [e-mail].
   
   You don't have to wait around for an open call. If you get on the phone and the agency tells you their open call is 6 months off, ask if you can just drop by. Don't stop at one; go around to as many of the top agencies as you can.
   
   Several large agencies tour the country conducting a model search--a beauty contest with the purpose of finding the next supermodel. Thanks to events like these, all of the seemingly gawky Betty Sues out there can get a shot at proving their exotic supermodel potential. As long as there's a reputable agency behind it and the entry fees aren't too extravagant--most will have entry fees--a model search is a good way to at least meet people in the industry.
   
   The most expensive option is to attend a modeling convention. Entry fees tend to be high, but you get the opportunity to meet representatives from several different agencies all at the same time (and the chance to learn more about the industry in general). If one of these should happen to open in your city, by all means check it out.
   
   Once the agency gets a look at you and decides it likes what it sees, an agent will arrange for you to have portfolio pictures taken, a composite card printed and a résumé put together. Again, you must remember that you are trying to make money, not spend it, so don't waste cash on portfolios until you get signed up with a manager. The agency will probably have a specific look in mind for you anyway, and they'll want to start from scratch. A portfolio (or "book") is what you take along to modeling-job interviews, called "go-sees." In your portfolio are a series of shots taken by an agency-recommended photographer, and it reflects the agency's marketing strategy for you. Composite cards, or comp cards, are what you leave behind with the prospective employer, and are usually a single printed sheet of photos to help them remember you.

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[starlet67]

on 3/14/2009 This article really uncovers the truth about breaking into the modeling scene!5*