A Model’s Secret - How To Find The Right Modeling Agency for YOU

The right representation can make of break a model so choosing the right agency is a crucial step in the development of your career.  It is daunting for all of us and simply knowing what agencies to approach can be difficult, depending on where you live and what sort of markets are available to you.  After a lengthy modeling career I have had my share of experiences with agencies and I am often asked for advice about getting started in the business.  

I’ve written posts to answer many of these questions such as how to get scouted and how to identify the right modeling market for your type and look to help take some of the mystery out of the situation for model-hopefuls. You can read them here at these links:

Get Scouted! How Can I Get Into Modeling?

Know Your Market as a Model: Editorial vs Commercial Modeling

Modeling is a business so treat it like a business:  It is important to remember that you are trying to break into a field where you are an independent contractor, will be working freelance, and interacting with other contractors, agencies, and clients, so treating it like a proper business right from the start is the correct approach.  When meeting with potential agencies or scouts it is in your best interest to be as informed as you can about the industry ahead of time so that you can ask the right questions.  Do not hesitate to ask for clarity when you are confused or overwhelmed with information.  It is a nervous situation to begin with so mentally preparing your questions ahead of time makes good business sense and every proper agent and scout will be glad to take the time to answer all your questions.  

Agencies and bookers: personalities and atmosphere counts: Meeting with several agents before making a decision to sign a contract for representation allows you to compare business practices, get a feeling for the energy, atmosphere, and vibe of an agency, and see which booker’s personalities fit with your own.  Getting off on the right foot in the relationship is important and if your personalities clash then that’s not a good sign, and you can’t expect that to improve or not be an issue over time. You want a booker who is really in your corner, will fight to help you get ahead, will open doors for you, have your back, and will always be there to help guide and educate you about the business and have time for you.  If your overall sense of the agency isn’t positive, or you find it overly quiet or maybe frantic, then visit other agencies. Signing with an agency just to say you have representation is not a good way to start your career, and you will spend more time trying to figure out how to extricate yourself from the contract than you will advancing your career.  Go with your gut instincts.

No one comes to the business without a lot of questions and the lack of information and guidance can be intimidating so do your research and get informed.  I’ll answer your questions if I can, so leave a message!

                                                 XOXO Shelley  

#getscouted #businessofmodeling #howtobreakintomodeling #seekingrepresentation #findtherightmodelingagency #newfacesmodels #modelingindustryinfo #facethis.blogspot.com #ShelleyGoodstein 

Models as Social Media Influencers: The What, Why, and How to Succeed

Social media:  it is the new reality of modeling and cannot be ignored.  The entire fashion and beauty industries have been changed by the power of the individual on social media platforms, affecting advertising, branding, and even in some cases actual design.  For the first time in the world of modeling, models have more control over their personal brand image than ever before. 

By now we all know that having a large, engaged following on platforms like Snapchat, Instagram and Twitters is gauged as “influence” and clients are now considering a model’s own influence on social media in the casting process.  A model’s look or portfolio are not enough to land bookings in many cases, as clients are interested in models who have a large number of followers and will give a shout out to their brand, post or re-post project-related (and approved) images and video clips (stories), or simply have a recognized face and persona that are in line with their own brand image and reflects their target market.   So powerful is this influence that agencies are now representing talent that often does not conform to traditional model standards.  Tattoos, piercings, extreme looks, unnatural hair color, shorter types, and quirky models are now cast for campaigns because of their own personal influence and cool factor.  The ramifications for the standard models is enormous as the competition increases and the cult of personality becomes extremely important to a successful career. 

So what does that all mean to new models and those looking to take their career to the next level?  We asked several models and agents for their tips on how to manage this new side of the business of modeling to stand out and increase your own influence:

Content - What to post: 

- selfies: on set with makeup and hair done or in the process – no duck lips - ever

- natural selfies: clean, fresh, pretty

- inspirational pics or clips: working out and showing how fit you are

- eating real food: everyone loves seeing a model enjoying her meal

- street style: going to castings, with other models or alone

- smiling: this is often not a shot in a model’s book so this is the perfect place to show off your amazing smile

- activities: doing things that you love that show you are more than just a “model”, such as skateboarding, hiking, reading, cooking, days out with friends, family time

- travel: amazing views or sites that you really like such as skylines, beaches, art work, urban scenes

- behind-the-scene pics or clips: with permission - always

- your best features: if you have amazing eyes or long legs this is the perfect chance to show them off

- personality: show it off – this is your chance to be you

- humor: shows you are real, fun, and that you don’t take yourself too seriously

- clips: use Snapchat and Instagram Stories to bring your personal brand to life

How often to post:

Believe it or not some agencies require their models to post twice per day to build their feeds quickly with content.  And they are watching to see what you post, so keep that in mind.  Once you have established a reasonable number of followers on your platforms, once a day will be enough. 

Hashtags: #

- check what hashtags agencies and top models use and keep a list for yourself

- when posting to Instagram, use only a couple of hashtags in the initial post and then immediately comment on your own post to add a few more

- check the app Hashtagger to learn which tags are trending for the type of photo or clip you want to post

- common hashtags are #modellife, #modeloffduty, #modelstyle, #modelcasting, #onestowatch, #newfaces, #motivation, #backstage, #makeup, #behindthescenes, #modelstreetstyle

Do’s and don't’s:

- always check with the agency for their own rules regarding posts on your accounts

- it is not your model portfolio so only post test shots with the express permission of the photographer – always check so you don’t infringe on anyone’s copyright and credit everyone involved in creating that particular shoot

- post covers, runway images, and tear sheets interspersed with your personal pics and clips to show your progress and that you are a working model

- the fastest way to lose out on potential bookings with great clients is to post nudity or a lot of butt shots – unless that is the type of modeling work you want.

How to keep it authentic:

            This is your chance to have your own voice in your brand image, to have personality, and to be a “real” personal rather than a mannequin ready to be transformed into other people’s vision.   Be yourself and it will show.  Being precious sends the wrong message to potential clients and could actually hurt your chances of making strong impressions with potential clients.  Endear yourself to your followers and let them see what the modeling life is actually like.  Take them on your adventure and share this exciting time.  Be gracious and answer their comments, and delete the ones that throw shade.  It is your feed, your account, your brand.  

How to increase your followers:

- don’t buy followers – it is easy for other people to see that you did that and they will know you are trying to inflate your influence – and most of those followers will disappear quickly and your numbers will actually decline – you don’t want potential clients to see that negative spiral

- follow other models, photographers, brands, designers, art directors, editors, magazines, stylists, makeup artists, and clients

- comment quickly on other model’s and industry pros' posts so your comment is seen right away, and keep the comments friendly and fun, as other people might in turn check out your profile and follow you

- be regularly active on the platforms, both in posting and in commenting and liking

- be generous in your “likes” – what goes around comes around

Influence is here to stay and models must embrace it to succeed. Don’t be overwhelmed with the task of gaining influence.  Think of it as a way to control your brand image, outside of your portfolio.  Revel in being able to show your own style and personality, and use it as a tool to learn how to be a better model in front of the camera.  Find your best angles and expressions.  Practice moving in front of the camera.  Make it yours!

                                                               XOXO  Shelley

#businessofmodeling #modelsandsocialmedia #influencers #modeling101 #howtobreakintomodeling #gettingintomodeling #modelscouting #facethis.blogspot.com #ShelleyGoodstein

Modeling Biz: What Makes an “It” Girl?

The parameters of what constitutes beauty are shifting, finally, opening the doors of the modeling industry to faces and body types that don’t fall into the typical looks that have traditionally populated the modeling agencies, runways, campaigns, and editorials for so long. While the definition of what makes a girl a beautiful model is changing and broadening, there is no denying that the models who rise to the top in a sea of long-legged women with squared off shoulders, high cheekbones, and wide-set eyes, have to possess something more, something that can only be described as “it”.  So what is “it”?

Ask industry pros and they will all tell you something different, be it a unique look that can be transformed while the model remains recognizable, a model with a great personality, personal style, drive and determination, or simply a “spark”.  Maybe it’s a combination of all of these, or even a model with a look that symbolizes where culture and fashion are that that moment in time. 

However it is defined, there is no denying that there is always some unique quality that makes one model special amongst thousands.  Naomi, Cindy, Claudia, Christy, and Linda, supermodels of the 80’s and 90’s, became so famous that the world refers to them to this day by their first names.  No two were alike or interchangeable, and all had “it” in spades. 

Kate Moss is perhaps the most famous model who embodied “it” as she broke nearly all the beauty standards of the early to mid-nineties with her boyish figure, her short stature (5’6”), wide-set doe eyes and freckles.  She was the antithesis of the Amazonian supermodels with womanly beauty and bodies.  Discovered at age fourteen by Sarah Dukakis of Storm Models UK in the JFK Airport, she must have stirred something in the agent’s gut that this girl would change the industry and turn it on it’s ear.  How else to explain her interest in a small, thin, girl barely in puberty?  Because, she had “it” and Dukakis felt it. No matter where the fashion industry was at that moment, Kate Moss changed it forever, ushering in the entirely new era of the waif, youthful sexuality, and a stripped back, uncontrived, raw beauty that endured until the arrival of the Brazilian bombshells of the late 90’s.

The best scouts and agents are always on the lookout for the next model possessing this elusive quality, knowing that they might, if they are lucky, find just one in their entire careers.  Many models have “promise” but rarely “it”. “It” cannot be cultivated, taught, or created.  “It” is often so out of the scope of traditional beauty standards that it triggers a gut feeling that there are models where to whom the beauty standards of the business do not apply.  But to think having “it” is a golden ticket to success would be a mistake.  Without the best agency that has the right industry connections, without a strong work ethic, without a great support network, without amazing timing, “it” doesn’t matter.  “It” takes a village to succeed.  Every single day in every corner of the world, scouts, agents and casting directors are on the hunt for that elusive girl that has “it”.  She is so rare that the chances of finding her are slim.  But when they find her it’s like catching lightning in a bottle. 

                                                             XOXO  Shelley 

#modeling business #what makes an “it” girl? #model scouting #what makes a supermodel? #getting into modeling #how to break into modeling #modeling 101 #facethis.blogspot.com #Shelley Goodstein

Get Scouted: How can I get into modeling!

All model hopefuls need someone to notice just how amazing they are, and one of the biggest hurdles is to catch the attention of a model agency or model scout.

Do your homework and research online the most reputable agency in your local area. It’s a good place to start, but in the age of social media, it has never been easier for scouts and agents from the top tier agencies in NYC, Paris, and other major markets, to find the most promising “new faces” online, no matter where they live.

There are several ways hopefuls can be in contact with agencies:  online submissions on agency websites, social media, open calls at agencies, and through contests or model conventions and showcases. Let’s break it down to find the best approach for you to get your face in front of the decision makers in the agencies:

Open Calls:  this is a set time at an agency where they will meet drop-ins.  You should come exactly on time, do not wear makeup, wearing skinny jeans and a tank top or t-shirt.  Make eye contact, be yourself, and put your best attitude and personality forward.

Online submissions through agency websites:  go to agency websites and look for a menu item that might say either “Be A Model” or “Get Scouted”.  There you will find their submission guidelines with a questionnaire and a place to upload specific photos of yourself.

Social media such as Instagram:  agencies maintain social media accounts, especially on Instagram. Make sure you are following the verified account of the agency and not a fan account.  The best working models have very active social media accounts with images that show their personality, interests, behind the scenes shots, and sometimes they show their tear sheets from work.  Think about your own account and remove any images that might make a potential agent or scout leave your account, such as nudity, club life or party images, duck lips (!), wearing too much makeup, and pictures that are missing a head! All the best agencies check Instagram every day and most of them have a hash-tag # that you can add to three or four of your best pics, that they will check.  Just as a matter of protocol, hash-tag only one agency at a time on a photo, and edit and change the hash-tag to a different one from another agency after about ten days if you have not received a direct message from them. 

Conventions, showcases and contests:  often these events cost money – a lot of money - and promise to put a model in person in front of agents and scouts, but your chances are no better than if you submitted online, or went to an open call or hash-tagged an agency online – and these are free!

So ... Key things to remember: 

Be natural with a fresh face without makeup, have clean hair worn in a normal style, and show the real, genuine “you”.

No professional photos needed – phone pics are preferred.  Use good, natural lighting and avoid a busy background behind you.

Modeling schools are not necessary and do not qualify you to be a model.

There should never be a fee to apply to submit yourself to agencies. Ever. 

Girls should wear skinny jeans and a tank top and guys should wear jeans and a plain t-shirt for online submissions to agencies so they can get an idea of your proportions and figure.  Every agency has different requirements so make sure you read the guidelines.

Don’t lie about your age or height – imagine if you get to actually meet the agent in person and you are caught in a lie??  It’s not the way to begin a business relationship. 

Finally – don’t get discouraged!  Keep in mind that many top models were rejected by one or another agency along the way to building their careers, due to timing, their particular look, their age, or just being the right type for that market.  It’s business, not personal. 

“No” might mean “not right now” or “not this agency”, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for you in the industry!  Don’t give up!