Picture Me: A Model's Diary (Documentary Film)

[model_mom]

Oh so its supposed to be ignored?
How would you feel if your daughter was taken advantage of? This is sick how people are reacting to this.

All of the people who feel like (potential) r*pe and sexual harrassement inside the industry should be tolerated are simply ignorant...and insane.

Good Lord people what if that was your daughter..or your son!?

If you knew me very well or had bothered to find out why I post the way I do instead of jumping in and sayin."Boo Hoo!" That's not fair!!!....you would know that it's one of the big reasons Ali, "my daughter" moved back home and went back to school....she just didn't have it in her to "play the game" the way it's played if you want to make it to the top.

You are so naieve to think that this sort of thing doesn't go on every day in the fashion world...I never said I thought it was OK....I just said it happens...and if you want to get anywhere most of the people turn a blind eye to it and 'mums' the word.

Lifes not fair sweetie....I wish it was.

 

[Esperanza]

wow interesting thread. i want to watch this video!

 

[foreverandnone]

LOL wut.
If you read MY posts or knew anything about ME you'd notice I'm saying it goes on.

Growing up with pimples or growing up with 1 arm makes life unfair but it has nothing to do with "fairness" in this case model_mom. This is a case of sexual harassment - someone infringing upon the rights of others. How is that being "unfair" or "fair"?
"I was raped"
"Life isnt fair ~sweetie~ "

That makes no sense - at all. Honestly, sweetie, you seem to be missing the point here...especially for someone with knowledge about the business.
And btw, I didnt even post the word "fair" in my earlier post

Your logic proves oh so false.

 

[model_mom]

go get um tiger....I'm going to leave it to you to take on the industry...I gave up a long time ago.

 

[foreverandnone]

Good for you. Too bad you gave up cause life is so unfair eh?

I am excited to see this documentary.

 

[Fontenrose]

Modelmom is right that whistleblowers generally pay a heavy price. First no one believes them, then people in their industry blame them for what they say, finally when the s**t his the fan, they are blamed for having been part of the situation.

 

[foreverandnone]

Well yeah she's right about that..its obvious but all I'm saying is that, regardless of any reciprocation, it' still wrong.

Sexual Harassment isn't a matter of fairness its a matter of feeling that you can friggen walk down the street without a guy making a disgusting comment or being at a photo shoot and experiencing the same thing.

 

[model_mom]

OK I'm game ...what do you want to "DO"...about "IT?"

 

[foreverandnone]

How about looking at what isn't being done first.

 

[model_mom]

Who should we contact? This guy B) or this guy or how about this one ?

 

[MulletProof]

The documentary is already encouraging models to bite the hand that feeds them

feeds them? I'm sorry but these are the women that sell the industry to other women, it's all teamwork at the end of the day, why are photographers not forced to photograph family reunions of editors-in-chief so they can hopefully be published, why are makeup artists not doing Carine or Anna's makeup in the morning, or stylists obliged to give their personal clothing so they can get 'hired'? these examples may sound stupid and cannot be remotely compared to what a model may feel like she has to go through in order to land a gig yet these examples would raise the eyebrow of anyone in the industry, who would just call them 'unfair' instead of accusing them of 'biting the hand that feeds them' just because they refuse to obey. For an industry that's primarily devoted to women, it's kind of hypocritical to expect them to behave like plastic mannequins and deny them the right to be treated as dignified human beings, with the same amount of commitment as the photographer or set assistant.

 

[Fontenrose]

There's been some improvement, I've heard that in the fifties you had to expect to have your butt pinched at work quite routinely by your male co-workers, and you were expected to pretty much laugh it off and be a 'good sport'.

At the same time, when you got married you were fired from your job. Corporate policy. You could be hired back part-time, but all your seniority was lost. And once you were visibly pregnant, you couldn't do any job serving the public.

Pretty shocking.

 

[foreverandnone]

feeds them? I'm sorry but these are the women that sell the industry to other women, it's all teamwork at the end of the day, why are photographers not forced to photograph family reunions of editors-in-chief so they can hopefully be published, why are makeup artists not doing Carine or Anna's makeup in the morning, or stylists obliged to give their personal clothing so they can get 'hired'? these examples may sound stupid and cannot be remotely compared to what a model may feel like she has to go through in order to land a gig yet these examples would raise the eyebrow of anyone in the industry, who would just call them 'unfair' instead of accusing them of 'biting the hand that feeds them' just because they refuse to obey. For an industry that's primarily devoted to women, it's kind of hypocritical to expect them to behave like plastic mannequins and deny them the right to be treated as dignified human beings, with the same amount of commitment as the photographer or set assistant.

Agreed. 10000 %

 

[foreverandnone]

The attitude towards this subject, especially from the women, is kind of disheartening...and somewhat disturbing.

regardless, I think the documentary is provoking people to debate on this issue and is quite a good step in allocating an answer.

 

[model_mom]

I'm all for the documentary....if ever there was a time for models to come forward...this is it...but instead they are saying "Don't mention my name or make me a part of it." If not now ...when?

 

[foreverandnone]

These things come with time I suppose. I think the industry wins because it has this gripping fear among its "minions".
All models need to get together and watch V for Vendetta and then make their move

 

[CharlottefromCA]

I can understand if a model does not want to reveal their name.. a lot of sexually abused girls/women do not want that kind of attention, especially in a full-out documentary. Not saying its right.. but its often just the way it is.. not to mention the already mentioned negative consequences to her career.. I think its great Sarah Ziff can make this movie, especially since she is done with modeling, she can go all out and tell her experiences, but not every girl has that same luxury.

 

[model_mom]

OK....here's what "they're" going to say.....Sarah had her dayl She milked the industry for all it's worth and then turned her back on the business that padded her pocket book...and you know what I have to say to that....WAY TO GO SARAH!

 

[MulletProof]

^ same here, the girl will hopefully gain her audience if she wants to keep producing more documentaries. so yeah, way to go, Sarah!.

Having said that, what actually saddens me, is the stage the industry is in, while other industries faced these problems around the 70s or 80s and have come a long way (Fontenrose mentioned some good examples.. that still happen but are condemned), it took high-end companies and internet propaganda to slightly open up the generational and social gates of an extremely exclusive and class-oriented business, but the industry is still on the level where criticism is only tolerated if you're willingly or unwillingly finished or have a safe place to hide from the backlash, preferably anonymity.. where it's still managed by people who feel little to no respect to women, and this goes beyond modeling, look at some campaigns, the work of certain designers, the way models are forced to be and look like so they can hopefully represent what THEY want their female customers to be.. it's still stuck in the 'be pretty and shut up' era, same era the outside world has been slowly leaving since the 1960s!..

I don't expect a miracle from this documentary, what I expect is to someday soon see the powerful women in the industry, those that make or break creators, take a stand and see themselves in these young women and recognise their right to have the same power of saying no just like they do.. that's being a powerful woman, treating others as equal & seeing the value of their work just like they see that in yours, not wearing wearing dark sunglasses and crossed arms, reluctant to acknowledge what is going on because you have an image to keep..

Call it wishful thinking but even though it's baby steps for some, the industry has a lot to catch up in the way they view women thanks to both the privacy it kept for so long and the fact that some people swim in it dictator-like... for never-ending decades, sweeping all criticism under the carpet and playing the 'are you with me or against me' cards.. unfortunately for them, it won't be longer than 20 years before old-school authorities get replaced by younger ones with less archaic ways of making an impression and strategies to stay on top.

 

[foreverandnone]

Good point Mulletproof you add a lot of valuable insight to the thread. keep posting

I think the industry has a hard time due to the fact that models are "used" to sell objects and in doing so, the industry objectifies them.
Its hard to step away from how you've been tainted. Its sort of how an actor takes a really popular role (like Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter) and everyone only views them as playing that one character.
Know what I mean? It's just hard to step away from that mentality for everyone involved.

It is true though what model_mom said about the models speaking out...a lot of these girls are so young and coming from countries like Russia and Ukraine and believe the US is where they will be able to make a living and when you are given the choice to going back to your country or putting up with being objectified for a HUGE money job..what do you expect someone to say? Although there is no blaming the victim here at all. That would be ridiculous