So You Want to Become a Model? (PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING)

[kween]

Umm I think you should try locally first. I found a good bunch of TO agencies, and i wanted to start mailing them or whatever in septemeber. If you want 'em, you can PM me. But there is a point in applying to NY agencies, since their headquarters are all in NY. They will help you career tremendously, if you move there or whatever.

 

[Conor]

Yeah I think I will try locally first...but basically there's Ford, Elite, and Next representing the larger agencies (from what I've found) and smaller agencies like Stylus and B&M are typically more specific about what they want and less likely to be taking new people.

As far as sending away to New York, I would guess that sending hard copies of photos to agencies is more effective than e-mail...is this the case?

Thanks for the comments guys

 

[model_mom]

Thanks haha I've read it already though

Then I'm confused as to what you're wanting to know.
To get discovered by an agency NY or wherever) you need to
A. Go to an open call
B. Send in pictures
C. Stand on a street corner and wait to be discovered

 

[Conor]

Well I want to know a little more about how things are done in general, but I guess what I mean is that, let's say I send my pictures to an agency and they like them. What happens now? I've heard that they sometimes fly people down to meet with them, but that seems like a pretty big risk on their part (paying for airfare and accomidation). Do they ever just ask you to fly down on your own dollar and come in once you're there?

And when I asked is there any point to applying in New York, I was mostly basing that on the thread I read here about how various models were discovered - the majority of them seemed to be scouted on the street or wherever. I expect most New York agencies are swamped with applicants, and I wonder if they would rather have their scouts find people.

I know my questions are kinda muddled >< I'm new to this whole thing!

 

[yourbestfriend]

Letsay a new york agency decides to take you such as DNA, i think it may be a good idea to skip the whole local agency and go straight to dna. if not a local agency would be good to get, you could try modemodels in calgary who are really good at placing their models with good agencys and then go on from there, having a mother agency is good knowing that you have someone else supporting you when the big agencys back out and discard their models for a new face.

You can learn alot from a smaller agency that you may not learn from a big nyc agency.

 

[thetaryn]

Slighty off topic, but do models get to keep the clothes they wear on the runway at shows? Sorry, this is probably common knowledge for most of you but i'm curious.

 

[indie]

thetaryn , I've heard that models get sometimes clothes as gifts..and when new designers can't afford paying them they give the models clothes.

 

[Conor]

great thanks!

 

[shopsmuch]

yep, I have a friend who did a show in new york for some new designer I had never heard of and couldn't even find reference to on the internet, but she got to keep everything she wore, which was actually three pretty cute outfits and two pairs of boots.

That must be a great perk if you are a model for a high end designer who will give you some of his clothes as gifts. Actually, in my opinion that would be the best thing about being a model!

 

[ablutophobic]

I heard (maybe here?) that for Marc Jacobs, you don't get paid because he thinks you should be honoured to be in his show at all, but he sets up a room where you can pick out some clothes to keep before the show and all of the girls like to get there early so they can have better selection.

 

[model_mom]

This may be true for the new girls but you can bet the " top models" get paid.

 

[secondly]

Hey, just found this. I was just wondering about a few things, which I'm almost certain aren't repeat questions - I apologize if they are. What proportions should male models have? How long should your legs be if you're 6' tall? I'm kind of worried 28"x34" isn't quite right for a pant size. Hah. How skinny is too skinny for a male model? I've been scouted but wasn't impressed by the agencies and told them I'd get back to them, and was wondering where to go. Being from the Praries in Canada, my options are kind of bunk. Should I send my pictures to Mode in Calgary, or agencies in Toronto or New York? If you're Canadian, should you go through a Canadian agency or is it just as well to go directly through New York? Haha, thanks in advance - and sorry if I've gone terribly off topic.

 

[s*t*a*r]

Go to an open call for Mode International, Mode Calgary is really just for local stuff, unless you become part of the International Division as well. Mode is your mother agent and would set you up with agencies in Toronto, New York, ect.
Most Canadians have a mother agency in Canada, and to me, that makes the most sense.

 

[A la mode]

I am in a similar situation as secondly. I live in the middle of nowhere (Minnesota) so there is not alot of opportunity here. I have done some work locally and would love to do more. A while back I contacted some local agencies in Minneapolis but they were all wanting money up front. So when I was about 15 I sent pictures to some agencies in new york and they called me back and asked for more pictures and wanted me to meet with them in New York, but at the time I wasn't able to go to New York right away. After talking to the agents and sending more pictures all the agents told me different things, one said I should wait till I was a little older, two said they liked me but I wasn't right for their agency at the time, two just said no, one said they liked me but wanted to see me in a year or two. I am turning 18 soon I would love to work seriously as a model in major markets, but I'm just not sure how I should go about it. The other thing is I am starting college this fall. If I send my pictures to New York again and they call me back and say they want to work with me is it possible to work while going to school? My parents want me to at least get a year of college in.

 

[model_mom]

There are agencies in Chicago. They are called secondary markets( more commercial stuff) I know Ford has one so I'm sure other top agencies are there too. The best thing to do is to go there for an open call day. Believe me if they think you have what it takes to be a top model they will send you to NY or Paris to get your portfolio built up. If you do start working regular it is next to impossible to stay in school. You might get a call at 8:00 a.m. to be in at the airport by noon to fly to wherever. You have to be on call all the time. Some models do the correspondence school thing but if you're really busy,your wasting your money. Like everything else it's a gamble but if you hit it big the payoff is unbelievable.

 

[secondly]

So Mode is the place to be in Western Canada?

 

[makehate]

So Mode is the place to be in Western Canada?

Definitely. They are the mother agency of Heather Marks, and are also mother to loads of more up-and-comers.

http://www.modemodels.com

 

[LilyBird]

Is Click Models a good agency? I'm hoping to get on their Boston board and I would love to know more about what kind of girls they represent...

thanks

 

[A la mode]

There are agencies in Chicago. They are called secondary markets( more commercial stuff) I know Ford has one so I'm sure other top agencies are there too. The best thing to do is to go there for an open call day. Believe me if they think you have what it takes to be a top model they will send you to NY or Paris to get your portfolio built up. If you do start working regular it is next to impossible to stay in school. You might get a call at 8:00 a.m. to be in at the airport by noon to fly to wherever. You have to be on call all the time. Some models do the correspondence school thing but if you're really busy,your wasting your money. Like everything else it's a gamble but if you hit it big the payoff is unbelievable.

Thanks Model mom, I never really thought about Chicago. I will have to look into some of the major agencies that have divisons there.

 

[Annabel]

shopsmuch- i was going to say that i doubt anyone will have "brutal" comments... then i remembered the woman at the first agency i went to see.... she said stuff along these lines: "Your hips are too big, you have too much body fat you look like a couch potatoe, you are too short, you need to work on your skin, and frankly if you want to be a fashion model you should loose that idea right now because it will never happen" needless to say she was quite wrong so listen to constructive criticism but dont take anything they say as gospel. good luck.

One agency (IMG) told me to lose weight in my legs, but I've also gotten some flat-out strange comments. For example, Trump told me I was "too beautiful" for their agency, so I'm guessing they were trying to reject me while simultaneously boosting my self-confidence