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

[tayloryepp]

I'm sorry :/ you can flag the ones I mentioned them in. Won't happen again!

 

[MikChick]

Open calls are not that common in Germany (I think the only agency doing that in a regular manner is Izaio Models in Berlin). Just use the application form provided on the websites and they will get back to you if they think you are model material.... Viva Models in Berlin is not related to Viva Model Management in London and Paris.
Hamburg is swamped with agencies but most decent commercial deals there run through Place Models and Mega Model Agency. M4 Models has also achieved nice results recenty, just as Modelwerk (but MW tends to push their own editorially). All of the agencies mentioned are very strict about height, so they will most likely not take a 5'7 girl (unless she's 12 or 13). There are a few good agencies outsite of Hamburg... am model management in Cologne represents very cool girls, all equipped with top placements (Louisa Bianchin at DNA, Lena Hard at DNA, Aysche at DNA, Val & Nur at FM), but the owner is also very strict about height/age and the overall look... Otherwise you could try Tomorrow is another Day (Cologne, Düsseldorf) or Quantum 7 Model Management (Cologne, Marburg). Tomorrow is another Day does EXTREMELY well for boys - They represent all their models worldwide and therefore take 50% provision from the jobs. Meisel, Nick Knight, I&V, Rick Owens, Dazed Group etc book the lads regulary, but i highly doubt that clients check TIAD's female division. The air gets thinner the more you get southern - There's S M C in Wiesbaden.. They have a few girls at IMG/Marilyn, but their reputation is evil as they charge for tests and some other reasons. The only agencies worth to be recommand in Munich are Louisa Models and Munich Models. Louisa Models is one of the best agencies for commercial only....

Do you know something about Iconic in Hamburg as well?

 

[myown]

thanks a lot cologne_rocks and agee

 

[daisyfay]

do you need to make a test shoot or your mother agency may send only your polaroids to international agencies?

 

[fritmayo]

do you have to make a test shooting or mother agency may send only your polaroids to international agencies

It depends.
The top agencies just needs polaroids and video, test shoots or editorial shooted in small countries will anyway be completly useless for them. Anyway, most top agencies have scout traveling to see the girls in real before to take final decision.

At a bit lower level, or in asian medium level, test shoot or small edito can help to find agencies as there they need girl ready to work as soon as they arrive.

So it is up to the mother agency to see what they think is needed, but in many case, a girl can make it directly to IMG or the likes with just few polaroid to start...

 

[cologne_rocks]

Do you know something about Iconic in Hamburg as well?

They moved to Hamburg?
I don't know so much, but there's some connection between them and Promod Model Agency in Hamburg (PMA).... The owner of Iconic has been working for rather large agencies like Next Models before...
They've made a fairly good performance during Berlin FW during the last couple of seasons (which is usally the business of IMG London, Mega and Modelwerk due to special agreements between them and the designers)...
They definitely seem serious in what they do.

 

[ruffledleather]

does anyone know if q model managemt and mc2 in nyc are good agencies?
thanks

 

[MikChick]

They moved to Hamburg?
I don't know so much, but there's some connection between them and Promod Model Agency in Hamburg (PMA).... The owner of Iconic has been working for rather large agencies like Next Models before...
They've made a fairly good performance during Berlin FW during the last couple of seasons (which is usally the business of IMG London, Mega and Modelwerk due to special agreements between them and the designers)...
They definitely seem serious in what they do.

I don't know but their blog says Hamburg, so probably they moved!

Thanks for the information!

 

[cold_sun]

^they moved indeed from Berlin to Hamburg last year

 

[lucylocket]

Please could you give me some advice...

I had a test with a modeling agency in london but then they decided they didn't want me. I then went to 2 agencies the other day with my book and they said 'I wasn't right for them'. It has all knocked my confidence a little.
I am just under 5'8" and I do have a more commercial look.. but I'm not sure where to go from here. I still would like to pursue modeling but not sure which agencies are best for me in the Uk.
Please could someone help?

 

[LaModaInspire13]

Please could you give me some advice...

I had a test with a modeling agency in london but then they decided they didn't want me. I then went to 2 agencies the other day with my book and they said 'I wasn't right for them'. It has all knocked my confidence a little.
I am just under 5'8" and I do have a more commercial look.. but I'm not sure where to go from here. I still would like to pursue modeling but not sure which agencies are best for me in the Uk.
Please could someone help?

What agencies did you visit? Not all agencies accept girls under 5ft 8. Storm accept girls from 5ft6 and above so give them a go. Dont lose confidence, its your best weapon! x

 

[BetteT]

Being under 5'8" and having a commercial look ... means that you will have the best chances in agencies that have commercial divisions. Most likely you will not interest any agency who only reps fashion and runway models. So, focus your sites getting repped as a commercial model (it pays better, anyway). If you can act, commercial agencies like that too ... for, well.... commercials.

 

[Emma Naomi]

What about if an agency says 'You do not have the right look for this agency but we strongly suggest you write to other agencies' - is this basically a 'nice' way of rejecting someone??

 

[BetteT]

Actually, I think that they think that might mean that they think that you really do have "something" that another agency might be interested in, if they offer any encouragement. All you have to do is figure out which one might be interested in your look ... and what your "look" actually is.


When they reject you completely, they usually say " You are not what we are looking for." or "You are not right for us." but don't offer anything else in the way of encouragement.

 

[Emma Naomi]

Ahh... Thank you
So how do you know what your look is? And what an agencies 'look' is? (Sorry, I honestly haven't a clue when it comes to agencies )

 

[BetteT]

The best way is to get feedback from agencies when you go for open calls, if they will tell you. If someone had said that to you ... thay you should try other agencies even though you are not right for them, ask them which agencies might like your look ... they might offer you some suggestions.

But mostly you just have to do your homework and develop your eye for what a model should look like. Go on line and look at various agencies' "books" ... the pictures of the models that they rep. If you do this a lot , you wlll start to notice that some agencies have a lot of girls who are pretty /commercial, and some have many who are not pretty, but edgy / ugly . It takes practice to learn how to spot a 'type". Compare your photos to those ... and see if you can figure out where you might fit in ... which agencies have a lot of models that have your type of look. Also compare your height and other stats to make sure you more or less fit what they usually rep.

But, if you have been given encouragement, just keep trying all the agencies that are within driving distance to you, because it's not an exact science. A booker may love you one day and not the next. Or they get a new booker with a different idea of what he likes. Or they may already have a girl who looks a lot like you but then she quits, so all of a sudden, they would be interested in you ... whereas, the day before, they were not. It's like casting calls ... you never know for sure what they are looking for on any given day ...it's all about timing (if you really do have a good model look). You proably will still have to hear a lot of no's to get a yes. So it's also a good idea to re-submit in 3 months .... because you never know.

 

[tayloryepp]

Are all agencies really looking for girls that are 5'10+ now? I'm 5'9.5 and I was told I'm actually "kind of short." Is this true?

 

[cologne_rocks]

If you ask me, less than 5'8 is still pretty problematic, even on the commercial side. I'm sure that it's possible to find a decent agency with a body height of 5'8 or 5'7 and plain beautiful facial features, but a representation is not a career yet. The commercial market may pay better than the fashion market, yes, but its customers want to play their game absolutely safe. Non-fashion/ commercial models are a dime a dozen - And how many of them do actually receive bookings and do earn money with it? Really not a great many. Most non-fashion & petite models listed on all those boards are non-sellers, and agencies do not really do a lot for them. You may get a call of your agency every couple of weeks, but good money jobs (which makes commercial modeling so attractive) will go to the 5'10 "high end commercial" girls with athletic bodies and super-toned legs. Commercial modeling is not a cuddle party with weekly-10k-jobs for everyone.

 

[tayloryepp]

Is there certain times of the year agencies are really scouting or looking for girls? I was told August was a slow month and a good time to see agencies.

I'm planning on going in April or June, or both, and just wondering if that's a bad time.

 

[Miss-V]

what is modelling in milan like? milan fashion week? anyone have experience of the castings for the shows