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

[bothsidesnow]

Do 17 year old girls still need parent supervision to get signed?

How long does a first modeling contract last on general? Is it easy to change agencies if a girl isnt happy in the one she is right now?

reading this thread is so useful. It's worth my months and months of googling!
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In most westernised countries, a person needs to be a certain age before they can enter into any legal contract. In most states of the US, UK and Australia this age is 18, so a 17 year old girl would need a parent/ legal guardian or her solicitor's signature on the contract for it to be valid.
Most modelling contracts are for 3 years (but you could ask for a shorter period) and they're not easy to break.

 

[cologne_rocks]

Simply put, unless you owe the agency a lot of money it's actually not a big deal to leave. Some agencies include questionable "exclusive" contractual clauses but these are not valid in court.

 

[terpischoria]

Thank you for your answers!

Well, I plan to go to New York this Fall, therefore am gonna try to send pictures to lots of agencies. Last year, when I still lived in France, I was asked to come to Marilyn Agency in Paris after sending additional pictures (but I couldn't go) so I'm hopeful that I have something interesting in there.

I've been told that in smaller countries and/or developed countries and/or countries with a small presence in the fashion industry (like some in southeast asia) when you start a modeling career locally you'll be stuck in your local fashion industry and it's harder to get out of it. That's kinda why I didn't try to get signed in Indonesia, knowing that I'll be out of country in less than a year. Well.. I don't know, I guess I also wanted focus on my high school studies.

 

[TommyGirl]

^Wow, it is already a good sign that they asked you to visit in the agency of Marilyn, it is pretty respectable agency. It means you have some real chances, otherwise they wouldn`t have bothered to contact you back. Good luck! And my advice is also that you let your parents see the contract, there may be something you don`t notice/understand etc and they may help you with your decision. And yes, I think you need to be 18 anyway to even sign it, at least in Europe, USA and so on.

 

[Komodia]

I don't know if it's fine to ask this here, but which agencies should I be looking for in Sao Paulo? I'll go there for the winter holidays maybe (which is July here) and it's the biggest market nearby (I'm in Chile) so I thought I could give that a try. I know it's just January but I'm curious

 

[cologne_rocks]

^ Way Model Management http://www.waymodel.com.br/

 

[Komodia]

Oh wow, I had completely missed that one, thank you!

 

[bondeandeebowl]

I could use some advice.

I live in NY for school. I have a mother agent, but I'm not sure she has the right contacts or is sending me in the right direction. I just went to Athens to do editorial work, which I did some luckily, but here in NY I have only done some tests that I personally think are too "glammy", too much makeup and weird styling. She has had me meet with three agencies here, and two of them said at my age, my book should be better. To quote Muse, "We have 16 year olds coming in here with stronger books than you." The other was looking at me as a new face, but I don't think I am right for their new face board as most of their girls are babies and totally undeveloped (One).

I'm not super young (in my 20s) and feel like I could be doing something, but I feel like I am wasting time. I am still waiting on my pictures from Ace in Athens, and plan on going to meet agencies here. I want to be doing paid tests, but my mother agent said she hasn't gotten a response from some she sent me to (William Lords). Could it be he doesn't want to shoot me, even if I pay?

I just feel like some guidance is needed and I don't know where to look. My measurements are right, I think my face is okay, what am I doing wrong? Do I need better management? Better polaroids? I feel like I am not young enough to go in with *just* polaroids, but need a book to make up for my age. HELP!

I'm not looking for fame or fortune, just mild success.

****Edited***

Per thread rules you may not post your picutures for critique. See post #1 of this thread.

 

[BetteT]

Here are my thoughts:

Regarding your paid test .... I'd say that there is a possiblity that it's just not high on his priority list. Paid tests are at the very bottom of the pay scale for photoghraphers and if this person is getting regular work, then he's only do paid tests during his slow times, when he needs to make a few extra bucks. I'd ask your mother agent if there are any other photographers that she thinks could do a good job for you specific needs.


"Editorial" means sort of glammy and definitely weird with makeup etc. And if you wish to make it as an editorial/fashion/runway model in NY ... you need that sort of shots in your portfolio.


And yes ... most fashion/editorial models do start out at about 15 or 16 and are developed young, maybe even sent to Europe to get some edoitorial magazine experience under their belts way before they are 18. So it makes sense if they say your portfolio is not developed enough if you are over 18 and don't have all of that already, because an editorial/fashion career for most models ends at the age of about 25. They'd like to get a few years from you after you have gained experience.


I can't say if you mother agency is doing the right things for you ... but it sounds like they are doing all the usual and appropriate stuff. They have sent you to several legit agencies in the city to find out what they think about your look and they are trying to get you set up for a pro test to see what you can do in front of the camera. If the other agencies think you are too old for fashion/editorial modeling ... then there's not much you or your mother agent can do about that.


You might want to look into commercial modeling, which works for older models sometimes. Generally, commercial models make more money than runway and editorial models ... with the exception of the few top models ... so a career as a commercial model is actually pretty lucrative, if you have a look that they want. It's all about ads, commercials, and catalogs, etc. .... not high fashion. You might want to look into that and see if you might have potential in commercial modeling.

 

[Deleted member 130879]

The age is the problem. There are some exceptions... like the ones from Kati Nescher, Nadja Bender, Valade and some others... but they are exceptions. They have perfect faces, perfect bodies, perfect walking... perfect editorial work.

I went to my agency last year, when I was just turning 21 (well, the day before turning), only with some printed pictures of trade shoots... And they just looked at it and went "these do nothing for you". They asked me to take my clothes of and walk in my bikini, took some polaroids... and they gave me a chance. But they always told me that my age would be a problem for me, since I had no experience whatsoever.

I'm not getting much work too but I don't blame my agency, since I know it's not easy to sell a 21 year old model with almost no experience. They are trying their best to put me in the runway, I already did some runway shows, a paid test and I'm doing some portfolio work with some photographers and designers... and that's it.

The thing is... at 21 years old we can't ask the same opportunities as the ones they give at 16 year old models. We need to work twice as hard and twice as "fast".

We need to work it! Be sure that if they have two girls with similar features they will not look at their age but at their experience! If you know how to work the runway and strike a pose... then you have it! But if in your early 20's you still can't "work it"... forget it, you will loose to every single younger... even if your look is stronger.

 

[lunastyle]

Hello Gays, I always had a question.
What happens if a model have a contract with NY or Paris Agency for lets say 3 years, and then the contract expires, and the model still owns the agency money, I mean the agency invested in her and she never paid her debt back, will she be asked to pay the debt later with her own money?

 

[MyFavorite]

I don't know if this question belongs here,but I'll ask anyway.
Do you guys know something about agent called John Casablancas?He founded an agency called STARSTYLE,and has scout centers in countries all over the world.
I read,though,that it's all a scam,but I am curious what goes by that-scam?Or,are those only a rumors?

 

[BetteT]

lunastyle .... Yes ... in most modeling cotracts, it's made clear that the model owes any money spent on her by the agency ... and if they don't get it out of her pay ... she still owes it to them. The contract is a legal document and you will be held to it. So, it's very important to know what you sign. And the is why the parent or legal guardian of the model must sign for any model under legal age (18 in the US).

MF ...John Casablancas has "modeling" schools ... they used to be called "charm" schools, for young ladies to learn how to dress, put on makeup and learn manners. Slowly it sort of changed to modeling stuff ... most likely because charm schools became old fashioned, they could not make any money that way any more. Theres a ton of money to be made by charging for classes for wanna be "models" and it's the big buzz word nowadays.

It's not a scam ... you actually get classes for your money. But ... it does not help anyone in getting a modeling contract or makes them look more like a real model ... no matter what they say. They serve a purpose for people who want to learn how to look better ... but that's still a charm school.

I don't know anything about STARSTYLE and I don't see any reference to it on the John Casablancas site.

However, here is a story about a "scouting agency" ... which may or may not be similar to STARSTYLE:

Wilhelmina (which is a legit modeling agency in NY) sold their name to use for a "scouting agency" for a while to a man who turned out to be one of the biggest scam artists in the country (about 15 years ago, I would guess) ... and he set up a scouting operation under that name.

They would sent out scouts to malls and recruit girls and guys to list on their site. These scouts were not professionals in any way ... they hired just about anyone at all. The "scout" (aka saleperson) would go out aqd talk wannabes into getting on their site ... for a charge, where they could be seen by all the "potential clients". The scouts got a part of that fee back as pay. So it didn't matter if the wannabe has real potential or not ... all that mattered is that they had money and paid. In fact, my friend got approached when I was with her once, and she was over 40 at the time, way, way too old to start modeling (although she actually had been a model 25 years before). The owner of "Wilhelmina Model Scouts" eventually went to jail for other offenses and schemes ... but it was clear that this company was just lining his pockets, too. And then, to top it off ... hundreds of the scouts never got paid either .....

Thinking that STARSTYLE might be a "scouting agency" like this. I would say ... avoid it.

If you have the right look to model, all you have to do it walk into real modeling agencies' open calls and see what they say. You don't need a modeling school to learn (especially if you don't have the right look) ... it's almost alsways a waste of money. You should not be on a web site on a list of thousands of wannabes that don't have what it takes. You need an agent ... who will guide you and develop you.

 

[cologne_rocks]

^BetteT, you are actually quite right about starstyle. It's quite sad to see what John Casablancas has become... I mean he built up the Elite empire back in the days

 

[MyFavorite]

Thank you so much BetteT! I suspected it to be something like that,but wanted to check.
I actually made a mistake,sorry for that,their name is STARSYSTEM :http://www.starsystem.com/jss.php

 

[fritmayo]

Thank you so much BetteT! I suspected it to be something like that,but wanted to check.
I actually made a mistake,sorry for that,their name is STARSYSTEM :http://www.starsystem.com/jss.php

starstystem is legit, in fact they have some now built some agreement with some good mother agency (particularly in eastern countries) to rebrand their agencies in "starsystem" agencies.
for exemple in latvia, Dandy agency (ginta Lapina, ieva Laguna...), is now a "starsystem" agency.
As far as i know, exept that csablancas has given some right to use his name, he has absolutly no involvment in day to day stuff, the guy actualy running the things is Jeremy Roux.

Now as i see on their web site they they are realy loking for "scout", i guess there of course can be a few abuse.
So i guess that if u are contacted by a "starsystem" agency who has behind the logo, a real structur of model agency, it is OK, if its just "a scout " with very little sctructur, i would be much more carefull even if he might have sme agreement with starsystem.

 

[lunastyle]

but if for exemple the agency signs a girl for 3 years, they invest the money in her, and after one year they drop the girl and do not care about her any more. Does she still needs to return the money that the agency invested in her at the begining after her contract expires?

 

[fritmayo]

but if for exemple the agency signs a girl for 3 years, they invest the money in her, and after one year they drop the girl and do not care about her any more. Does she still needs to return the money that the agency invested in her at the begining after her contract expires?

In theory, they could ay least try, but in practise, it never happens.

 

[BetteT]

but if for exemple the agency signs a girl for 3 years, they invest the money in her, and after one year they drop the girl and do not care about her any more. Does she still needs to return the money that the agency invested in her at the begining after her contract expires?

Yes ... if that is what her contract said. That is the usual way of doing things ... but you have to read the contract to know for sure. The end of the contract does not mean the end of her debt ... she probably still owes them the money they spent on her.


It's the same as any small business The model is acually a small business owner. Compare it to opening a shop. Most people must borrow the money to get started ... from a bank or an investor. Then, you must pay rent, then you pay for electricity, water, etc., then you pay to have a sign put up, then you pay to advertise your shop in the local paper. A lot of money is spent, up front, in the hopes the the shop will be sucessful. Some shops make it and start to make a profit, usually after about 18 months. Most shops do not and fail within that period. But the owner still must pay back their bank orttheir investor.


Think of the agency as your bank or your investor who gives you a business loan and they also have the contacts you need to get people interested in your product (you). You have to pay back the money they invest ... they don't "give" it to you, they only "lend" it to you.

 

[bothsidesnow]

Hello Gays, I always had a question.
What happens if a model have a contract with NY or Paris Agency for lets say 3 years, and then the contract expires, and the model still owns the agency money, I mean the agency invested in her and she never paid her debt back, will she be asked to pay the debt later with her own money?

There are situations where a model might think she's in debt i.e. according to the statement she's been given from her agency which shows a negative balance -- but she's not really in debt, or in as much debt as that statement shows...

To work out her actual balance, she must take into account how much tax has been withheld by her agency - in the US, its generally 30% of every job she's done (for non-US residents). These amounts will appear as debits on her balance sheet, but they're not really because the thing with tax is that she'll only owe tax on any profit she makes! (for the year) - so if she hasn't made any profit for the year then all of that "tax" that her agency has withheld belongs back to her! - not the tax department.
If her agency has done the fair and lawful thing and have paid the money over to the tax department and have issued her with an official tax receipt (in the US this is called a "1042" certificate), then she can get this money back by lodging a tax return.