Monday, December 13, 2010

How to Start a Career in Commercial Modeling by nkem duru For friendlyadviceo

How to Start a Career in Commercial Modeling by nkem duru For Ifriendlyadviceo
do this! If you've ever thought of starting a career in modeling, I've shown that it CAN happen for everyday folks at any stage in life. Modeling is not just for the "top model" types we see on TV. Most advertisers want their ads to appeal to the masses, so they need folks for their ads that look like the majority of the buying public. That's where you and I come in. Since 1987 I've made my living in commercial modeling, or sometimes called product modeling. I've found this area of modeling to be where the long term income is made. Things You'll Need: Desire to succeed! 1. 1 Scope out your future work... As you go about your daily life watch for commercial print models at work all around, silently selling everything you can imagine. You will find us working in magazines, billboards, bus shelters, subways, airports, junk mail, brochures, on store shelves, in banks, ... just about anywhere you go you will see your future work.
The point of this exercise is for you to start looking at the many different sizes, shapes and types of characters in commercial print and start looking for YOUR type. 2. 2 Someone to help get your future work... The internet is loaded with on-line directory's promising to promote you as a model. I have always avoided these directory's because I feel they can leave a new model exposed to potential predators. A good agent is your best tool in the biz. All my work has always been done through modeling agents, so I recommend you locate a legitimate agency that represents commercial print models. If you live in a rural area, you will most likely need to look in the closest town or city. I personally steer clear of agencies that run modeling schools. If you are seeking a career in modeling, you should be looking for an agency that makes their money by booking models...PERIOD! Make sure the agent you are considering is a licensed agent with your state. All the agents that represent me around the country are licensed agents in that particular state. 3. 3 Let the agent tell you if you will work... After you locate that first agent, call and find out when they hold their "open call". Most agencies have a set day each week or month when they see new faces. An agent that earns their living solely on commissions from your earnings will be brutally honest about your potential to make money. Expect to be turned down, especially in major cities where there is more competition. This is where your drive to succeed comes into play. I wish I had saved some of the form rejection letters I received in the early years when I was expanding into larger markets such as NYC. Some of these letters were telling me I was not suited for a career in the biz ... sure glad I didn't let it stop me!! Keep going till you find an agent that sees you as a money making asset to the agency. 4. 4 Determine if the agency will get you work... When you visit the agency, take notice to how busy the office is. I like to hear and see the office buzzing with booking activity. How can you tell if it's
booking activity? Listen for bookers in the office on the phones using terms like, "let me check availability", "what shoot dates do you want to hold", "is this a weather permit", "what is the rate and usage "... etc. If I am dealing with a long distance agency, it pleases me to be put on hold several times and hearing busy bookers in the background, that tells me I'm dealing with busy agent and I need to get off the line so they can get some work for their models. To sum up...your future agent should be busy trying to get work for their models so they can earn a commission. 5. 5 Follow the agents advice on how to prepare for work... OK... you found a busy agent in your area that feels the two of you can make money by booking modeling assignments. Follow their advice on preparing for working in that market. The agent will most likely give you a list of recommended "test photographers". Because you are new to the biz, most of these shooters will charge you a fee to test shoot. Down the road, as you get some work you'll be able to use samples, (referred to as "tear sheets") for marketing, but for now you're most likely going to have to pay. Avoid shooting a bunch of different situations on a white background. Nothing spells BEGINNER as clearly as a composite care filled with shots that were all done in the studio in one session. If you can't afford to test shoot with several different shooters, than mix up your session with some lifestyle shots in and out of the studio. Except for the main shot, which needs to focus on your face, I recommend all marketing test shots be in some type of setting that says "slice of life". Use your agent to help you decide on the shots that will best market you. You will find that many shots you choose are not the top picks of your agent. Follow their advice ... they know the look that works in that particular market. When I started in the biz most agents used a head book which was a directory of all the models they represented. These books were usually printed every year. In today's digital age, most have moved to using web sites to market the models. The up side is that web sites are much less expensive to produce than printed books. By the way, it is normal for the model to pay the cost to be in the agency directory of models. I tell you this so you can expect to pay for the cost of marketing which includes the agency directory. 6. 6
Do the work... You've done everything your agent tells you to do, and finally you get the call that you have a confirmed booking! (A) It is critical that you get the booking information correct. I prefer the agent email the details so I have them in writing. On the large paying jobs in major cities the productions will be much bigger. In these cases I will ask my agent to forward the "call sheet" which details everything and everybody involved on the shoot, then I clearly have all the details I need to do my job. You can see a "call sheet" example in my book. (B) On many commercial shoots you are expected to provide a selection of camera ready wardrobe. Camera ready, means no logos, no busy patterns, clean and pressed. On many shoots I am told to bring non-seasonal wardrobe so the ad can be used any time of the year. I'm known for maintaining extensive wardrobe for shoots and it gets me work and it can for you as well. (C) Map where you will be going and allow for the worse case traffic situations. Getting to the booking on time is the most important part of your job...cause the shoot can't happen without you. Whether the shoot is a short subway ride across town, or I am traveling 4 hours by car, I always get to the area of the shoot early. I don't always go into the studio early, but I get to the area and then relax. (D) Here's the easy part of the whole process ... being real and believable in front of the camera. What ever the situation, become part of it as if you were doing it in real life. (E) You hear, "OK, we got it...thats a wrap!" This is where the business of the biz begins, and where I see many models get sloppy. I even see models on shoots with NO voucher. This is the proof that you were on the shoot and is a very important legal document. Make sure every line of your agency supplied voucher is filled out with the terms your agent worked out. If a line of the voucher is not applicable, put N\A in that space. Get it signed by the person responsible for paying the bill and get a copy to your agent ASAP. 7. 7 Keep working... I assume you are looking for a long term career as a model. I have found the some of the key points to a long career are: (A) Be careful of what I sign on shoots.
(B) Make sure my pay matches the exposure. (C) Never attempt to cut an agent out of a booking. (D) Always look like my marketing materials. (E) Be the professional they are paying for. I would love to keep talking with you about what I have experienced in my career, but space is limited in this article.

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