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Like life, there are stages of growth in modeling. They are pre-modeling (the life of a prospective model), the modeling life (living in the industry) and post-modeling ( getting back to every day living). Each stage has its benefits and its drawbacks, its challenges, and its opportunities for success.

THREE STAGES OF MODELING

Pre-modeling

This is probably the most difficult stage. It isn’t easy to start upon the road to becoming a model and finish the trip. The road to success is littered with the carcasses of wanna bees. Too strong? Maybe, but not very much because the road to success is a lot of work followed by more hard effort, tons of rejections, personal disappointments, and the hazards of life amplified many times by the pressure of the modeling crucible.

This stage could also be called the “go to” stage. To do it right the prospective model must go to see agencies, go to see art directors, go to see photographers, go to cattle calls, go to castings, etc., as this is how a model becomes a professional, represented by an agency, and paid.

Competition is fierce. There is no end to it as every day another few thousand prospective models are born. Every day hundreds of prospective models descend on the modeling capitals of the world seeking fame and fortune. It’s like a river with two forks, one leads to a quiet harbor and the other over a towering waterfall.

What makes one person succeed and another fail is intensely personal. However, both the successful and the failures must try in the same environment, the modeling life.

The Modeling Stage

When the first job comes, the work just begins. A working model can expect a myriad of dilemmas, pitfalls, and life challenges as they move up into the higher paying jobs and more success. In the modeling business, success breeds success.

When a good agency, or even a top international agency, signs you, your life can change radically, sometimes for the worse or often for the better. If you’re ready for change you’ll be fine, if not the road to success can suddenly become rocky.

How can life get worse with success? The modeling industry is rife with stories of models that lose it. The pressure to maintain a body look can be too much for some people. A lot of models are cigarette smokers because it helps maintain the lower weight needed to meet requirements and also to deal with the job rejections that even the most in-demand models have to cope with on a regular basis. Some (too many) models turn to illegal drugs especially cocaine and methamphetamine to relieve the pressure and maintain or lose weight. Drug usage among models is much higher than usage in the general population. Anorexia is almost the flagship disease amongst models.

What’s a workday of a model like? If the “call” (time for the shooting to begin) is at ten in the morning, the model will begin to prepare by doing their personal hygiene in plenty of time before going to the studio or selected location. Once on location the most likely thing a model will do is wait. A conversation with the photographer may be called for so that the model can prepare mentally to achieve what the photographer wants. Then if there is a budget for hair and make up the model will sit and let the professionals do their work. If the model has to do her own hair and make up then that is next. It is common to have the model call before the shoot is scheduled to begin, especially if hair and/or make up may take an inordinate amount of time.

One the scene is set, the model is ready, and the photographer is satisfied with what he sees, the next step is usually test shots (often Polaroids or digital photos). Fine tuning is the next step … “move your head to the left and down, slide your hand over a bit more, give me more expression”, etc. This process may take hours until the shot is just right. And here is where one of the industry’s conundrums occurs. If the model is being paid by the hour (which is often the case), the longer the shoot the more the model earns, yet the model is expected to appear and behave in such a way as to facilitate the shoot and not cause delays or extend the time necessary to get the shot. A professional model will excuse their own benefit and work towards getting the shot the photographer (and client) wants to see. It is also human nature if the shoot goes longer than planned (and therefore over budget) for the photographer to blame the model no matter who is responsible, if it becomes a problem. Therefore it behooves the model to be as professional as possible at all times.

If the model doesn’t have a shoot or job to go to then the day is spent looking for or working towards that next job. Very often models will “volunteer” for projects to get more exposure to high paying jobs. This really isn’t working for nothing, it’s working for work.

The models that just wait for notification of their next job are but a small percentage of working models. Even with agency representation a model needs to continually be looking for that next job, that next client, that first or next long-term contract.

Post modeling

When does this stage begin? It varies with the individual. There are models that began as very young teens and continue modeling into their advanced years (even into their eighties!). There are models that hit it big for a couple of years and then retire to a quiet life of family. Many will marry celebrities, sports stars or wealthy men that they have met while enjoying the glamorous lifestyle of successful modeling. There are models that started slow, built up speed and spent their last few years in fashion making big money and then moved into commercial and other forms of modeling. There are models that enjoyed successful careers and moved on to teaching modeling, or even representing models. And then there are models that move into acting and become stars and household names.

YOU ARE A COW GO TO YOUR CATTLE CALLS

Only cows go to cattle calls. The reality is that casting calls in modeling go from a one- on-one meeting to massive numbers of models vying for one job. The person in charge can be the model booker from a magazine, an in-house casting director for a corporation, an art director from an advertising agency, the photographer or a combination of two or more of them There are seven so-called rules for cattle calls.

1. Ask your agent for as much information about the client as possible. Find out if other models you know have worked for the client. Find out who is making the casting decision and then approach them graciously. It always helps to break the ice if you say some thing like “Are you Mr. Jacobs? It’s nice to meet you. Harry at my agency sends his greetings”.

2. Always dress appropriately for the call. If there’s a style of dress required for the call meet the requirements. If there isn’t wear neat, clean, and form-fitting clothes. You should be in style but you don’t need to necessarily wear expensive clothing. Don’t hesitate to ask your agent/booker about dressing for the call.

3. Be on time! Not only is showing up late rude, it casts dispersions on your professionalism. Travel excuses aren’t acceptable so don’t leave yourself to the mercy of others. To be sure start early.

4. Arrive with a clean face, or very little make up. Your hair should be clean but not overly styled.

5. The goal is to dazzle and give the impression that you are a consummate professional and a joy to work with. Be polite and genuinely friendly. Don’t over do it with insincere compliments.

6. Be confident. You might go to dozens of calls before you are chosen. In the face of probable rejection, you need to keep going with smile on your face. Self- confidence is contagious. Lack of confidence shows as brightly as a lighthouse at night.

7. Emphasize with the people doing the casting. It is likely that they are very harried and under a lot of pressure to find the perfect model for the job. Make sure you have several copies of your comp card ready and have your book with you.

ABOUT REJECTION

There are few professions, jobs, or situations one can think of that have as much rejection as modeling. Models are rejected by the industry or parts of it continually. It is not unusual for a model to be rejected by dozens of agencies and then find one that takes them to the heights of success. It might even be an agency or client that rejected them once or even more than once. Remember it is often a “look” that the client wants that precludes a model from the job or representation in the first place.

Learn not to take rejection personally. It isn’t that you are a rotten and unlikable person, its just that they might want short hair (and you have long), they may want a slight build (and you have an athletic build), it may be that they want someone with very small breasts (and yours are too big), or it may be that they want a teen (and you’re in your forties), it may be they want someone with blue eyes (and yours are brown). Don’t be fooled by thinking that hair can be lengthened with extensions, you can diet, you can have a breast reduction, or that with make up you can look young, or with blue contacts you can have blue eyes. The camera seeks and exposes reality.

SUPPORT GROUPS

A support group or mechanism is very important to successful modeling. A young girl entering the rigors of the pre-model stage should have the support of their family, especially their mother. This support should carry on at least in spirit way beyond the time the model becomes of legal age.

It is recommended that when starting out that you involve your family. A strong mother can prevent you from getting in to trouble or being ripped off. There are times that you definitely want your mother for guidance and support. One good example is if you are underage and asked to travel for work. A legitimate agent and client will understand the need for your mother to accompany you.

In years past it was common for a model newly signed to a major agency to be shipped off to Europe or from Europe to the US to gain experience. This doesn’t happen as often today, but it does happen to those who have the look, the right attitude, and enough desire. Photo shoots don’t always happen in your hometown. You can expect to travel if you are a successful model (in demand) and while the client may not want to pay for mom’s expenses, you should out of your earnings, if they don’t or won’t.

Mothers can be a real pain and a detriment to your success as well. Keep in mind that in the modeling industry the legitimate players respect professionalism. It is professional for an underage female to have their mother’s along. It is unprofessional if your mother is a “stage mother” or “studio mother”. These are not terms of endearment. They express a real problem for the professionals who don’t like to have a lot of extra headaches because mom is pushy or overbearing with you and them.

Your fellow models can also be a support to the young model. They can also be the ones who lead you down the wrong path as well. Models should be very selective when making friends among fellow models. Life is life and not everyone is truthful or has your or even their best interest at heart. The application of common sense is a great help.

THE MONEY

Models must pay attention to details, especially those about money. A good model can make a fine living. A good model can be flush one day and dirt poor the next too. It all depends on the ability of the person to live life successfully in one of the hardest and most rewarding careers.

Modeling fees vary from city to city and job to job. Commercial models can expect to make from $50 to $250 an hour depending on the market. Fashion models can make anywhere from $100 to $250 per hour on the runway depending on the designer’s budget and the models ability. It is important to note that rates are generally higher in the major international modeling centers than they are in smaller markets. The one thing that is consistent is that the agency takes their cut before they pay the model. As the client is the one who starts the payout process, if they are slow in paying, the models pay is slow in coming as well. There is no way of knowing how an individual can earn. Modeling is not a job where one should expect a regular weekly paycheck. If you can’t live with uncertainty you’ll have a hard time in modeling. Plan for ups and downs in income. Many agencies have a draw down system so that the model can pay his or her way while waiting for the client to settle with the agency, and it is not exceptional for clients to take two, three or even more months to pay up.

Remember that your earnings are taxable so be sure to keep receipts from the day you start for all your outgoings connected to your work, taxis and travel expenses, make up, hair dos etc. Your agency will most likely give you advice and recommend a tax accountant, otherwise ask a model who has been working for a while if she can help.

One thing that can help in this area is to have the right expectations in the beginning. You may have heard of million dollar plus contracts, or shoots where the models made hundreds of thousands of dollars. They do happen. They only happen to the very few however. A hot model will work often and their income will increase the more they work. Being hot is a fleeting thing however; so if you get there, keep your money safe for that rainy day that is in your future.

Some of the best-paid and continuously paid models are not the highest glamour areas. Catalog models can make a nice and consistent living and never grace a runway or magazine cover. This occurs because of the nature of a catalog, the number of pictures required and the fact that most catalog work is done a “day rate”, rather than hourly rate. A highly sought after fashion model can make millions over a few years. A good professional model in a small market should probably think of modeling as a part time job.

Another well-paid type of model is the trade show model. These models, if they are located in a convention city, can make a consistently high income as rates vary from $200 to $400 or more per day for conventions and trade shows that usually provide four straight days of work. Major manufacturers who regularly show their products at shows often hire models on annual contracts and pay their expenses to travel from trade show to trade show. Being a trade show model can also be lucrative for the aging model.

Be careful about going goo goo gah gah over possible riches in modeling. Probably the most exposed models do editorial modeling and magazine covers. The surprise is that most magazine covers only pay $150 an hour to the model (and take the agency’s cut from that). One reason is that editorial exposure, particularly in high fashion magazines such as Vogue, can lead to lucrative jobs elsewhere.