Modeling & Acting 101 - A Model/Actor's Diary

Happy April, readers! I know most of us are not thrilled that tax season is upon us once again so hopefully this month's blog post can be a bit of a distraction for you. Speaking of money, I wanted to do a bit of a shorter post that's still very much relevant to one of the big perks of pursuing acting and modeling professionally: getting paid.  I wrote at length back in October's post  about how actors and models get compensated for their services, but I want to focus on the importance of understanding invoicing -- specifically as it relates to common payment terms like Net-30 arrangements. This post will be mainly beneficial for freelancers without agency representation. Some castings state that payment will be made to actors/models using a Net-30 arrangement. If you've seen this term before but aren't quite sure what it means or if you've never heard of it at all, let's break it down. The main part you want to pay attention to is the number after the word ...

March is here and it's time for another blog post to enlighten all you actor and model hopefuls! Building a website, setting up social media accounts, and establishing an online presence is much more accessible to the every day person than it used to be.  We've all seen the disastrous effects misinformation has done when it comes to news/media outlets and social media platforms, which begs the question: how does anyone stand a chance at knowing what's real and what's not anymore? While there is never a 100% foolproof way to safeguard yourself, it is entirely within everyone's power to take note of important red flags and to spend a little extra time doing your due diligence to try and suss out whether a talent/modeling agency is legitimate or not. Let's review a few that can help make the process of seeking representation a little less stressful. ***This post is directed towards those who have randomly been reached out to by someone claiming to be from a model/t...

It's already mid-February, you guys! I realized I needed to get this post up before I blink and we're suddenly in March.  Social media has evolved and forever changed the way we connect with each other. It's no longer far fetched to imagine being in communication with your favorite celebrities and brands.  But we all know shady people are always looking for ways to misuse and abuse these platforms. Sadly, the entertainment industry isn't immune. The ease of access to people from all over the world can make it that much more challenging to tell whether an opportunity like an offer for representation from a talent/modeling agency is legitimate or not. BEWARE OF "AGENCIES" SLIDING INTO YOUR DMs Sure, direct messaging is the fastest way to reach out on social media, but your first instinct should be one of caution if you happen to get a DM from an "agency." The age old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," still applies to...

Happy New Year, guys! I had to make sure to knock out this January post sooner than later because before you know it, we'll be in February. Anyhow, I hope you're all finding 2025 to be promising so far, although I would be remiss to not mention that my continued prayers go out to all those affected by the LA fires.  Being part of the entertainment industry, it's just heartbreaking to watch from afar and see so much devastation happening to both industry folks and LA residents alike. ***************************** I teased back in December that I would be starting off with a post about the subject of perpetuity and the caution that surrounds this concept so let's get to it. WHAT DOES PERPETUITY MEAN IN ACTING/MODELING? Essentially, it means forever. Participating in an acting or modeling project that requires the use of your image/likeness in video and still form "in perpetuity" means forever. And in many cases, you won't be paid further compensation as a re...

Is it really December already? My, my, my! However you choose to celebrate the holiday season (or not), I hope this latest blog post finds all of you well and ready for 2025. My greatest hope for all of you actor and model hopefuls (and those currently working in the industry) is to equip yourselves to be well informed business people.  Whether you've got an agent/manager, are freelance, or have the best of both worlds, knowing basic business savvy will take you a long way in your career. Not to mention, decrease your odds of being taken advantage of. This blog post is for both models and actors as it relates to the concept of usage terms. In a nutshell, usage terms are the very important piece of information about a gig that explains how, where, and for how long your image/likeness (print and/or video) is going to be used for.  Being unfamiliar with this term and how it operates can set you up for an unpleasant surprise down the line, so it only felt right to tackle this subj...

Before diving into this post, make sure to read the original article I wrote to get caught up: MODELING INVOICES . Happy November! Wondering why I'm writing about a topic that's already been covered on my blog?  Well, that original post was penned back in 2008 and a lot has changed since then so I figured it couldn't hurt to add a few extra updates where they apply, especially since that particular post was mostly aimed at freelance models. GETTING PAID AS AN AGENCY REPRESENTED MODEL Similar to actors with representation getting paid, models with an agency behind them have the convenience of payment being taken care of by their agent. This could involve the agent billing the client directly after the work has been completed or you might be required to have a blank voucher signed by the client as proof of the work done and time put in. Once the client has been billed, it's time to wait for the payroll process to kick in and your agent will send you your cut by check or d...