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

Anonymous Wrote:  Hi Dania I have a killer body not plus size but curvy and I have the really pretty exotic look but the thing is im only 5'4 and im sure ill grow to 5'5 or 5'6 so do i not have a chance to become a Victoria Secret model since im really short.  Hi, Anonymous! Unfortunately, at this time Victoria's Secret requires all of its models to be at least 5'8" in height. So unless you can get that tall or maybe an exceptional 5'7", you won't be qualified to become a Victoria's Secret model. But when you hit 5'5" you should give commercial/print a shot. While not on the same level as VS this field has plenty of work to offer if you have the right look and is still a great way to get into the modeling industry. Good luck to you!

In case you haven't noticed, I have my own style of writing that is often humorous, sarcastic and fun while being informative. However, I have come to realize that providing information about the modeling industry in a blog/written format may not necessarily convey exactly what I mean at times (similar to how some people misinterpret text messages). Some things I may mention in a casual and lighthearted manner may actually be interpreted too literally by some readers. Because of this, I want to point out that in some cases, do not take what I say too seriously. Of course the actual information I am giving you about modeling should be taken seriously--I'm mostly concerned about my more offhand comments. For example, in one of my posts about male models working with female models, I write something along the lines of "falling in love with a beautiful stranger." Noooooooo, I am not advising models to literally fall in love with someone they have just met or be...

Being in a fashion show is perhaps one of the biggest goals that new and aspiring models hope to achieve. The thought of getting to wear a designer's fashions, getting your hair and makeup professionally done and strutting your way down a catwalk in front of an audience is a vision that many model hopefuls replay over and over in their heads. Of course to better prepare yourself for participating in such an event it is important to not only know what role you play as a model, but understand the other aspects that go into making a fashion show possible. Before you can be on a catwalk, however, you first have to be cast in the fashion show itself. Whether you have an agent or are freelance, you'll have to attend the casting for the fashion show in question. Because it could have a large turnout of potential candidates it is a good idea to arrive to the casting location early in order to get in front of the line. No two fashion shows are alike so make sure that you find ou...

I kid you not when I say that modeling is not always glamorous--whether it is high fashion or a commercial/print shoot. For those that have never been on the set of a photoshoot before, there may be some things that surprise you, namely how long and boring the down time in between shooting can be. If you think that a modeling shoot means arriving, getting hair and makeup done, getting dressed, posing for the camera and then going home...that's only the bare bones. Most don't account for the time it takes for the crew to get the location setup, the time needed to change looks and other factors. For many shoots the actual time spent in front of the camera is less than the time you spend standing around waiting for everything to be ready. For those that have zero patience and/or expect things to happen right away so that you can be somewhere else, this aspect of being a model will greatly disappoint you. Even for shoots that are typically shorter in nature, you can still exp...

While searching for agency representation you may have come across talent agencies and modeling agencies. If you're not familiar with the difference between the two, knowing this information could help you plan your career in the industry accordingly. The main difference between these two types of agencies is that while modeling agencies only represent models, talent agencies also include actors, voice over artists and even musical entertainers in their representation. Modeling agencies strictly specialize in their primary field so they have no reason to try and sign people who only want to act in film, commercial, TV shows and other related projects. Do you happen to be an aspiring model who also wants to be an actor (or vice-versa)? Then guess what: you'll want to apply to talent agencies. This is for a couple of reasons. The first is that a talent agency allows you to kill two birds with one stone by having one form of representation for both types of work. Having a ma...

Because it is always important to know where you are appearing on the Internet, I often do online searches for myself. No, it's not to stroke my ego (at least not completely anyway haha)--there is method to my madness. In this tech-obsessed age, we all know that people steal photos, alter them, post them in not-so-nice places, etc. It is because of these nefarious practices that I do my best to know which sites I'm appearing on, who is using my blog content, articles and other related information. Imagine my surprise today to find that someone listed me on the website www.FamousWhy.com . As the name implies, this site is dedicated to identifying various famous people in all industries/categories. My bio information is currently waiting for approval by the editors of the site and they got my birthplace wrong so hopefully everything will be accurate soon. Want to know the reason why the site believes I'm "famous why"...sexiness. Lol. Ah, the Internet, how I love...

AveryJ Wrote:  Thanks so much for your help! What agencies have you been working with? Hi, AveryJ! You are very welcome, I am always happy to help! My first agent was a small one called Talent Plus. After about a year I sought new representation with a larger agency called Generations Model & Talent in San Francisco. I stayed with them for over 5 years. From there I went to the Ford Models print division (also in San Francisco). After 3-4 years with them, I decided to seek a new agent (Ford was great but it wasn't really a good fit for me and the split was mutual). I am now with a boutique agency called Models, Inc. They are also in the San Francisco area. Because I live in Northern California, San Francisco is the main market that I work out of. However, I also do freelance modeling on the side and find my own modeling and acting opportunities on top of what my agency books me for. Because of that I am also able to work in the Los Angeles market, however, I do not hav...

Anonymous Wrote:  How do I get signed if I'm 14, and have braces? Do you think it will be a problem? Hi, Anonymous! Your first step is to find modeling agencies in your city. It is best to submit to agencies that are within a two hour's drive from where you live. Once you know the names of the agencies, which can be done by doing an online search, you can visit the agency's official website, which will list their guidelines for how you can submit yourself as a potential model. Follow the directions as they are stated on the site. If, for some reason, this kind of information is not on the site, then you can try calling and asking what the requirements are. As far as whether your braces will be a problem, there is no black or white answer to that. It strictly varies from person to person and situation to situation. It can be difficult to find modeling assignments for models with braces because there is such a limited market for it, but there have been models that have ...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi,the only part of being a model that i dont like is to expose my body in swimsuits and lingerie.But thats something that i would love to do, bridal.May you give me an advice how to find this specifically job in california?Thanks  Hi, Anonymous! That's great that you want to get into bridal modeling. There are a few different ways to go about pursuing this. Luckily, California is a great state for this type of work. There are tons of vendors that specialize in the wedding industry in the Golden State, which means the need for bridal models. The two most common types of work you'll find in this field include doing bridal fashion shows and print work in bridal magazines and other similar publications. One way to get into doing bridal fashion shows is to look up the different production companies that put on their shows/wedding fairs in your area. For example, if you live in Northern California one of the biggest wedding fairs is known as Brocade Weddi...

Lady J Wrote: Hi, My question is, can models that are my height 5'4 actually have successful high fashion modeling careers and what does it take to get to that level?  Hey, Lady J, thanks for the question, which I am sure is one that many have on their minds. At this current time in the industry, having a model at 5'4" in the high fashion modeling world is about as close to impossible as you can get. Petite modeling and commercial/print have always been alternatives for shorter models but the high fashion realm continues to be one that has managed to cling to the stringent height requirements for decades. While some will mention exceptions to the rule, Kate Moss is not 5'4" and even though Devon Aoki is probably the shortest model to successfully strut down a high fashion catwalk, her modeling career was brief and she quickly pursued an acting career instead--not to mention that Kate Moss was her mentor. In essence, unless you are super connected on the Ka...

Amanda Wrote: Hi Dania, thanks for answering my question before. I was wondering, how do I find a trustworthy modeling agency? Every time I looked on the internet for one in Miami, the only that doesn't seem to be a scam at first is Avenue Productions, which has received hundreds of complaints that the models they book not only pay an upfront fee, but they are never booked for any jobs. I checked the agency's website, and all that I really found was about 200+ pictures of models they booked (who probably paid the $300 upfront fee). Not to mention when I searched the company name, the suggested list said "Avenue Productions Scam". I really don't know where else to look, since I've used Google, Craigslist, and I even resorted to checking a phone book. I know Miami isn't as large as New York or LA, so I wouldn't expect to find as many agencies as models find there. But the only time I'm going to New York is in December for only 2 weeks....

Anonymous Wrote: My name is Quenette Battle. I am an inspring model. I want it so bad it almost makes me wanna cry. I'm working hard to get there but I feel like I need help from someone like you. I can send you pics through email or you can give me a call. Truely, Q.   Hi, Quenette! Hopefully you'll read this post--I didn't publish your original comment, which would have appeared in the comments section of the blog post you comment on, because it contained your phone number and I did not want to make that public for all to see. In the event that you see this post in response to your comment, I want to let you know that you can send your pictures and any other modeling info (measurements) directly to my email address: daniadenise@gmail.com. Email is the best way to reach me with any questions, comments or suggestions. Hope to hear from you and good luck!

(This post is great for all male models, regardless of what kind of modeling you want to do. ) The topic of this particular blog post is in regards to contacting female models for the purpose of networking, meeting up and planning shoots together. Needless to say, the Internet has opened up a lot of opportunities for exposure and getting work done in the industry. However, it is also a resource that is regularly abused by those with bad intentions. While the majority of professional, experienced female models know how to interact with male models they've never worked with before, if you are the one doing the contacting and are new to the whole modeling industry, there are a few helpful tips you can follow and keep in mind to take the intimidation factor out of the process and put any female model at ease. Pick the Right Form of Contact: There are tons of ways to get in touch with a female model in order to express your interest in shooting with her. If you have held a cast...

Anonymous Wrote: As for contacting female models through social networking sites, it's best that you proceed with caution because they might suspect you of being a sexual predator. And for meeting them, these female models that you're planning to work with, will usually bring a male friend, co-worker (if they are on lunch break from another job), relative, or family member for their own protection (but not a boyfriend or husband, due to jealousy issues) so don't feel intimidated because of that, especially by male friends or co-workers. Overall this is a good article for male models but I also think you need to write another article explaining how to work successfully with male models for female models, especially for freelance female models.  Hello, Anonymous, and thanks for the comments about my post, titled "Tips for Working Successfully with Female Models (for Male Models) Part I" . I appreciate your concern about the whole safety issue when ...