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

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania! Thanks for this blog first off! It's VERY helpful. I wanna be a freelance model first but I don't know where to find modeling gigs and casting calls. Could you please help me?  Hi, Anonymous! You are very welcome, I'm glad you've been able to find my blog helpful. :-) There are a number of places that post casting calls and related postings for modeling gigs but of course not all of them can be trusted. The websites I personally use to find freelance modeling gigs include www.ModelMayhem.com, www.OneModelPlace.com (I don't really visit this site that much these days but it is a good site), Craigslist (the quality of posts for models has gone down in recent years on this website but with time and experience it is possible to find good gigs. I continue to find gems among the lists of crap lol). I don't know your location but there are also casting sites like www.SFCasting.com, www.LACasting.com and www.NYCasting.com. These three...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Ms. Dania! I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of some legitimate modeling agencies in Barcelona and Milan?  Hey, Anonymous! Below are the agencies you definitely want to check out. Some represent only men, while others only represent women. I included them all for the benefit of both aspiring male and female models that may be in those cities and in need of the same information: BARCELONA: Elite Barcelona elitemodel.es Sight Management sight-management.com Traffic Models trafficmodels.com Uno unobcn.com View Management viewmanagement.com MILAN: d'MGMT group dmanagementgroup.com Elite Milan elitemodel.it I LOVE Models Management ilovemodelsmanagement.com IMG Milano imgmodels.com Next Milan nextmodels.com Why Not Model Management whynotmodels.com Women Milan womenmanagement.com BOOM Models Agency boomtheagency.it Ice Models icemodels.it Independent Men independentmen.it

Reserve your slot for Modeling 101: The Seminar by July 13 and qualify for the Early Bird Special Price:  

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania! I know that some agencies will sign girls from out of town and act as mother agencies, getting them jobs in their hometown. Being 5'7, until I grow some more I can't really find any legitimate agencies in Chicago where I'm from. However, I'm going to LA in a couple of weeks for a competition, and I'm going to have a LOT of downtime where I can just roam the city. Do you know of any reputable agencies who may sign a girl from this far out of town? Thanks!  Hey, Anonymous! I don't know what each agency's policy is when it comes to working with models that live out of town, so that depends but below are the names and websites for modeling agencies in the Los Angeles area. Keep in mind, however, that at your height you are ideal for commercial/print. Many of the agencies in LA will only consider girls that are 5'8". Unless you are between the ages of 13-16, they may lower the height requirement to 5'7" but ...

Rayne Wrote: Glad that someone is strong enough to spill the beans and be so helpfull! I've been trying the modeling thing since i was 13 i am now 19 and highly considering auditioning for cycle 18 in 2 days! all paperwork is filled out but any advice for the audition or tips?  Hi, Rayne! Glad that my post about ANTM has been helpful for you! Really the only advice I can give you about attending the casting call is to be prepared for the cattle call. There are going to be so many girls there acting crazy and like they have no upbringing because there will be media there. It's okay to be excited but don't go overboard with your enthusiasm lol. Dress like you would as if you were going to a traditional casting call for a modeling agency. There is no need to wear outlandish outfits or be a total brand-whore by dressing from head to toe in some fancy designer threads. Keep it simple: dark skinnies, high heels and a form fitting tank top or t-shirt. Minimal makeup and ...

Anonymous Wrote: What are the chances of being a runway model in NYC at 5'8?  Hi, Anonymous! NYC is one of the toughest markets to break into and 5'8" is definitely on the shorter side of the height spectrum. That being said, the competition will be high BUT if you have an amazing look then agencies will be interested in signing you. While 5'8" is considered "short" in the runway world, it does meet the minimum height requirement so it'll get you in the door. Plus, there are so many runway/fashion agencies in the NYC market so you're bound to find one that will be interested in representing you. Good luck!

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Ms. Dania! I was wondering if you had a post about what steps one should make to become a model. Such as how to get a portfolio together for open casting. Thanks!  Hey, Anonymous! Below are links to my blog posts that talk about the subjects you're asking about: Where Do You Start? Sending Pictures to a Modeling Agency: Professional or Non-Professional, Which is It? Casting Calls Tips for Attending Open Casting Calls Just FYI: you don't have to put together a portfolio with professional pictures for open casting calls if you don't have any experience. 9 times out of 10 agencies will ask for non professional, digital snapshots. Hope that helps!

Anonymous Wrote: hey dania! I was wondering what the best haircut for a model was. Thank you!  Hello! There is no "perfect" or "ideal" haircut for models. Of course the more hair you have, the more that can be done with it so longer to medium length hair is preferable. Short hairstyles are fine, too, and won't necessarily put a model out of the running but that mainly depends on if the agency they get signed to likes their hair as it is or wants to change it up by adding extensions. When it comes to hair, things can always be worked around. Whatever haircut you've got now, make sure you're comfortable with it because if the agency likes you, they'll want you to keep it that way or if you decide to make a drastic change, you'll have to touch bases with your agent first and if they are okay with it, you'll have to completely redo your portfolio. So that's another thing to keep in mind.

There's updated info about how to submit yourself to become JET Magazine's "Beauty of the Week"...check out my revised blog post for the details: "Want to Be a JET Magazine Beauty of the Week?" Good luck!!!

Candace J Wrote: I want to apply to be a Jet beauty of the week sometime this year. What is a good exercise regimen for a 2 piece body? And what is a good place to get a unique swim suit for this?  Hi, Candace and thanks for the questions. Below is a link to a great exercise regimen for getting a bikini-ready body, which comes from Fitness Magazine's website (they definitely know what they're talking about!). It involves the use of Pilates, which is a very effective approach for toning up, slimming down and burning fat. Additionally, it only takes about 20 minutes for performing each set of exercises so it isn't time consuming: Pilates for a Beach-Ready Body As for where to get your swimsuit, I personally only buy my swimsuits from Victoria's Secret. They have many styles to choose from and if you are familiar with their stuff, you'll easily be able to spot which styles are the ones everyone wears and which ones are more unique. I got their most recent sw...

So you love my blog? Then you will love my seminar! In the past I tried to put this type of event together but the economy burst my bubble lol. However, I'm back and better than ever with a business partner, a location and a solidified date and time! If you're in the Bay Area/Northern California, make sure to register and attend my official seminar! In order to reserve your spot, you MUST register through the link below (I have also promoted the event on Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo!): http://modeling101seminar.eventbrite.com/ Here is more info about the event: Want to know the direct, cost-effective way to get into the modeling industry? Dream of signing a modeling contract or maintaining a successful freelance career? Learn the real deal about what it takes from professional, agency represented model, Dania Denise!!! This is a great opportunity to know what's true and false about the modeling industry, what agencies really look for and much more from a working...

Anonymous Wrote: i am about to submit to be a jet beauty but im having trouble fitting all that i have to say in 50 words.... i am very passionate about this opportunity and was wondering if u could help me to write an effective essay...=) thnx  Hello, Anonymous! I'd be more than willing to help you out with your essay! Please shoot me an email: daniadenise@gmail.com and I'll be able to give you the assistance you need. Good luck and I'll be looking for your message! :-)

Yay for pictures! This latest event was a fashion show for the boutique, Saffron Rare Threads, which is located in San Francisco. What I loved about this designer's line of clothing was that it was tailored for petite women. The head designer/owner, Priya, is a petite woman herself--she's maybe 5'1" or 5'2"? When I went in for the casting, I knew I'd instantly like working with her and she obviously felt the same way because I got hired as one of five models for the show. The Saffron Rare Threads fashion show took place inside of the actual boutique, which was cool because there was one part of the store that had a ramp that sloped down, similar to a runway. It definitely made for great photo opportunities. I arrived the day of the show to find out that one model called in sick so we were down to four. As a result, I had an additional outfit to wear, which I didn't mind at all. There was some last minute changes to two of the outfits for me, howeve...

Got a chance to track down photos from the latest fashion shows I've done recently. This one was for a local designer I had worked with before, Amanda Howard, of Exceptions Designs. The Raw Unearthed Fashion Show took place at one of San Francisco's popular art galleries that also had a bar area. The cool thing about this event, which was similar to the other show I did with Amanda, was that hair and makeup was all done on the floor in front of the public. Because I had done this before, I wasn't too unnerved by having people see us "undone" lol. The hair stylist took out my extensions and flat ironed my hair with the original plan of putting them in as a live demo to the audience. Unfortunately, time was working against us so we didn't get a chance to do that. As a last minute decision, they just kept my natural hair and braided it into an updo. We had one model flake so that shifted the lineup and who got to wear what outfit. The turnout was great......

Anonymous Wrote: Hello Dania, I love your blog! I am going to an open call in a little while, and the agency didn't specify about bringing shapshots, but I figured it'd be better to be safe than sorry. All it said was that professional photos weren't necessary. So should I bring them in the photo envelope, or in a folder, or a binder? And does it matter what size the pictures are? Like should I make a picture a full page, or the typical photo size? Thanks!!  Hi, Anonymous! Excellent questions! Let's get you some answers. :-) Your snapshots should be about 5"x 7" in size. The only time your photos should be large, like an 8"x 10", is if they are professional pictures. 5"x 7" is ideal for bringing with you to open calls. You can carry them in your hand if you want--there is no particular or preferred way that agencies want you to bring them. They don't have to be put on display in a portfolio case, binder or anything fancy. B...