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

Yep, you read right. While I will still be doing my regular "Answering a Reader Question" series, where I simply address a reader's question and provide answers in its own blog post, I've decided to do something fun and more interactive with it. Since so many people lately have been posting questions about everything related to modeling, I'm now going to offer my readers the opportunity to have their answers provided by me in a video reply, which I'll accomplish using my web cam. I'll be able to upload my video answer here on Modeling - 101 and also plan on uploading it to my YouTube Channel, where I'm hoping to get more views and build a following on that site as well. So here are the instructions for how to request both a traditional reply and a video reply (read carefully...remember, good models follow directions!): To Request a Regular Reply (The Traditional "Answering a Reader Question"): Click on the ...

I often get people asking me, "Dania, how in the world do you do it? Modeling has been so hard for me. How do you book so much work? How did you become successful?" All good, quality questions but my answer is simple. In addition to hard work, persistence and major networking, I practice the Law of Attraction and what I call Perspective Reality. Some of you may be familiar with the the first concept, while some of you may not (the second concept is something I came up with randomly). Below is one of the best explanations of the Law of Attraction, which I got from the Holistic Healing section of the site, About.com: The Law of Attraction is one of the better known universal laws. The theory behind the Law of Attraction is that we create our own realities. We attract things we want and we also attract things we don't want. We attract the people in our lives, the stuff in our homes, and the money in our bank accounts through our thoughts and feelings. When ou...

Anonymous Wrote: Hello Dania! I'm a 14 year old girl and just have a few questions just out of curiosity! What are the chances of being a successful model....Honestly...? What measurements do you have to have? And does being full Chinese/Asian lessen chances since Asians have similar features? X Hi, Anonymous! Honestly, the chances of being a successful model in the sense of becoming a "supermodel" is very slim. The career span of a model is very short in most cases and there are much higher numbers of models than there are modeling jobs. So the competition is very tough. Becoming a regular "working" model who does it part-time is much easier to accomplish but typically doesn't mean making millions of dollars a year or becoming a household name. The average model in the USA makes around $30,000/year, which is pretty much the same for the average person working a 9-5 job. That's the reality, although there are exceptions to the rule and a small h...

Anonymous Wrote: Heyy :) I live in Bali, Indonesia. You probably have no idea where that is, but i just want to ask you what it takes to be a model. There's quite a few model oppurtunities here but im not sure how the modelling industry really works. What do you have to do? But I really want to be a model, and i think i could have a great chance since im only 13 and im 171cm. Your site is really helpful and im so glad i found itt. haha. :) thankyouuuu. x  Hi, Anonymous! I totally know where Bali is because it's on my list of vacation spots to visit in the future! :-) So the first thing to know about being a model is you have to meet the requirements, mainly height and measurements. The best way to find out this information is to look up the official websites of the modeling agencies in your area. The websites will have all of the information you'll need to know, which is why I recommend browsing through each one to see what photos and information they want from ...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania! When you attend a model search or open call where they simply say, "tell me about your self", what should you say? Thanks! Hi, Anonymous! It is best to keep your answer simple. You can talk about topics, such as: Where you're from (hometown) The name of your school and what grade you're in Your favorite hobbies or any special skills you have What your plans are for the future (college, dream job/career) If you want to talk about why you want to be a model, keep this info brief and not the whole topic of discussion. Agencies hear a lot of the same types of stories so you want to be different. It's okay to talk about who your modeling inspirations are or what got you interested in modeling but move on and talk more about who "you" are as a person. That is what agencies are interested in. As long as you answer with a genuine smile, great eye contract and enthusiasm, you'll do just fine!

Anonymous Wrote: Hi, I'm Yanet. So there's no chance to model for VS is you are not signed with these two agencies? is this requirement ever going to change?  Hi, Yanet! The only other way you can be considered as a VS model if you are not signed with Elite or Ford in New York is to be signed to another top modeling agency in the NY market and currently be an in demand, top model. This was the case for Doutzen Kroes and Chanel Iman. So there is that option but in general, models have a better chance by already being signed to the two agencies that regularly contract out their models to VS. Hope that helps!

Hey, Modeling 101 readers! Just wanted to share some fun flix from the VioGemini Fashion Show I did in San Francisco a few weeks ago. This was the same show that I posted about recently with video footage of me walking in the much talked about "Star Dress." Enjoy! Oh, and if you want to check out the rest of the designs that Violetta made, I definitely recommend visiting her official website www.viogemini.com . You won't be disappointed! Hair stylist, Sandra Moreno, hooking my hair up. The "before" shot, lol. Just got done with setting my hair in curls. Ah, my favorite part--makeup!!! Hands down my favorite outfit...the Star Dress!!! Surprisingly, my parents actually thought it was cool that I rocked this dress when I showed them the pix and video. Whew! One of the new dresses from designer Violetta Vieux's debut bridal line. Striking a pose. Heading to the stage at the end of the show (A lot of the models were...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania! Is it true that you have a greater chance of being signed if you go to the agencies? I heard that if you mail in/submit online you just get deleted. What do they judge you on at the agencies? Thanks!  Hi, Anonymous! Yes, your chances are increased greatly when you go in person to see an agency during an open casting call. Mailing/submitting photos online gives you a shot (those kinds of submissions don't get automatically deleted but it takes longer for agencies to review and if they aren't interested, you simply won't hear from them) but there's nothing like having an agency see a potential model with their own eyes and have the opportunity to talk to him/her and gauge his/her personality in the flesh. Not all agencies look for the same thing but if you go in person they will typically judge your overall physical appearance, personality and your runway walk (if you are trying to be a fashion model). Your measurements and digital sna...

Shanelle Wrote: Wow sounds like you had a busy day!:) Sorry to bother you with more questions (seeing you get so many) but I have a situation. I am from Saskatchewan Canada (I live in the provinces capital) and want to be a model. I am meeting with a smaller local agency on thursday. Because I live in such an isolated area there are no high fashion jobs (such as high coture shows) can I apply to agencies in New York? I am fairly tall (5'9.5" and I'm 15) so I don't think those high fashion shows are out of reach. I would also possibly like to do VS one day too? I don't think all the models are from elite/ford are they? Chanel Iman is from IMG. (Btw I look similar to her). So how can I, while living in a small city, become a high fashion model? (Btw I am entering a model search in sept. The prize is a contract with NEXT models canada.) Is that good for VS and other prestigous jobs? Sorry for all the q's! :) -Shanelle  Hi, Shanelle! Never apologize...

As downhill as Craig's List has gone over the years, my experience searching through their Gigs/Talent section still allows me to find some gems, which definitely applies to another recent shoot I did. I submitted my photos and info online to a CL post that was looking for online catalog models for a clothing company. I had all but forgotten about it until I got an email from the company's owner a few weeks ago, asking if I was still interested and what my availability was. After talking in more detail about the shoot, I was hired and we set a date, time and location. The online catalog for the T.I.L. Darling company typically used mannequins to showcase their latest styles for sale but finally decided to make the switch to using live models in order to bring a new look to the site as well as hopefully boost sales in certain markets. It was the owner's first time dealing with models and although he originally wanted to shoot with 3-4 girls, he pretty much ended up j...

One of the perks of working with good photographers is that they'll always keep you in mind for future projects! That was the case with the latest product shoot I was hired for. Earlier this year I did a medical product shoot for a company called Vocera, which was shot by photographer Dan Clark of the Weinberg-Clark team. I had a great time working on that project and Dan was such a pleasure to work with. A few weeks ago I got an email from Dan asking if I'd be available for a similar shoot for a different company. He apologized for the last-minute notification (I got the email on a Friday and the shoot was scheduled for Tuesday morning)--luckily, I was totally free that day and told him I'd love to work with him again. The client had yet to pick the official models and the details for the shoot hadn't been confirmed, which Dan told me up front but he recommended me when his client, Omnicell, asked for models. I was very happy when I received a follow up email, sa...

Category: Makeup For: Female Models (Occasionally for Male Models, Where Applicable) Most of you probably already know this but I'm going to throw it out there anyway for the benefit of those who do not: when it comes to applying your own makeup, PLEASE make sure to extend the color of your foundation past your jawline and onto your neck. Blend well and it will avoid the dreaded "two tone" effect. But that's not all--also brush some foundation color onto your ears as well. You don't need a lot...just a quick once-over will prevent any mismatching when it comes to your overall skin tone in photographs.

Category: Castings For: Male & Female Models Sometimes the timing just works out where models will have more than one casting in a day. While this is ideal for getting a lot done in a short amount of time, it is important to make sure that you do your hair, makeup and wardrobe accordingly for each. For example, your first casting of the morning may require you to be "camera ready," which means wearing makeup as if it were for the actual shoot...but your next casting of the day may call for natural makeup. While male models won't have to deal with this dilemma as much as their female counterparts, do make sure to bring the right change of clothes if your castings require different looks. If possible, schedule your back-to-back castings with enough time to make a quick change if you need to. Don't forget to bring your makeup bag to do touch ups or change your look. You always want to make sure you look the way the casting director/client/photographer instructs ...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania! I'm a fifteen year old girl who is currently 5'9. I was wondering what are the chances of getting signed/actually walking during fashion week? Is it possible to get more than one show as a rookie?  Hi, Anonymous! Your height already gets you into the door so that is a major plus. The chances of getting signed by an agency can't be explained in black and white. That all depends on a bunch of factors, such as your age, measurements, weight and whether your overall look is "in demand" and easy for an agency to market. Because each agency has its own requirements as to what it sees as "in", this makes it difficult for me to tell you exactly what your chances (or anyone's for that matter) would be. The modeling industry is a fickle and fluctuating one in terms of what they look for most times. If an agency believes in you, they'll work their hardest to book you for modeling assignments, including putting you into a...

Anonymous Wrote: I am 20 years old, and have always been called good looking and handsome to the mostly every woman I've met from 16 and up and have been told on many occasions I should atleast try to model my face, although I stand at a mere 5'9" I wouldn't know where to start.  Hi, Anonymous! In your case, you should look into modeling agencies that represent commercial/print models. It is best to do an online search for modeling agencies that are within a 2 hour's drive of where you live. From there you'll be able to check out each agency's official website and see what their requirements are, especially if they have a commercial/print division. If you need help finding such agencies, shoot me an email: daniadenise@gmail.com and I can help you try to find legit agencies to submit to. Good luck!

Nachele Wrote: Hi, Dania. My Name Is Nachele and I'm 16 Years Old. I Live In Philadelpiha And I've Been Wanting To Be A Model Since Forever But I Keep Holding Back Because I'm Afaid That My First Mistake Will Be Falling Into A Modeling Agency That Will Rip Me Off. Is There Any Way That I Can Tell Which Modeling Agencies Are Scams? By The Way I Know It'll Be Hard To Get Into An Agency At All Because I'm Almost 5'7.  Hi, Nachele! The first thing to note is that at your height, you'll want to look into modeling agencies that have a commercial/print division. The ideal height range for this type of modeling is 5'5"-5'7" so it will be easier for you to get signed for that category, compared to fashion/runway, unless you have a really strong/exceptional look. In that case, then you can take a shot at submitting to fashion agencies. As far as being worried about signing with a scammer agency, below is a blog post I did about this topi...

Last night I participated in an amazing fashion show in San Francisco. I wore two outfits by designer Violetta Vieux (hit up her official website for photos of her amazing designs: www.viogemini.com )--it was her first fashion show in the USA and I was so happy to be one of the 8 models chosen for the event! My call time for hair and makeup was 5pm and the doors opened at 7:30pm, with the show starting at 10pm. The venue the show was at actually was the same place I did a previous show at a few months ago for another designer, Amanda Howard. So it was nice that I was already familiar with the set up and how the event was going to be run. All the models, makeup artists and hair stylists got along and the whole night was a buzz of activity, especially once the public was let in at 7:30pm and got to watch the models get primped out on the main floor. The first outfit I got to wear is called the "Star Dress" and with good reason--it's completely crocheted by hand with...

Jasmine Wrote: hi i am a 13 year old girl that is 5`8 and i wana be a model any thing i can do to make my dreams come true  Hi, Jasmine! You've got the height and since you're so young, that puts you ahead of the game for sure. Your priority should be finding a modeling agency to represent you. It is best to do an online search for modeling agencies according to the city/state you live in and see what official agency websites come up. Browse around through them and see what each one's requirements are, what kind of photos they want, if they have open calls, etc. It is better to look at agencies that are within a 2 hour's drive from where you live, unless you're willing to relocate. If you need help finding legit agencies, feel free to send me an email directly: daniadenise@gmail.com and I'll be able to help you that way. Good luck to you!

Anonymous Wrote: Hi! I have a question. I'm a size 2 with 34-24-35 measurements (5'8 and growing still). But I was wondering if the fact that my stomach and thighs aren't exactly the most toned things would hinder me at all. Do you have any recommendations for exercises to tone those areas?  Hi, Anonymous! Not having a super toned stomach and thighs won't eliminate you from modeling, especially since your height and measurements are good. But if you want to make sure to cover all of your bases, you'll probably want to look into doing some simple exercises to firm up. Below is a link from the site Prevention.com, which has a bunch of great toning exercises for targeting those two areas: The Belly and Thighs Workout Good luck!

Hello, my beloved blog readers! Recently you've probably been wondering if Modeling 101 - A Model's Diary has completely turned into a Q&A session, LOL. But the reality is that lately I've been absolutely swamped with reader questions, as well as personal emails from model hopefuls. While I will definitely get around to answering the latest entries in my "Answering a Reader Question" series, I do have many more blog posts related to various modeling topics for you to absorb. However, my schedule as of late has been super hectic, which is why I've really only had the time to do Q&A posts. Let's see, I've been doing product shoots for company brochures, did a shoot for an online catalog for a fabulous boutique and in a few hours I've got a fashion show. Ah, speaking of fashion shows, the Fall bridal show season is also around the corner and this weekend I'll be helping the modeling coordinator with casting new faces. Man, when it ra...

Samajo Wrote: Hey Dania, I found your blog a few days ago and it's amazing thanks for all the great tips :) I've always had an interest in modeling and many people have told me before that I could easily do it... so the other day i was "scouted" by a small agency here in Munich Germany and asked to come to a casting where they would be taking pictures of me for a sedcard and there would be a professional styling before hand. However the whole thing costs 40€ (57$) and I am only a high school student... is this really reliable and do i have any chances with such a small agency? Or should I try larger ones by myself by just sending photos of myself to them? They did say that they would take me straight up into their portfolio after the shoot. I'd really appreciate your opinion. Thanks so much. x Btw I am a 16 year old girl and 175cm tall (5'9'')  Hi, Samajo! Thanks for the question! While I'm not sure how different modeling agencies...

Anna Wrote: Hi!! I've always secretly wanted to be a Vicky's model (what girl doesn't?!) I'm going to be 18 in 4 months. I have a 22 waist (unless i've just eaten of course), 36 hips, and 36C bra size. I'm 5'7" 1/2. I've been told my face is pretty; I've got the long lashes, big eyes, high cheekbones, everything that's supposed to be in a model (so I've heard). However, I've never done any modeling before. :/ Should I just let go of the dream and move on? Or do I have some chance at this?  Hello, Anna! You'll be happy to know that you do not have to be a professional, established model to be with Victoria's Secret. It sounds like you've got a great look and if an agency agrees, they'll more than likely overlook the small difference in height. Once you get signed with an agency (hopefully it'll be Elite or Ford in New York, since these are the first two agencies that VS recruits from before others), yo...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi. I'm a 15 year old Asian girl and I've wanted to start modeling for ages! I just think that this is the perfect job for me. But my parents think that becoming a model is no way to earn a living and survive in the real world, and that I should forget about modeling and focus on school and my education. What I want to know is how can I get started with modeling and is it true that some girls just get discovered randomly like on the street (like Barbara palvin) on the beach (like abbey lee kershaw) and even in the super market (like behati prinsloo)? Also, what are the real chances of becoming a successful model and how much do they earn? $$ Last thing, can I become a successful model even though I have stretch marks on my butt, pimples on my face and from my Chinese background?  Hi, Anonymous! To answer your first question, at your age the best way to get started is to find a good and reputable modeling agency within a 2 hour's drive of wh...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Ms. Dania, I am a 5'8", 15 year old girl living in Baltimore Maryland. I know this question might be a little weird, but.. I'm also homeschooled and my mom would have no problem travelling with me anywhere. If you were me where would you try to start off with a modeling career? Thanks!  Hey, there! Nothing weird about your question at all! The first step is to find an agent to represent you. The agency will do the hard work of marketing you, booking you for castings, go-sees and help you get the highest paying work. However, it's all about location. I'm pretty sure you know that Maryland isn't the best market for trying to start a modeling career. If you're not able to find an agency that is at least within a 2 hour's drive from where you live, the following places are worth looking into as far as agencies go (if an agency in any of these markets really likes your look they'll help you with relocation and may offer a li...

Anonymous Wrote: hi dania i have a random question would you please explain how to take my bust, waist and hip measurements. I'm especially confused on how to take waist measurements do I measure at my belly button or above it because if i measure at my belly button then i'm 29.5inches and if i measure above my belly button them i'm 26.5 inches so could you please clarify how to properly take these measurements.  Howdy, Anonymous! You're in luck...I actually have a blog post that explains how to take the very measurements you're asking about. Click on the link below and you'll find everything you'll need to know (as far as the bellybutton issue, for the waist measurement you'll want to place the tape around the slimmest/narrowest part of your waist so go with that and see whether it falls either at or above your bellybutton): How to Measure Yourself

Autumn Wrote: Hi, Dania! I was not sure where to post my question, so I thought doing so on the most recent article would be appropriate! :) I am fifteen years old, skinny, blue eyes, dirty blonde hair, short etc. I have been told by many people that I should pursue modeling, but I'm sure many people hear that...how do you know if you have what it takes? Could you post a few pictures of you when you were closer to my age? I would like to see what some starting poses look like. How can you test yourself in home taken pictures to see if you have what it takes? Thank you so much for reading my comment!  Hey, there, Autumn! All of my readers simply post their questions in the comments section of any of my blog posts, so you were right in your assumption! :-) Awww...you're the age I was when I first started! Ah, memories! I can hear the excitement as well as the anxiety in your questions lol. Let's see if I can help you out: - The main thing that matters is wh...