Hi! I'm an aspiring model and I've just recently sent an application to a local modeling agency, but I feel like I screwed it up, I mean I sent this yesterday and I shouldn't be so anxious already. I'm new to this but have always loved fashion. I'm also not very tall (5'4''). since i don't have any experience i couldn't put much on the application. What do you think you would put if you were in my position? thanks ! :)
Hi, Anonymous! Anxiety and nerves are normal and happens to the best of us! Definitely do what you can to occupy your thoughts so that you aren't so focused on your submission...easier said than done, I know, but give it a shot. :-)
Do you mean you feel like you screwed up on the application because you didn't have a lot to put on there since you've never modeled before? If so, it is okay that you don't have any experience...as long as you stated this somewhere in your application, the agency will understand. They don't expect newbies to have any previous knowledge of modeling and won't count it against you.
If I was in your position, I would simply state that I have no previous modeling experience but am eager to learn, follow instructions very well and am very into fashion and the modeling industry. As long as they know you have personality, can follow directions and have a look they know they can successfully market, you'll be perfectly fine. So cross your fingers (and toes) and hope they reply back!
FYI: It isn't uncommon for them to take a while getting back to you. However, agencies only reply to people they're interested in working with so if they're not interested, you simply won't hear back. Give it about 4-6 weeks and if there is still no word from them, you can take that as a sign that they're probably not interested at the moment.
Comments
Ahhh...I could write a novel about this topic but I'll try to keep it brief. I do know of the documentary and what it's about. It's not the first. Does the stuff it portrays happen in the industry? Yes. Is it something that you can expect to encounter on a regular basis? No. Will you get hit on by photographers and other casting people? Sure. Could you possibly be exposed to drug use and/or models trying to lose weight in unhealthy ways? Certainly. Should it discourage you from modeling altogether? No.
In my opinion, what it boils down to is perspective. I am glad that the documentary captured what it did but at the same time, that was all hundreds of hours of footage that was edited to project that specific viewpoint. Just as easily as they captured such footage about all the bad things and stories from models, I could easily go out and do the same thing BUT only capture the good things and the success stories from models who have never had to deal with any of that. I could also capture footage and make it seem like modeling is the most boring job ever (it's a lot of waiting around and not doing anything between shoots). So you see, such portrayals can be done from all aspects of modeling. Documentaries do the best they can to be objective but are almost always one-sided in some way or another, especially if the person has an agenda or message they're trying to get across to their audience. It's not necessarily wrong--just human nature.
While such things are important to be aware of, it's not to the point that you should discount modeling altogether. For one thing, you're not a teen (many of the models mentioned in the documentary were underage, didn't know any better and are easier targets) and a few of them did what they were told because they lacked common sense and/or wanted so desperately to be hired. If you were presented with such a situation, all you have to do is say no and walk out. You can never be forced to do anything.
It's also about the crowd you hang out and what market you're working in. Modeling issues the documentary highlighted happens in many of the fashion capitals like New York, Paris and other countries. Southern California doesn't quite have the same rep (that doesn't mean these things never happen there but that market is not as notoriously known for them like the other markets are).
I've met and worked with plenty of fashion models who went their entire careers without ever experiencing any of the things in the documentary.
Think of it as the same with acting: there are child actors as well as adult actors that ended up overdosing, committing suicide and making very bad decisions because of the things they were exposed to as a result of being in the entertainment industry. Does that discourage people from pursuing and becoming successful in acting? Definitely not. Are there successful actors that made good decisions, led health lifestyles and didn't compromise their values? Of course.
Put such things into perspective and look at all sides. Not all fashion models are strung out, underweight druggies that get groped at work 24/7. Such issues are a "reality" but they're not THE reality.
Hope that helps! So much for keeping it brief, lol.