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

Ki-Ki Wrote: Hey, Dania I recently did a photo shoot. Which, by the way, went very well. I cant wait to get the pictures. But, I was asked to sign a photo release. I will see my photographer today to pick to sign it. Is there any warning or good signs I should look for before signing a it??? Your post has also helped me come a long way. Thanks and Congratulations on your recent success, your an inspiration. Hey, Ki-Ki! Congrats on a successful shoot. You are definitely on the right path and thank you for the kind words…very much appreciated. =) As far as the model release forms, these are among the most common documents in the modeling industry. Since there is no money involved, the chances of you having issues with this particular model release form is slim to none. It should contain the most basic information stating that you are waiving (giving up) your rights to the images and are not allowed to sell them for profit. It will also say that the photographer is free to use the images ...

Kristen Wrote: so i've always wanted to become a model ever since i was little but im only 15 and still 5"2..modeling has been my dream forever and so have being a victoria secret model.i know i have to get signed but Elite or stuff like that but what if i dont?? are there other options?? Hi, Kristen! Thanks for reading my blog! Unfortunately, your height is going to work against you. Since you are already 15, unless you hit a major growth spurt, those goals won't be within your reach. However, you should look into modeling agencies that represent petite models. There aren't many out there but it is worth looking into. If you can reach 5'5" you can do commercial/print modeling and sign with an agency that works with those type of models. You also have the option of doing freelance modeling, where you act as your own modeling agent and find your own work. It can be challenging but it would allow you to submit for fashion and other types of work that your height...

I’m sure among all the things you know about me, you didn’t know I was into pageantry. Well, I’m not one of those pageantry types who have been doing it my whole life. Back in high school I did two local pageants as a promise to my best friend in the whole world (and pageant coach), Paris Chase Watson. I didn’t place in either, but at the time I wasn’t trying to win the crown—I wanted the experience. I wanted to see what the huge deal was about pageants and why my best friend was so obsessed with them. He hasn’t missed a major pageant show in his entire life! Being in the thick of it all definitely gave me a better appreciation for the women who have been doing this their whole lives. It is no cakewalk and poke fun at it if you wish, but how many of you could don an evening gown and a bathing suit and grace the stage in front of hundreds if not thousands of people in the audience (and an additional million or so that watch from their homes)? Not many. While I left the pageants alone af...

…well, in addition to Photoshop and food. Haha. Man, it has been a tough week. Last week I had a hectic schedule between castings and I picked up a video acting project (I do TV/Film/Commercial acting as well as modeling) so I had to juggle the shooting schedule with my office job. Last week I worked the following: - Monday : No shoot, just the office job from 9am-6pm - Tuesday : Shoot all day from 9am-11pm - Wednesday : Work at the office job from 8am-5:30pm (went to a casting in San Francisco during my lunch break), then off to my shoot from 6pm-12:30am - Thursday : Day off from the office job and the shoot got pushed back to Monday…free day spent doing stuff though so no sleeping in. Boo! - Friday : Work at the office job from 9am-6pm, then off to my shoot from 6pm-1:15am - Monday : Work at the office job from 9am-6pm, then off to my shoot from 6pm-12:30am You can bet I was exhausted! I’m still trying to catch up on my sleep this week. The challenge about being an a...

Most people enjoy ANTM for many reasons. The makeovers are definitely one of them. In the attempt to make the girls more “modelish,” Tyra spends time and money into giving each contestant a complete makeover. The focus is mostly on the hair. This occurrence has caused me to receive questions from aspiring models as to whether they will have to undergo a similar transformation when they get signed. America’s Next Top Model does a lot of great stuff for TV but it doesn’t go much further than that. The extent of the makeovers seen on that show—and others like it—are over the top for a reason—it’s TV and it needs to greatly exaggerate things in order to prove a point. However, in real life, such makeovers aren’t that involved. So do model makeovers exist in the “real” world? Sure. Do they happen to all new models and to that extreme? Not really. Agencies fall in love with girls (and guys) the way they are and almost always sign them without doing a thing to their appearance (we’re n...

When you sign with an agency you’re well on your way towards a bright and promising modeling career. The first step is to do your first photoshoot for the purpose of building not only your portfolio but your comp card as well. In this day and age of the Internet, many modeling agencies post their models’ portfolios online as well as the print version of the portfolio, which is commonly referred to as a model’s “book.” Of course all this costs money but whose supposed to cover those costs? Should anyone have to pay at all? What about test shoots? This is a topic that needs to be clarified because I know too many people who have misconceptions and their own idea of what the right answer is. I’ve seen veins bulge out of people’s foreheads while arguing adamantly about what they believe is supposed to be true about this subject (or typing in all caps online screaming their beliefs). Hopefully I can set the record straight. Once you sign with an agency it is up to the agency and only...

It’s no secret that the media has made a big deal out of youth. Think about it: how many people have you heard say, “Gosh, I can’t wait to get wrinkles!” Worldwide, selling the idea of youth has made many companies billions of dollars. Without the models, however, they wouldn’t get very far. So that’s the obvious stuff but what about the question of age and being older in the modeling industry? Well, for starters, if you plan on being in the fashion and runway field, the younger you are the better. The longevity for this type of modeling is extremely short for the majority of models involved. Agencies sign girls as young as 13 years old and tend to hesitate if a model is over 18. This topic, like the height issue, is a reality of the industry that you don’t have to agree with but you will have to accept or at least get used to. It’s just a plain fact that agencies and their clients can get more work out of youthful models than those who already show the signs of aging. Sadly, this...