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

(I actually can't remember if I've already done a post about this topic and didn't find anything when I did a search on my blog. But if for some reason this is the second time you're reading this, you can disregard it and chalk it up to me getting old and forgetful hahahahah) Okay, so I'm pretty sure you're thinking, "Dania, you have a 'natural' tan, why on Earth would you need one sprayed on?!" LOL. In the beginning I never even gave spray tanning a thought since I was already pleasantly brown but a few months ago I decided to give it a try. For those of you that don't already know, I have eczema--the genetic kind so it's not like it's just going to go away, unfortunately--and I have always had to deal with large areas of discoloration. For the past few years the hyperpigmentation has made itself right at home on my stomach/midsection area. It's been a nuisance to say the least and my one dream has been to have a unifor...

I've already done a post about what it takes to become a Victoria's Secret Model but recently came across some additional pieces of information that I thought I would pass along to you VS hopefuls: If you want to know who has the ultimate say-so of who gets to be a Victoria's Secret Angel, his name is: Edward Razek. This man is the Senior Creative & Chief Marketing Officer for Limited Brands, which is the company that owns VS. Razek is responsible for personally selecting the models to represent the world famous lingerie company--namely who gets to be on the runway in the VS fashion shows. He has helped to launch the VS careers of dozens of models whose names we would know anywhere: Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Gisele, among many others. For those of you that are not already aware of it, VS does have a Fashion Show Competition to find the next VS Angel. The most recent one was held in October of 2009 and consisted of castings in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Ch...

I know I have two more days left on the poll that I put up but I wanted to post this before I forget. Again, I want to say thank you to everyone that answered. It is amazing to have readers from virtually every part of the globe! Originally, the poll was created to help me get a better idea of where my reader "hot spots" were. Because I plan to travel more and set up meet and greets, knowing where my readers were would help me decide what places to visit. After the poll has expired I will record the results and delete it. If you haven't had a chance to cast your vote it's okay...it was more for research so don't worry. I've got a pretty good idea of where everyone is so more than likely your area has been represented. BTW: If you want to set up a meet and greet with me, shoot me an email: daniadenise@gmail.com . The meet and greet would basically consist of me sitting down and getting to know you, my readers (in a public place during the day of course). I...

Lately I've been getting more and more whispers in my ear that I should write a book based off of my blog. From readers to people in the publishing industry that happen to come across Modeling 101, it seems that my next step should be to compile these posts into an actual book that people can buy and read. I must admit it is a tempting idea, especially since I am a writer and love what I do, however I'm not quite sure if I want to undertake such a project. For one thing, there are many books on the market about the modeling industry and how to get into it. There are physical books that can be found on bookstore shelves and in ebook form--some sites even allow readers to download free PDFs with such information. So my train of thought is: what would make my book stand out from the competition? And why should they pay for it? Would they pay for it? I do believe that the view I present of the modeling industry isn't quite like anyone else that's in the field so that i...

(This post is more targeted towards freelance models and not those with agency representation, although it may apply to those that have an agent but continue to find their own work.) A part of being a successful model is making money from the jobs that you book. However, being a freelance model comes with many challenges--figuring out what you should charge is one of them. I will say upfront that there are no established black and white rules when it comes to pay rates. Each modeling job is different, each client is different and budgets vary. Ultimately the factors that should influence what you charge should be the amount of experience you have, the strength of the images in your portfolio and the client's budget/needs. Not every client is going to pay what you want to charge. There may be times when you will be skipped over for charging too much or taken advantage of for charging too little. It's going to happen so be prepared for it and do not take it personally. It...

I happened to be watching one of the Dateline programs, which wasn't (for once) about "To Catch a Predator" and the topic was about a reality television show that was actually a scam, unbeknownest to the contestants. Well, this particular show was a modeling reality show so that got my attention. I watched in amazement and disgust as the "host" of the show, which never got a TV deal and never aired, used the naivete of the contestants to take advantage of them, sexually molest/harrass them and basically falsely lead them to believe they were going to be the next "it" model. Needless to say, I just HAD to write a post about the topic. When it comes to reality television and modeling, there are tons of shows that millions of male and female aspiring models hope to make it onto. If you're planning on pursuing this avenue in an attempt to get your foot in the door, please, please, PLEASE take note of the following suggestions to keep yourself saf...

Anonymous Wrote: Hello, I've been with an agency for 2.5 years and my contract is for 3 years. I want out! NOW! they have done nothing for me. I wrote them saying I wanted out ( in a nice way) but wanted to keep it short because I didn't know what to say. If I can get out of my contract I have so many other chances for modeling already. I can't tell the agency that because then they will know they could make money off me. How do I get out? Last time I spoke to them they said "ok you can be released in 6 months" but I can't wait. My whole life is in Europe! my boyfriend and all my friends. HELP HELP HELP.  Hi, Anonymous...ouch, what a terrible situation to be in! I'm really sorry you have to go through that. Have you gone through your modeling contract to see what you are supposed to do if you want to terminate your contract? In general, sending written correspondence stating that you are terminating your contract early because you are seeking better...