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

If you've read Part 1 in this 3-series post ( How Much Do Models Get Paid? Part 1 - Overview ), then you're already caught up on where my train of thought is going when it comes to explaining how the average working female and male model earns income. The first part of the series served as a summary or overview of the subject but part 2 will focus on breaking down the factors that typically influence the kind of pay a model could command per booked assignment. As I mentioned in my other post, there is no guidebook, rule book or other established chart that says exactly what clients should be paying models. Why? Simply because not every modeling gig is exactly the same. It all varies from project to project, client to client, budget to budget and situation to situation. However, there are some common factors that help clients determine what kind of pay rate to offer a model. I'm speaking in generalities here so keep that in mind. There are always exceptions to the ru...

Category: Posing For: Female & Male Models Are you having trouble producing a really intense, dramatic stare? Then try this awesome tip from fellow model/actor (and photographer!) Breanna Baker (who took the headshot image of me below): Focus your eyes on the photographer's camera...you know how oftentimes the lense or some part around it will have wording (usually it's white and contains the name of the camera or product info)? Concentrate on trying to read what the writing on the camera around the lense is. The key is to not squint but instead hold a steady and intense gaze into the camera as if you're in deep thought. The result: a really great dramatic shot that doesn't take a lot of effort to produce.  The key to perfecting this "tip" is by practicing in the mirror at home. Write something on a small piece of paper and tape it to the mirror at eye level and practice staring at the words and pretending to try and read it. The paper...

I often talk about commercial/print modeling on this blog and the many benefits of doing this type of work but have come to understand that the concept/definition of this category may not always be quite clear to aspiring models learning the industry. So I decided to do a new post to update some info in regards to this category and hopefully bring you guys more insight as to what commercial/print models do and the nature of their jobs. Commercial/Print Doesn't Mean TV Commercials It totally makes sense for people to think that because the word "commercial" is in the phrase, that it means acting in TV commercials. But when it comes to modeling, "commercial" is used in a different way. In commercial/print the "commercial" part is mostly referring to the demographic that clients are targeting, which would be the average, everyday consumer. The businessman/woman, families, parents, kids/teens, etc. So if you want to get into commercial/print mo...

I was looking through my blog posts under the Label/Category "Money Matters" on my blog here lately and realized that while I have a good number of posts related to pay rates, advice on how to charge for modeling services, etc., I didn't really have a post that just kept it black and white when it comes to this very common question: "How much do models get paid?" I believe you can never have too much information on any subject so that's why I'm adding another post to this category (a 3-part series to be exact) that will hopefully present yet another perspective and additional knowledge as to how models earn their keep. Please note that this post is talking about payment and earnings for the average working model, not supermodels and the other high earning types of models we ogle over. So How Much Do Models Make Anyway? Whenever I'm asked this question I can't just give a straight answer because there isn't really just one that appl...

Happy 2014, everybody! I know, I know, we're already getting into mid-January and I'm a bit late on doing a celebratory kind of blog post, lol, but I decided to jump right into my traditional informative posts to kick things off because I'd been getting a lot of emails asking for info about modeling contracts lately so I wanted to address that request sooner than later. So consider this post my backwards way of making things correct in a timely manner. ;-) Normally I wait a few more months in between doing "The Latest on Dania Denise" posts but I figured it is a new year and why not share with my readers what I've been doing now that we're in 2014? Actor Mode Being a model and actor certainly has its benefits. When work slows down in one category, it's like a rule of nature for projects to pick up in the other category. The holiday season meant a slow one for modeling so I got a chance to unwind and be lazy. However, shortly after New Year...

Modeling contracts can be intimidating and it's no wonder that I often get panicked emails and messages from model hopefuls with all sorts of questions. I have a handful of blog posts that talk about modeling contracts but I know it never hurts to add more content to expand on the subject. And I do plan on adding more posts to that category over time. This post will focus on the main parts contained within the typical modeling agency contract. But please note that each agency has its own contracts it uses and the clauses contained are specifically relevant to how that business operates. Because I don't know what every single agency contract looks like, the purpose of this post is to shed light on the most common clauses that can be found in a majority of these types of documents. Also keep in mind that I am by no means a legal professional (or claiming to be one). The terms and descriptions I'll be referring to are all based on my experiences and knowledge of the m...

It goes without saying that modeling is a harsh business. Models are in a profession where being judged and evaluated is just another day at the office. Those who've been in the industry for a long time certainly have the thick skin needed to get through but it's only natural that newbies may have a tougher time getting used to such an uncommon learning curve. I think what is important for newer models starting out to keep in mind is to put everything in perspective. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, any feedback--positive or negative--isn't a direct reflection of who the model is as a person. It's just business. Piggybacking off that concept, it is vital for new female and male models alike to understand the difference between criticism and constructive criticism. CRITICISM: Pointing out certain faults, flaws, mistakes or shortcomings in a disapproving manner. Example: "Your runway walk is sloppy and your posture is terrible." CONST...