Almost Super: Modeling for the rest of us

To Tattoo or not to Tattoo...that is the question.

2012-02-15T15:30:00.005-05:00

I have put off a post like this for a long time. Mostly because tattoos are a really personal choice and a bit of a touchy subject. I am only posting now because they DO relate to the field of modeling and I it has been coming up a lot in the office lately, so that is how I am slanting this posting. (though I my personal opinion on the matter will seep in LOL)
First, let me start by saying that I don't have anything against tattoos or the people that sport them. I consider it a style choice- albeit a mighty permanent one. I am also going to say in the interest of full disclosure that I don't have any and I don't want any. I liken getting a tattoo to deciding on a husband, sofa, throw pillows, shoes, car, finger nail polish, comforter and wall paint for every room in my house (all of which I have changed already- some many times ;)- and never EVER being able to change them again. No thanks. Again- I couldn't make the decision on a husband stick; so I am going to select the ink that someone is going to drill [permanently] into my flesh with a needle? Um, no.

So all of that out on the table, here is how tattooing relates to modeling: Clients don't like it. Why would they? Much like hair that is too blond or too long, crazy colored contacts, acrylic nails and beards, they are distractions. They also are extremely personal. Good for you- bad for the COMPANY whose product you are representing. Modeling is about advertising, not about the model. You like butterflies? Great- you may not be promoting butterflies. You like skulls- it may not be a good fit for medical editorial you are being cast in.

A hidden tattoo- one that is only seen by your doctor, lover or someone you may run into on the beach may not cause a problem for a shoot upstate but big agencies are not amused by tattoos either. The big agencies are turning away people with obvious tattoos.
My favorite line [from talent] is "I can cover it with make up". Here's a news flash: if the clothing isn't yours and it is a wedding gown or its a cocktail gown or costume that belongs to a client there is no way they are going to allow body make up.

I know people that love their tats but I also know many people who have tattoos that regret them and it is MOSTLY because they got them done too young. This is my issue more than anything. I can't think of one thing that I was doing when I was 19 or 20 that is still relevant to me now. If I had gotten a tattoo back then, I shudder to think what I would have scrawled on my body. Thank goodness vibrating needles scare the bejeepers outta me or I would have some 80's rock band name embossed on my derriere or worse: an old BF's!

So in closing I would just suggest that when it comes to things that involve your body and all things permanent that you pause. If you want to model I would really, really pause. Even in smaller modeling markets like this tattoos have proven to be a an impediment.
If you feel compelled to do something permanent, commit to sending money every month to your favorite charity...or exercising...something that you can undo with minimal fuss. When you get to a point in your life where things are less likely to change and you have made all of your big life decisions (one that doesn't include a modeling career :) that maybe a good time to consider a well thought out tat.

One thing that will never change, is that things will change. I am always evolving; I still can't commit to throw pillows or wall colors for very long, and we definitely won't discuss the husband thing.... The needle issue notwithstanding, I can't imagine what I would ever consider so germane that I would have to have it tattooed on me. Perhaps when I get too old to drive, the GPS coordinates to the nearest Sephora and Panera for my driver? ;)

Hints for a good photo shoot

2012-02-01T15:11:00.003-05:00

• Make sure that your make up is PERFECT! Hire a stylist for your shoot unless you are very good with hair and makeup (and by this I mean you do this for a living). If your hair and make -up are not good- your photos won’t be good. If you hire a stylist (ladies) they will stay and change your hair and make-up as you change your outfit. This will give you a great diverse shoot. Make sure you discuss this with them when you get your price.
• Your main head shot is the MOST important shot so (for us) it must be a plain white background (let your photographer know this!) and you must be smiling with your teeth showing. (here is an example of a great photo of one of our models and she gets a lot of work. Nilde) This is the shot that will draw people into your web page. It must be a knock out! Focus on solid colors vs busy prints and steer clear of logos. These are all distractions. Avoid trends as well as these will “date” your photos.
• Bring and assortment of clothing- upscale casual, business etc. Bring and assortment for the photographer and you to brainstorm over. Don’t just bring a few things.
• DO NOT wear excessive amounts of jewelry or bejeweled clothing. The star of this shoot is YOU. Excessive accessories are a distraction and can also “date” your photos.
• There IS a difference between photographers who shoot weddings & senior portraits, and model portfolios. Agencies want lifestyle photos that look commercial and editorial (not like you are the manager of the month at Walmart) If you are unsure- ask your agency and they will review the photographer's site/work.

ALSO- try not to go crazy with your photos either. A picture of you with a flower pot on your head with bizzare make up is not going to help your career much. Sometimes TOO much diversity is a bad thing. Lately we have been seeing a lot of new photographers taking photos of models that look good in their portfolios but don't help the models. (and by help the models I mean: GET THE MODELS PAYING JOBS!) If you are helping a photographer out, that's great! It is a good way to get photos for free, but make sure you get photos you need out of it too. Ask the photographer if at some point during the shoot you can get your critical head shot, or business shot or whatever else it is that YOU need as well.

The bottom line is your professional photos are not just for your friends to OH and AH over on FACEBOOK. They are supposed to get you paid jobs.

In regards to the comment made by scouting company

2011-03-31T20:57:00.003-04:00

Sometimes when you try to do the right thing it makes you a target. Well I wear my bulls eye proudly this week. If you see below, the "scouting company" saw fit to finally come out of their hole and attack me. I could have just deleted their comment but I thought I would continue to let them bury themselves. They wrote below that they tried to contact my company and got a response from me. Here is what they wrote: "Uh, I emailed you in reference to being with your company and sent you a photo. An automated email then responded stating that my photo was not good enough and you gave me a list of name for professional photographers in my area, so how is that not telling me I need to go out, SPEND MY MONEY, and get photos because my personal photos were not good enough. SO how are you any different, You are not! Also you are affiliated with a modeling school so again you contradict yourself time and time again!"
First, It is very rare that we can get back to anyone that writes to us in less than a few weeks as we are so busy booking talent and we get dozens of submissions a week (we state this on our website). If they sent us a "fake" inquiry this week, we would never have responded already (especially this week as we were twice as busy with all of this additional blogging and taking phone calls from tearful people who went to this "casting call". We also never send "automated" responses. We send replies directly to the sender. Second, we are not, never have been, and never ever will be affiliated with a school. Everyone knows that about us. Third, we always give out photographers names because WE DON'T shoot people ourselves and and make money on our own photo shoots. If someone needs their photos done it is our job as model managers to give them this info and allow them to make their own decision OR go to a photographer of their own choosing. If a model brings us inferior photos that we can't get them work with then it is our job to counsel them and give them the names of qualified people. I have said this for years. It is my job.
Another update- I spoke to my contact at Carousel Mall and they have never booked a show with this "scouting company". Many others called the mall as well (I feel bad for all of the people that have had to suffer because of this.)
I am glad I was able to help so many people this week and I am so sorry for all of the pain that many of you have felt. I do encourage all of you that are unhappy and been unable to get satisfaction to contact the NYS Attorney Generals Office as I heard they may already have a file started on this company (they do business under the names Direct Connect 123 as well. http://www.ag.ny.gov
Again - always, always do your due diligence!
I won't be posting anymore directly from this company BTW. I just thought I would keep you all apprised of what was going on.

CNY Central investigates talent search

2011-03-29T17:56:00.000-04:00

CNY Central investigates talent search: "An agency called Talent Solutions Group is at the DoubleTree Hotel in Carrier Circle this week, and we are investigating what this business is all about."

Talent Searches

2011-03-28T16:41:00.025-04:00

Well today was a good day to be an honest talent manager. I got to see first hand (it has been years since I had the displeasure) one of these "talent search" companies in action. It was disturbing to watch a fast talking, well trained young pitch man (I'm pretty sure I have shoes in my closet older than he) nearly come unwrapped as I asked him legitimate questions about his company's intentions with one of my models that he was trying to extort about $800.00 (not to mention 20.00 a month thereafter) from. Not only could he not make eye contact with me but I thought his eyeballs were going to become dislodged from his skull they were moving so fast.
This particular company was promising "modeling work" to one of my pretty young teens. He said his company got work for models for companies like JC Penney, Macy's and RUE 21. When I asked him if this was print work he said yes. I called him out telling him that I had been in this business for longer than he had been alive and in none of those years had any of those companies done PRINT work here. They are all done in major cities (ie NYC and LA). He tried to fast talk again and brought up the companies BBB "rating". PEOPLE : HEAR THIS! YOU CAN PURCHASE A BBB LOGO FOR YOUR NEW BUSINESS AND WEB SITE. THAT IS HOW IT WORKS. If you have a business you call the BBB and you write them a check and viola- you have a logo.(more or less)I don't have one and I refuse to "buy" one. You want to know what kind of business I run- GOOGLE me. If you have been in business a short time OR you have changed your business name (as is the case with this company) the BBB is not caught up. Check out all the names the company does business under(I found three plus one infamous one that has been sued repeatedly).
Oh, so - they do business under different names??? HELLO- RED FLAG! Also check out the names of the principles of the company. Oh- they aren't listed on the web site or anywhere? HELLO- RED FLAG!! Call the company- does a live human answer- ever? HELLO- RED FLAG!
You must do your due diligence here. Just as you would with any thing you spend this kind of money on. Remove emotion, engage your common sense and proceed with caution. If you were a plumber and just growing your business, would you pay someone from another city far away 800.00 to be on web site called www.starplumbingtalentusa.com and trust them to get you work in your own backyard? It's ridiculous on the face of it but when its modeling all of a sudden it makes sense??? huh???
Do these companies get you any jobs?- Yes. Mostly promotional work which is handing out product samples and working at trade show booths or Walmarts etc. That is how they get around some of the angry people who come back and say: "Hey, you didn't make me a model and get me jobs". We get this type of work for some of our models that desire it too. We call it special event staffing or promotion staffing. It's not bad work it's not MODELING and it certainly shouldn't cost you 800.00 and 20.00 per month to book it! Do they get people traditional modeling jobs? Possibly. Its like the whole spaghetti on the wall thing- if you throw enough, something has to stick...food for thought...no pun intended.
Oh and beware! Rumor has it this show is coming to a mall near you too...next week I hear.....

How to properly submit to an agency.

2010-12-17T11:50:00.015-05:00

Okay- I am ready to throw myself out the window and into a snow bank. I will try not to make this post sound like a rant but it will be difficult. LOL.
I have just opened my umpteenth ill prepared, unprofessional submission and I am a woman on the edge. This post has nothing to do with how the model looks. It has nothing to do with whether they have professional photos taken. It has to do with how people present themselves and how they FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.
Thirty [gulp] years ago when I was starting out in this business and I was looking for an agent I vividly remember typing out a carefully and professionally worded letter explaining who I was and what I wanted to do. I also attached some carefully chosen photos and attached them. There was no wireless anything (I am not sure there were cordless phones). I cared about how I was perceived and the impression I made. None of this matters. Being profession surely has not gone out of fashion. If it has who do I complain to?
When submitting to an agency (especially this one) PLEASE remember that the person on the receiving end of your submission is a professional. They don't want to read a letter that where you have neglected to employ a single capital letter. (there is really no trick to it- just a little old shift button- no need to bother Pat Sajak)
If I had a nickle for every submission where the photos were indecent, colored "Andy Warhol style (really??), duck face puckered (I can't get myself started on this), stats were missing, contact info is missing, the photos were blurry, and on and on. All of the requirements to submit are listed on my web site (and most agencies as well). So even if this stuff is not obvious you CAN find it on most agencies sites.
So to recap- if you want to join an agency don't send a submission like this:

hey i am a inspiring model her are my pics call me
OR
my name is john what do i need to do to model for ur company
OR
i snet my info in last week and i didn't get no response

ALSO Do not send me a photo that you took with your Iphone with you making funny faces with no other info. If you don't take this seriously, how do you expect anyone else to do so?

The proper way to submit is to send via email if you can:
A clear and current, smiling head shot and body shot. Include all of your stats (hgt, wt and measurements- it does not behoove you to lie about this) and don't' forget AGE and D.O.B. I have had people send me photos with no age attached and I have thought to myself; "Wow, that is either a really great looking 40 year old or a really unfortunate looking 25 year old." We need to know how old you are! :-)
Include all contact info as well. I also have all of this listed on my web site:
http://www.amsmodels.com/talent_agency_faq.php
So that is what I have today. If you want to be looked at as a professional then please present yourself as one.

What's a professional model?

2010-11-15T13:45:00.001-05:00

Okay- I spent an hour this morning looking at new model photos and thank goodness it was before breakfast because would have had an upset stomach. Don't take that the wrong way. The models were NOT unattractive! The photos and the way they were presented was very disturbing! I am SO glad we are having a workshop this weekend as it has solidified my reasons for doing it. There is so much bad info out there and young people today (and many moms) have no idea how to present themselves PROFESSIONALLY TO A TALENT AGENCY and therefore would have no idea how to present themselves as PROFESSIONAL MODELS.

Professional models are not people playing "dress up" on Facebook. Professional models get dressed up for photo shoots by paying clients to portray bank tellers, doctors, retail clients, spokespeople, sick people etc, etc, etc. What good are photos of you looking off into the distance with your hands on your hips and your spine contorted into an unnatural position standing on a concrete post?? Bragging rights so you can say that you are the "Queen of the Facebook Models" today? I have models with no FB presence that make 150.00 or more and hour with photos of themselves sitting and standing in pretty normal positions. No bragging- just making a little extra money.

Now I am not saying you can't get cool photos done- there is a lot to be said for practice making perfect BUT you should have a mix of commercial, editorial and this dramatic fashion editorial stuff that I keep seeing. (even though there is NO market here for it). I get that it is FUN. Fun is good. But when a model has nothing to give me but FUN photos- I can't get them work. Fun does not equal paying jobs in upstate NY. Guess what? It doesn't equal paying jobs in NYC either. When and IF you get an agent in NYC they are going to scrap all of your fun photos and make you get new ones anyway. All the big agencies want to see the SAME THINGS I DO: a basic smiling shot of your face and a full [clothed for God's sake] body shot. That's it. This is simple stuff. When you are responding to a request from your favorite photog for another TFP (Time for Prints) shoot what so many models are forgetting is the: “What’s in it for me?” part. That’s right- you can make requests. For example if the photog has an idea like they want to shoot you in front of a fire house in a bikini top, bunker pants and a fire hat, that is all well and good but as your agent I would have no use for that shot. It is ABSOLUTELY appropriate for you to ask that photographer if they wouldn’t mind taking a few new head shots of you at the beginning or end of that shoot for your web page or book. It is your TIME too remember. Every good photographer I know is happy to do that! The TFP should be good for both parties. Also there is a point in time where a good model, a professional model doesn’t need a portfolio of 200 TFP shots unless they are changing their look weekly and need those shots to keep current. If you are that in demand you can start charging for those shots. You can simply say “I am very flattered but I have enough prints for my portfolio now- if you want me I have a small fee for my time.”

This morning I opened up a photo of a girl with a "duck face" for her head shot and then a duck face for a full body shot. Seriously?? We get about 100 new model submission a week and are booking models for jobs every day. I don't have time to tell her what she did wrong (it's all outlined on my web site). Another submission I opened the girl had the duck face (which I truly need explained to me 'cause I don’t get it) and a photo of her dancing on a pole in a bar. Uh….I don't know what to say.

Who do these people think opens these emails? My assistant and I are professional business women and our clients are all professionals as well. We respond well to professional emails AND people who can follow directions. Some of these inquires have no punctuation and NO CAPITALIZATION. Honesly that activates a twitch in my right eye. It is just a matter of hitting the shift key with your pinky. Great Ceasar's ghost, you don't have to split an atom to create a capital letter.

I also get submissions from people's phones. No name. No contact info. No physical stats. Just a duck face photo sent to my inbox. At least they didn't have to deal with trying to figure out how to create that confounding capital letter. Sometimes I will get really lucky and it will say "sent from my iphone". Congratulations.

Present yourself as the model you want to be. Every agency from AMS Models, to NEXT, to FORD has submission guidelines- read them before you submit! If you don’t submit properly you may never hear back because they threw your submission away. If they say no make-up and wear a close fitting dress then don’t send in a photo of you in full make-up and a ball gown- You won’t hear back.

I always say that modeling in upstate NY is a hobby that pays and no one is going to get rich or pay their mortgage with the money but you have to put some effort into it. I do have people that make a few extra thousand dollars a year and these are the people that go to auditions when they come up and they have updated photos that are reflective of the market. No they aren't dangling from a tree limb with enough eyeliner to make Marilyn Manson jealous, and they are wearing a lab coat instead of a ball gown but THEY are getting paying gigs.
This post is for the people that are interested in getting paying Modeling jobs. Not Promotional work- that is something else. Not playing the "I have more pretty photos on FB than you do" game but becoming a professional, money making model.

I don't candy coat this topic (if you didn't get that already). If you want to know how it is I will tell you- there are enough people out there that will tell you exactly what you want to hear because they are trying to take money from you or trying to make a name for themselves or they are CLUELESS and have no experience in this industry. I have spent 30 years in this business and the last 11 as an agent. I have kept current and have had a couple of AMS talent go on to NY. VERY FEW. Why? Because it is hard to become a model in NYC- That's why. I have seen thousands of models. Less than 6 have gone on to make it in NYC and do really well. Those are tough odds.
If someone is telling you that you are going to be a big model in NYC then you should take a hard look at yourself and what you are up against. It is good to dream. I had a dream and I am living it. You have to dream to achieve but this is an industry where people PREY on dreamers more than any business I have ever seen. Google is your friend. An honest agent who will tell you the truth and not ask for your money is your friend. Someone that wants to TAKE something from you and buy your dream for a price is NOT your friend, and if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Don’t go into this blindly and don’t even take my word for it either. Do your homework. Knowledge is power.

So what the heck do you need an agent for?

2009-09-09T08:03:00.000-04:00

Did you ever think about why talent agents or managers really exist? Is it because someone wanted to make a lot of money? TRUST ME that is not the reason (uh- I drive a 3 year old Ford Escape...lol) There are times I think I must be some kind of masochist. This is often a very thankless job. This is not me whining about my job because it is really a great job that I feel fortunate to be able to do- this is my preamble to what and why I do what I do and why it is sometimes necessary to have an agent. Can you get work without and agent? SURE. Can you buy a car without going to a dealer? YUP. Can you buy jewelry without going to a jewelry store? Yes again. You can get what you want pretty much anywhere you want it these days without going through conventional means but sometimes the price that you pay for this is that you don't have professional guidance. Not everyone needs professional counsel but most people DO. The average person does not know what fair payment for a day on set for a TV commercial is. They also don't know to ask "how long is this going to run". Why is that important? Because if you don't ask it can interfere with future work. If an ad you did is going to run "in perpetuity" (that means basically until Christ comes back) then you may never get hired again to do another TV commercial because you will be known as the guy or girl in that forever running OTHER commercial. Now that is all well and good if you got paid substantially for that aforementioned OTHER commercial but if you picked up the gig on Craig's list and made 250.00 then ...well...you just shot yourself in the foot. You still with me? If you had a good, experienced agent they could have negotiated for time limits or better pay etc. That is the reason much of this stuff is out there listed in the first place. I can't tell you how many times new talent or even season talent have come to me and said they have done a commercial and now it is running and they don't know if and when it will ever be pulled. The only way I can promote them is in my other markets. I have also had new talent actually boast of getting these jobs thinking it will boost their careers when they have actually sunk it before it began- because that is how it was "sold" to them.
This is all particularly disturbing when it comes to kids in advertising. There are actually laws in place that protect children in NYS from being underpaid in advertising. (you can look this up on the NYS dept of labor's web site) If you want to hire children in NYS you have to be certified to do so as we are. I heard of a company that hired children to do an all day TV commercial shoot for a local company (who I won't name) and then shot stills for all of their print ads and paid the kids 60.00. 60.00 total. Not only is this an unfair and ridiculous rate by anyone's standards, no one on that set was certified and I think there was a magnet stuck to the bottoms of their moral compasses as well. Often parents are so excited to see their kids in print or on TV that they don't think about anything else. This is not necessarily their fault- they just want to see thier kids in print or where ever, and the money doesn't matter to them but the big picture is they have just allowed a company to exploit thier children's image and other children's images and PERPETUATE a wrong.

There are times when small budget jobs come up or national companies are looking for kids for a big ad and the pay is small, but then there are times when companies are looking to simply get away with something and counting on the people not knowing any better. This is why sometimes you just need a agent or manager and 20% is well worth it to protect your image and your rights.
My job is to constantly walk the line between getting my clients what they need while protecting my models images for the short term and the long term. They are all like my children- it sounds corny but it's true. I would not have been doing this for ten years if I didn't think so. There are other things I could be doing....they might even have gotten me a better car! LOL

Ophelia's Place Fashion Show!

2009-02-10T12:20:00.003-05:00

This past weekend I had the pleasure of directing our second fashion show for Ophelia's Place called "Revolutionizing the Runway". Every time I have anything to do with this organization I am overwhelmed but the response that I get and how much I am moved by the people I come in contact with. Eating disorders touch millions of people's lives everyday and yet so little is knows. Ophelia's Place's motto and message is "Hope in the midst of a struggle". They are there to help and support people with eating disorders and because they don't charge for their services they need help as well.
The modeling industry has a reputation of perpetuating the problem of eating disorders. I am going to do everything in my power to break that cycle in whatever way I can. I don't tell models to lose weight- and I never have. This is not an industry norm. I know I am one person but I believe that change starts with one person. Even if I am the ONLY person I will still stand proud in my conviction. I am working with OP director Mary Ellen Clausen to start a new self esteem program at OP. We aren't sure what it is yet but I know that this problem won't get solved or even smaller unless people step up and out of what's considered expected and do something radical. That is what the fashion show was about. It's why I am so proud of my models that gave up time for fittings, rehearsals and a whole Sunday to put on an amazing show. I'm even more proud of the people from OP who stepped out of their comfort zones and took a walk on a runway to enlighten people to the struggles of those with eating disorders. We all struggle with something. It is part of who we are. It is how we choose to deal with our struggles that truly shapes us. Philosopher Kahlil Gibran said: "Out of suffering have emerged the strongest of souls, the most massive characters are seared with scars."

http://www.cnycentral.com/news/video.aspx?id=257256

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKPaxD61lwo

TImes they are a changing...

2008-12-13T11:56:00.003-05:00

I know it has been a while since I have posted but it has been a strange and busy year for most people including me. The agency is still doing and has felt the pinch of the economy but we are still going strong because we are still holding to our core values of representing our talent with integrity and working with our clients in the same way.

Times like these have everyone struggling to make ends meet and save money. Cutting advertising is one way to make ends meet but most business advisers will tell you that cutting advertising is not the way to do that. You don't want your clients to forget you and look for someone else when times are tough. There are other options for our clients that hurt our industry (like using stock photos) when times get tough which is why it is important for us to continue to stay the course and keep providing good talent and not resort to selling high priced classes and portfolio packages to make up for any lost revenues.
Some companies have had to resort to using stock photography instead of models for their advertising. While I understand that hiring a photographer and a model for an ad does cost more than using a stock photo-It is risky. When you hire a model and photographer there is no risk of seeing the your photo in a competitors ad and you have made something original that reinforces YOUR brand. It is an image that you created for yourself and no one else. I have heard stories of and seen with my own eyes, stock photos that a company purchased and then seen the same photo used again by another company. That is money not well spent and it can jeopardize a brand.

I have always considered myself a cock-eyed optimist (and a hard working one at that) and I will continue to be one through these times. I think that Americans are tough and will weather this storm as we have done in the past. I think that our industry will not only survive but thrive. I am absolutely counting on it.

So you think you want to model?

2008-05-27T14:38:00.003-04:00

We have recently been receiving many new submissions which are wonderful but it has prompted me to write about the proper way to send photos to an agent to be considered as a model. These things to vary from city to city so these are mostly my preference but some of my preferences will transcend different zip codes and time zones. (As they can be construed as common sense) While I try not to sound cynical, I hope you can forgive my occasional transgressions. Until you have opened the mail in our office for a month you couldn’t possibly imagine our perspective. Most of these nuggets are founded in actual events but instead of changing names to protect the innocent I have just gone ahead and left them out.

Keep in mind these first few shots you send us are just the preliminary step before we meet you. They don’t have to be professional shots but there are some guidelines.

First: Don’t send photos with sunglasses on. Unless we specifically said we were casting for the Unibomber or Paris Hilton- no photos with sunglasses please. We want to see you and your whole face not just the 2/3's you've decided to show us. Same with hats- do you have a bald spot, widow’s peak? They could work; but we need to know that to make an evaluation.
Another novel thought: SMILE! Forget about what you've seen on TV. If you are sending an agency photos to an agency for consideration (especially mine) I need to know IF YOU HAVE ALL YOUR TEETH. That's right, we take nothing for granted here. If some one sends me six tight lipped photos the first thing I gotta ask myself is "What are they hiding?" Maybe they do have teeth but they are the color of pond water or they have been opening soup cans with them. So send us a nice clear, smiling head shot so we can see what your face looks like. (And for the record; that whole pouty, scary, America’s Next Top Model wannabee look just makes you look silly.)
Next: Please, in the name of all that is sacred, send me photos of yourself WITH clothes on. This agent does not want to see you guys in your "da da dah's" or see Victoria’s Secret, Suzie's Secret, or anybody else's. Send us a full body photo (uh-clothed but not in a parka and mukluks either) wearing what you normally do.
The bottom line is to evaluate you properly we need to see what you REALLY look like in all of your fully clothed glory with all the perfections and imperfections that God gave you. None of us are perfect including those folks in the magazines. If you don't have teeth like Donny Osmond or hair like George Clooney, its OKAY- we just need all that information to make a decision. If you don’t have a perfect body that is okay as well. This market tolerates ALL shapes, ages, ethnicities and sizes and so do we. Our assessment is made based on whether or not we think we can get you work in THIS market. Often we get photos of people who are very attractive but have a look that is better suited to another city like Miami or LA but we don’t necessary think we can get them work here. We get back to everyone and let them know if we think that we can honestly get them work in the upstate NY area. If you are not sure you might as well just send in a photo- it won’t hurt anything and we are always nice. I am only sarcastic when I blog…LOL!

Opinions are like armpits, everyone's got one...or two...

2007-09-15T10:34:00.000-04:00

Okay, so this one will probably be mostly funny, but kinda serious, and just a little off my normal course :-).... After an appearance on TV this week someone called the agency office to criticize my top 10 list of "First Impression Faux Pas". (click here to view: Women's & Men's) Now I am not certain WHICH of the top five that I discussed this person took issue with as he was too busy criticizing me personally and that is absolutely his right. I wish he had called when he knew I would be there instead of when he thought I would be at the station taping LIVE. (Everyone is 6'9" and bulletproof when they block their phone number and they know the person they are attacking isn't going to answer the phone :-) ....The call came in 3 minutes after my face went off the air.
First, I was criticized for wearing "pedal pushers" (for those of you under the age of 50, or who haven't purchased your digitally remastered copy of "I love Lucy" on DVD, that is what they used to call any sort of cropped pants) LOL, and a deep cut V neck (apparently I am too old to be wearing this- though he had to demand to know my age from my assistant before making this assertion) Also, a woman shouldn't tell a man how to dress.

Okay, for any other of you out there who may like to know "who the heck I think I am" for putting myself out here, I guess I can tell you: I don't think I am anyone at all. I am just a gal who LOVES fashion and all things beautiful. Oh, and I just happen to be in that business (or those businesses if you want to count my Interior Decorating business). For the record I did go to college for Fashion Merchandising over two and half decades ago (but seriously folks- nothing I learned back then is all that relevant to what I say or do now), I have been a model on and off now for 28 years and I have coordinated dozens of fashion shows for over a decade. I subscribe to countless magazines on fashion and home decor thus keeping current on what's hot and what's not. So style is my thing. People call me and ask me my advise and they tell me I look nice. Outside of that, I am just a regular gal that loves to dress up and put on pretty stuff. :-)
Heidi Klum has project runway, Kathy Ireland and Cindy Crawford have lines of furniture, Daisy Fuentes has a line of clothing, Iman has a line of make up, my friend B. Smith has a line of home decorating goods, furniture, TV show and restaurants, Nikki Taylor has a Fashion Boutique. And who is that other former model that has the magazine, the TV show, books and the mega merchandise lines- oh yeah, Martha Stewart. There are many more, but you get the idea...
There is a lot of cross over when it comes to Beauty, Fashion and Style. These things are often mutually inclusive. It is no accident that some people end up in these fields. It is almost like there is no place else for them and I am just one of those people. So for those of you who like to visit my blog, I am sorry I have neglected it. I will try to do better. For those of you who enjoy watching the TV segments THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
I am not perfect, I am just a gal who likes pretty things and who likes to share what I know. Truth be told- most of the reason is I am sharing at all is because people ASKED me to! Many, many people have asked me over the years to teach them, give seminars, speak at their schools, on TV etc. I was and still am humbled each and every time that I am asked. While I do think I have something to offer, I do not think I am the be all and the end all of know-it-all's. There are still people that I go to and say: "Do I look stupid in this?"

I will add this: I am never mean spirited- it is not who I am. I can instruct someone on the correct way to do something with out demeaning them. (Seriously, there is plenty I don't know how to do- just ask my accountant!) I will use humor and I will show the correct way but I will not make someone feel small. I was the ugly duckling as a child and the odd one out, It is something you keep with you always no matter how much distance you put between then and where you are, somehow there it still is. I wouldn't change it though- it gives me a certain empathy. I am still an underdog at heart- I just have better teeth, contact lenses, and straighter hair.

I don't respect or admire people who are mean spirited. If someone has a contrary opinion to mine I welcome it, but it in polite society there are ways to make your opinion known without being a bully or being insulting.
Being a model has given me thick skin so I can take a hit or two, there is just a time, a place and a way to do it so that everyone is heard and can respond. If the person who called my office would like to actually talk to me or write to me, I would still love to hear from him or anyone else.... Style and civility are not mutually exclusive ;-)

For the love of Brows…

2007-04-05T14:53:00.000-04:00

This is a matter near and dear to my heart. For those of you that are models for my company you have heard me pontificate on this topic. There is a dreadful trend in eyebrows that I see over and over in young girls: Over plucking! Actually: Over, over plucking. I don’t know why they are doing it. It looks terrible on everyone. It makes even pretty girls look awful.

Who started this trend? Where else is it seen? In what city or even remote island? On what celebrity or on what model? (Okay- sure I love Whoopie too- but do you really want to look like her?) Someone PLEASE TELL ME lest I go mad! The only thing worse is when they pair this heinous look with snowy white eye shadow and sharp laser thin black eyeliner inside their bottom lid. This look is infiltrating the mainstream at an alarming rate. Oh, the tragedy! Coco Channel and Kevyn Aucoin must be spinning in their graves. If only I had their crow footless eyes and elastic skin- you wouldn’t catch this wrinkly lady squandering those gifts with this incongruous look. No way Sharpe. It is the tale of the Emperor’s new clothes for the 21st century gone mad.

I am truly confounded by the notion of having access to the correct way to do something and NOT doing it that way especially when the correct way costs no more than the incorrect way of doing it and it takes waaaay less time. Furthermore the correct way makes everyone look better, it's less painful, lower maintenance, and doesn’t scare small children. (Why do you think so many people have an aversion to clowns- think about it- it’s probably a brow thing too.)

Do you see where I am having a hard time getting my cerebrum around all of this? I see pretty young girls with lovely brows one day and then a few months later I bump into them and it’s like they have had a run in with a one-eyed waxer. (I think: “Is there a big casting for space aliens going on and I missed the memo?”) Nope- they have just succumbed to “The Look”. Well here’s a new memo: “The look” is wrong. “The look” is ghastly. “The look” is a malevolent force working its way through the halls of schools, malls and office buildings all across the country. “The Look” must be stopped.

I have racked my brain to come up with an appropriate metaphor for this whole scary thing, and I think I have done it: It is like going to the Doctor and saying: “Doctor- I feel great- but everyone around me is sick- could you please make me sick?”

Now girls, if you continue with this trend you may find that my cautionary tale has come too late and you will not be able to grow your eyebrows back. (It’s kind of like when your mom used to tell you: “If you don’t stop making that funny face- it may freeze that way and you’ll be sorry.” But this time it’s true! Your face (or at least a little part of it WILL stay that way- and you really WILL be sorry.)

Okay- Still don’t believe me? Here is my challenge: Pick up a magazine- any magazine and find a photo of someone whose eyebrows match yours. If you can find 4 people whose brows look like yours you are right on track. (These photos can not come from The Most Wanted poster at the post office, a police photo array, or the “Don’t” Section in the back of any of the fashion magazines.) If you can’t then you probably need to rethink your brows- but don’t despair there is lots of help in the links below!

For more information on eyebrows check out my eyebrow segment on the April 9th episode of Bridge Street with Rick and Julie on WIXT Newschannel 9 (watch the video now at: http://www.9wsyr.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=195859 ) and you only need to wax once a month or so- not once a week- I misspoke :-)

http://www.oprah.com/health/beauty/health_beauty_brows.jhtml http://www.secondcitystyle.com/node/400
http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/article.asp?pagetype=ART&id=44

Model Searches...and other scary stories.

2006-11-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I have put this one off for a long time....and guess what? I am going to put it off for a little while longer! I am doing this because I would love to hear some of your experiences with model searches before I launch into my diatribe. Everytime a model search comes to town our phone rings with questions about model searches. I can't tell you how many phone calls I have fielded over the years from concerned mothers whose daughters desperately want to go to these things. Put up your questions and I will try to answer them to the best of my abilities.
I will create an official post on this topic as soon as I can (I am behind the eight ball lately) and this one will take a while :-)
-ams

Model Behavior

2006-09-08T19:08:00.000-04:00

There is a code of conduct for all industries and the modeling industry is no different. Unfortunately a lot is made of a few successful models' less than "model behavior".
Let me tell you that THIS agent has a definite opinion on how a model should behave. My interest in this goes beyond common decency. EVERYONE should be nice ALWAYS. That is my personal belief, but a model behaving badly is not only a reflection on the model but it is a reflection on the agency that dispensed them as well.
If I send out a model who shows up late, without the correct outfits or make up if it was required, snapping their gum and yapping on their cell phone, you can bet this agent will get a call. You can also bet your blue jeans that the talent will be getting an unpleasant phone call from me.
Any client that has ever had talent like this foisted upon them may not remember that model's name; but you can bet your Manolos they would remember the AGENT'S name.
An agent is only as credible and reputable as the last model I sent out to a given client.

Fortunately I am VERY clear to all new talent what I expect from them, and "diva" attitude is on the list of unacceptable behavior.
NO ONE is so good looking that they can work in this business (especially in a small town) and have a bad attitude. I can't think of one of my clients that would put up with one of the notorious "bad girls" of the modeling biz, just because they are great looking. Not one.
The bottom line is that being nice is the first step to success in so many things and modeling is no exception. I have had the good fortune to work with some of the most professional models. Some of them get called back for more work by clients BECAUSE they are so wonderful to work with. Fancy that- a model getting called back because they are nice. Who'da thunk?

I have long been saying that one of the biggest problems facing the human race is there is not enough emphasis on knowing how to behave in polite society. My children are taught to open doors for EVERYONE (not just ladies), to be NICE to everyone (not just people they know and who are nice to them) and to stand up and give their seat to anyone who they see standing. My children have given me a gray hair or two over the years but there is no prouder moment that when this mom sees her son go up to a stranger and offer them his seat in a doctor's office. There are no words....

So, where are you going with this Ann Marie? Well, I will tell you: whether you are a model, a mogul, a marine or a maid, it pays to be nice. If my agent had ever called me and said: "I have a client that wants you to come back because they said you were great to work with" I would be happier than if they said I had great bone structure or nice legs. How about this for a bonus: Being nice doesn't require carb counting or a single sit up (cue the Halleluiah chorus).

Modeling for Teens....

2006-08-24T07:22:00.000-04:00

Okay, this is the post that I have been dreading the most. The Baby post had me sweating...This one gave me an eye twitch. We get more calls from and about teens than any other kind of call. Do I have something against teens? Absolutely NOT. Teenagers are fascinating; you can take a huge cross section of them and not find two that are remotely alike only to discover that half of them are best friends....They are often the most accepting and the least accepting....They can be innocent and at the same time sage. (Yes- sage. Do you know who the lead singer of the Greenday is? See? That counts for wisdom in some circles)

Alright, I have stalled long enough. Here is the deal with Teens and modeling: It is just like baby modeling except they are taller. Seriously. If you live in a small city and there are no industries that have their headquarters in your city (here is that reference again) then there is no place for teens to model. (The hinky part is if you tell a 15 month old they can't model the repercussions aren't as grave as telling a 15 year old the same thing- go figure)

So here it is again: Teens are cast for ads like clothing make up and hair care products. If there is no department store headquartered where you live, then they won't cast for catalog models there. All the big make up companies find their models in NY and LA or use celebs. (See, even the big time models have competition! Doesn't that warm the cockels of your heart...Whatever a cockle is)
The thing that makes this such a sticky problem is that the people that want to model more than any other faction or demographic on the planet are TEEN GIRLS. And who's spirit do we want to break less than theirs? Like they don't have enough to deal with...Acne, peer pressure, physics lab, rising make up prices, shrinking skirts....teen boys....
So your teen daughter comes to you and says: "Mom, Dad, I want to model." Here's where I could say "RUN LIKE A RAT FROM A BURNING BUILDING" but that probably wouldn't be helpful huh? :-)
Every parent thinks that their children are beautiful (I know this writer does). I can't think of too many things that are less subjective than beauty to begin with but then you have to factor in that size and weight matter and no one cares if they are a straight A student, student council president or make their bed everyday. NOW factor in that where you live can put you at at a huge disadvantage and what you have is potential for major disappointment.

So what's a parent to do? You explain to them that there are approximately 1.4 billion women in the world and about 12.5 more since you started reading this blog. Then let them know that the number of super models in the world wouldn't even fill the closest Abercrombie and Fitch. Those are some crazy numbers. I am not saying you can't have your dream (or we wouldn't have ANY super models would we?) but you can't discount these kind of odds either.
The realities of trying your hand at this in another city is fodder for another post.....more to come...

"Looking for an agent?"

2006-08-16T20:59:00.000-04:00

So you think you want to model and you would like to have an agent. Good idea. Could you do this without an agent? Sure- I have done it myself. Is it easier with an agent or manager? You bet.
You can try to paper your small city with your head shots, comp cards or zeds and hope that potential clients hang on to them and call you OR you can have your agent do all the work.
So how do you find an agent? Here is once again the small town skinny. (if you try this in NYC or LA you may get an un-cheerful earful OR a long laundry list OR a "who are you and why do you want to know?") So if you are in a smaller town then here is a down and dirty shortcut and it is nearly foolproof.

I am always saying that this business is just like any other so you have to look at it like any other business. If you moved to a new town and wanted to know where you should shop for shoes you would ask someone who had nice shoes. If you needed to find someone to color your hair, you would ask someone with nice hair color. (and hope they tell you the truth :) And so it is with Talent agents but here is the hook: if you want to find a good one- don't go where the models go- go where the CLIENTS go. To find out who the best agent in town is, call the biggest commercial photographers and production companies (look them up in the yellow pages or online) and ask them who THEY call when they need a model. If they say all say they call XYZ Talent then BINGO you have it. If you get a receptive person on the other end of the line, then you may want to ask them a couple more questions: "Is the agency easy to deal with? Does someone answer the phone full time?" Don't get carried away and inquire if they take babies or how many seniors they have. Ask your two questions and thank them for their time.

Now this doesn't mean that they will accept you or their rates are competitive or that you will think they are swell; it just means that when someone needs a model in your town that you now know who most people call. Like any other business, an agent is probably going to tell you they are the biggest and the best; now you know how to get the real skinny.

Copyright Ann Marie Stonecypher, All rights reserved.

Baby Modeling....

2006-08-07T12:39:00.000-04:00

Baby Modeling...there could be an entire blog devoted to this topic but it really isn't that complicated. It is just like any of the other categories of modeling in a "little" city; if you have a company that produces baby products that is based in your area (again with the headquarters thing), there is a good chance that there is a baby modeling market there. It could be clothes, diapers, food, toys or whatever. If not, then you are in a market like most American cities and the requests for babies coincides with the appearance of Haley's Comet.

Every week we get a couple of calls that sound like this (it is funny because nearly EVERY call starts with the same first few lines as if all the mommies are reading from a script) :"I am calling because I want to get my baby into modeling. He/She is beautiful- Not just because he/she is mine, but every where we go people stop and tell us how beautiful he/she is and he/she should model."

I have no doubt that every mom or dad that calls us has a beautiful baby. (most babies are beautiful one way or another) The problem is that if there is no company that needs to hire babies in your market to sell their product (be they pretty, ugly or seed of the Frankenstein), then there is no baby market. I have actually spent a lot of time explaining all of this to parents on the phone to have them say: "Thank you, we will call another agency."As I have said in a previous post: I don't make the news- I just report it.....OYE...It's a good thing I am not a drinker.

There is also the issue of: "Does the baby really need to be cute?" Answer: NO! If given the choice between an average looking baby who has a sweet disposition that will let a perfect stranger hold them verses one that looks like the genetic byproduct of Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt but who won't go to strangers or smile for the camera- the average looking baby will win every time. The subject of cuteness is moot if the baby can't "perform".

So who's gonna call me asking for a baby? The occasional extraordinarily patient photographer that wants to roll the dice and see if a 6 month old baby that they have never met before can be still, cooperative, and happy for several hours under hot lights while simultaneously getting poked, shuffled and prodded, while several strangers stare at him. Then there is the whole issue of dealing with the baby's parents, most of whom who have never experienced any of this before. (Yikkies- that is something for another post altogether!) Hmmmm... And we wonder why there isn't more baby work? LOL

AND there is a very small window of time that humans are even babies. A baby photo is obsolete quicker than a new entry in Nicole Ritchie's buddy list. If someone sends me a baby photo and I don't get a baby request until 6 months after receiving it then I can get pretty much get rid of that photo.

In a small city, babies are usually only cast to accompany a person who actually IS part of the target demographic for the advertiser (a 25- 45 year old for example). That being the case why not hire a 5 year old and make life easy? Why not indeed. :-) In small city markets like this, a 4-9 year old will get a lot more work than babies will(they will often get more work than preteens or teens for that matter which is fodder for another post). A child that is 4-9 is the right size to be photographed smiling hand in hand with a person that is 25-45 to simulate a happy little family. Happy Families sell stuff!

So the bottom line is this: You either live in an area where baby models are in demand or you don't. If you don't and you really, really, really feel a masochistic urge to immortalize your child on a jar of baby food then you'd better strap yourself in! It's a whole different thing trying to get your baby's mug in pantries or toyboxes around the world. You have just entered an alternate dimension- the Big City Baby Modeling Agency. That is so the subject of another post....

Copyright Ann Marie Stonecypher, All rights reserved

You're 45 years old, 5'5 and a size 8-You're Model Perfect!

2006-08-03T12:20:00.000-04:00

So what makes a perfect model in a little city? Quite possibly-YOU!
My most popular model right now is actually an attractive woman who is 47 years old, 5'6" and a healthy size 8. Why does her look work here? Because where we are (and quite possibly where you are as well) our clientele wants someone who can look like a mom, doctor, lawyer, retail customer, patient, waitress etc. Tommy Hilfiger is not trucking through town looking for models; neither is Cover Girl, Victoria's Secret or Pampers (that last one is fodder for another post altogether :-)
Frankly my 5'10" size 3 girls don't get anywhere close to the amount of jobs that my 47 year old woman does. If your town is not a "high fashion" town but is home base to a lot of companies that market to an older demographic, then you may be just what they are looking for.
We are constantly looking for people over 30, different ethnicities and seniors. Let me put it to you this way- If you were the owner of an upscale furniture store and you needed to cast a salesperson and a customer for your next newspaper ad- who would you cast? What if you owned a medical supply company? A nursing home? An autobody repair shop? You get the idea.

To figure out if your look can work in your area, you have to ask yourself what kind of businesses are headquartered in your area? The headquartered part is the key. Most advertising is done out of the company's headquarters (the exception being very large corporations (auto makers etc) who would tend to reach out to ad agencies is big cities) The company hires a local ad agency who hires local photographers who hire local models. Simple right? So here is a shout out to all of you regular guys and gals...you can be a BIG model fish in a little city pond if you feel like it!

Copyright Ann Marie Stonecypher, All rights reserved

Big City vs Little City models...

2006-08-01T21:03:00.000-04:00

Well, I might as well start somewhere so I thought I would start here. There is a lot of basic information about this business that people don't have so I am going to start out with the difference between big city modeling and "little city" modeling. (if you aren't living in a city like NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami or Dallas- then you are a "little city")
In a BIG city there are "rules"....lots of them....you have to be a certian height and weight AND have a certain look. (and the look could depend on which way the wind blew up Fifth Avenue this week- it changes all the time) Usually the Big modeling agencies in the BIG Cities are looking for girls 5'9" and over who are THIN (and by "thin" I mean scary-sharp-hip-bones-sticking-out-over-the-waistband-of-your-Seven-for-all-mankind-jeans thin").
Yup- we're talkin' thin here.
Why do they have these rules you ask? Why does Tom Cruise only date gorgeous women? Why do gym teachers make you do push ups? Why does my puppy do his business on my living room rug? ANSWER: Because they can! They have the power- they make the rules. Period. That is the short answer. Here is the long answer. There are different types of models: Print, TV, editorial and runway to make it easy. The runway models have to be tall because the designers like how their clothes look on tall skinny people (no duh). So, if you are a modeling agent in a BIG city and you are going to hire a model, wouldn't you want a model that could be fit into all of these categories? I mean if you hired a gorgeous healthy 5'4" girl for your agency and the call came in for a "runway model" you wouldn't want to have her end up in the mix would you? LOL. So if you have ONLY skinny 5'9" or taller girls in your agency you would never have to worry your head about such things. Simple. (remember folks, I am just reporting the rules, not making them up or endorsing them)
**** For the record, the average "Super Model" is 5'11" and 117lbs. The average WOMAN is 5'4" and 140 lbs. (wow) So that's how it is in the BIG city.

Now for the good news: In a little city you don't have to be tall! Hot Dang!

Why don't you have to be tall in a little city? Because little city agents (that's me) don't usually have designers coming in and ordering up a weeping willow of a girl to strut down a runway. In little cities we have malls with clothes for average size women and if they were to spring for a fashion show there wouldn't be enough 34" inseamed pants to go 'round. I can't imaging if I had to outfit a gaggle of girls who were all over 5'9"- impossible! (I happen to be over 5'9 and until a year or two ago could barely find pants to fit just me) For all intents and purposes, a little city is a designer free zone. The jobs we send models out on are for local companies like furniture stores, banks, medical supply companies and the like. I can't think of one of these stores that would hire Giselle. She would stick out like a sore middle finger. So take heart. If you are NOT 5'11 and 117lbs there is a place for you in this business and it is probably in your own back yard. That is just one of the differences between them and us. More to come....

Copyright Ann Marie Stonecypher, All rights reserved

Here I am.....

2006-08-01T17:40:00.000-04:00

Here I am. I have been dragged kicking and screaming into the wonderful world of blogging. I consider myself a fairly technologically inclined person; I am totally dependent on my cell phone, PDA and computer with all it's finery, but somehow blogging scared me. So with a fair amount of prodding from my friends- I have done it. I don't know if anyone cares what I have to say- but here goes. If it turns out that no one cares a wit about my ramblings, then I will just go back to my blog-free life and pick up where I left off :-)

This blog will hopefully help people who have an interest in the modeling business get a handle on what it is all about. This is an industry rife with misinformation and scams. If you have a question or observation that you would like to post, by all means do so. Moms- this means you too! When I am not doing this, that's what I'm doing too: Momming.