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Monday,
January 23, 2006
Did
You Hear About The Model Job Shortage?
Neither
did we. Apparently, however, from looking at all of the model job boards
online right now, it seems to exist. 80% of everything seems to be promotional
modeling this, promotional modeling that. The remaining 20% are either
outright scams or jobs that good girls, and, for that matter, professional
models, shouldn’t be doing.
What is promotional modeling, anyway? It’s basically standing around
handing out fliers or what-not. It is the “extras” (to use
an acting term for acting which is basically being background material
in scenes) of modeling work, and the low rates and low hours barely make
it worthwhile. Don’t, however, confuse it with trade show modeling
or convention modeling, which is almost the same thing but with the difference
being more upscale settings, more professional interactions with people,
product demonstrations (and the training required to demonstrate products,
which normally costs nothing to the model but the time spent studying
and practicing), longer hours, and much higher pay. Going back to promotional
modeling, I call it “plankton modeling”, which roughly translates
to being the low end of the food chain in the modeling world and barely
makes the status of legitimate modeling job (for more on these three similar
types of modeling jobs, their rate differences, and what they normally
entail, see our model job definitions here
on Tampa Bay Modeling).
Did I invest hundreds of dollars for professional pictures, a portfolio,
and composite cards to land jobs paying $15.00 an hour for four hours
a pop? Hell No! It doesn’t make sense to spend all that money to
make what a full time day job would pay. I know, it’s like full
time pay in half the time, but when you factor in the driving for a four
hour gig and some of the BS that a promotional model has to put up with,
that four hours is more like sixteen- not to mention that the hours come
and go and you won’t end up making what you would if you had a normal
40 hour-a-week job. It basically sucks, and many a promotional model has
questioned if modeling is worth it after they get conditioned to think
that promotional modeling is what modeling is all about. Some get into
this mindset that the only jobs that a freelance model working without
an agency can land is promotional work. Thankfully, both of these perceptions
are incorrect.
Think that you can negotiate rates on promotional modeling? Think again!
It’s very difficult to do, simply because anyone can do it and there
are almost no qualifications other than to represent the company as specified
and show up on time. While some promotional modeling jobs, such as for
night clubs and alcohol promotions, require a pretty face and a degree
of sex appeal, over half of all model promotion jobs only require looks
that don’t induce vomiting and the ability to compose single-syllable
words. At least with trade shows and conventions, you have more leverage
to negotiate rates, simply because those jobs require a degree of professionalism,
interaction, brains, and skill.
Want to know a secret? Promotional modeling isn’t mainstream modeling.
You don’t even have to be a model to do it. To book a typical promotional
modeling job, you don’t need composite cards or a portfolio. If
you want to be a promotional model, all that you have to do is submit
a snapshot and then interview well with a resume padded with promotional
modeling work. Congratulations, you’ll get the job, and if that’s
your idea of modeling, you’re more than welcome to it. Is promotional
modeling a bad thing? No. I know print models who do it from time to time.
It’s just that you need to be selective, and balance it out with
other types of modeling jobs. If that’s all that you want to do,
then don’t bother wasting your time getting pictures, composite
cards, and a portfolio. If you do, and I know of many models who have,
you will eventually regret it, and if you do the math and factor in the
logistics, it’ll make your little model stomach sick.
The other types of jobs on those model job boards are scams and inappropriate
modeling jobs. The most common type of model job scam would be the classic
bait and switch, with someone holding out the prospect of a paying model
job and then trying to sell the model something when they show up to the
go-see (some of those types of scams here in Clearwater come to mind,
but presently those who are still in business after a bunch of models
kicked the crap - figuratively, not literally - out of them have apparently
cleaned up their act..... as if they had a choice). What happens most
of the time with one of those model job scams is that the so-called “art
director” conducting the go-see tells the model that her composite
cards and portfolio are no good, and then mention that they offer portfolio
development, related services, and sometimes even a modeling school or
class. Many of these models never book the “job” for some
reason (although they don’t seem to have a problem booking other
work with what they had) and end up paying lots money for photography
which turns out to be worse than the ones that they had. A higher percentage
of these model job scams are supposed print jobs, as those are highly
sought after by most professional models and rarely appear on model job
boards since most art directors work with modeling agencies with their
print projects- at least for now, but this is changing, as I’ll
reveal in a bit. At the present, 75% of model print jobs on model job
boards are not good for any modeling career. Most of them are the-already
mentioned model job scams, but the remaining majority are career-cripplers.
What am I talking about, faithful models? I’m talking about model
print work that is not compatible with most professional modeling careers.
There are photographers who seem to have lots of money to pay models to
take pictures of them, and most of those pictures are of the models posing
in risque bikinis, models posting nude, models posing suggestively, underage
teen models posing inappropriately and wearing skimpy clothes, and other
glamour-type work. What generally happens is that those photographers
sell the images to adult businesses and other parties that most models
would have an issue with. So, by all means, if you want your tacky picture
on an ad for a 900 phone sex line, there are lot of paying model print
jobs to be had. In the end, though, most professional models will find
that such work is not worth any kind of money, as it fully exploits the
model and can cripple their career in mainstream modeling. Know of any
legitimate business that would want a model’s face representing
their product or service with the knowledge that they are also representing
things that conflict with what they are about? I didn’t think so,
either. There seem to be a lot of photographers in Tampa Bay paying models
to take it all off or to pose like sluts, and I think that it’s
misrepresenting print modeling in this area. Hell, if I wanted to make
money taking off my clothes, it would make far more sense to become a
stripper and not a model. Not only would it pay more, but at least the
only people seeing my body would be the patrons in a strip club and not
the whole world. Obviously, you may have gathered that this model isn’t
into the nude stuff. I don’t consider it to be mainstream modeling
and I don’t think that it would be very good for my career. Some
models out there are so anxious to make a buck doing print work that they
make foolish decisions and hurt their careers by taking it all off in
front of the camera for photographers with no real connections in mainstream
modeling. Others are insecure about themselves, and feel that “sexy”
modeling will make them feel better about themselves while they get paid
for it. They are only deluding themselves into cashing out on a career
that will never progress nor have any staying power. Then again, if you
are insecure to the point that you let it affect your judgement, you have
no business being a model in the modeling industry. This business is tough,
and you have to know who you are and what you stand for in order to survive
in it.
Well, I have ranted about the issues that many models have been having
with model jobs. If there are no shortages, the ones that are available
are questionable most of the time. Are there any solutions? Actually,
there are, and some of those solutions will be working well by the end
of this year.
What would be ideal? More model print work that pays good rates and will
give you tear sheets that will earn you respect? More promotional-type
jobs in the vein of trade and convention jobs? More legitimate art directors
from advertising agencies, business marketing departments, and department
stores skipping the modeling agencies and posting what they need online?
I think it would, and so do other models. So, is this a pipedream or is
it a future that will be realized? Let’s just say that it is a future
that will be realized before you know it.
I am not allowed at the present time to go into details into how this
will happen, but I can say that our friends over at Independent Modeling
have identified the issues that are holding the freelance/ independent
modeling industry back, and have come up with solutions after a few years
of research and experimentation. They are about to unveil a new kind of
model job board that will attract the jobs that models both want and need,
as well as the tools that they need to book those jobs. They will also
teach models how to find and book jobs on their own without an agency.
The board will start out with the promotional modeling jobs and the few
legitimate modeling jobs that are out there, but in due time the jobs
that normally go through the modeling agencies will begin to appear on
the job board.
I can’t wait, and neither should you.
As you know by now, Independent Modeling inspired a group of freelance
professional models (us!) to start Tampa Bay Modeling back in 2004. Independent
Modeling is controversial with those who have something to lose if they
cannot control models, but to most professionals it has proven to be the
most useful modeling resource on the Internet. I wouldn’t be surprised
if even the Independent Modeling-haters ended up using the site as a resource,
too, even if they continue to denounce the site and won’t admit
that they secretly use it. That’s something to think about, and
it makes me smile with the possibilities.
~
Danielle Cooper, Editor
Tampa
Bay Modeling
Clearwater
Beach, Florida
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