Model
Cat Bee
Posts: 11
Brooklyn, New York, US
how do you get in with one, what do they have to offer and are they really worth the hassle?
i've been self-promoting for 5 years and i'm considering my options. i'd appreciate any personal experiences and honest opinions.
thanks.
Model
Diane ly
Posts: 1068
Manhattan, Illinois, US
Agencies get you higher paying jobs and do all of the marketing leg work for you in the beginning. It's not a ''hassle'' to get an agency. You only need to show them about 10 good photos and they do the rest for you. Some will even sign you off a polariod. But this business isn't cookie cutter and it's different for everyone. That's why every model doesn't have an agent. The choice is yours!
Model
Rachel DellaPorte
Posts: 435
Montgomery, New York, US
YOu have to call the agencies in your area and ask if they have open calls. If they do not take polaroids, tape them to a piece of white paper and write your stats (be honest) and contact info on the bottom and miail them in. (make color copies) Make sureyou put ATTN: New Faces on the envelope. Good luck 
Model
Cat Bee
Posts: 11
Brooklyn, New York, US
thanks guys.
do most agencies make you sign some sort of exclusivity contract? could i not find modeling jobs for myself on the side? also, how much a cut do they normally take?
Model
Rachel DellaPorte
Posts: 435
Montgomery, New York, US
Cat B wrote:
thanks guys.
do most agencies make you sign some sort of exclusivity contract? could i not find modeling jobs for myself on the side? also, how much a cut do they normally take? It really depends on the agency...
Commercial agencies, in my experience, don't make you sign exclusive contracts like fashion agencies do. I have had agents at fashion agencies that will not let me shoot with a friend without the friend coming in and meeting with my agent.
Agencies take 20%.
You really have to talk to each agency about working on the side beforeyou sign anything... don't get stuck in something that will have them taking 20% of everything that you do for the next three years if you don't want to be with them for that amount of time....
I hope this helps...
Rachel
Photographer
Craig Thomson
Posts: 13462
Tacoma, Washington, US
Cat, have you not heard (or read) of any casting calls in the PDX area? I see them from time to time in Seattleâ¦. Do you ever get up this way? http://www.seattlefashionindustry.com/ Check with Jamie or Willow, tell them Craig Thomson referred you
Model
Cat Bee
Posts: 11
Brooklyn, New York, US
Craig Thomson wrote:
Cat, have you not heard (or read) of any casting calls in the PDX area? I see them from time to time in Seattleâ¦.
Do you ever get up this way?
http://www.seattlefashionindustry.com/
Check with Jamie or Willow, tell them Craig Thomson referred you i guess i just don't know where to look.
i pretty much only travel to portland or beyond for shoots and family gatherings.
would it be better to go to a casting call, or try my luck sending in some photos?
what agencies should i try for first?
Photographer
Craig Thomson
Posts: 13462
Tacoma, Washington, US
Cat B wrote:
i guess i just don't know where to look.
i pretty much only travel to portland or beyond for shoots and family gatherings.
would it be better to go to a casting call, or try my luck sending in some photos?
what agencies should i try for first? Try anything you can. Sending in photos is a great option as you don't need to drive there to hand them to the receptionist.
Go to any casting calls you can. The more the better as you can talk to the other models and find out whose hiring and for what and to talk to the promoter to get your name/face in front of them. There is only one real chance at making a first impression.
Show up rested and ready to be seen. If you can find out what the line looks like (fashion) you can sort of dress in that manner to give the illusion or set the stage for them.
Start contacting other models that you know are signed with an agency and see how they feel about them.
**Disclaimer** The following list is only from an internet search of your geographical location. I do not endorse or condemn any of the following listings:
Eei International
818 SW 3rd Ave # 1435
Portland, OR
(503) 223-5236
Honey Suckle Lingerie
3520 NE 82nd Ave
Portland, OR
(503) 252-8351
Immortelle Modeling & Acting
108 E Evergreen Blvd
Vancouver, WA
(360) 693-0003
John Casablancas Modeling
9400 Beaverton Hillsdale # 130
Beaverton, OR
(503) 297-7730
9440 Beaverton Hillsdale # 101
Portland, OR
(503) 297-7730
Mode Models
319 SW Washington St # 305
Portland, OR
(503) 227-6633
Photographer
S W I N S K E Y
Posts: 24376
Saint Petersburg, Florida, US
Cat B wrote:
how do you get in with one, what do they have to offer and are they really worth the hassle?
i've been self-promoting for 5 years and i'm considering my options. i'd appreciate any personal experiences and honest opinions.
thanks. 1. be close and have a look they need....
2. they have the commercial clients going to them for models.
3. yes, they get 20% of your pay..but its pay you wont have without them.
Photographer
lll
Posts: 12295
Seattle, Washington, US
Craig Thomson wrote:
http://www.seattlefashionindustry.com/
Check with Jamie or Willow, tell them Craig Thomson referred you... Oh gawd.
There are three main agencies in Seattle:
TCM Models - Open calls on Tuesdays 2-4pm
Heffner - Open calls M-F 3:30-4:30pm
SMG - Open calls: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - 3:00 and 4:00 p.m
Heffner, SMG - Fashion focus, some commercial. Heffner and SMG supply all of the models for Nordstrom shows and catalogs.
TCM - more commercial, but also has fashion work, extremely nice people to work with.
Their specific requirements are on their websites.
For Portland, I have only dealt with Ryan Artists, very good people, and they represent actors, models and dancers. You can safely skip the rest, especially John Casablanca.
Photographer
Sean Armenta
Posts: 1560
Los Angeles, California, US
agencies = access to clients that you would otherwise never be able to get to.
it is worth the 20-30% that they take from you.
Photographer
Steven Bigler
Posts: 1007
Schenectady, New York, US
Sean Armenta wrote:
agencies = access to clients that you would otherwise never be able to get to. Sean, I heard Google just bought all the agencies.
They are all scheduled to be closed down next year and will all be online only.
Photographer
lll
Posts: 12295
Seattle, Washington, US
Steven Bigler wrote:
Sean, I heard Google just bought all the agencies. LMAO! Well, thinking about it, with their capital...they can, indeed!
Photographer
La Seine by the Hudson
Posts: 8587
New York, New York, US
Google??!! Ok guys. That is the best laugh I've had all day.
Photographer
Hoot
Posts: 228
Picayune, Mississippi, US
Cat B wrote:
how do you get in with one, what do they have to offer and are they really worth the hassle?
i've been self-promoting for 5 years and i'm considering my options. i'd appreciate any personal experiences and honest opinions.
thanks. First, I love your work. Second, I wish we were closer, I'd love to shoot with you.
Now for the bad stuff. This is NOT a judgement call on my part (see above), but my experience as as a booker for a commercial print agency in NY. If you want to get into mainstream modeling, you will need to take down most of your nudes in your MM port, and quit SG. No mainstream commercial client would use you to advertise their products if they knew about these.
I'm going to guess that you don't want to do that. Retro Kitten may be a place to find out more about the world of alternate modeling. I know very little about how they do business, but I have heard some good things about them (from two people) and no bad. But, I don't have any personal knowledge about them. Please check them out further if you are interested.
http://retrokitten.com/
I've worked with these folks (two years ago), and they were very professional;
Alterna Model and Talent Management, P.O. Box 1827, New York, N.Y. 10009 917-856-8321
Good luck!
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