The hard part is done

I have finally finished meeting with or dropping off my pictures/info to all the agencies out here! My feet are so unhappy with me right now but I'll live :)

I met with an old friend of mine, Scott, who runs 1 model management (one of the top agencies here right now) and we discussed the whole economic situation in the NY fashion industry, the strength of my book as is and how the jobs are right now out here. He has been in the business for 15+yrs so I trust his judgement and value his opinions. His take on the situation in NY is that where there used to be 100 jobs in NY per month, there are now around 50 jobs per month. He also said that companies and magazines are not as willing as they used to be to gamble with their money on a new face and are sticking with the supermodels and celebrities for their advertisements and jobs. But he did say that work around here tends to pick up some around May/June when the weather gets better and that would be a better time for a newer model to be here to work. He also said that I needed 1-2 more tests in my book with stronger styling and better photography. He did like 3-4 pictures in my book and said that it was almost better out here to show 3-4 strong pictures than 3-4 strong ones mixed with 4-5 commercial/beauty shots so depending on what I decide to do, if I head back to LA that will be my focus over the next month/6 weeks.

This seemed to be the general consensus amongst the agencies out here. I struck up conversations with a few on Thursday as that was my "walk-in" day so the people at the agencies were easier to talk to since they weren't inundated with busy open calls and other wannabe models. Aside from CESD, which mainly does commercial/commercial print work, all the fashion agencies I spoke with said that work here is almost non-existent and generally going to the supermodels/well established models with tearsheets in their book. They all acknowledged that work picks up around May/June and that would be a better time to come out here and see everyone again if I didnt find someone to take me on now. And a few stressed that I shouldnt get discouraged if I dont get picked up by an agency right now. The economy is causing designers/magazines/etc to either close their doors entirely or go into Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection leaving the agencies with debts to the models for work done but no one to get those payments from. And on top of that, they have models who have been with them for a while that have charged up debt with the agency and havent been able to work at all or enough to pay that back. So its one big mess out here right now with agencies being indebted to models, agencies not being able to get payment from vendors and there just not being enough work to justify taking on any new girls.

The recommendations I received, aside from just coming back here next month, was to go abroad if I can or stay in LA if I am working consistently until things pick up here. The agencies seem to be sending their girls to Asia and Australia to get experience and tearsheets so that when things do start picking up here they are better prepared and more valuable than before they left. If after talking with the guys at Ford on Monday or Tuesday the amount of work here isnt enough to warrant me staying I will head back to LA, work my butt off, look into the Asia thing a bit further and aim to be back here in June. Summer in NYC SUCKS royally but I'll deal with it if the work is here. Europe doesnt seem like the place to send girls anymore, which is surprising but shows how bad the global economy is right now. It seems like its best to stay where you are from and try to work there so you incur less debt to the agency and they are more likely to work with you if they don't have to front many, if any, costs to take you on. The less risk up front, the better your chances.

So the rest of the weekend I will concentrate on spending time catching up with my friends and enjoying one of my favorite cities :) Monday and Tuesday will be spent contemplating choices and making a decision.