Education

Ok, I have to reveal my "real age" in order to get my point across with this blog.

The beginning for me:
I am 29 yrs old and started modeling when I was 15 yrs old in LA. I was "discovered" at Bloomingdale's at the Beverly Center when Seventeen magazine was holding a casting call for models to walk in a back-to-school fashion show featuring designs by Ralph Lauren. I opened and closed that show and a scout by the name of Scott Lipps (at the time with United in LA but now owns and runs 1 model management in NYC) spotted me and convinced me to give modeling a shot. I did have to lose some weight before an agency would look at me so over the next 4 months I diet and exercised my butt off and signed with Elite in LA when I was 16. I couldnt book a job in LA to save my life so I decided on a whim to head to NYC on my own, go to all of the top agency open calls and see what happens! I saved as much money as I could and spent a week in NYC going to all the open calls and had offers for representation from 9 of the top 10 agencies, including Ford, Next and Women. I decided to go with Women and that was the beginning of my "career".

The Education part:
If one market doesnt seem to be working for you, another might be a perfect fit for you. When I was younger I couldnt book a single job in LA but I was booking major jobs in NY and Europe within my first 2 weeks in those cities. Modeling is just like any other job in that you have to put forth the effort to get ahead or you will be left behind. Take initiative if this is what you truly want. If you have what it takes, you will work. Know your look and know your marketable assets. If you have a gorgeous face but your body isnt quite up to par then you would be best suited for markets like LA and Chicago where the clientele is more commercial/beauty oriented. If you are tall, slim, young and know how to move in front of a camera then chances are you could do pretty well in Europe or other "fashion" markets. If LA is where you are and you have a more edgy, high fashion look...GO TO NYC or LONDON/PARIS/MILAN! You are wasting your time in LA. With the economy being as bad as it is right now, no agency will pay for you to go to these other markets to try them out, YOU will have to save up the money and go to these cities to visit the agencies to see if you are right for that area. This is the nature of the industry at these times....sucks but that's how it is. If you really want to be a model you won't sit on your butt and bitch about how you're not working in LA or how you want to be in NY but your agent isnt doing anything for you, go out and do it yourself!

To be continued....