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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

A1-M

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