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Posted by: Dan Howell (66.171.17.29) on May 29, 2003 at 09:12:37

Location: NYC

In Reply to: What Works? posted by royce on May 29, 2003 at 00:11:53:

: What does work for potential models and model hopefuls?

Respectfully submitted, what does a hard back book have to do with helping models get agency representation? Why go to the expense of binding a book of model images. Model comps. and portfolios are not exactly timeless. In fact they are the opposite, they are ment to be up to the minute, easy to produce and distribute. It seems antithetical to spend a great amount of money to market to people who will market you. They know what they are looking for and where to find them. I haven't heard them complaining about the lack of supply lately.

Frankly a hard bound book seems like a plain bad idea. I can't believe how many people forget that modeling is LOCAL. The model has to actually show up in person where the photograph is made. Fashion modeling and photography is even more localized. Most of the professional legitimate fashion modeling opportunities happen in the 3 or 4 major markets. People can talk about the fantasy of models getting plucked out of a supermarket in the South or Mid-West and put on to the runways of 7th on Sixth or the cover of a magazine the next week, but it represents 1% or less of the reality of industry.

If you want to appeal to that 1% fine, but you are doing a disservice to everyone who follows you. I would prefer to go after the 'remaining' 99% of the industry. Portfolios, comp cards, headshots, and phone calls open more doors everyday that your book will in a year.

I just attended a seminar where art buyers at 5 top advertising agencies spoke about how they hire and work with talent including models and photographers on their accounts from fashion to cosmetics and commercial brands. The unamiously said they look at traditional portfolios and simple direct mail pieces. The don't have time to load cd portfolios, they don't have space to keep bound promotional pieces or pieces larger than 8.5x11". They are professional image viewers. Fancy packaging will not impress them. They know what the f@#% they are looking for.

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: : What does work for potential models and model hopefuls?

: Respectfully submitted, what does a hard back book have to do with helping models get agency representation?  Why go to the expense of  binding a book of model images.  Model comps. and portfolios are not exactly timeless.  In fact they are the opposite, they are ment to be up to the minute, easy to produce and distribute.  It seems antithetical to spend a great amount of money to market to people who will market you.  They know what they are looking for and where to find them.  I haven't heard them complaining about the lack of supply lately.

: Frankly a hard bound book seems like a plain bad idea.  I can't believe how many people forget that modeling is LOCAL.  The model has to actually show up in person where the photograph is made.  Fashion modeling and photography is even more localized.  Most of the professional legitimate fashion modeling opportunities happen in the 3 or 4 major markets.  People can talk about the fantasy of models getting plucked out of a supermarket in the South or Mid-West and put on to the runways of 7th on Sixth or the cover of a magazine the next week, but it represents 1% or less of the reality of industry.  

: If you want to appeal to that 1% fine, but you are doing a disservice to everyone who follows you.  I would prefer to go after the 'remaining' 99% of the industry.  Portfolios, comp cards, headshots, and phone calls open more doors everyday that your book will in a year. 

: I just attended a seminar where art buyers at 5 top advertising agencies spoke about how they hire and work with talent including models and photographers on their accounts from fashion to cosmetics and commercial brands.  The unamiously said they look at traditional portfolios and simple direct mail pieces.  The don't have time to load cd portfolios, they don't have space to keep bound promotional pieces or pieces larger than 8.5x11".  They are professional image viewers.  Fancy packaging will not impress them.  They know what the f@#% they are looking for. 


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