The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

PAY DAY!

Green talent rarely think about the payment process when jumping into the talent world, but working talent find the payment process to be a hot topic of discussion.  So how does the payment process work?

Production companies build long-standing relationships with agencies.  One of the benefits of working with represented professional talent is having a go-between in the payment process when dealing with talent (and even the crew sometimes).  Union work is simple and regulated by the specific union governing the production agreement.

Non union work, on the other hand, is more subject to market, production, and type of work.  The non-union talent will usually work the commercial, film, etc, and leave the set.  Agents invoice for all their talent on that set once work is completed.  In some cases, production has specific requirements in the process and the agent must follow that system.  This may mean that the agent waits for a PO Number or access to an online payment system, which may take a few days to receive.

There seems to be an unspoken (or universally understood) rule when it comes to the time frame for payment.  Productions decide on their individual payment time line, which is frequently based on the project completion.  In the industry, the accepted time frame to complete most non union projects is said to be 90 days.  Thus, there are some production companies who choose to operate on a 90 day turn around for invoices.  On the flip side, there are other companies who pay upon receipt, which means that the talent could be paid within a few weeks.

Once the agency receives payment from production, most agencies require a time lapse for the bank to clear the deposited funds.  This can take up to 10 business days in some cases.  In the end, a talent can expect to receive payment from their shoot anywhere from a few weeks to a few months (90-120 days) afterwards.   The agent will typically withhold the agency commission and cut a check to the talent for the balance.

THE PROFESSIONAL MODEL

The professional model is a prepared business person with a focus on his/her future and a strong skill set in front of the camera.  Like an actor has to provide more than memorized lines, the model must also bring an openness to the set that includes a clear vision of what the client needs to sell.  In essence, we can say that the model must develop various characters (like the actor) in order to maximize on her employers' campaign.  The most interesting faces have a lot going on behind their eyes!

And so, a model’s persona will make them something special or leave them in the dust.  Sound harsh?  Perhaps it is, but think about it.  What attracts attention?   Something interesting, right?  That why we all talk about Lady Gaga’s latest wardrobe choices, for example!  So if we want something interesting and the majority of young models think that they will become famous because they are . . . beautiful . . . have a great body . . . are tall . . . or have a killer six pack set of abs . . . anything beyond those things would be interesting.  Here’s where the persona comes into play.  All serious models are tall.  They all have great bodies.  They are all striking or classically beautiful.  When this is the norm, the only thing left to make you stand out from the rest is the personality to boot!

The modeling industry was horrified when actors started appearing on covers of magazines where the supermodels used to roam freely.  Those attractive actors and actresses sold more magazines.  Why?  We just answered that question in the paragraph above.  Read it over and over until you get it. 

Are you the next Gisele Bundchen hopeful?  You might have to be born with the look, but personality is something you can only work hard to create.  Set yourself up for modeling success by developing further than the standard model and show the world you have an amazing business mind, as well!

THE MODEL’S MARKETING MATERIALS (PORTFOLIO)

The portfolio tells the client who you know, what you’ve done, what you can do, and just how versatile you can be when put in the spotlight.  Since they loved your comp card, they are going to hope to see more amazing footage in your book.  Models who don’t have a lot of experience can test with photographers to build their experience and diversity of the images.  However, the experienced eye sees an obvious difference between a model’s book which has been built by testing and a model’s book which has been built with work itself.

 

The look and size of portfolios can vary from decade to decade and market to market.  Seek advice from your agent about the best choices before investing in a book.  You agent may also request a second copy be kept in their office to overnight out as clients request.  A lot of agencies are relying more on using online resources for books, as clients become more open to electronic communication.

 

How far you make it in the process generally speaking can tell you a lot about the effectiveness of your materials.  Competition is fierce, so if you are making it to the final go-see (also called a “look-see” in some markets) you can rest assured your materials are high quality. 

THE MODEL’S MARKETING (COMP CARDS)

Models primarily use two forms of marketing materials:  portfolios and composite cards.  These items go by many different names depending on your market and the era in which you were working, but might also be referred to as a book, comp card or zed card.

 

Comp cards are primarily used by the model’s agent.  They are sent to clients who request models in a certain demographic.  The comp card shows the client a teaser (like a movie trailer) of what the model has to offer.  A model’s card may have tear images from work or highlight a certain feature the model is known by.

 

If the client likes your comp card, they will usually ask you to attend a go-see, which is a form of audition.  The photographer or ad agent wants to meet the model and is looking for several things.  First, they want to see the model’s book, which should have a more comprehensive show of their experience.  Second, they want to be sure the model really looks in person like they do in their images.  Too often images are retouched and the model has blemishes in real life that the client didn’t see on the card.  Third, they want to find out if the model has a personality.  There are a lot of brunettes at an “All American Girl” type casting – of course they want to work with the beautiful brunette who is the most fun!  Go sees can be scheduled once for a job or multiple times depending on the client’s request.

 

Each step of the way narrows the competition and helps the client create an ideal mental image of what they want to achieve. If any one of these materials is lacking, the model will be overlooked somewhere in the process.  If a model’s comp card, book, and personality are all stellar, though, he/she will likely be booked many times over and build a solid career. 

MARKETING 101 FOR TALENT

In the world of marketing, messages can be sent and received in myriad ways.  The best PR and advertising firms have an edge up on their competition because they know which ways are the most effective.  So the question must be asked . . . are your marketing materials effective?

 

The question begs to be asked, but few want to verbalize the answer when they are in the hot seat themselves.  So what is it exactly that makes some materials effective where others are not?  Some simple answers are things like clarity, lighting, expression, and print quality.  Images that are blurry or do not clearly show the talent’s face or body are not as effective since the client is unsure of what they will end up working with on set.  Poor lighting or print quality can also be damaging to a talent’s opportunity if skin tones are not even or shadows darken an image.  Printers know how to make color pop off of paper, but images printed on poor paper stock or with bad color presses can actually make skin, hair, and even eyes odd shades of their true color.  And what does your expression say?  Or, perhaps we should ask, does it say anything?  Images without personality are certain to be passed by – no one wants to work with a dud! 

 

A truly great image hides imperfections and accentuates physical assets.  It also captures something in the actor or model’s eyes, body language, and/or personality that we can read into farther.  In great headshots, we can imagine what you were thinking, saying, or could be doing. 

 

How do you know if you have a great image?  The most telling factor is whether or not you are being booked directly off of it.  Direct bookings only happen when talent have created a brand clients ask for by name or when an image is strong enough that the client feels confident in putting money on the line.  Another confirming factor might be the amount of go sees or auditions you go on.  One image can open or close doors that you never realized were possibilities!

 

If you aren’t convinced that your materials are the most amazing version of YOU possible, start back at square one and get some that make you feel like a rock star.  You don’t need to look like someone other than you, but you do need to look like the BEST possible version of you.

THE MODEL EXTRAORDINAIRE - Part Trois

For our purposes in this blog, we are going to use two categories of reference – modeling for fashion runway, print, and promotion; and on camera for the acting-based endeavors.  On camera work is just what it sounds like – work done by a talent on video camera.  These types of work vary distinctly and vastly depending on the intent of the project, but include commercials, industrials, movies, television series/episodes, and music videos.  Depending on the market you live in, the breakdown or amount of work in each category may differ.

 

Commercials are what you see on commercial breaks when you watch your favorite sit coms.  Generally, the talent fit the mold of family friendly, cute, trustworthy, and attractive.  Someone introducing a product or sharing opportunities needs to be a face we want to watch and believe.  Commercial work is done as either union or non=union and generally runs in 15-30 second spots.

 

Industrials are a mysterious category of work for even some seasoned talent.  An industrial is technically a film piece, but is done for internal use.  For example, how many jobs have you worked where someone made you watch a training video at some point?  That training video would be considered “industrial.”  In Nashville, a client of ours shoots industrials for the US Armed Forces.  It’s unlikely that you will ever get to see work done on an industrial, but you might have friends say they saw you!  In fact, one of our talent who did a military industrial said her friend in Iraq saw her and wrote her!

 

THE MODEL EXTRAORDINAIRE - Part Deux

A commonly overlooked category of modeling is print work.  Print is anything that is physically printed and distributed for marketing purposes in which a model (or models) are featured.  Catalog work, brochures, billboards, store décor, magazine ads, and packaging are all forms of print. The big smiles you see above your head at Target are print work. And print work can span the gamut from friendly to sexy to casual to lifestyle to seductive and even scandalous.  Most markets have some form of a print presence to support the advertising agency needs.  Print models are frequently tall, but not always.  They have proportioned bodies, great smiles, good skin, and lots of personality!  Clients shooting print ads need talent from newborn to ninety years old. 

 

Promotional work is another form of modeling and probably the widest category for available work.  Promotional models work conventions, trade shows, live events, and know how to engage the crowd around them.  They are, naturally, pleasant to look at physically and in good shape, but they also carry a strong personality and it can be quite fun to chat with them!  Most promotional models are female and can be any height.  Some companies will hire good promotional models to travel with their products full time.   There are agencies who only represent promotional models, even.  This might be one of the easiest modeling categories to make a living in full time depending on your market!

 

The actor, who we will cover next, is an entirely different breed.  And yet, oddly, we find the models wanting to cross over into the world of the actor on a regular basis.  Angelina Jolie did it successfully.  Tyra Banks is continuing to make the effort – but why?  Modeling has a shelf life for 99% of fashion models who do make a living, whereas acting is an ever growing, ever blossoming, ever challenging venture.

 

TAPPING INTO THE 90%

So you’re not a runway model after all.  Tough, but after you dry up those tears, let’s visit that dream and reshape it into an arena where you will find success!  Remember all the other categories of modeling we discussed?  Chances are, you fit into at least one of them!

 

You’re attractive (and we know that you’re humble about it because you have so many supportive friends telling you)!  So how else can you pursue your dreams, you ask? 

 

Promotional work.  The most important criteria for a promotional model is to have uber-personality!  It’s not enough to be pretty!   Promotional models are most often female and hired to engage a live crowd.  (I like to consider this type of work the crossroad of acting and modeling.)  Companies like GM, Budweiser, Sony, and Verizon utilize the services of a promotional models.  The goal is to get potential clients engaged by an attractive face, stunning smile, and fun chit chat while educating or selling the company’s products.

 

Print work.  Print models come in all shapes and sizes.  I recently booked a 62 year old man on a print job as a plumber, for instance.  Print model ages can range from infants to retirees, and includes every age in between.  Generally, we think of the catalog models with great bodies, interesting and symmetrical features, and [again] a fun personality.

 

We already touched on runway, of course.  The key here is that these two types of modeling can be just as fulfilling and much less damaging to the model’s self-image.  The pay off and exposure can be great, too.  So if this is where you fit, consult your agent, manager, or leave me a comment to find out more on how to make it happen!

WHERE’S THE RUNWAY?

 

If young men and women weren’t already obsessed with supermodels, reality television inspired by the runway has done it!  During our initial interview process, I regularly ask aspiring models why they want to pursue such a demanding career.  The answer I hear more often than not is, “Because people [in most cases, it’s Aunt Lula] tell me I’m tall and I should model.”  It’s an answer, but it’s not the most clearly defined assessment.

 

Runway models are by trade a breed set apart.  Being set apart doesn’t make them better or worse than any other kind of model, but it does make them unique.  Good thing they are unique, since runway work is less than 10% of the modeling industry!   There are only a hand-full of jobs for only a hand-full of models – it makes sense.

 

So Aunt Bertha told you that you were tall or handsome “like a model”.  If your Aunt Bertha is Cindy Crawford or Alec Wek, you just might be in luck.  Listening to unqualified family and friends dictate a challenging career path for you, however, is unwise.  Height is important, yes, but it is not the singular physical characteristic of a successful runway model.

 

Runway models are typically 5’8” to 6’0”.  They have symmetrical features (jaw line, nose, eyes, cheeks, lips, smile, brows, etc).  Their skin is flawless.  They naturally wear a size 2. [Starving ones self to get that skinny does bad things to your health that becomes evident in skin, teeth, eyes, and energy levels.]  They have great muscle tone from head to toe and the personality and professionalism to make a day on set with them exhilarating!

 

How many of those sentences can you check off after looking in the mirror?  If you checked all of them, let me know because we need to get you to a runway to take advantage of your opportunities before it’s too late!

 

If there were one or more that you couldn’t honestly say you possess, the good news is that there is still 90% of the modeling industry out there just for you!

THE LIFELINE

Want to be a Millionaire?   I bet you’ve seen the show and I’m sure you answered the question in some affirmative way.   In the show we saw each contestant sweating at some point when they didn’t know the answer.  One of their trusted partners had the ability to provide a “lifeline” to the answer when called on, though.

 

When auditioning, your lifeline is the client’s gatekeeper.  That gatekeeper may come in the form of a casting director or producer.  Despite the title, they are acting in similar capacities.  The casting director/producer has communicated directly with the client (e.g., the guy/gal who signs your check at the end of the day).  They also have a better understanding than the talent when it comes to exactly what that client desires.  This makes them your trusted friend in the audition process!

 

No, they aren’t vested in your career, but they expect you to invest in theirs!  The casting director’s job is to provide their client with the best options possible.  They want to see you succeed! 

 

It may sound strange, but consider it from their perspective.  A happy client with many good options will come back to them again and again.  They aren’t in the casting room to be your friend or trusted advisor, but they will likely give you some advice pertinent to that job or moment that could give you an edge up on the competition, so listen closely! 

 

Casting director for Tyler Perry Studios (Meet the Browns, House of Payne, and many movies), Alpha Tyler, has said many times that she is looking for talent who follow direction in the casting room.  These are the people who will be able to follow direction on set, and that in turn, will make her look great!

 

When entering the casting room, have your prep work done so that when advice is given, your focus becomes following the direction rather than keeping character, remembering lines, or sucking in your stomach.

 

What valuable direction have you been given during an audition?  Were you able to deliver on the direction?  (If not, brainstorm what you can do to be able to nail it next time!)