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Modeling for conventions
Outlawkatt
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I am really interested in getting into modeling for gaming conventions. Anyone know how I can do this? I have tried to send messages to my last advisor on how to do it.
Outlawkatt on
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Your best bet would probably be through an agency, though. I mean, when I went to E3 in 2005/2006, I chatted up a bunch of models and it seems that most of the ones I spoke to were agency represented. Again, your mileage may vary. Some agencies are legit, but will charge you. Some agencies are illegitimate and will bilk you. And many more may be legit but not be able to do anything for you depending on your look, your portfolio, or what kind of clout they have.
I dunno. Maybe go to a few car shows and talk to the models. Or make a MM profile. I would recommend an agency, but I don't recommend just throwing cash at one without doing research on 'em first.
I imagine "local models" is the key phrase here. They're certainly not going to fly you out for conventions. Do you have any large gaming conventions where you live? If so, ask the models at those who they work for and then get in touch with those agencies.
Then move to a city where a large one happens every year. You're certainly not going to make a living doing only gaming conventions. Be prepared to do a lot of boat shows.
Wow, okay, yea, you don't stand a chance at doing any conventions you don't already live near.
That said, where do you live? Have you worked a convention before? Do you have any photographer friends? Can you link us to your MM page for comments? Maybe some of your pictures really do suck.
On top off all this, I'm fairly certain you're going to have to go through a modeling agency. The extra effort that would be involved in getting someone who isn't represented just wouldn't be worth it to the companies needing models. They could care less whether you're actually a gamer or not, they just want pretty faces to play dress up. I guarantee you, 95% of the girls you see at the gaming conventions who are modeling for the gaming companies are not gamers.
I know that almost all the people out there that hire for conventions could care less if I were a gamer its not like it gives me and edge or anything. So, as promised here is my MM page and maybe all my pics do suck. http://www.modelmayhem.com/1680866
You need better pictures. They honestly look like glamour shots or senior photos. If you want to pursue this in any way you need to pony up the cash and hire on with a real agency. Do work for other sorts of conventions in the area and then when and if you ever move you'll have some experience to back you up.
Modeling is not my area of expertise and I'm having a hard time brainstorming things for you to do, but you need to make your own work if you can't get work from someone else. And of course if all of the reputable (key word, do research) talent agencies don't like what you have, well, find out what they like and go get it. Agents can get you work but agents are not to be relied on to do all of the leg work for you.
Pretty much this. You don't have many pictures and they're not all portfolio quality. As has been pointed out, if you're serious about modeling you're going to need to have professional pictures done and be ready to relocate.
Its nothing, NOTHING like PAX or Sakuracon or anything big like that but we do have some! (I'm also from Utah)
If you live anywhere near Salt Lake then there's Anime Bonzai and MountainCon in the fall, CONduit in the spring, and GEEX in the summer. Like I said, there are all fairly small but it couldnt hurt to check out their websites and email some folks to see if anything is available.
It also might be worthwhile to see if there any any fetish/costume modeling jobs you can take that might be related to gaming, if Obscura is still in business they're the only fetish type store I can think of right now
EDIT: oh brigham city... well thats not the closest but asking around still couldnt hurt
That's another way to get notice. Start hitting the animecons in cosplay. Post your stuff on cosplay.com. You could get noticed that way.
Also, if you're going to pay a photographer or an agency anything approaching $500, especially in Utah (no offense), make sure you do a lot of research on them first. I know friends that have done that and have legitimately gone on to bigger and better things, including conventions. And I know friends that essentially got scammed by places that do take photos but then your portfolio goes into a black hole that never sees the light of day again.
If I was going to give you advice on where to go from here, I'd say to do the following:
a) Think of your portfolio as a resume. The best way to write a resume is to tailor it to the kind of job you are trying to do. Now, for a model, diversity may be a boon. But then again, it depends on what you want to do. It can hurt you too, if your portfolio has no focus.
It sounds like you specifically would like to do conventions. I wouldn't necessarily suggest turning your modelmayhem portfolio into a cosplay-themed one. Those occasionally work but I find them a little offputting unless they are exceptional and non-traditional. Also, the vast majority of conventions are not cosplay-oriented. They are...um..."lots of skin" oriented. I mean, look at photos of any E3 before 2008, or any Car Expo in the history of ever, and look at what most of those girls are wearing: Not much. Maybe you should take a bunch of high quality photos along those lines?
b) Find a photographer with a good camera, and one willing to do TFP/TFCD. If you can't get agency representation or a professional photographer, look for photographers on MM with good references (and there's no reason not to check their references, especially if they are listing them or say "references available" or anything like that!) and with good equipment. Avoid the guys with Sony Cybershots and all that shit.
c) Modelmayhem isn't the only site out there that gets traffic. I personally think One Model Place is atrocious and they should burn the servers along their webmaster who is clearly deranged, but that's another popular site you can use (though I'm not sure there is a free version, even for models). My friend also told me about another one, but I can't remember the name - I'll have to look it up. The more exposure the better, though, if you're trying to put yourself out there.
You should also put some time into learning about the industry and figuring out what type you are, that way you can start to control how people perceive you.
I think they have people who help you get work when you're a model
Is she a successful model or has she helped develop any? If not, maybe her advice isn't as helpful as you think? I only say that because your description makes her sound like she was just head of the modeling club back in high school or something.
CommunistCow and Jake! are the two that come to mind.
Here's the website.
http://charismaplus2.com/
IME, booth babes and models are usually hired by individual dealers to help work the booth and draw traffic. You ARE expected to know about the products being sold and have some customer service skills. Your job is to get people interested in the product, not stand around in costumes and look pretty.
And unless it's a huge company (like Funimation or Nintendo) promoting at a huge convention (like SDCC, Anime Expo, Dragon*Con or Otakon), the most compensation you can expect is comping your admission into the convention and maybe some reimbursement for your travel expenses and free swag.
Another option is working as a volunteer for the convention, but you can expect the same compensation.
Also, since you live in Utah, you're probably not going to get much in the way of paying work as a convention model. There's a reason so many models live in California and New York: Because that's where the work is. If you're serious about being a model, you may have to move to one or the other.
I also looked at your MM profile and agree that you need better pictures. While you've got a nice look, the pictures look rather bland. Think of your profile as an online resume and each picture is a listing of work experience. If all you have to show is the equivalent of your high school education and a few odd jobs, why would someone hire you for a gig?
Case in point: I freelance as a costume designer, specializing in fantasy, cosplay and video game costumes. While you say you're interested in that area in your profile (your "cover letter" if you will), there are no pictures of you in costume and you don't look like you have a lot of experience in that field of modeling. What reason would I have to hire you to model my costume designs if you don't appear to have ever worn a costume outside of Halloween?
I know this sounds pretty harsh, but if you're thinking about doing this for a living, you're entering into a very niche and competitive field. It's better that you know what kind of road is ahead.
Granted we are talking about hair cuts, but I imagine "booth babe" modeling can pay pretty decent since it is a much smaller pool of talent to pull from.