The Road to Becomming a Talent: Diaries of a Model-in-Training

A week in the talent industry and a busy one at that.  I think I’ve finally turned a corner and am gaining confidence in my abilities to actually say I can do some of this stuff.  It helps when you start landing paid jobs.  I’ve decided that being able to say “I’m capable and this” is a critical piece of actually achieving success.  It’s ohhh so difficult though, particularly in this industry.  However, f you don’t think you can do it, why should anyone else?

My friend Shannon behind the scenes at our fitness modeling shoot in Sedona, AZ

The Recap: Audition 1 – This one is for a mini-commercial.  Super excited about this because I feel like I am in my element.  I’m asked to read from a teleprompter and demonstrate a push-up.  I’m all geared up in fitness wear for this and I arrive 25 minutes early.  One thing I didn’t anticipate about auditioning, you are always afraid you are going to be late, so you show up incredibly early as a result to make sure you can find the location.  As my friend says though, first impressions are everything.  Better to be an hour early than 5 minutes late.  I agree.  I’m waiting for the audition and in walks a gal I know.  She’s very beautiful, highly skilled, and someone I consider to be well-known known in the industry.  My mind thinks, “well, so much for this audition”.  I have to remind myself though that you never really know what they are looking for.  It’s about fitting a part, whatever the casting director has in their head, so I pull it together and head-in.  I do the audition and think it goes well.  Unfortunately I have no idea what they thought and likely wont unless I am selected.  The waiting game begins.

The recap: Audition 2 – Phoenix Fashion Week.  I get a note that they are doing an open casting call for print models.  Okay, this sounds interesting.  I don’t know if I am what they are looking for on this one.  I’m definitely the person they would like to appeal to, but unsure as to whether I’m the type of person they would use to market their organization.  What this translates to – I’m maybe a little too old for this!? ! Here’s the important thing I take from this though, you just never know who you will run into at these things.  I remind myself to be open to it.  It never hurts to show-up. I love style and spend a portion of my career doing this, even if I am not “model” material for them, what better way to meet people in the fashion industry?  I arrive and the line is full off different faces.  I’m feeling a little better about this.  One thing I have going for me, I’m on-time (as I mentioned early), I wearing a cute outfit (It is Phoenix Fashion Week after all) and I am organized (portfolio in hand, updated resume, etc.).  Pretty sure this carries at least a little weight in their eyes.  Although I am clearly not a “traditional” runway model I’m asked to demonstrate it.  This get comical.  I smile, if you know me well then you know that’s what I do.  I watch as they have someone show the group a runway walking.  The organizer explain to me that I should appear like clothes on a hanger walking down the runway.  I’m trying to get a visual in my head.  Okay, I can do this.  Not sure why, I’m clearly not 5’8″ and thus am deemed “unqualified for the job” (an entire new topic I’ll dive into someday). but that’s okay.  I try very hard to be serious on this walk.  So tempted to flash my smile but figure that might rock the boat a bit too

Lunch break during our fitness shoot, chicken in hand!

much and I want to be respectful, so I do my best runway walk.  I do get to observe a number of lovely individuals, learn a few tricks of the traded, and decide this was not as bad as I thought it might be.  I pat myself on the back, way to put yourself out there and risk potentially looking like a complete fool! Ohh, and a young girl, whose nervous sits next to me during this.  She asks my advice.  I look at her thinking that she definitely has the look for this.  I give my best advice, try to encourage her to not be scared, she clearly has potential.  She gets up to the runway and rocks it.  I feel really good about this.  So maybe this amounts to nothing in terms of a job for me, but maybe in a small way I help the person sitting next to me with her confidence.  That makes me happy.

The re-cap: Fitness Modeling Job – This one is the most fun because I’ve already been hired.  I arrive in Sedona with two girlfriends also working this job.  We’ve packed nearly everything we own in the way of fitness despite being told they will have some wardrobe for us.  The stylist on set seems thrilled with this as it provides a lot of options to choose from.  One thing I’ve learned about the modeling industry, ALWAYS come over prepared.  You never really know what’s going to come up on set so now I arrive with make-up, clothing, hair products, extra outfits, etc.  This has actually proved very helpful at times.  Today’s shoot has me smiling a lot, running bleachers, stretching, and playing soccer.  It’s really all me because these are things I actually do.  I think about what would happen  though if he had called me out requesting certain skills and I showed up and didn’t have them.  It’s tempting to want to land a job and embellish your skills, but I commit to never doing that.  I don’t want to find myself on set where I’m asked to do something I clearly cannot.  Running, that I can do!  The day is perfect, the weather amazing, the track pristine.  I remind myself, this is why I’m pursuing this.  It’s awesome is it to be paid for something you thoroughly enjoy doing.  The phrase rings in my ears, when you find something you love so much you could do it everyday with no pay and be happy,   then you’ve found your true passion.  I’m inspired to keep putting myself in sometimes semi-uncomfortable situations to pursue my goals.  What’s the worse that can happen right?  The worst is nothing, maybe you hear we don’t want you.  You’re not smart enough, you’re not pretty enough, you’re not skilled enough.  Okay, I suppose I can deal with that.  What’s the best case scenario.  They say yes, we want you.  And the job turns into the perfect day.

Good luck in your endeavours, whether they be modeling or otherwise.  Just keep telling yourself you can do it.  Consider some of the most successful people and imagine how many times they were told no.  Put yourself in situations where you are out of your element, reach just a bit farther than you think you are capable of, because you never know where that might take you.