MODELS – WHEN CHOOSING A PHOTOGRAPHER AS YOUR PERSONAL MANAGER

MODELS – WHEN CHOOSING A PHOTOGRAPHER AS YOUR PERSONAL MANAGER

When choosing a photographer as your personal manager, you should first note that a personal manager is someone who will coach you and market you to work in the entertainment industry. They are not an agent.  A personal manager places a model or actor/actress in a better position whereby the agencies will want to sign the talent up into their agency. In order to do this, the following must happen:

1.)    The photographer must know what a model should have in their portfolio. A photographer who shoots weddings, portraits, or just portfolios for money will not know what an agency is looking for.  Choose a photographer who has done actual work in the industry. In other words, a photographer who has actual tear sheets (i.e. published work).

2.)    You should be able to tell that the photographer has worked in the business and has dealt with professional modeling agencies in the past. The photographer should have Agency Books, Head Sheets (oversized posters of the face shots of models printed by the agency), and composite cards.

3.)    The photographer should have professional memberships with photographic associations.

4.)    The photographer should be a member of business membership groups such as chambers of commerce, print industry groups, etc.

5.)    Photographers who promise a lot should have been featured in the news for their accomplishments. News meaning magazines, newspapers, Television, Public TV, or trade publications.

6.)    The photographer/personal manager will create a portfolio for the model comprised of a number of imagines to market the model. From the images, a few images will be used for a composite card which will also have a number of items printed on it such as statistical information of the model’s body (i.e. height, weights, shoe size, dress size, measurements, etc.) and contact information of the personal manager.

7.)    The photographer/personal manager should also be able to get the model/talent some work which not only will be paid but will enhance the model’s marketability by acquiring tear sheets for the model (i.e. proof of work). Tear sheet means that the page was literally torn out of the magazine and placed in the model’s portfolio.

8.)    A good personal manager will prepare the talent for actual work in film such as in commercials, short film, TV spots, monologues, etc. The talent should have a casting tape (now DVD) which would be used for marketing purposes to market the talent.

The cost for the model /talent to a reputable personal manager and photographer is nothing. The photographer / personal manager makes a percentage of what the model/talent makes. A typical professional agency will charge clients a model service fee of 20-35% which is added to the invoice of what is billed for use of the model.

On this blog, you will find samples of agency materials, a link to an actual casting tape featuring one of my past models/talents, and sample ads.  Jacques Weisel and I will be writing a book shortly on the modeling industry with also the view point from the other side, the Model. Amy Vitale will have a chapter giving her view on modeling from the model's perspective.

Sample Audition Tape

The modeling industry