The eye of casting scouts and agents just never cease. Their amazing pizzazz to find fresh and capable faces to grace catwalks, magazines covers, commercials, and editorials always impress; and teenagers through time have always been a part of these new recruits.

As early as the moments of bodily heyday, many teens have been giving the world of modeling a shot.

If you consider yourself one of those, ask yourself: Are you really of model type?

Making the Cut

For teenagers to be eligible to model for fashion shows the least, you must have the right height. In teenage modeling, the dimensions are almost always based on those of adults’, but there is always a compromise. For girls, 5’8 to around 6’0, and for guys, 6’0 to 6’2 are the usual conventions. Fret not, for if you don’t meet the height requirements, accentuation of your other features could more than make up for it. Along with this, proper weight also counts. The biggest factor that could mean all the difference is your ability to ‘market’ yourself. Remember, in the world of modeling, everybody is looking at you. You must be able to look back with poise and finesse.

GETTING STARTED

If you are serious about becoming the next young Tyson Ballou or Jacquetta Weller, then you need to make yourself known. Don’t expect a scout from a big name agency come at your doorstep one Saturday morning and tell you they want you to be on the cover of Vogue.

Many could use the Internet as means of getting discovered. Sites, like urbanmodels, allow for free posting of pictures in which agencies signed to the website browse the talents, check for information, and contact them even if interested. The good thing about the Internet is, online portfolios are sorted according age. So teen aspirants are rated alongside other potential teen aspirants, and not along older ones.

Your community or a city near where you live at times organize fashion shows, or at the for the most part hold an open call for new talents to be recognized. Most of these are held for free, so nothing could hinder potential models from joining, money matters or otherwise. And that could also help to increase your chances of getting discovered.

If at times they indeed ask for a fee for joining, take these with reservation. Unless they are a very well known agency, they might not be worth the dough you might otherwise have used to get more pictures, or treat your friends to McDonalds if you make it to the business.

Even then, almost all big-name agencies hold calls without charging a cent.

These require pictures from you. After all, they can’t contact a prospective client if they themselves do not have an idea as to how they look. Remember that they require nothing more than good polaroids. Sure, you may be tempted to go to the neighborhood photo studio and spend $50.00 and up for “professional” pictures, but you don’t need it. Besides, agents know how to see through these types of pictures, and check for the qualities of the model themselves.

THE DAY OF RECKONING

Several days before the actual day of casting, confirm the organizers whether the call would push through. If it would, then make yourself set for it.

Get a good night’s rest. Sleep like a baby even. Looking tired and sleep-deprived would reduce your chances of getting picked out of the potentials by almost 75%. They are after all using first impressions to select.

Dress to impress, but don’t overdo it. Donning designer outfits or overly-accessorized ones won’t help in increasing your chances, so leave them instead for your next highschool party.

Make-up is applied very lightly. You should use them only to even out your complexion and cover blemishes and other skin imperfections, other than that, leave your skin as is. The judges to see your beauty in its most natural, not the shade of your CoverGirl compact.

On many calls, especially if the potential talents are teenagers, the screening covers two aspects: Model Walk and Model Talk. Model Walk involves them rating you as to how much you could gracefully grace the runway. Tip: Pause 4 times, as you emerge from the back, right in front of the catwalk, then walk back till the middle and give them a sort of profile, and at the back for a final pose. Don’t overdo the way you walk. Walk naturally, but with posture and glam. Don’t do it fast, but don’t take up too much time either.

Model talk is the interview. Here, they measure how you would react to different things that come if you would be accepted to the world of modeling. Don’t sound as though your life would cease to exist if you don’t get the part. Clients hate people with lack of self-esteem. Proper attitude is the way to go on these. Tell them that you are indeed giving it a shot, and that your likelihood of getting selected is the same as others’. And don’t make it a one question-one answer deal.

Something like: “How can you convince us to pick you out of the 100?”

Don’t say: “Please, please, please?”

Say: “Because I have a fabulous sense of style, I go through things with a sense of professionalism, etc. etc.”

After the whole thing, thank the judges, and gracefully leave the place. Breathe deep, because you now have to wait.

WELCOME!

If you then would get the opportunity, congratulate yourself. Because you could become the next young Tyson Ballou or Jacquetta Weller after all.

For a fashion show: although this usually is only a one-time deal, enjoy yourself, mingle with the people backstage, and know what you can about runway attitude. Sounding interested on these could have organizers recruiting you again for the next show.

For a modeling contract: This involves a much longer process. A contract would be given to you by the agency to begin the deal. Read and make sure you understand every part of the agreement. Bring your parent or at most, a family lawyer to go through it with you. If parts of it sound peculiar, don’t be afraid to ask if you could have more time to look it over.

If everything is clear with both parties, then you can sign. And you’re off to the world of modeling.

SCAMMING SCAMS

Scams in the form of organizers, agents, and photographers are commonplace in a business like this. They take advantage of teens that would do practically anything just to make it. Negotiating with them won’t help you the least bit.

Usually, they approach you and go “you know what, you have the potential to become a model. How about working for me? BUT you have to pay me $1000 to cover start-up fees and the like. Plus an additional $250 for pictures in your portfolio…” stay clear from these, you only need to let go of your money when you are already booked on assignments with the agency that is representing you.

FROM A TEEN TO ANOTHER TEEN, A NOTE

All these things are pretty basic; they offer a first-hand idea on how teens could also become models, alongside some of the best in the industry. You don’t necessarily have to follow everything here step by step. Like the chances one gets to make it in the business, there is always room for exceptions. Remember, you alone could decide how long you would be able to stay in the business, so make it the best.

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