5 Things I’ve Learned as a New Model Actor

I just had my 1 year anniversary as a model and actor in the industry. It’s been a wild ride. I honestly had no idea that this was even a possibility for me. What started as a joke seems to still be fun(ny). The last year was an absolute blur trying to manage my regular life with the model/actor life. It’s like a secret alternate version of me that isn’t meant to be a secret. Anyhow, before I digress further, I wanted to share with you 5 things I’ve learned in this past year about the modeling industry.

1. The way that clients book you is off your portfolio. Most of the time, pictures (and video reels, if you have any) are all they have to figure out what you would look like in real life. So you need to look like your pictures! That means keeping the same haircut, same facial hair, same body shape. And if you make any changes, you need to let your agent or agents know! Why? Because clients are typically looking for something specific in the talent they want to shoot with. They have to be, otherwise they would have a hell of a time sifting through thousands of model books. Who has that kind of time?!
   I’m in the classic model category, so my salt and pepper hair and gray beard pin me into that category better than if I was clean shaven. Because when I’m clean shaven, I look like I’m 20! (Just kidding, I just wanted to say that to make myself feel young for a minute.)
2. You’ve got to be ready to go. I never knew how “last minute” the modeling industry was. But it is. There are a lot of working parts that need to be synchronized just to have everyone arrive on set ready to shoot. It’s kind of like being on call. You need to have your phone with you almost all the time! I’ve heard of talent getting booked the night before a shoot. On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve personally had a month’s notice before a shoot. Normally, I’ll get between 2-7 days notice from when I’m booked to when I’ve got to be on set. I wish I had more time to prepare since I’ve also got a full time job and family to juggle. But, that’s the current nature of the beast. I don’t see it changing anytime soon.
   Plan for the worst case scenario. For me, that means keeping a travel bag and a mental list of packables on the ready! If you don’t have flexibility in your normal life, you may want to think twice about this type of work.
3. You don’t get to keep the clothes. I thought that the best part of modeling would be keeping the cool clothes that I got to wear! Sadly, clothing is not typically a perk of the gig. Most of the time, the clothes are shot with the sales tags still on them and afterwards, they get returned to the store where purchased. Though, I did get to keep a few pairs of sweaty socks after a shoot. (Maybe this is the answer…)
   The truth is that I’ve worn some really dapper digs, but most of the time, I get pretty uninteresting stuff. Since I’m a classic model, the prevailing view (especially in America) is that oldies like me are more dull than darling, so I’m happy to hand those threads back.
   But every now and then, I’m pleasantly surprised when the wardrobe stylist puts me in something that simmers! I’m old, but I’m not dead, people!
4. Lots of waiting and wandering. I’m a high energy person. Like when I’m bored, I’m the ‘Hey, I think I have time for burpees’ type of person. On a well run set, you’ll know how much camera time you have. When you aren’t on screen, there is a lot of hurrying up and waiting. You’ll get hair and makeup, quickly. Then, you will sit for an hour before getting into wardrobe. Or, you’ll show up for breakfast and not get dressed until after lunch. Take it as it is.
   Some gigs are fast-paced and others meander towards the sunset. In any case, everyone is generally focused on moving the shoot along. Accept that there are always unknowns that need to be dealt with. Do your best and worry about your contribution. If you can read the room, you’ll know when you should be gabbing and when you should let the schedule run along. Bring your personality or a book and you’ll be fine!
5. It’s more glamour than gold for most of us. The modeling industry glistens with hopes and dreams. That’s what brands are selling you…a wonderful, beautiful life! Since that’s what is presented, it’s easy to assume that a model’s life is entirely glamorous. Well, it’s mostly not. It’s a lot of work, travel, self-care, research, & time management.
   The industry is saturated with models and people wanting to break into the industry. There is a lot of competition. Pay has been declining for years (from what I’ve heard). This goes for the acting industry as well. There are many factors that have contributed to this trend, but I’ll leave that for another post/time.
   The top 5% of models make a very decent wage. They are the ones booking haute couture and luxury brand gigs. These are the ads that you’re probably seeing everywhere! As you may already know, modeling is one of the only industries where the salaries of women are much higher than men. (Is it the only one?) This means that male models get a lot less.
   Overall, I would say that most models are not making over $100k a year. Given the current rates I see on my talent platforms, I’d imagine that I would need to book 4 times as many gigs to hit those numbers. Or I need to increase my talent level. I see more burpees in my future…
   

The modeling and acting industry is tough. I’ve learned a lot about myself and the industry in such a short time. It’s only been a year, but I am allowing myself to enjoy the process. (I can be very hard and demanding of myself.) I have a career already. I have a supportive family and network of friends. It would be cool to be rich and famous, but I’m at a point in my life where fame would be cool and fortune isn’t really necessary. I’m more curious than anything else and that is what keeps me going.
I do understand that I’m a classic model in my 40’s, and no longer a young, wrinkle-free man of twentysomething. This subset of the modeling industry has it’s own set of ideas, challenges and rewards. I’m just trying to see how best to fit into it.