Explore Modeling - Hi Cristina, what's your impression of the state of the modeling market right now? I keep reading about agencies filing for bankruptcy and/or going out of business, Irene Marie being one of the more notable recently. After at least getting some casting calls early on, I have heard almost nothing recently from any of my agencies. How does someone like you who makes a living at this survive these down times?

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Hi Cristina, what's your impression of the state of the modeling market right now? I keep reading about agencies filing for bankruptcy and/or going out of business, Irene Marie being one of the more notable recently. After at least getting some casting calls early on, I have heard almost nothing recently from any of my agencies. How does someone like you who makes a living at this survive these down times?

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Cristina Model	Cristina - NYC, NY, USA: report misuse Quote: Darlyn D posted Thank you so much for the advice, I think a lot of us aspiring models really needed to read that. You are welcome Darlyn... I hope this information helps a lot of aspiring models out there... Quote and Reply to this post >

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Darlyn D	Darlyn D: report misuse Thank you so much for the advice, I think a lot of us aspiring models really needed to read that. Quote and Reply to this post >

Cristina
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Cristina - NYC, NY, USA:
Hi Steve,

Your question and concern is a good one. The economy is affecting nearly every industry at the moment- the modeling industry included. There are not any models out there that are immune from this type of economic spiral- myself included. I have seen this already twice in my career- this time will be the third. When I first started modeling I worked in Tokyo, Japan, when they were experiencing a major recession. The next economic upheaval occurred many years later, while I was living in NYC, after September 11th. You can find an article I wrote during that time HERE. Your question prompted me to re-read that article I wrote 8 years ago. I found that many of the tips I offered then- I continue to follow. First and foremost- save for a rainy day! Last year was an incredible year for me. While there was still talk of a recession my work was still going strong and I was working at an all time high. But I knew what could be coming- so instead of spending all of my extra earnings I saved that money for the time when my modeling work would slow down. I suggest this to any model- even if we are in a booming economy because you never know when or why you’ll stop working.

I have heard of some agencies going out of business. Irene Marie included. This is something I have seen before as well and does not surprise me. These agencies are very large with a ton of models, agents and OVERHEAD! They need to book a lot of jobs just to break even. Irene Marie also had ocean front office space with the rent to match I am sure. The agencies you will see survive this current economy will be the small boutique agencies that have low overhead. If I were you I would stick close to those types of agencies at this time. They will serve you well until the dust settles.

It is also more important than ever to update your agency with any new photos or tear sheets you have. Make sure they have plenty of composite cards on you. You may even want to consider putting together a new one to grab client’s attention. You also need to make of point of updating the “Polaroid’s” aka digitals that your agency has on you. Remember that agencies do not like to submit a client Polaroid’s that are older than a month or so. So keep them updated regularly. It also a great opportunity to stay connected with your agency. Send your new digital shots in an e-mail with a short note. That will keep you fresh in their mind when a booking that is right for you comes their way.

Advertising is cyclical. The industry should rebound as soon as this spiral ends. The economy does not need to be thriving for advertising to prosper. Companies need to advertise their products and services in order to catch consumer’s attention. Like I said, they have been talking recession for some time now but I have not noticed the effects until just recently. In the meantime, you may need to be willing to take jobs at a lower daily rate in order to stay working. It is also more important than ever to be willing to branch out and promote yourself in all the various types of modeling like, Parts, Fit, Showroom, Commercial Print, On-Camera Commercials, Hosting, Promotional, etc.

I know my response was probably much longer than you expected but it is a very relevant question that deserved a thorough response. Good luck.

-Cristina

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