What follows is free, good advice from an industry professional for models (and other performers) looking for jobs posted on www.craigslist.org and other classified ads so that you can avoid being tricked by scammers, identity thieves and marketing companies collecting your contact info; and ultimately get good job offers from the legit businesses:
INTRODUCTION:
My name is Jacob Zimmer, owner of ZYMAGE, LLC an event production business and photo studio (specializing in models and entertainment) here in Louisville. The reason for honestly identifying myself is because too many ads seeking models do not.
I worked for top agencies in New Orleans and LA and know how to spot the scam agencies. My career has included all facets of showbiz having worked in all 50 States including on-camera and behind the camera work in television and film; and on-stage and backstage jobs in theatre, dance and fashion shows. I have also been a magazine editor and of course internationally published professional photographer. I have worked with TV personalities Kendra Wilkinson, Spencer and Heidi, Brody Jenner; was in a feature film with Michael Keaton and Brendan Fraser; on television with Joey Lawrence and for BET; was the Stage Manager for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders; and have worked backstage with countless musicians.
Based on my experience both in hiring models and looking for entertainment gigs myself, I have assembled a list of do’s and don’ts as well as other tips for using classified ads such as craigslist to find paying jobs:
Where to look: most model jobs on www.craigslist.org are in the “gigs” section under “talent.” But you can also find modeling jobs in the “events” section of “gigs” as well as several categories in the “jobs” section such as “marketing / pr / ad” and “tv / film / video.”
I. TEN RULES
Rule number 1: Don’t reply to anonymous ads.* A legit company that is hiring models for a paying job will identify themselves and their company in the ad. Postings that do not, have no credibility because anyone can post an ad on craigslist and thus it might be someone seeking models for a more elusive purpose. Look for postings that have the company name, contact name, company website, office phone number and a real email address.
When you see ads with words and phrases like: “Large Production Company,” “Exciting Opportunity,” “Huge Show,” “Growing Business,” “Expanding into New Markets,” and “Lots of New Clients” but not the name of the company, ask yourself: If they are that big of a deal, why are they not revealing who they are? A good business knows the value of credible marketing and will want to put their name out there.
Your photo is your face and your resume and bio has your name. If they don’t give their name in the ad, then don’t give your name in the reply. Having said that, there are some legit job offers by people who just don’t know how to write a good classified ad. More on that in the next section.
Rule Number 2: Ads for good jobs will list the place, dates and times of the event; the name of the show and of course the pay. Ads that don’t list basic information about the job indicate a person or company disguising a scam as a gig that needs models. A real job from a legit company will have the details of the gig and an exact dollar figure for compensation posted because that information will weed out people who are unavailable and thus attract the right kind of talent.
When an ad reads: “Now Auditioning” or “Now Casting” or “We are looking for,” but doesn’t give the date and time of the audition, then they are probably not really casting for a job. Events like fashion shows and films usually hold one audition and you have to be there. The date, time and location are set in stone and they want the public to know when and where to audition (except when going through recruiters, agents or pre-screening). You can usually identify a phony audition ad when they ask you to come in for an interview at your convenience. Most legit interviews are for a specific job and so when an ad or interviewer speaks of alleged multiple “upcoming” events, be skeptical.
Rule Number 3: Be wary of the words: “No Experience Necessary,” “Model Search” and “Seeking New Faces.” “No Experience Necessary” usually means that they are not going to pay (because experienced models get paid for working) and it sometimes means adult work (porn). “Model Search” usually really means “credit card search” and “Seeking New Faces” is also a sign of a scam company. A good company should only be searching for models (hiring talent) when they already have paying clients lined up ready to hire them.
Specifically, be very wary of ads for model searches in hotels where hundreds of people sign up and line the hallways. These are out of town companies that advertise heavily (mostly radio) to recruit “fresh talent,” when in fact it’s just a rip off to take your money and get out of town. Their colorful posters and fliers are very attractive and their presentations are very persuasive. They will drop names of stars claiming that they got those actors, singers and models started. The truth is that they too were victimized, got ripped off, but moved on and found real jobs on their own.
Some of these companies have been around for a long time and you may ask yourself: “If they are a scam, how are they still in business?” Well, most people who get ripped off are embarrassed about it and don’t put up a fight to get their money back, especially when the company is from out of town. Those who do put up a fight usually lose because the scammers know how to cover their tracks. And there is always a steady flow of young people who dream of being a model (potential victims).
Rule Number 4: Be on the lookout for multiple ads that appear to have been posted by the same person. When you read an ad that has the same language, style and information (or lack of) as several other ads, it is likely the same person blasting the thread with different postings in order to cast a wide net to lure more victims. That’s a spammer, not a job offer. Often the grammar and spelling is very poor because they were typing quickly in order to post lots of ads (or they are just an idiot who doesn’t know proper English). Craigslist actually has a “flag” just for this purpose. In the top right-hand corner you can flag an ad as a “spam/overpost” and they will ban the IP of the user from posting more fraudulent ads.
Rule Number 5: Be very wary of “agencies.” In a market as small as Louisville, sadly the word “agency” usually means scam. Most of the so-called agencies are actually “talent management” or “model management” companies that charge models excessive amounts of money for photography, classes and portfolio hosting but seldom actually book models on paid jobs. No job charges you to work for them. If you have a question about a specific agency, email me and I will give you some sources and references so that you can determine if they are legit.
If you decide to go to a casting call or interview, never take a credit card, checkbook or cash with you. A job interview means that they want to pay you for working. If they are a scam that wants you to pay for photos, classes or whatever over-priced gimmick they are trying to sell you, they can be very persuasive and manipulative. So if you don’t have any money on you, they definitely won’t be able to talk you into giving it to them. A legit agency never charges models fees of any kind. And never sign a contract on the spot. Take it home with you and have a lawyer or trusted expert read it over and give you their advice.
Rule Number 6: Never send unmarked photos to anonymous and generic email addresses (yahoo, hotmail, aol, gmail and/or of course the #######@craigslist.org). You have no idea who takes possession of your photos and how they will be used. It is wise to have lo-res (under 600 pixels wide and under 100 dpi (myspace and facebook size)) professional photos with the photographer’s watermark or credit on them available to send in reply to legit postings. Never send hi-res, full size printable photos.
Now, I’m not just saying that to plug my studio photography services for models, but rather because 1, if your photos are not being used for a potential client to see what you look like, copyrighted photos cannot legally be redistributed or used for commercial purposes; 2, if it is legit, the potential client will be more impressed with a model who submits professional photos because it sends the message that you are serious about your work, rather than just a pretty girl who asked a guy with a camera to take her picture. And for goodness sakes, don’t send pics taken with your cell phone or your reflection in the bathroom mirror!
Another good idea is to have an online portfolio. The best website for portfolio hosting with a personalized url is www.imodel.com because for just $9.95 a month you can create a portfolio with www.yourname.com. OMP (www.onemodelplace.com) is good, but MM (www.modelmayhem.com) is less for clients and more for social networking. You don’t want a potential client visiting your online portfolio and then seeing personal comments from friends. With your own online portfolio, you don’t have to worry about sending photos. Having said that, if it is a legit client and they ask you to send them, then do it.
Rule Number 7: The warnings on craigslist wisely remind us to deal locally. That is true, especially when selling a product (I received a phony check for $2000 when selling furniture once). But when looking for modeling jobs, my experience is that the best jobs are from out-of-town clients (in part because the scams in town have conditioned the local businesses to think they can always get models for free working for “exposure”).
For tradeshows and conventions, the vendors leave town at the end of the show and sometimes you might be waiting a long time for a check. Derby time is the worst because big shots from NY and LA think we are a bunch of Kentucky hillbillies who they can rip off. I accept cash only on Derby weekend. A good, legit client will pay you at the end of the job but often the check will come a month later. More on making sure you get paid in the third section.
Rule Number 8: Create an email account just for modeling. Some of the classified ads online are really just marketing companies collecting emails, addresses and phone numbers to sell to other marketing companies which will send you spam and junk mail. So if you are a student or have a day job with a personalized email from your college or business, don’t use that address for modeling work. If you decide to use www.imodel.com, you can get the email address yourname@yourname.com, which of course gives a very professional appearance. You may even want to consider having a stage name just for modeling work.
Rule Number 9: Never give your cell phone or physical address in response to an ad until you have confirmed that they are a legit client. Again, your information can be sold to telemarketers or the new thing now is spam text messages. Anyone can post an ad online and it could be some creepy guy looking to hit on hot girls. Or it could be an attempt at identity theft. Worst case scenario is that some rapist is posting ads asking for “models” to send photos and resumes and then he shows up at your home. It would be wise not to put your home address on a resume, but rather a P.O. Box or just your city and zip code (just make sure a legit client who you do a job for has your address to send your paycheck to).
Rule Number 10: Never go to an interview alone unless it is in a very public setting. Now, the interview itself will likely be just you and the potential client(s), but your boyfriend, friend, parent or sibling should be welcome to come with you and sit in the waiting room while you interview. Having said that, you do want to show a legitimate, potential client that you have your own transportation, don’t need someone else for moral support and confident enough to be on your own. But if you are concerned for your safety, don’t go alone.
II. TYPES OF ADS TO BE CAUTIOUS OF, BUT MIGHT BE LEGIT:
Rules 1-10 used words like “always” and “never.” Now I want to talk about ads that might appear shady, but might be a real job offer and how to reply. Sometimes people just don’t know how to compose an effective ad and here is how you can separate the job offers from the junk:
*Rule number 1 was to not reply to anonymous ads, but if you see one that might be a real job but the poster left out all the information, then email a reply with a message like this:
Greetings,
I saw your ad seeking models. Due to the nationwide epidemic of identity theft and for the sake of my own safety, I don’t reply to anonymous ads. I am an experienced and qualified professional, but before I send you my photos or a resume, I would like to ask you to reply with basic information including your name, your company name, company website, company phone number; the name of the show, the location and dates of the show, wardrobe requirements and pay.
Thank you for your time and understanding.
Your First Name Only
By asking these questions, you are sending the message to scammers that they are not going to get away with their tricks; and when it is a legit client, you are sending the message that you are a serious professional and they will respect that. I replied with an email like that once and the poster deleted the ad and posted a new one with all the information about their company and the job.
When the ad itself or the email that comes back to you merely lists a website and instructs you to sign up with it, it’s probably phony. Most of the time it’s just a trick to get your information to sell to marketing companies and potential identity thieves. Reply back with a specific question again and if the email says the same thing, then obviously it is being generated by a computer rather than an actual person reading your email. Your email address has already been turned over to spammers, so don’t give them any more info like your physical address or phone number. Check them out before signing up. Google the company and look for message boards or forums where others post their experiences. If a Google search reveals only craigslist ads from other cities, it’s a scam.
Websites that claim to be a “talent database” are probably a waste of your time but some of the companies that specialize in trade show models are legit. See, focusing on something specific like just trade shows is narrow therefore more likely a real agent where as “talent” is generic will appeal to actors, musicians and a wider net of potential victims. CMG www.creativemanagementgrp.com is a legit Florida based agency that books models nationwide that asks you to sign up online.
If you are unsure of a company’s website, email me and I’ll check them out for you. Also visit www.modelscams.org, www.ripoffreport.com, www.easybackgroundcheck.com and of course your local Better Business Bureau www.louisville.bbb.org. The BBB uses a grading system, but it can be misleading. An agency might have an F grade because of a complaint they never responded to. Another agency might have a B grade because they did resolve complaints, but had 18 of them!
Earlier I mentioned working for “exposure.” DON’T DO IT. “Exposure” and “credit” are bad words in modeling (in small markets like Louisville). It’s usually just a trick to get you to work for free. Sadly, too many gullible young people fall for it because they think a runway show is glamorous and fun. When they do that, they are taking money out of your pocket because the client is getting away with not paying professionals like you. NEVER work for “exposure” (unless it is a national publication or wide distribution and you will in fact be seen by real potential clients). Some good jobs can offer a trade (like a gift certificate) and there is some value to networking depending on who else (potential clients) will be at the gig. But in general, if a job is all about what you can do for them and less about how it will help you, then DON’T DO IT.
Sometimes amateur or aspiring photographers (and professional artists) will post ads seeking models to shoot for their own portfolio, personal pleasure or to sell the photos in a gallery setting or on the web. Sometimes experienced, professional photographers who want to get into shooting models as subjects use ads to find talent (models follow posing directions much better than say, infants or race horses). Sometimes they are legit and pay well. Other times its some dirty old man who wants to take pictures of you half naked for his own personal pleasure (perhaps willing to pay good money for his hobby) or a GWC (Guy With Camera: a derogatory term to describe guys who pretend to be photographers in order to be in the company of pretty girls). In both cases, the ad might be anonymous and it can be hard to tell the difference from the ad alone. Meet the guy at a public place like a coffee shop and bring an escort with you. Ask yourself: does the conversation feel like an interview or a first date? If you do the shoot, bring a friend with you.
III. HOW TO REPLY TO LEGIT ADS AND GET THE JOB:
What NOT to do:
Always deal directly with the contact who posted the ad and the person who is paying you. NEVER, EVER go around a recruiter or agent in order to contact the client’s client. Whoever hired you is your boss.
The client is getting dozens of replies from lots of different models. 90% of the time, they are going to glance at your photo and decide right then and there if they want to interview you (another reason to use professional photos). If you don’t hear back in a few days, it’s fine to send one follow-up email, but do NOT call and bug the client after that. It’s one thing to show that you are interested; it is another to be a pest.
I will tell you from when I have hired models that nothing irritates me more than models asking questions that I already answered in the ad. READ the ad carefully and don’t ask them for information that was already posted in the original ad. When you do, it sends the message that you are an idiot who can’t read.
It’s wise not to contact the client and ask what to wear to an interview. One of the things you will be judged on is your choice of wardrobe, so use your own judgment. Most of the time, you will want to dress sexy, but not slutty.
Avoid asking the client for directions. Often casting calls are in public venues and the address is in the ad (if not, then ask). Google it and get the map and directions on your own. Arrive early and give yourself time to find a parking spot and wander through the halls to find the room. Don’t be late!
What TO do:
Presumably, you have a high school education and know English. Use correct spelling and proper grammar. Do NOT reply with internet short hand like you are sending a text message to your friend. It’s “You are” not “ur.” It’s “See you” not “cu.” “I” is always capitalized. “A lot” is two words. If you can’t read and write, a legit client paying good money isn’t going to care how hot you are. OK, well, some of them might, but still, write like you are being graded on it. If it comes down to two models both of whom have a similar look and experience, they will choose the person who can compose a coherent sentence.
Also, since most of the modeling gigs in Louisville are promo jobs for trade shows and conventions, they will require a badge to get in. When you respond to an ad, ask the client where, when and how you can obtain your ID badge before your call time. Often security will not let you in without the badge and then you are late to work. Again, when you ask this question of a client, they will realize that you are an experienced professional.
Always have a variety of professional portfolio photos ready to send in. Think about photos from a client’s point of view: after posting an ad they get twenty emails from models with photos. They will look at the photos before reading through your resume so that is where you need to make your first impression. Clients hiring models are not looking for artistic photos or images of you with crazy hair styles and outrageous make up, but rather they want to see what you really look like, today.
I’ve worked for agencies and hired models and its very annoying when a model sends in photos that are a year old when she had red hair and was a size four and then she shows up for a job and she has black hair, five new tattoos and now wears a size eight. It can be expensive to get professional photos done every time you change your hair style, but that is what pros in larger cities do.
I’m not just saying this to plug my own services, but portrait studio photographers with a commercial background are going to be more adept at shooting portfolio images that will help you get jobs more so than an artistic photographer trying to create flashy photos to pad their own portfolio. Not that models and photographers can’t do both (many of us do), but remember that the client is hiring the model, not the photographer. Having said that, some photographers have a specific style and if the job you are going after has a similar theme to a certain photographer’s forte, then hire them to shoot you.
Now that doesn’t mean that you should never shoot with artists or collaborate on projects together – just that when it comes to submitting photos for jobs, they need to show what you look like, not what you look like after being covered in excessive make up and photoshopped into a work of art. Working with a variety of photographers is great experience, but not everyone shoots portfolio images.
Also, think about the client’s style and choose your photos appropriately. If the gig is a promo job, then send photos with bright colors where you are smiling. If the job is a photo shoot for a magazine, then send photos similar to what you see in that publication. If the job is a fashion show, then send photos of you on the runway at a previous show. Most ads ask for a head shot and full length body shot (usually in swimwear). A good photographer knows how to pose models and what people who hire models are looking for.
Make sure you are going to get paid. When replying to an ad, ask when, how and by whom you are getting paid. If they say that a check will be mailed weeks later, make sure to get business cards from all your contacts. Print copies of emails that say how much the pay is and keep track of your hours in writing. Another good idea is to create your own time sheet and have the contact person on site sign it at the end of each day verifying how many hours you worked.
Lastly, do NOT doubt yourself. In every single interview and audition process that I have been a part of, there are dozens of attractive and highly qualified models who don’t show up because they are afraid they won’t be good enough. While you are comparing yourself to another model who is taller or has bigger boobs, she is looking at you and wishing that she had your hair, your smile, your skin, your walk, your hips, your personality, your confidence, your experience and so on and so on. Never shy away from a potential job interview because you are afraid of the competition. You don’t always know exactly what the client is looking for and you just might be perfect.
When it comes to promotional jobs or other gigs where you interact with customers, a confident person with an outgoing personality will be hired before a great looking woman who can’t talk to people. Photo jobs often have a very specific look and it’s not always going to be the hottest girl interviewed who gets the job. Smile, be friendly, be brief and be professional.
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