Ever wonder why the same model sometimes shows up on a bunch of different agency websites? Well since clients often rely on local agencies to cast their jobs it's in a model's best interest to have a few different people working for him/her. By having representation in a couple different markets, models maximize exposure while simultaneously hedging risk, because if things get slow in New York, there's always Miami or Madrid.
In Bangkok I met a bunch of people for whom constant travelling is a way of life. They take contracts (airfare and accomodations advanced and deducted from subsequent paychecks) with agencies in different countries and check them off their list one after the other, generally staying in each location for two-three months at a time. Common stops among those I met were Hong Kong, Singapore, Capetown, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo. What astounded me was that many of these folks start doing this as early as age 15 and only go home once a year if at all. I guess they're capitalizing on the most viable years of a traditionally short-lived career but it seems like an awfully hard life to sustain. Still, there's always that excitement you get when one of your agencies calls with news that you're optioned for a job in Italy or booked for a shoot in Malaysia, all without stepping foot in a casting. Pretty sweet.
No comments:
Post a Comment