How does one become a model in Sl?

Hi All,

I'm interested in becoming a model here in SL but am not quite sure how to get started. Hoping that some folks here can help me out with some advice and recommended resources.

Thanks

Shameless self-promotion helps. Check out Flickr.

Make the best avatar you can. You probably won't be able to do this for free - you'll need, at the very least, a good skin. You might actually need several avatars, because different clothes/skins look better on different shapes. It also helps to have a collection of pose animations.

Pick out some clothes you like and take some snapshots of yourself wearing them. You can buy a photo studio to help with the pictures if you like, but it's perfectly possible to do without one, it's just a bit more hassle as you'll have to build your own stage (although you only need 3 or 4 white boxes for that) and run animations manually.

After that, it's mostly about self-promotion and being noticed. Join groups for places that are looking for models, and offer to help out new clothes designers.

Bear in mind that being a model in SL isn't a glamorous prestige occupation as it is in RL. You aren't (usually) selling a unique talent that you've got and nobody else has; you're selling your willingness to spend time on creating and posing your avatar, so that a content creator doesn't have to (and thus can spend more time creating content). It doesn't pay highly, but it can be very enjoyable as a role.

Trust me.. You won't get rich lol
It is fun though..

Aunna,

Its hard work being a model in SL, but if you need the use of a photostudio get yourself over to JUICEE in Pisherchia as cordelia has her photostudio open for all the use.


Marty

Learn to make good clothes and model them yourself for the ads. You won't get paid for modelling but you might sell some clothes!




A tip: When wearing skirts or dresses, create and save an alternative body shape with slightly narrower hips and flatter butt, to overcome excessive poofiness (even when poofiness is set to minimum).

*Find a super high quality skin (this could cost a few thousand lindens). This does not mean that ONLY expensive skins are high quality...however, it's more likely they are.

*Have a sense of style. Look in fashion magazines, see what's in and what's not. Find these styles in SL...and wear them.

*Research modeling agencies in SL. Be careful, there are a ton of worthless ones...I recommend looking into MAD agency...set the bar there. However, it may not be easy getting in with the big-dogs right away...just be aware of their standards.

*Have a portfolio. Find a photographer, and have them put together a comp card for you. A comp card (composite card) is a model's business card.

*Get as many modeling AOs, gestures, and poses as you can...know how to use them.

*Be professional and easy to work with.

*In the beginning, you may only 'catch is catch can', but in time, you'll want to develop a 'rate sheet' with your hourly expectations.

*Don't work as an escort when you're trying to model...people will get the wrong idea.

_____________

Well, those are just a few pieces of advice to start with. I'm sure I repeated a few things you already know.

That may have been true in the past, but our agency has a completely new business plan that pays our models very well for their talents and efforts. With earnings in the region of 50,000 - 250,000L$ per year. How do we do it? Simple, we invest in people, technology and opportunity, which each member is given to use.

How do you join? Simple again, you make out an application, if suitable, you are interviewed, if you pass that, you are given full training, 2d portfolio and all the opportunities stated above to make money. To pass the interview, you have to 'fit'. We don't carry drama queens, prima donnas, freeloaders or scammers. We do NOT take on pole dancers or escorts. A good model would know, it is the Designers Creations that they have to make look good.

The right sustainable positive attitude is very important to our group. If you make it passed training, the opportunities from within the group are almost limitless. Looks can be created and honed, and with many talented members that are all willing to help, that's acheivable. The prime element that will get you into the group is 'Attitude' and that's not meant in a negative way!

I will definitely look into these suggestions Thanks to everyone for the great advice!

Would one just give the application to you, or do you have them some place in world to complete? This is something I'm kind of interested in, too. I did all the modeling for the clothes in my husband's store, and I really enjoyed it...had a lot of fun with the different poses, even had fun searching for them and buying them. Plus, accesorizing hair/shoes/jewelry with the outfits was a lot of fun, too. Trying to come up with the best look to set off each outfit! Not much experience modeling, but some...and have 3 really great skins, and a few different shapes that could be used.

Aunna, have you thought about getting some formal modeling training? There is a model school in SL. Their office is located on Rodeo Drive in Niagara Falls. Here is their website if you're interested:

http://www.modamodelingschool.com

Most model agencies won't hire you unless you have some sort of knowledge about the business. Must haves are:
1) A great skin, photoreal if possible.
2) Good poses. Some freebies places have good model pose packages, you may want to start there. Although the really good ones can cost 50L - 100L.
3) A good attitude and the will to learn. If you set your expectations too high from the start, you'll be setting yourself for a broken heart.

And yes, you won't get rich by becoming a model. But you get LOTS of free incredible clothes, skins, shoes and accessories, you name it. If you're good at it, you get lots of attention and get to meet lots of great people.

Good luck to you in realizing your dreams...

Calveen Kline

The big banana to pluck off the modeling tree in SL is getting a contract to be the "face" of a real-life company in SL. This can actually net you real-life cash, scholarships, whatever. Your SL pictures will appear in RL advertising. These are usually awarded via a competition, and you have to already have an SL modeling portfolio to enter.

I have an acquaintance who landed one of these, and while her RL boss was intrigued (of course, she's not a model in RL), he was not so thrilled with the time committment!

Where are these usually advertised? I was thinking under "Events", but maybe it's on the website here somewhere? That would be fun to just enter something like that!

I'm curious about the job duties of a working SL model.

I have a supermodel alt -- not a working model, just my virtual dress-up doll -- and on top of dressing and posing her, I also do my own photography. I'm referring to backdrop, lighting, angle, composition, timing (for animations or eye position), along with post-processing outside of SL.

Is that normal for working SL models, or does another person usually do the actual photography?

*** Also a tip for the OP: You might look into getting an animation HUD, something like HUDDLES. (Just go to SL Exchange and search the marketplace for HUDDLES.) They have an expensive one with all the bells and whistles, and mid-price one, and a very cheap basic one that is still perfectly functional for modelling.

(almost) speechless...

if you'd ever seen me you would know that nobody's gonna be asking ME to participate in a modeling contest, lol ... but I'll try to remember to ask my friend. I haven't seen the one's I've been notified of advertised in the forums. Some make it to groups like Fashcon, but I think mostly they show up in the major fashion blogs/mags ... ... maybe Style? Send me an IM inworld if you really want me to remember to ask her!
Every model should know how to do pretty decent photography ... really it's not hard with a few lit cubes and a couple of photo backdrops that you can texture. I use one that's straight (for photo backdrops) and a semicircular one for seamless textures. It's also nice to know of a few great pieces of scenery around SL that you can use in a pinch.

However, if you are representing a store or product line of importance, they will usually arrange for a professional shoot. There may be photoshopping afterwards. Models i've talked to don't do a lot of that, for obvious reasons.

Did I say something improper or untrue???

Nika, is correct. Any professional model SHOULD know how to take his/her own photos, although most clients and modeling agencies provide their own photographers.
Also, the use of AOs or HUDs is NOT OK during fashion shows, and will quickly earn you the label of amateur. That's why some professional training is strongly encouraged. A model must know how to time poses by hand and create his/her own pose balls in case there's a photo shoot where pose stands are not available.
It all depends on how professional you want to be seen as in the eyes of a potential client.
A professional model is not only a pretty mannequin, but also someone who works well in conjunction with the photographer in order to produce the best quality work. The bottom line is you have to know how to best sell the product you are modeling.

Sorry, where was my mind at! I was only thinking of print photography, and hadn't thought of fashion shows.

But... how do the models do the sexy model walk without an AO?

ETA:

Now why is a pose-HUD not better than pose balls? Wouldn't a pose-HUD allow you to pose in no-build locations, where you can't rez pose balls?

(I should say I don't actually use either... since I'm doing my own photography, I just "play local" the poses directly out of my inventory. But a HUD seems like it would make that process a smidgen faster and easier.)

Ava, yes, they're ok for photography. But even then I wouldn't use them. Some poses may make your feet or shoes sink into the floor, and you can't do anything about it, except if you use a poseball. Then, you only need to raise the poseball while you're sitting on it. And yes, No Rezz locations can make your work that much more difficult.

For shows, you can create an attachment that contains only the walk you will use. The main reasons for not using HUDs during shows are:
1) They make you lag. Anyone who has been to a fashion show knows that lag is horrible. The last thing you want to happen to you as a model is getting stuck in the middle of your walk because your HUD has stopped responding.
2) HUDs are not very good at switching between poses and walks, and you end up looking like a slide show of the Simpsons.
3) You may want to use different poses for different outfits. This is almost impossible to do if you're wearing a HUD.

I have to comment that i've always found the idea of paid modeling in SL a bit silly. In RL it's understandable, as some people are born with 'that look' that you just can't find on anyone. In SL it's quite different. Anyone can be 'model perfect' by buying a shape and skin. Anyone can move or stand the 'right' way by using a pose. In a world where you can literally be 1000 different people with 1000 different looks, why would you need to pay someone else?

*scratches her model-perfect head*

SL has become a huge flea market, for better or worst. And the number one necessity product that everyone must have is Clothes. You just can't go out naked, period. Unless you want to be ARd. The purpose of a model is to enhance the chance that this product will sell.
Yes, some product creators or store owners prefer to model thier own products. But, have you been to a store where every display shows the same model, over and over? It's quite boring and doesn't inspire the customer to buy, especially girls, they'll say, I don't want to look like just the same model on the wall.
So, rather than spend thousands of lindens on skins, shapes, prim hair, etc., product creators can spend a few hundred lindens employing a couple of models who will offer a variety of looks.
You may apply the same attitude to RL. Why employ models to show your clothes when you can just stick them on a mannequin and put it in the window display? Easy, because clothes look, and behave, differently when worn than when static.

Funny, I am not dismayed by the same model wearing the clothes. The only time it may really make a difference is when you are wearing an overweight or extremely skinny avatar.

Very good point about the feet. I haven't done location shoots yet, just in-house (my house) modeling. All my photos are for my web site and require a pure black background, so I just hide everything with the client menu.

And I actually use the "play local" animations in combination with a pose stand that both sets me above floor level and allows me to easily rotate my av into a good position for lighting... which is WAY easier than moving the lights! So obviously the HUD alone wouldn't do that for me... hmmmm, I might have to reconsider my upcoming purchase, or at least test it out with the cheapo version first.


Lord, I'm glad I'm not trying to do actual fashion shows. I'm on a very laggy computer, and I am quite sure I would be the girl who just walks right off the catwalk and lands in a VIPs lap!

You can apply by using the formail link on our website http://www.nex-core-mm.com look to the bottom right on the main page layer 'formail'.
Successful applicants will be contacted ingame and an interview arranged. Good Luck

In one coment you say Buy this and that, and ask why they should get paid?
It is true virtually anyone can with the right accessories/shape/skin/poses CAN become a model.. but we aren't looking to pay anyone for just having those, as money can buy them, what is very important to our agency is the 'person' behind all that, their abilitiy to fit in with the group, enjoy the uniqueness created by our members.
Committment and passion are things you cannot purchase anywhere and make the difference between a manikin and a model for our agency. The values that we pay are to reflect any investment the members make to comply with our clients requirements and to reward those special people in a way that they deserve. Just because you cannot buy committment and passion, doesn't mean we won't pay someone very well, for having it.