How to Become The Next Big Urban Model in Three Easy Steps
Step 1: Get Quality Photos - It’s possible you could just be walking around somewhere and a major casting agent for music videos or a magazine editor spots you, but the odds aren’t great. Barring that scenario, the main way to create buzz for yourself is with quality, striking photos. We're not talking iPhone pics taken in your backyard, but professional pics that cast you in the best light possible. Also, it’s important to stand out of from the crowd, so forgot about doing booty shots oiled down in a thong. Everyone is doing those type of pics now. Be sexy without giving everything away. Again, this is where discretion comes into play. Do you have what it takes?
Step 2: Get
yourself noticed. This means putting yourself
out there on sites like Model Mayhem and One Model Place and submitting to
castings for magazines and music videos. It’s
easier to get a break in a music video than a
magazine. The music video circuit is not as
“political,” for lack of a better word, as the
magazine circuit. If a casting director like Anissa Williams sees a hot model
for a music video, she is not going to condition
submission on whether you get “friendly” with her.
Her main goal is to get the hottest, freshest talent
to the artist for the best price. So if you can't
catch a break with the magazines, start submitting
for music video castings. Ajia Nicole will probably be the next
face you see in the urban mags because she did the
Hurricane Chris “Halle Berry” video. Dollicia Bryan also got her break
in Joe's music video long before getting magazine
exposure.
Step 3: Be humble. Be professional.
The number one reason urban models lose their footing
in the industry is that they become divas upon even the
slightest success and get labeled “difficult to work
with.” Even if you book a magazine cover or a Kanye
West video, it does not entitle you to romp around like
you’re Megan Fox. Get some perspective! Most people
don’t even know about the urban modeling world, let
alone you, but you'd never know it from the way a lot
of these girls act. Being late for a shoot, showing up
with bags under your eyes from partying the night
before, being overly demanding on set, etc. - these are
all things that are considered diva-like behaviour.
Again, this is an area where discretion and
sophistication come into play. If you need an example,
watch how Lauren Conrad behaved in her initial
interviews with Teen Vogue during season one
of “The Hills." Everything about her
was understated and humble. And yeah, the cameras
were rolling and she comes from a pedigreed
background, yada, yada... Don’t make excuses. The
behavior can be studied and emulated.
That’s it for now. I'll expand upon this article as
thoughts come to me.
