She's Got the Look Models

The casting calls for the new season of She's Got the Look bring much anticipation and excitement. As you will soon witness, it's a model search contest like no other. Some lucky woman will receive a check for $100,000 and begin a lucrative modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models in New York City! Buckle your seatbelt and enjoy the journey.

But be warned: Becoming a supermodel takes time, money and effort on your part. If you have never modeled before, you may not be aware of all the demands that are placed on you. It can take years to build a successful modeling career, but thanks to the creators of She's Got the Look and Sean Patterson, celeb judge and president of Wilhelmina Models, you have the chance to gain the advantage in launching your career.

What most models breaking into the industry do not know is that in the beginning stages of a modeling career, it's an investment of your time talent and resources. You will spend more money than you make if you have not been given a check like the one TV Land PRIME's contest offers. Building a portfolio is one of the first things you will start to create once your contract is finalized. A strong book is essential to your career's success and the more diverse the photos are, the better. In doing so, you will incur a lot of expenses that range from photography fees, wardrobe, travel, postage and printing costs.

Yes, you must pay for these expenses yourself, not your agent. The agent will usually advance you money to cover the out-of-pocket expenses until you get your first paycheck from them. Advancement in pay usually goes on a running account at your agency and as you book work, the agent will get your check from the client and pay themselves first. The agent deducts their fee for getting you the work, which is on an average 15 to 20 percent of the total jobs' profit.

Secondly, the agent will reimburse him or herself the money they have advanced to you and third, you will get what is left -- if any, depending upon how much you were loaned or advanced in the beginning. Don't be alarmed if you feel cheated when you see your very first wages and begin to question if working in this industry is worth it. This is all part of the process.

There are other hidden costs that all add up in the beginning of your career. Agents now charge fees for your marketing materials, which consist of video portfolios to website maintenance and promotional Zed Cards. Sometimes clients need Polaroid photos or want your book sent to them immediately. When trying to determine which model to hire for a specific job, sometimes a client can be very demanding. They may request to see you again in person on a "call back." If the client asks to see your book again and they are in another city or state you will have to send it express delivery, which can be costly. You must stop whatever you are doing and give the client what they need in order for you to be considered or booked for the job, and this requires flexibility in your schedule.

It's the client's money that pays us, not the agent's money. You do not get paid until the job is complete and the client sends your earnings to your agent. This usually happens within a 30- to 60-day time period. It's a model's job to make money for the agent and that's why model search contests are popular. Agents are always looking for the next great supermodel to bring on board to keep the clients happy and to increase the income flow for their business. Agents are extremely particular about who they sign. A beautiful face is an asset, but a complete package of having a beautiful mind, body and spirit is priceless in this industry.