Welcome to Edcorp!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T15:04:00.011+11:00

Every year this inaugural day comes by and I left with an empty feeling that I should either be spending it with someone special or doing something useful. Since I never have someone special to spend Valentine's Day with, this year I thought I'd try to be as productive as possible... by making a video about it and hopefully putting a smile on someone's face.

Mind you, you may have noticed that there is a huge gap between the frequency of my videos, and the chronological sequence can put H.G. Wells to shame. The reason being is that I'm experiencing massive back log issues with my PC. The memory in my laptop keeps busted, the hard drive keeps filling up (filming in HD will do that) and worst of all, the video editor I was using is a nightmare. A lawn bowl match is faster than this video editor (dare I not say it's name).

Due to incompatibility issues with .mov files which is the format my HD camera films in, I went seeking an alternative. I did manage to find one... it has its issues as well, but at least I have a new video done up within 2 days of filming and editing. I'm happy to present the first new video I've published with this new editor. I'm still trying to work it out though.

Hopefully, if it all works out, you will be able to see more videos coming up... and trust me there's more. The only thing I need to find is time... and patience... and lots of it!

OK, back to the theme of the post... Valentine's Day. Some people think its a marketing sham, it's a cheesy, sales ploy... which maybe true... but to me it's a constant reminder that things have not really changed in the love front. You can see for yourself here.

Many of my friends have wedded or coupled, about to get married, or currently dating... and it really makes it think what it will be like to actually have someone there to support you in what you do, and believes in your dreams. I believe that everyone deserves to experience love. It's one of the few signs that magic still exists in this modern world.

Of course, I can always distract myself with copious time-consuming projects, fly away to other countries to seek the thrill of adventure, watch tear jerking romantic comedies on DVDs and work out at the gym, but every now and again, in the back of my mind I think, wouldn't it be nice to share these experiences with someone.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to trust and rely on someone who cares about you as much as you do for them? Wouldn't it be nice to know that they believe that you are the most magnificent creature to walk this world, no matter how many blunders you do or flaws you have? Wouldn't it be nice to just not be alone in a crowded city? Presents are nice too :). I guess these are all questions we all ask at some stage when we are single.

So, now that I'm getting into the video blogging thing, I decided to distract myself/be productive by creating a video for all to watch, laugh and share... of course some of the attitudes are there for comedic purposes. It may not be an accurate representation of me since I consider myself to be quite romantic and passionate towards things.

I hope that you enjoy my video and that you all have a nice Valentine's Day, whether with loved ones, by yourself or at your anti V-Day party. Let me know what you got up to, I'm interested to hear if you did anything more exciting than what I did... made Youtube videos.

Till next time, take care.

P.S. You might have noticed that I am looking really sage-like and scruffy in the facial hair department. There is a reason for this and it has something to do with upholding Chinese New Year festival traditions... Don't worry the festival is almost over... and I'm looking into finding a loophole so that I'm no longer chewing on my goatee when I'm eating this time of year lol.

How To Make Ice Cream In One Minute

2011-01-11T19:52:00.001+11:00

Without making this blog turn into a cooking site, I took this time out to share with you a new favourite recipe of mine for homemade ice cream, perfect for the hot summers in Australia. I've been making all different kinds of ice cream flavours at home and I've gained a lot of attention from my friends for the recipe and my cooking adventures so I decided to create a video to document me making it for a dinner party i got invited to recently.

Cooking for other people personally is a wonderful creative process. It is about appealing to the senses, sharing in good company and tasting the rewards of your creations. However, not many people have the time to cook these days. I'm certainly not excluded. So when I first came across this recipe, all of the manual prep work combined was estimated to be 15 minutes... which can be a lot of time for a dessert dish that takes 15 seconds to eat :p.

So, in my own unconventional cooking style and experimentation I came up with a solution as you can see in my video in this post.

This recipe is so versatile and can definitely cure those sweet tooth cravings... even for models... in this video I used low fat versions of the dairy ingredients.

You can substitute the fruit component with any fruit flavour that you think will go well with ice cream. I'll love to hear your suggestions in the comments. If you like fruit pieces of this recipe I suggest that you fold them in. The trick to good ice cream is to avoid the crystalisation of the liquid. That's why people use ice cream machines... unfortunately, I don't have one... yet.

This video was done in one take and was quite fun to make. A few bloopers, and a heck of brain freeze from eating too much ice cream. It'll spare you the details for another time, in the meantime enjoy.

If you want to make this at home you will need the following ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of thickened or heavy cream

1 cup of milk

1 cup of condensed milk

1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen fruit of your choice

Combine well and freeze overnight. Allow to thaw for about half an hour before serving.

(Homemade ice cream tends to melt quickly.)

Bon Appetit!

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T19:21:00.003+11:00

Hey everyone,

I know how delayed this video is, but I figured that between New Year's Day and Chinese New Year there is a leeway gap that all new year's resolutions can take time to manifest. So if you failed in your first attempts of your new year's resolutions there is a second new years day coming really soon for you to become prepared. This video too a lot longer to make than my other videos to date... perhaps because this video was quite personal in nature, revealing my New Year's resolutions for 2011 - sharing with the world my dreams, goals and aspirations.

The year 2011 has a strong significance to me. It marks the one year anniversary of my job in the corporate world ended and deciding what direction I want to go now. It is daunting and scary, even though I had a year to think about it. All I know is that I must follow my passions and live a passion filled life otherwise my life would have no meaning.

My news resolutions for this year is:

1) To cook more, since cooking is one of my passions;

2) Getting enough sleep because this is tied to having a healthy life;

3) Drinking more water - hydration is always good :) ;

4) Exercising more, the ritual of a model;

5) Reading more; food for the brain;

6) Getting focused;

7) Channeling my artistic muse and nurturing my creativity;

8) Letting the world know more about me... since I believe I'm a great person to get to know :p... so this is through more blogging and vlogging on my Youtube channel;

9) Going around the world again, to feed my passion for travelling and meeting the world;

10) To get sign with a modeling agency (my ultimate goal and number #1 priority!)

I'm asking my readers to help me keep them in check. I'd also love to hear what your resolutions are so feel free to let me know in the comments sections below

New Year's Eve: Saying Goodbye to 2010

2010-12-31T23:58:00.004+11:00

I had really high hopes of finishing the year 2010 with a bang. 2010 was the year to "awaken the spirit" and I set some really high goals I wanted to achieve. It was no surprise that even towards the last few hours left in the year I was busier than a crazy cow. To most people the end of the year towards December is a period of relaxing and winding down. For me, it is about ramping up and entering the New Year full force with more focus and determination. I guess that's why I'm called Edrenalin lol.

The end to 2010 was pretty much a rough time for me. I was at home, feeling light headed and had a nap, and then worked the rest of the day through on my projects right up to 10.30pm. Then I decided to head into town and try my luck to see the fireworks. Unfortunately, by the time I got there every location by the harbour was locked out and I ran left and right around town to find a good lookout, being pushed and shoved by people who swearing abuse at me. In the end I was in the middle of the street in Circular Quay and I saw a peephole of the Sydney Harbour Bridge under the freeway pass. Unfortunately, as well, the view was obstructed and every 3 mins there way a train that went pass, blocking the view. I never heard so many people united in unison to booing at a situation.

I thought it was a sucky view myself but it was the best that I could do. I use to be in an office looking out in the harbour and I'd work there till midnight and step out on the balcony and get a breathtaking view of the fireworks. I did that for the past two years but now I no longer work there, and had no invitations to any New Year's Eve parties and it was such a shock. I didn't realise that there was a lock out to watch the fireworks.

Anyway, one of my resolutions is to make positives out of any situation... and I must say it was pretty tough to make this one out. However, I knew that I had friends from London visiting Sydney and we were able to catch up after the fireworks. It had been years since I seen one of them so it was really great to spend time with them. The early hours of the new year turned out really nice, even though my friends and I went into a restaurant in Chinatown and the forgot to bring out my order of food and drink. But I was in good company, and that was more important.

I bid my friends farewell, since it was getting late and I was already tired. I slowly made my way home in all my drowsiness.

World AIDS Day

2010-12-01T12:01:00.002+11:00

World AIDS is celebrated on December 1st each year around the world. Its goal is to raise awareness, commemorate those who have passed on, and celebrate the victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services. While great progress has been made, thirty million people are still living with HIV throughout the world and this number increases every day.

HIV and AIDS are prevalent issues in today's society. It forces to ask us "who are we?" and "what do we care about?". Do we care about a whole generation of people dealing with HIV and AIDS every single day of their lives for the rest of their lives? Do we care that millions of children in Africa are left orphaned because their parents were taken by AIDS.

HIV doesn't discriminate between male or female, age, social status, education, race, religion or any other labels. You might know someone who has HIV or had someone you care about die from AIDS. This issue affects us all one way or another!

Not many people know this but I use to give my time to the AIDS Trust of Australia and stand on the street, holding a bucket and collecting donations. I also use to volunteer for the AIDS Council of New South Wales (ACON) and it was through my volunteer work with them that I appeared in quite a few poster campaigns for health and youth issues - one of them was for getting HIV testing and increasing HIV awareness. It gave me one of my earliest taste of being infront of a camera and modeling. So these became issues that hold some importance to me.

One of the most powerful Symptoms for someone who has HIV or AIDS is fear from people, stemmed from prejudice and ignorance. These affect our friends, colleagues, siblings, children, parents and partners who have HIV or AIDS.

Get the facts, combat discrimination and take affirmative action. Help others dealing with HIV and AIDS through understanding and self-education. Understand what is HIV and AIDS, how is HIV transmitted, what you can do to protect yourself from HIV, regularly get tested, what to do if you think you have been exposed to HIV and understanding and supporting people living with HIV and AIDS.

Stop the stigma and end the discrimination. HIV and AIDS doesn't discriminate so what should you? We all can make a difference, whether it’s through a donation, volunteering or simply making wiser decisions regarding your sexual health. Together we can stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice.

Thank you for your time!

Flash Mob At Sydney Opera House

2010-11-19T12:44:00.005+11:00

On the morning of Sunday, 14th November 2010 there was a flash mob performed on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. This flash mob was performed by drag performers, Joyce Mange and Aunty Mavis and hundreds of volunteers dancing their way in public to a tribute to Kylie and Dannii Minogue.

Prior I had received an email that was circulating around about rumours of a flash mob performance on that morning at 10am. A friend of mine was able to confirm it but he did mention that it had been postponed to 11am. So I woke up early on Sunday morning (forgetting the sunscreen!) and headed into town.

When I arrived at the Sydney Opera House there wasn't a crowd in sight. I thought I had missed the show :(. With not much time I scouted around and I discovered where they were all hiding. In the back of the building rehearsing, hundreds of them in the scorching sun. There, I watched them rehearsing their shindig over and over again as my skin was getting fried as I cowered for the remnants of shade beside a marquee.

I realised that my friends had misinformed me. That 11am call time wasn't the performance time, but the rehearsal call time. I had to wait a couple more hours in the freakish heat before the show, now postponed to 1:15pm in the afternoon.

So I broke off for lunch with a friend who I bumped into, and we went searching for a place to sit down, order cheap eats that has a working air conditioner, that wasn't crowded. In Circular Quay, that seemed like a big ask. We managed to order quiches and sandwiches in a convenience store... classy.

Scoffing down lunch and catching up with conversation, we headed back to the Opera House just in time for the performance to start. I had a really tricky time filming the show. A lot of people, a lot of tall people who like to stand in front of me that all I can do is hold the camera above my head and hope for the best. I tried my best, and apologies if this detriments from the fun and sweaty experience it was. Here are the performance videos that I recorded below.

I had managed to film two versions of the public performance. Please watch both and then comment on which one you like the best.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-30T09:43:00.001+11:00

Hey everyone, Happy Halloween season!

Before I start i'd like to ask if you can please subscribe to this blog

(button is below on the left hand column) ----->

and subscribe to my new Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/TheEdrenalin

I can always do with more friends. :)

So some of you might now that I'm back in Australia after going around the world. Some of you even followed me. Stalkers! hehehe... and just trying to settle back in Sydney. I'll talk more about those adventures in a later entry but right now it's time to update this blog :p... and talk Halloween. I've kept this pretty hush hush, but earlier on the year in June, I participated in an awesome photo shoot. The reason I had to keep it a secret was that the shoot was for an Australian fashion designer based in Melbourne, who wanted photos of the clothing line to be submitted in an editorial magazine in the US for a Halloween special edition.

To cut the story short, because I will explain more in the next entry, I wanted to keep the details of this shoot hidden as a courtesy to the designer. It didn't seem right to show the world these designs before the photos were even published. But now we are approaching Halloween, and I have been informed that the cut off for the photos to be submitted for the magazine had been missed so I will press on to reveal some behind the scenes footage on the day.

I worked with some great models, photographers and a magnificent Aussie body painter, who made some hideously amazing creations. It was quite a fun day and the conversations were hilarious! Here's a sneak peak:

Life In A Day

2010-08-01T13:56:00.003+10:00

On Saturday, 24th July 2010 I decided to document a day in the life of me as a social experiment. Inspired by Ridley Scott and Kevin MacDonald's global phenomena, I took out my camera and recorded a snippet of my life over one day. However, in my enthusiasm, I did realise that I did not complete the selection criteria specified for this project, for example answering the questions they asked (which I'll probably back fill in later videos) and the time and editing requirements (I had a lot happening on that day that produced an 18 minute long documentary). I proceeded with my project anyway, considering that I was documenting my life for me and also for my readers.

The concept came about for Life in a Day, was that on the 24th day of the 7th month of the year, to document via video that depicted the lives of people all around the world for 24/7. The footage used will be made into a feature film that will premiere at the famous Cannes Film Festival, and will serve as a record of what life was like on this chosen day so that, like a time capsule, for the generations to come, they could see how we all lived.

A big thank you to all my friends who gave their permission to feature in this video. You really added some great flavour and funny moments to this clip. The process was fun and quite insightful for me. It was a day, that for some reasons was quite eventful. Here are the results of my footage for you all to see below. To all my readers, I hope you enjoy this up close and personal look into a day of my life. Your comments and feedback are most welcome.

I've Always Wanted To Be A Superhero Part 2

2010-05-31T18:13:00.001+10:00

Having someone believe that I have Top Model potential is a phenomenal feeling. It's someone I've spent a lot of time working towards so I can believe in it, pushing myself and giving more to abolish any reservations about my height, ethnicity, proportions or appearance and just perform.

Another reader, Troy, sent me this great message:

"Amazing pics, Ed! I love it. Have you been signed by any modeling agency yet? If not, someone missed the boat, big time. I think you have a huge career ahead of you."

I replied that no I wasn't represented by an agency yet and if he knew of any lol. Coincidently, that same week, in a matter of days in fact, I received two messages from bookers from overseas asked me to try out and cast cast for them for fashion and commercial work. I'm still awaiting a response from them so fingers crossed on the outcome those. This incident has made me reaffirm my beliefs that the universe works in mysterious ways :).

I'll wrap this entry with the words a reader sent to me. Agostino sent these words to me in Italian:

La più grande tragedia di questo tempo non è lo stridente clamore dei cattivi, ma l'atroce silenzio dei buoni.

La mia forz è l'adrenanina,lo sconforto è l'indifferenza.

Which translates to:

"The greatest tragedy of this time is not the strident clamor of the bad, but the terrible silence of the good. My strength is adrenaline, the discomfort is indifference".

Very, very inspiring words and I'm glad to encounter such nice people who support my passion. They really make my day and make me feel that I am on the right track. Love hearing feedback and comments from everyone, so don't feel shy. Feel free to leave a note at the end of my entries so I know that someone is reading these entries :).

I've Always Wanted To Be A Superhero Part 1

2010-05-25T13:05:00.003+10:00

I've always wanted to be a superhero and it's not only because I watched "Iron Man 2" at the cinemas last night and I'm feeling inspired. I would not have guessed that just by following my passion and doing what I love I am influencing others as a role model. It wasn't something that I intended on, I am just a simple guy :).

I'd just like to share this entry with some of my readers who have been kind enough to send me messages. This one is from Cynthia wrote:

"My son and I were going through some of my friends on my list that are in your profession. As we were looking, I asked my son about certain photos of my friends and his comment was " You have some friends that take good pics but Edrenalin is more of a professional". Then he went on to say, "Edrenalin is more Top Model material and the others are maybe commercial". Just thought I would share that with you. Keep up the good work love. I'm loving what you do and you do it with perfection... Just to let you know, getting a comment out of my son is like pulling teeth lol"

This message really made my day and put a huge smile on my face. Cynthia tells me that her son is nineteen, is quite private and never makes a comment about anything. So to get a compliment from someone who never really makes a comment about anything is very remarkable.

To be honest, as a kid I've dreamed of being a supermodel and make a difference to the world like a superhero. As the years went and I grew older, when I walked down the street and have people walk into me, I felt like Clark Kent, but when I am in front of the camera I feel like superman and can take on anything, defy gravity, pose in ways that are impossible for others and unique to my style. "Living the Edrenalin" was like living a secret identity, special, like I was able to show a side of me that I haven't been able to show to anyone else except for professional photographers.

Gentleman Of The Week

2010-05-17T18:46:00.001+10:00

I have fantastic news. I have been selected as "Gentleman of the Week" on Magnus Hermansson's blog : "The Swedish Pony". Check it out here! Hermansson is a 35 year old model, originally from Sweden and currently based in Norway. He has done some photo shoot and walk-ons in movies.

It's quite a short but interesting story about how Hermansson approached me. He contacted me online to participate for his model of the week on his blog and wanted to feature some of the pictures I had done. However, I knew that I had a stack of pictures that were currently at a bottle neck because I was busy preparing to launch my modeling website. I had pictures waiting in a queue that I wanted to add to my site but didn't have enough time to update the pictures online, so I asked him if he could wait until I had might site ready to select me in exchange for more pictures to choose from. Also, I was making plans to head interstate for another big shoot so I knew more photos were on it's way. Fortunately, Hermansson was patient and agreed to wait and by coincidence he was being kept busy with work commitments so the whole ordeal turned out quite fine. A little relay of communication when my site was done and viola I'm a "gentleman of the week" :). Thank you Magnus!

Go and check out what all the fuss is about. Check out me being featured as "Gentleman of the Week" on The Swedish Pony blog.

Edrenalin's First Show Reel Video Released

2010-05-11T16:37:00.001+10:00

Hey everyone,

You may have noticed that I had been rather missing in action for the past few weeks. First of all I do apologise, as some of you are aware that I recently lost a friend and I had been grieving and trying to rebuild myself and work out how am I going to live in a world without their presence. Art and creativity has always been my way of coping with whatever the world throws at us, and this time it is no exception. I could spend this entry talking about my crazy cooking adventures or my photography successes but I figure out that I might leave that for another time. Today, I have exciting news that I am really proud of! After scrambling to put the finishing touches last night (was almost an all nighter but I was determined to get it done), I am now happy to say that my first ever show reel showing off samples of my modeling portfolio is now released!

Very very proud of myself since I've never used created a video before. I had this idea in my head for a while.. took a lot longer to execute than planned but now I get to watch it over and over again and get teary eyed. I think it achieves what I wanted it to do, to tell a story of my modeling journey so far. From the images I had taken over the years to the different phases of my logo changes, all telling a story of where I have been and the direction i'm heading towards. I must say it was very nostalgic and really embodies what "Edrenalin" means to me. I was reminded of all the great photographers I have worked with over the years and from around the world, as well as the great experiences I had there

I won't bore you with every detail but there were some funny and tedious moments during the creation of this video. Getting the timing right to tell the story I wanted, and writing a book, I started to run out of pages to right on... as in I was running out of pictures to use for the slideshow since I was reserving other photos for future video plans, but in the end I threw some of these in and figured that I just need to go and shoot some more which isn't a bad solution. Sometimes, I chose the incorrect video effects for some segments and when I played it back I would see this random visual that made me burst in spontaneous laughter but given that if I was making this video with another kind of vision it might have just worked lol. Oh and by the time I uploaded it to YouTube, the site was down for maintenance :p.

I'd love to hear your feedback so feel free to comment, and these would definitely help shape future videos I create. It was so much fun... but time consuming... to do, I'd love to give it another go :). Without further ado, I present my first show reel video. Just click the play button on the video box below, sit back and enjoy :).

The Making of Edrenalin.com - Building & Launching My New Website

2010-04-15T12:00:00.003+10:00

Hi there all,

It's been a while since I've writing. Bad I know, but there is good reason. I've been working toils all through out the days and evenings and have finally am able to reveal what I've been working on all these weeks. It's my new modeling website! Visit Edrenalin.com to check it out! Here you will find links to this blog and my fan page on Facebook, as well as images from my portfolio from my earliest work, my work overseas and my current body of work that I feel combines everything that I learned from my trip about modeling and myself.

Of course, this is an ongoing project as new images will come about so I suggest that you add it to your bookmarks and save it in your blog roll so that you can easily come and visit me and see the latest stuff I'm doing... because until I get over my phobia of people stealing my images and work out how to make the images I upload to this blog compatible with the slide show widget on it, it might be an unknown time when I start adding images of my work on my blog again.

I tell you now that the story of this site was quite a digital quest. Purchasing the domain took about a year, give or take to buy since it was previously owned by someone else. Very disheartened when it was taken, held ransom by a corporate company, and then I waited and waited for the ownership to expire. Then one day out of the blue, I looked up the domain and viola! It was available. I couldn't believe my eyes and rushed out to snap it up. How lucky am I to get my name for a domain? Now I'm going to keep it forever and ever :).

Next step was to build the site. My skills in that department are well... let's just say it's not as experienced as I am with modeling lol. Trying to understand the mumble jumble and wing ding jargon was like a new technical hiroglyphics. I had technical support on call back and forth... of course the answers were usually, reboot or it's right in front of your eyes. With the frame work and blurbs done I showed the skeleton to a friend. And here is a good advice. It pays to get a second opinion. He noticed that in my excitement I'd skipped some words mid sentence... since my mind thinks faster than I type sometimes... most of the time... hehehe.

Next step was add all the images, which would have been easier if I had my photo management software. I lost my version when I started using my new laptop and misplaced the original CD. This is also why I've been slow with updating my photos. I ran through boxes and boxes and I finally located the freaking piece of software. The answers to misplaced objects are usually in a place you would least expect it. Funny that.

Ok, next was going through and sorting through all my images to upload to the website, and you could guess from the number of shoots I've done, I have a lot of images. There were days I just couldn't bear looking at them on my computer. They appear to meld in some technicolor blur looking at image after image. I took a bit of time going through this process, as I should - this is going to be my website and it is like an extension of my to the world. I want it to best represent me... first I have to work out what that means :).

With all the images I've decided on, next was to categories and sort my albums and this was interesting phase since images didn't always upload properly and after wrestling with the uploads I realised to my dismay that albums could only hold a limited number of images per album. I had different approaches but the one I decided was a story of my modeling work of my past prior to my modeling tour last year, the work I did during that international tour and the work I do presently after learning about the world and working with great people. Then there's an album of my self-portraits that I have been experimenting with photography, and my artistic work that didn't exactly fit with my fashion modeling story but nice images nevertheless. To be honest, I needed to move some images because there were too many in to make the albums fit.

So after all that adventure, I can finally announce that my website is now launched.

Check it out!

Edrenalin.com

Suggestions For Starting A Modeling Agency Part 2

2010-03-15T08:37:00.002+11:00

Last time I talked about my thoughts about starting a modeling agency. It was a topic that got me writing since

I've done my own independent research in the past on the subject because I dreamed that one day I would run my own modeling agency here in Sydney. So here are some more of my suggestions:

Find experience - either you have experience working in the industry as a model or in model management or you find people who have experience. Nothing beats hands on experience and knowledge of how the industry works. With experience comes connections and who you know, the relationships you have in the industry can help an agency. You know where to find models and you know where to find clients.
Decide on the type of modeling agency you want to represent. This will help reinforce your company image, vision and direction. Some agencies represent young teenage girls exclusively, others focus on plus size models or models 40 and older. Your focus should be based on what the paying clients are after. Find out what they want rather than telling them what they want. Work this out for your company and then start making contacts in your area that target these types of models.
Identify you market particularly around your region. Your business is as big as your network. Is your network based locally, interstate or international?
Establish the model base once you work out your direction. Make sure you have enough models to fill your books that suit your criteria. Do you have enough supply to meet the demands of the clients.
Choose a location that you are able to receive adequate exposure. You want to be able to be found by clients, models, customers and advertisers. I've heard of agencies being operated from people's homes so it is achievable. Being able to be found means also being visible online. Do you have your own website, for branding and marketing purposes?
Do your research in regards to the local regulations for starting a modeling agency. Do you need to apply for a license or permit, or is it just simply a registration of business?
When interacting with different parties best to employ an attorney to handle all the legal matters,
And when your business becomes more busy then you should consider employing a bookkeeper as well.
Scout for talent by hosting open call days and invite the public, or find your talent via a talent scout.
Arrange shoots with a photographer for your models to supply your models with portfolios and your agency with comp cards that can be used to promote to potential clients.
Find clients, particularly larger companies that require models for their advertising campaigns in print and television. Department stores require models for fashion shows, other companies hire models for trade shows and promotional work.
Above all else, is to operate your business ethically, with your models, business partners and clients, you business is only as good as the foundations you built them on. It is in your interest to operate your company morally and maintain a good reputation in the industry.

I'd like to wish the reader all the best in setting up his model management company and I hope that you find my thoughts useful. They are just opinions so do feel free to comment or correct what I said. I, myself, am currently not agency represented and if anyone one would like to represent me I'd like to hear it :).

Suggestions For Starting A Modeling Agency Part 1

2010-03-09T12:35:00.005+11:00

Recently I was contacted by a reader who told me that he recently started a model management company in Southern California and asked if I had any ideas that might help him. Firstly, I was really chuffed that I actually have people reading my blog and secondly, very inspired that people think I have something useful to impart. So thank you. Mind you, anything I suggest in this entry is just my opinion so feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

I have been to California on a couple of occasions and from my experience about the west coast in terms of modeling it has been about the All-American look with a commercial focus, particularly Los Angeles. This is in comparison to New York, which stands as a hub for more high fashion and arts based modeling. What do I mean about commercial look? I'm talking about the guy or girl next door, an appearance that the general public can relate especially when that face is placed next to a product on a billboard, TV commercial or magazine advertisement. So to meet the criteria for brand companies find someone to represent their product and 'speak' to the rest of America in order to communicate and connect with as much of their target audience as possible, the model needs to appeal to and embody the people. For a modeling agency, this means finding models of different shapes and sizes, because fashion shows, TV commercials and print each have different a criteria for models.

In general, to start a modeling agency you need two essential ingredients; models and clients to book and pay for these models. In basic economics it can described as a supply and a demand. Making an agency work is to ensure that there is enough work available for models on your books to make it worth their time to stay with your agency, and to provide a good variety of models to cater for client demands so they will book your models and continue to do so in future.

If you have a lot of contacts in the industry then you will have more work available for your models. The more contacts you have the more chances of success for your modeling agency. It is your job to source the most suitable model for the job. Lastly, be aware of how you promote yourself. You do not want to be one of those "advertisers" that promise big things for their models, in order to scam them. Remember the saying, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". Your companies name is as good as the reputations of the companies you are dealing with, and as an agent you have the responsibility and liability to look after the welfare of your models in this business.

I seem to have more thoughts on this subject so I will be continuing on this discussion in my next entry.

How Many Pictures Do You Need In A Portfolio?

2010-03-01T08:07:00.001+11:00

In your collection of modelling pictures, the number of pictures you require varies with the type of modelling you want to get in to and the criteria specified by the client or agent:

Only keep your best pictures in your book. You are trying to sell yourself and you are as good as your worst photo.
Aim for quality not quantity, no use having 10 pictures if only one of them is strong.
Try to avoid having similar pictures that have similar looks, in your book unless there is a reason for doing so, or if it was asked of you.
Some people in the industry favour black and white photography, but to satisfy both sides have a variety of black and white photos and coloured pictures.
Buy yourself a strong covered portfolio book that can accommodate A4 sized pictures.

A versatile and simple portfolio can include, but not restricted to;

a basic head shot,
a stylized head shot,
a conservative body shot like swimwear or underwear,
a sexy fashion shot,
an action like a scene or sporty shot,
an editorial shot
and even a catalogue shot.

This will show off your diversity for fashion, commercial and catalogue modelling. As you become more experienced you may replace your book with newer pictures, and fine tune your book to truly represent the direction and type of modelling you want to pursue.

What's A Modelling Portfolio?

2010-02-22T07:27:00.001+11:00

Before I start I just want to thank you all for following me, but I want to inform you all that due to my time constraints at the moment I am going to be only able to update this blog on a weekly basis rather than daily as I have been and maybe an extra entry here and there on special occasions and if I feel suddenly inspired. As much as I enjoy sharing my experiences with you, 365 daily topics is bit too much for me at the moment. We'll see how we go. Thank you again for your support!

A model's fashion portfolio is an assortment of a model's best photographs which can be used to pitch themselves to get booked for fashion modelling assignments with fashion clients and agents. A model's portfolio is a critical record of your modelling looks and how you look in photographs. This helps paints a picture for the client to see if you best fit the image they have for their print campaign, television commercial or runway show. It's a good idea to keep your portfolio up to date for a few reasons:

Client's want to know what you look like presently - they want to know how long is your hair and what colour it currently is?
Fashion trends keep changing so you want to show that you have the look to suit different styles.
If your portfolio pictures are 5 years old it's not a true representation of what you look like now, like a really bad dating profile... need I say more :).

Your modelling portfolio will become one of the most useful tools at your disposal. It is the initial step to get noticed in the modelling industry. How else will agents and clients know what you look like on film without shooting you first? Usually the first thing that an agent or client will ask you as soon as you walk through the door is to see your book. Many wouldn't contemplate scheduling an interview or invite you to a go-see or casting without first seeing your pictures.

Your modelling book is used to showcase yourself as model, like a model's resume and promotional product.

From my research, everyone seems to have their own opinions on what makes the best portfolio and some even contradict each other, so over the next coming weeks I am going to be putting together the commonalities between all these discussions and put together a list of common pictures that most people agree are necessary to have in your modelling portfolio.

The Apollonian II - The Artist

2010-02-18T11:14:00.002+11:00

Recently, I was contacted by a reader who asked me more about an article he read over a year ago on this blog about the Apollonian. He mentioned that he was at point of his life that he wanted change and that he remembered reading it and it sparked his interest. Firstly I felt great that I was able to inspire someone through my words and, secondly, very amazed that people can remember what I write about over a year ago!

He wanted to know more about my take on the Apollonian so I felt inspired to write more on the subject today. The Apollonian lifestyle for me melds with the Buddhist philosophies, but more importantly for me to live by these principles, is the notion that I am living as a type of artist about anything else.

As an artist you understand form, shape, lines, light & shade, color. As a model, the body is a canvas to construct art. Art doesn't become a masterpiece without practice, practice, practice... and a lot of discipline. Like washing the brushes and storing them in the brush kit. The body needs to be fine tuned and well maintained, with good nutrition, exercise and cleansing routine. I spoke about this when I was talking about treating yourself as a product for modelling. I'm expanding on this point about modelling as art and talking about a model as an artist.

The photo frame is the canvas, the model is the subject, the setting is the palette and the photographer acts as the artist/viewer who represents what everyone will see when the see the final product of the picture. The model, too is an artist, like a dancer or an actor, evoking an emotion, telling a story, setting a scene. These are all elements that make the Apollonian an artist as well.

7 Steps to become a Male Model - Step 7

2010-02-17T07:38:00.001+11:00

We touched on rejection and persistence last time, and now we are going to talk about the lucky last, the 7th step of how to become a male model as inspired by Wander Aguiar.

Step 7: Keep your times open and have a flexible schedule. When an agent starts booking you in for shoots, you must be ready to be on location on very short notices. In particular if a model drops up and the shoot requires an urgent replacement. Production schedules work in their times not around yours, and depending what the client wants; an evening shot, swimming in the beach, a sunrise, wet in the rain you need to get ready and go. A passport is very convenient and a 'must have' for all models.

Not being available means that you won't be available for most jobs that get offered. Shoots are not the only things you need to keep your time to be available for.You need to be available for castings, open calls, and go-sees as well.

7 Steps to become a Male Model - Step 6

2010-02-16T07:21:00.001+11:00

Hey all, last time we talked about getting an agent. Here today we are going to talk about the 6th step so let's get into in it!

Step 6 - If first you don't succeed try again. Persistence, persistence, persistence. Modelling is the dating game of rejection. Even top model's get rejected on more than one occasion. If a modelling agency says no to you, there are other agencies around. If a photographer says no to you, its not like there is a shortage of photographers out there. Same goes for designer houses, as long as people still wear clothes there will always be designers.

Remember to take the criticism as constructive. It's not a person attack as I have detailed in here. They don't know who you really are as a person and they only person that knows who you really are is you. If they criticise you on a factor that you could physically change, like your hair colour or your weight, are you prepared to do so? If they criticise you on a factor that you cannot change, like your height, what other avenues can you pursue that this factor won't be an issue?

7 Steps to become a Male Model - Step 5

2010-02-15T06:32:00.000+11:00

Last time we touched briefly on putting together a portfolio to get your modelling career up and away. Today we are talking about the 5th step to becoming a model.

Step: 5: Find representation and get yourself an agent. While there are models that freelance and represent themselves, however most models work in the industry part-time and have other jobs. Scouting for model work shouldn't consume all your time. Same goes for property investors who may employ a property or real estate agent to look after their investments. Take the time to find a good agent, that is an agent with good contacts and rapport with their signed models and clients. Keep an eye out on agency open calls. I've mention about this in a previous entry.

Open calls are like open auditions when anyone can walk into the agency (or queue in the line depending on how big the agency is) and be evaluated on their potential in the modelling industry. There are occasions where model searches are conducted in smaller towns to scout for new models. Make sure you do your due diligence and research the agency for the legitimacy before you sign up with them. A good agency should not be asking you to part with thousands of dollars just to be on their books. Good agencies should find you a decent flow of work and in return take a commission from your work. The more work for you the better business for them. That's how it should work.

More common in the states are scouting companies that send your details to modelling agencies on behalf of there clients. Take you time to investigate these avenues to ensure that these are fair options for you.

Happy Valentines & Chinese New Year 2010

2010-02-14T07:59:00.001+11:00

Valentine's Day is back again in 2010. I wish everyone who has someone they care about to share this special day with to cherish the moments they have together, on this day and beyond. Unfortunately, another year has passed and I still don't have someone to share this day with. I tend to dread special days like this. It makes me feel like I'm not achieving something because I have no plans prepared.

I do have my modelling but modelling is a career path, and a career path doesn't necessarily keep you warm at night. As I have stated on last year's entry, it's important to have love for yourself and appreciate that you are there for you.

Coincidentally, it is the start of the Chinese New Year 2010 on the same day as Valentine's Day. Doubly joyous! For more of my thoughts on Chinese New Year you can read that here. In Australia, we are lucky to have such diversity in cultures and to share that with all Australians.

This year is known as the Year of the Metal Tiger, a symbol of strength and perseverance (like a model should be hehe). I keep hearing that 2010 is the year to be... be what? Be free? Be fantastic? Be whoever you want to be. Make your dreams come true and the year 2010 count!

I would like to do a shoot to tribute to Valentine's Day & Chinese New Year, so if anyone has any suggestions then I would like to hear it.

7 Steps to become a Male Model - Step 4

2010-02-13T11:07:00.000+11:00

As we have discussed last time round about relocation, sometimes you need to be where the action is to get a piece of the action. Today we are talking about the 4th step for modelling success.

Step 4 : Compile a portfolio for yourself. We will be discussing more about portfolios in the coming weeks but in general get yourself a variety of different shots. Some examples include a few head shots and full body shots in a range of different changes like sportswear and formal/business attire. Keep a record of details like your clothing measurements, height and weight with your book so you can show to potential clients who may ask these details from you.

A good advice is to make sure you have copies of your portfolio both in hard copy and soft copy in case the hard copy gets stolen, misplaced or damaged.

7 Steps to become a Male Model - Step 3

2010-02-12T10:48:00.001+11:00

We talked about keeping fit for the industry in order to stay marketable last time. This time we are talking about the third step for becoming a male model.

Step 3 : In order to find working opportunities you need to be in where the opportunity is, not just for a modelling career but for any career that you choose to do. Aguiar suggest moving to a big city like New York, the modelling capital of the USA. Of course every large city in the world needs models and they all have their ideal candidates and specifications so do your homework before making the big jump. Surf online and flick through the phone books to scout out modelling opportunities near your areas.

Moving to a new city is a big step. Consider the consequences before taking such a leap. Think about relationships with your family, friends and partners. Think about your current working and living circumstances. Make sure you have a well researched and thought out game plan rather taking off on a whim.

7 Steps to become a Male Model - Step 2

2010-02-11T10:40:00.004+11:00

Last time we talked about the first step of becoming a male model in the modelling industry, which was finding out the industry's requirements and how to find ways of working yourself in it. The second step is detailed below:

Step 2: Stay healthy and toned. Of course the modelling industry is not expecting everyone to be body builders (the clothes won't fit... and will probably rip). They do require male models to appear physically healthy and fit. As superficial as it sounds, physical appearances capture the publics attention. By keeping fit you become more marketable for products such as swimwear and underwear, meaning you will be able to find more work, for print, commercials and runway.

Although it is more prevalent for female models, this is an issue that shouldn't be ignored by male models either. We are talking about eating disorders & chemically-engineered growth hormones. There are healthy ways for achieving your weight goals and there are unhealthy ways. There are no lasting quick fixes in life and nothing replaces hard work and dedication. Remember that as a model you will constantly be in the public eye and many people will be looking to you as a role model.