When you’re a model or an aspiring model, you should know that being one requires working with other people and possibly relying on them and working hand in hand with them all the time. A fashion shoot can’t be led by a one-man army. It’s a team effort that’s bound to work flawlessly if all of you are on the same boat. With that in mind, the best thing that you should do is to simply work in harmony with them. Or better yet, try not to annoy anyone because that can lead to the end of your career before it has even started!
Below, I’m going to try and help you understand the roles of each professional working under your team and a few tips on how to work well with them in the future.
Remember: A great practice of modeling etiquette can get you a long way in this very competitive industry.
The Photographer
The most stressed person on any shoot is probably the photographer. They’re responsible for the success of the shoot and if by any chance that they fail to deliver, everyone fails as well. Not only that, but they’re also working against many factors such as good lighting (if the shoot is not inside a studio with artificial lights) and time, since every hour that they all spend trying to get the perfect shot, money flies for the company involved.
In order to make their lives easier (and yours too!) always be ready to give your best even in the first few minutes of the shoot. A warm-up isn’t always a good thing. What they need from you is an instant delivery of great work without the 30 minutes warm-up time or loosening up. You may also want to ask them beforehand about how they want the direction to go and don’t be scared to ask them if you’re unsure of what you’re doing. They would appreciate your enthusiasm in trying to help them achieve the look that they want on cam.
Always remember that these photographers are on time constraint so try not to talk back or argue unless it’s a very urgent concern. Never ever make faces! Don’t even try to roll your eyes if you overhear them talking about you (and it’s not in a positive light). I had an experience before wherein I was working with a new model and the photographer was showing the RAW pictures on his DSLR cam to the production team. He was saying how the new model’s poses looked very unnatural and that she needs to loosen up a little. The rest agreed in unison. The conversation was overheard and the new girl was so upset about it. Honestly, I couldn’t blame her, but she could have just accepted the feedback and tried her best to do better. Let me tell you, being a model will literally put you under the microscope for scrutiny. Try not to be sensitive by trivial concerns. Suck it up and just do your job.
The good part is, these photographers have a big say on your future projects. If they think that you’re very easy to work with and you can easily pull off almost any type of photoshoot theme, they are likely to ask for you again in the future.
The Director
Some photoshoots don’t have directors, but for film or television shoots, the director is one of the people that you need to really impress aside from the crew. You have to do everything that he or she wants if you want to keep on working on that field of modeling. They can be very harsh at times because many of them have gone for days without proper sleep and they can be very ill-tempered, stressed and would just want something to be done without question or complaining.
If your concern isn’t anything too important, just do whatever is required of you to do. You may voice out your concerns if you’re uncomfortable with something, but don’t always expect that it will be taken lightly.
The Make-up Artist and Hair Stylist
These people are in charge of your look for the shoot. Most of the time, they have been already given instructions on how to do your hair, or how natural or dark your makeup should be. Don’t assume that you always have to look like a queen, because they can make your hair all spiky and weird yet that’s how the overall look should go. They can mix and match your eyeshadow colors no matter how they want it, but let me just say that it’s not your place to argue about how you look, so don’t bother commenting. Unless of course that they are using a product on your skin that your allergic to, feel free to say that. Also, if all of a sudden you’re required to cut your hair drastically shorter, you can also object because this is something that has to be asked beforehand and never on the day of the shoot itself. Other than that, you may want to keep your mouth shut and let the artists do their thing.
Just a tip, if you genuinely like how the outcome looks, don’t forget to tell them that they did a good job and thank them as well. It’s a small gesture but there’s just something about appreciation that makes everyone smile.
The Fashion Designer
The fashion designers need you like a display. They will want to make sure that the clothing drapes and hangs on your body perfectly. Patience is definitely a virtue here because you would have to stand and have people around you measure, tug and pin outfits on you almost endlessly.
Designers are renowned for their melodramatic behavior, so learn to take comments, whether positive or negative, with a pinch of salt. Just like towards other people, try not to be disrespectful at all costs. However, learn to demand respect in a nice way. Forming a good working relationship with a designer can help ease the stress and it will be easier for you to work with them. But if it’s your first time working with them, just do whatever you’re asked to do and try your best to impress them. If it’s appropriate, smiling at the right time can work wonders.
Other Models
It’s always a competition out there especially if you’re working with other models on the same set. One can outshine the other and people would always prefer one over another. You will meet almost every type of model out there and use that to your advantage. Others can be very helpful and can show you the ropes, while some can be very rude and can even make snide comments about you. Always remember that this is work and you’re supposed to be professional. Avoid making a scene especially catfights! The best way to get back at the not-so-nice models is to simply outperform them.
As you work with other modeling industry professionals, you will soon wake up to the fact that not everything revolves around the model. While you do play a big part in the success of the project, everyone on the team also does. Building relationships is also a vital part of your career, even something as simple as being nice towards other people can help you a great deal with landing more projects in the future.
Tags: how should a model behave, modeling advice, modeling etiquette
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