Do I Have What it Takes?
Part 2 Commercial Modeling
Article and Photos by
Keith Foster
Last quarter I talked about what it takes to become a
runway/fashion model, the physical specifications required,
and the competitive nature of that type of modeling.
In this installment of the series I’m going to
talk about commercial modeling. Commercial
modeling doesn’t have any specific physical
requirements. Well, that’s not entirely true.
The physical requirements are whatever the
person hiring the model wants or what fits the
needs of the client.
Generally to be a successful model you have
to be attractive but even that isn’t always true.
Sometimes the client is looking for someone
to play the role of a big, ugly, tough guy. There
isn’t a huge demand for that character, but it is
out there. More frequently commercial models find work as the face of a company in nonfashion advertising campaigns, promotional
events, tv ads, internet, magazine, newspaper
etc.
We see commercial models all around us every day. It is by far the genre of modeling with
the most jobs to offer. The mom in the peanut butter ad, the armpit in the deodorant ad
and the model washing her hair with a brand
of shampoo are all commercial models.
So you don’t fit the physical requirements for
runway modeling why not become a commercial model? You may very well be able to. In
fact, if you are reasonably attractive or have
a unique look or characteristic you may very
well become a successful commercial model.
However, along with the less stringent physical requirements comes another challenge,
since there aren’t as many physical requirements, more people can attempt to enter the
field. So there are more jobs for commercial
models there are also a lot more competition
for those jobs.
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PHOCUS POINT
Fashion: Nikki Fizer’s 2014 Spring Collection