Dear Fairy Model Mother: My Booker Got the Boot?!

From the Pirelli Calendar 2014

Boy, oh boy. The past few months have been a doozy. Makeups to breakups. Here's the rundown... I got word that a booker from one of my agencies was calling it quits. Of course I was disappointed because this was a person I'd come to know and trust over the years. Some weeks later quite unexpectedly, I got an email from another agent stating "Today will be my last day at..." Whoa! I was already dealing with separation anxiety from the previous and now this. As if things couldn't get any worse, another agent bites the dust. My commercial booker at the agency threw in the towel. And this was someone who was actually get me and so many other girls solid work. What the ?! I felt like I'd just broken up with my boyfriend three times over. My fellow models and I were all freaking out. Why did this happen? Who's going to represent us? Are we getting the boot next?

If you're not understanding why losing your booker is such a travesty, let me break it down to you. Your booker is by far your best friend at the agency. He or she is the one you should really suck up to. Why? They get you work! They are the ones who pimp you out and blow you up so clients will work with you. Bookers are the ones who will negotiate on your behalf and get you a higher rate for a job. They are also the ones who will blacklist you if you act the fool on a job or misrepresent the agency. When a booker leaves an agency, there's a big shake up in the company. Models start to leave. Girls get dropped. It's just like any corporate job when there's new management. Your position is at risk.

What can you do in this situation? Reach out to the necessary parties immediately. Email the head of your agency for a meeting so you can figure out your future there. Call your now-former booker to chat and get some insider info. Where is he or she going now? Can they take you along? Or can they put in a good word for you somewhere else? Before you make any moves, don't forget to check your contract if you have one. Whatever you do, don't burn any bridges. You want to maintain a good relationship with everyone involved. You never know when you'll need their help in the future. But in the end, this is a business and you want to continue working with whomever is going to get you work. But don't ever think that just because you agent is calling it quits that you should too. If this is what you love to do and you're good at it, keep going. Don't let a change of guard slow you down.

As always, if you have any questions about modeling, the hotline is open. Keep believing in yourselves, lovelies!

Dear Fairy Model Mother: What's up With All the Agent Fees?

GQ India March 2013

Hello lovelies! It's your guardian angel here for your monthly dose of advice. I really appreciate all of your emails and I'm doing my best to get around to them. This question comes from a working model who's been thinking about switching representation. She met with an agency I'm familiar with who's interested in signing the beauty. The main booker gave her a contract to consider and upon further examination she said:

"I was reading over it and started thinking, they have alot of financial obligations...like $300 a year for a modeling website, 100 zed cards (which I'm not sure who even uses those anymore), new headshots from test photographers for $250-450! Almost seems kinda scamy...am I crazy??"

You guys already know I hate dealing with contracts. It seems like they are only designed to benefit one party and not the other, but it's a necessary working agreement. In order to get to the bottom of this, I pulled out every modeling contract I have. From my experience, somewhere in every agreement there exists a clause about expenses. One contract of mine states "Model understands that Agency will deduct 20% commissions as well as any expenses and/or reimbursements to the Agency." Another goes into further detail and lays out the deductions including comp card printing, courier charges, website fees, attorney fees, etc.

You would think that all these expenses would be included in the agent's commission for the jobs you book, but it's not. Your reps will argue that in order to properly market you, they need all of this stuff. This may be true. Maintaining your online portfolio and promotional materials takes money. The agency will front these expenses for you knowing they'll get it back somehow. Keep in mind you should never be charged up front for comp cards, test shoots, and the like. These get billed to you later or deducted from your checks. When you receive payment, the accounting department should itemize all of your expenses. And guess what? When you're doing your taxes later, you can write these expenses off.

Is this practice shady? Not really. Wouldn't you rather know exactly what you're paying for instead of getting a surprise later. But if you're feeling like it's risky business, you've got options. You can amend the contract and state that certain expenses must go through your approval beforehand or that you'd rather pay for them yourself. For example: I opted out of getting a portfolio printed and instead I have my book on my iPad, saving probably $200. What you have to remember is that you have control over this situation because in the end it's your money and your career on the line. Best of luck!

As always, if you've got any questions or you need a bit of advice, the Fairy Model Mother hotline is always open.

Dear Fairy Model Mother: I Think I Can, I Think I Can

Hello lovelies! It's Monday, and I figured a little motivation to get through this day is just what the doctor ordered. Over the two years or so I've been in touch with one super cute aspiring model named J. She's a skinny little thing with a great face and a will to do what needs to be done to get where she wants to go. But on the road to self discovery and fulfillment, we all hit roadblocks. Here's her story...

"I came all the way from Alabama where I spent 23 and a half years of my life living to pursue my dreams in Cali, a land I've never known. I said surely I will have my dream job in Graphic Design within the first months and I would be modeling with you. So, I have pretty much sacrificed what I knew as life," she explained to me a couple of summers ago. Even though we didn't really know each other, I was cheering for her and she was cheering for me.

J. did eventually get a job in graphic design, but she didn't like it. She tried to stick it out, but was fighting against her true desires. Her heart still wanted to model. This PYT took a few odd jobs here and there to pay the bills and did background acting work while continuing to look for modeling representation. That task proved to be even harder. After a number of disappointments, J. switched gears and began focusing on normal work again.

"I ask myself the question is it worth it? Should I pack my bags and experiences and head back to my comfort zone, the south?" she explains in a message to me. "Yes, I could do this, but I won't have the platform or the opportunities that are here to even try to be that person that I keep feeling God is rooting for me to be."

So J. stepped up her game early last fall after taking some time off to reevaluate her situation. Now she's meeting with agencies and getting great feedback. Every week she goes out to castings, does test shoots, and is consistently working on her craft. I know she's got what it takes and so does she. Don't get discouraged, darlings. The world can seem like such a cruel place that's only out to bring you down, but if you believe you can do it nothing can stop you. Have a little faith and keep on pushing. As always, if you have any questions or you need a little pep talk, the Fairy Model Mother hotline is always open.

Dear Fairy Model Mother: How Do I Call My Agency Out on Its Bullsh*t?

A few months ago I was on an epic road trip with a group of really awesome models. We had hours and hours of time to waste, so of course we talked shop. One of the girls mentioned she'd been having issues with her agency. She'd been working with them for a while without a contract. At first her agents were getting her good work, then it just stopped. In the past months, she had booked her own jobs. And get this, her agency still wanted a cut of what she was making. Excuse me?!

Let it be known that I'm a little leery of agencies and their ways. The hidden fees and expenses. The sneaky clauses in contracts. It gives me the heebie jeebies. So when this model started telling me about her whoas, I was immediately like "Girl, stand up for yourself!" If you and your representation don't have a binding agreement, then they have absolutely no business trying to take commission for something they did not book you on. I told her that it would be in her best interest to politely call her agency out on its bullsh*t.

After our conversation, Ms. Model decided to take action. Before having a talk with her agents, she did some leg work of her own. She compared how long she'd been with them, how many jobs they had gotten her, and then how many jobs she had gotten all by herself. Upon my suggestion, she then approached her agents with her concern and basically asked them "what can I do to make sure that I'm getting more work?" Here's where a model has to get a little sneaky. You just called your reps out, so be prepared for the backlash. Start looking for another agency like now! So my friend did just that. I got her in with another model agency outside of Cali so she can travel. But if the work for her is slow in LA, her agents here should have been trying to get her placed in other markets so they can still make money off her. Duh!

This whole ordeal is like a game of chess or poker even. Everything is strategic. You make a move to call your agents on their bluff. They make a move to either regain your trust or set you up for failure. Well, my friend's agency did something that was just down right sheisty. They agency signed a contract with her new reps in another market as if they were her mother agency entitling them to a percentage of her earnings without doing any legwork at all. Oh no! This smart model called them out on it and then presented her agents with a list of demands. In response the LA agency dropped her from their roster. In the breakup email, her booker said this:

"We’ve hit a wall. We just don’t get a response on you... we all love and care about you, but professionally, we just can’t get any traction and have to cut ties."
What the freak! Once again, this is crap. How is it that this model is getting all this work on her own, but her agents are having trouble finding her jobs. That agency just wasn't trying hard enough. Bullsh*t! In the spirit of getting even, newly-free agent model booked an awesome editorial on her own the very next day. Take that.

The lesson to be learned here is to believe in yourself and keep it pushing. If your so called reps aren't doing their job and are giving you the run-around, don't believe the hype. You know what you are capable of, it's just a matter of finding the right team to push you to the next level. On your wait out the door, don't slam it. Try not to burn any bridges because you never know what you might encounter in the future. But there are bigger and better things just around the corner and you know it's true. Like Jay Z said...On to the next one.

Dear Fairy Model Mother: Should I Get Back In the Game?

Hello, lovelies! How's life? Lately I've been running into a lot of old friends that I haven't seen in a while at castings and auditions. It's so awesome to see a familiar face when you walk into a casting office. It really puts me at ease. Anyway, a week ago I ran into a breathtakingly hot model-actor guy I've known for years. We're chatting and he says "You know, I stopped modeling over a year ago. I don't even have a print agent anymore." I'm sorry. Say what?! How is it that this super-talented, drop-dead gorgeous man who's done countless campaigns and commercials doesn't have print representation! Obviously, there's more to this...

After hearing my friend utter these words, I was floored. He explained that he'd been represented in all the major markets and done his fair share of traveling. But after being in the business for a bit, he started to grow weary. Modeling for him was a no-brainer. He could do it in his sleep. My boy longed for a challenge. He's a not just a pretty face, but a great musician and a legit actor. One day while on contract in Miami, he had an epiphany. It was literally that "What the f*** am I doing with my life" moment. So he pulled the plug on his modeling career.

I totally get it. When you need a change, you have to do it. But here's my thing, if you've got the look then you should always have someone out there making deals on your behalf. Even if modeling isn't something you want to do full time anymore, having an agent doesn't hurt your situation... it makes things better. I really feel like as a model who knows how the game is played, the longer you stay in it the more control you have over your career. You can tell your agent you only want direct bookings or specify the clients you want to work with. And that's exactly what I told my friend. To be more specific, I told him that any agent would be crazy not to represent him. The ball is in his court. He's totally bankable.

Don't waste your talents, darlings. Cash in. As always... if you need any advice, your Fairy Model Mother is here. Just drop me a line, and I've got you!

Dear Fairy Model Mother: How Do I Avoid a $3.3 Million Lawsuit?

Hello lovelies! Happy Friday. The sun is shining. The birds are chirping. It feels like wonderful things are just around the corner. But everything isn't ok for one beautiful model. Just when her future seemed so bright, the gray skies start rolling in. Earlier this week, blonde cutie Constance Jablonski was hit with a $3.3 million bomb from her old agency for breach of contract. Burn baby, burn! Talk about a bad divorce. So, what's the real deal behind the hefty price tag? Let's investigate.
In 2008, a young "virtually unknown" Constance Jablonski signed with Marilyn Model Management. A few years later, her pretty face lands her work for Estee Lauder, Dior and Victoria's Secret. The getting's good, so Constance extends her contract with Marilyn through September 2014.  She's making bank raking in nearly $5 million dollars and Marilyn gets its 20 percent cut. But somewhere down the line the milk went sour, and Constance decided to jump ship and go to DNA Models. Now Marilyn is ticked, and is suing for tons of dough and asking for an injunction banning DNA from representing Constance.

Models switch agencies all the time, so it's no surprise that Constance would do the same. But with her lucrative campaign deals, she's hitting her old agency where it hurts the most. Constance was a big investment that really paid off. So losing her from the roster means losing literally millions. Marilyn Models did the leg work of developing her and getting her name out there, but DNA will reap the benefits.



In response to the lawsuit, Jablonski posted this comment on twitter: “With a New Year comes new beginnings. After my bookers, many of those I began with at Marilyn and my dearest Marilyn Gaultier left the agency this past year, I decided to move on to DNA. I’m very excited with the move and I hope you are too!! Wishing all my friends from Marilyn all the best with their new beginnings. Thank you to all of you followers and fans, for always supporting me!!”

Obviously, Constance Jablonski is doing what she feels is best for her career. I totally understand. But her old agency feels like she's biting the hand that fed her. Marilyn was counting on making money off her for well over another year, so the agency is also suing for future earnings. No wonder I have a contract phobia. So how do these situations get handled? After consulting with a friend and mentor here's what will most likely happen: If Constance has a good lawyer, the parties will settle out of court. The agencies will probably end up splitting the commission for a period of time so that Marilyn's losses are covered. 

We may not all be high earning supermodels, but there's a lesson you can learn from this. Read your contracts carefully. You may not know what the future will hold, but you've still got to prepare for it. Think of your modeling contract as a pre-nuptial agreement. Make sure there's an exit clause that guarantees you won't get screwed.  So you've got to protect your neck and make sure your pretty little butt is covered in case of emergency. Like Biggie said "More money more problems."

Remember dears, if you've got questions I've got answers. Your Fairy Model Mother will waive her wand and sprinkle a little fairy dust on your problems. The hotline is always open. 

Dear Fairy Model Mother: Follow My Head or My Heart?

Photo by Jake Merrill
There's a line in the movie A Bronx Tale that goes a something like this: "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever." I was reminded of this while having a serious conversation with one of my best guy friends. He was in quite a predicament. On one hand there's this great professional opportunity and on the other his natural talent. It's a super tough decision, so which do you go for? Do you follow your head or your heart?

Here's the back story. My friend was a marketing major in college. He's an idea guy who knows how to get things done and also has a way with words. He's great at it, but he's an even better model. He's the dude who just wakes up looking photogenic even with the crust still in his eyes. After graduating, he continued to juggle modeling while still working in marketing. One day the modeling gigs slowed down and he was offered a great position at a marketing company, so he took it.

Everything was fine until his agency started calling him again. On his lunch break, he'd sneak off to castings. Like Clark Kent changing into Superman, he'd transform into sexy male model with the quickness and return back to work just a normal guy. The whole time, the people at his marketing company had no idea he's a model. The situation got even worse when he began booking big jobs. He was running out of sick days and reasons why he couldn't come into the office. Jump to a co-worker seeing his face in a commercial and on a billboard. The cat's officially out of the bag.

My personal opinion: men seem to have an especially difficult time in these situations. They are taught that they are supposed to lead the way and bring home the bacon. Logically, the marketing job is a good choice. The income is reliable and the schedule is predictable. Modeling is a gamble. You never know when you're booking anything and when you'll actually get paid. What advice did I give my boy? Go with your heart. Even though he's good at marketing, modeling is where his passion is. You can hear the difference in the way he talks about his 9 to 5 compared to how excited he gets when talking about a gig he just shot. An office job is something you can always come back to, but with modeling and anything super creative you've got to ride the train while you still have the hutzpah to do it. Balls to the wall.

Sometimes going with your gut is the only way to fly. Don't waste your talent. You may never recover from that loss. Good luck, my man. As always, if you have any questions the Fairy Model Mother hotline is always open.

Dear Fairy Model Mother: I'm Not Working

Hello lovelies. I know it's been a while, but Mama's here. With all the traveling and socializing these past few months, I've just been swamped. But enough of that. Let's get to it. I was inspired to write this after a few conversations this week with some fellow models. It seems like these disgruntled beauties have been dealing with agency drama. This leads us to today's question:

What should I do if my agent isn't getting me any work?

Just like businessmen and lawyers, models talk shop too. We see each other at photo shoots and we keep each other informed. "Who are you with? Do you like them?" That's usually how the conversation starts. From there we get down to the dirty-dirty. We begin to open up to each other about issues we're having with our agents. One thing that's been coming up lately is models not going out on castings and not booking any jobs. Oh my gracious, haven't I been there.

When you get signed with an agency, you think you're going to be working nonstop. You're a fresh face and your reps want to make sure they are pushing you as much as possible. For a year or so, you're shooting around the clock, then the work slows down. This could be for a number of reasons. It may be a slow season. Maybe your look isn't hot right now. Who knows. There's a possibility that you need to update your book to gain more lucrative clients. If so, your agent should be encouraging you to test. Whatever the case may be, it's important that you keep an open dialogue with your people. Pick his or her brain to see what's really going on.

And if after all this you still feel like you're still not being given the same opportunities as the other models with your agency, maybe you should move on. When your agents aren't making money for you and you're not making money for them, it's time for a divorce. Don't waste your years, because you're not getting any younger. Take a look at your contract and figure out your exit strategy. Make sure it's an amicable split. Remember, it's not personal. It's just business, and you've got to be in the business of you. But don't rush to conclusions prematurely. Weigh out all your options.

I hope this helps, darlings. We've all been in situations where we feel our talents aren't being appreciated like they should. That's why we have each other to for group therapy sessions. Sharing is caring. As always, if you have any questions your fairy model mother is here.

Dear Fairy Model Mother: My Agency Is MIA!

Hello lovelies! I received a message via twitter just days ago from a very nervous model named Tahira. She lives in Georgia, but wants to make the move to the Big Apple. Here's what she says:

"Hi Nikia! I was wondering if I could get some modelling advice from you. I signed a contract with this boutique agency in NY that my photographer friend recommended. Although my living arrangements for NY turned wacky they were still keeping in constant contact with me. Setting up test shoots near my location and so forth. Now, it's been almost a month and I have not been able to reach them at all. What should I do?"

Uh oh! Looks like your agents have gone rogue. Fairy Model Mother is on the job.

Can you imagine being in this situation? After months of searching for the right agency, you find one that's totally interested in you. And it's even better that a friend you know and trust referred you. Thinking you're on the right track, you even attempt to relocate yourself for work. Everything seems to be going well, then silence. It's the equivalent of hooking up with a guy, spending days hanging out, and then hearing nothing once you leave his presence. You've just been duped.

Don't feel stupid or anything, because you're not the only one this has happened to. There are a few warning signs that you might have ignored when getting involved with this agency. First of all, does the company have a website? What kind of clients do they work with and what models do they represent? Have you communicated to them by phone or email only? Have you visited the agency office? If these agents have been around for years, there should be a paper trail. Follow it.

When I did my own research on let's call it Agency X, I found very little. But I'd actually heard of it, but not very many good things. According to my sources, Agency X isn't the most reputable. It represents a lot of minority models but doesn't get them good paying jobs. Prepared to do some undercover P.I. work, I tried calling the agency contact number and only got a voicemail greeting. Finally after further investigation, I found that a modeling forum listed the agency as defunct as of late last year. Burn!

Now it's time for you to make your move. If all of a sudden your agents are flaking and not returning your phone calls, maybe you should get out. Look at your original contract for the exit clause. Email them immediately to terminate your agreement. If they still owe you money, pursue payment. Let's just hope they didn't take your money and run. You shouldn't have to do business with an agency that isn't going to keep you in the loop. Don't get hustled. Take you talents elsewhere, baby.

I hope that helps, Tahira. Don't let some bad agency waste your time. As always, if you have any modeling questions, I'm your mama!