Aspiring models may come across Modelling Schools, who say
their aim is to train new models and help them launch their careers. So is this
something that’s worth doing?
The answer, in a nutshell, is probably not.
On the one hand, it probably won’t do you any harm as an
individual to go to a Modelling School. They’ll teach you how to have good
posture, how to walk, how to eat well, they’ll say nice things about you and
you’ll probably get some nice photographs out of the deal.
If this kind of thing appeals to you, and you can afford it,
then why not? However, if you’re serious about becoming a model, then it’s less
useful and there are better things you could be spending your money on. There’s
little evidence to show that Modelling Schools are an effective route for new
models.
This is for a number of reasons:
Modelling schools may well teach you the wrong thing
Most modelling school are run by ex-models, not teachers or
people who have a good overall view of the industry. Also, most models
specialise in a particular area of modelling, such as commercial or catalogue,
and that may not match that of their model students.
They don’t teach you the most important aspects of being a successful model
Most modelling schools are occupied with teaching things
like walking, posing, how to look good in a photograph. However, as a new
model, what you really need to know is: how to get signed with a modelling
agency, or how to get work yourself, what your rights are, and how to handle
your income, tax and expenses.
Most modelling agencies prefer that you haven’t been to modelling school
But why? You cry! Surely the more skilled and experienced I
am, the better. Well, yes, the more skilled and experienced you are, the
better. Unfortunately, Modelling School is nothing like the real world, and
you’re much more likely to pick up bad habits and false opinions about things
that the modelling agency then has to spend time and money breaking you out of.
A successful model will learn modelling skills on the job, from their agent,
and possible from very brief classes.
Photos from Modelling Schools are not as good as photos from professional photographic studios
There may be the odd occasion where a Modelling School does
have a professional photographic studio as part of their premises, along with a
professional photographer. However, in most cases they will not pay full
attention to this area of things, as it will cut too far into their margins. So
if photos for your portfolio is one of the main motivations, then you’re much
better off going to a professional photographic studio directly.
A Modelling School is a business, and their interest is in
you paying them more money as a customer. It doesn’t matter to them whether you
make money as a model or not, so they will not tell you whether you’ll really
be able to make it or not – they’re more likely to try to simply sign you up to
more expensive seminars.
