2006 Shanghai, the first time I was approached randomly in the streets whether I wanted to join some modelling agency. (It should be among my very first few blog entries). I was on business trip then, didnt have much time to tinker with the idea to attend an interview. (I was partially afraid someone might ask me to strip off :p, well yeah in a place like China, I dont know)
So after 4 years, I was approached again randomly in SG by some agent, handed a namecard in the streets. She asked me for my age in Mandarin, I said 二十九. She clarified, 十九? I said no, 二十九. She was shocked and told me I didnt look like it. I was too shocked to be happy, come on, it was too much, I wanted to cry. :) Translation: she took off 10 years from my actual age.
p.s. I dont wear make-ups and I dress lousily when I'm strolling alone, and people my age here would normally dress up prim & proper, complete with make-up and false eyelashes - so probably that's why the confusion, the fortunate misleading confusion
It was Dec 18 Sat (the day when most of my friends are rushing home a week before Christmas, I was there rushing to go to this so-called agency). Before going, I've already researched online that this agency exists and they have wholesome clients from telco, food chain, insurance, banks, schools, etc, but there were reviews that they are quite notorious in their marketing schemes, or some call it modus operandi -and that is to make their candidates pay for their own training and pictorial fee which is an amount of like 1.2k (approx 36k). In a safe place like this, I am almost 101% sure that nothing really can happen to me, sa liwanag ng araw. Curiousity kills the cat. Ok I can kill an hour's time to hear what they have to say to me.
I was there, and then a lady in her 40's came up to me and did the usual business-as-usual money talks, I have to stress that it's in a 'cold' way. You know people here are so good in selling anything. They explained that I have to invest in myself as they invest on me. I have to pay this 1.2k to have them take photos of me, of which will be used by them when they advertise me to their clients who source models from them for print ads. I'm really awed how good this business is, they earn 1.2k from their models and then again another few hundreds or thousands from their prospective clients
Ok here's the fun part. I wounldnt go there without 'bala' right. I brought those glam shots that I have. I showed them a few samples and told them, cant these be counted as your portfolio pics? This lady finally stood up, adjusted her eyeglasses, and became very warm and friendly. She told me 'hey you have very nice shots'. - Her expression is worth a million, hah! Pagkatpos mo akong taasan ng kilay ha. Wow kahit papano, barely pasado ako for her consideration. :)
In general, I dont like it when people are too sigurista! Well it's supposed to be a mutual trust and collective effort of teamwork and taking risk together. Nothing is certain, so it's a bit strange to be put at the loose ends from the beginning.
Still she did some convincing powers to persuade me to sign but she didnt waive off this 1.2k. She said that I could earn that back anyway if I get picked for any ads.
Maybe if I am extremely bored, papatulan ko lol, I'm not. But then again, I dont want to be tied everyday hoping some company would pick me so I could recover my investment. Pano na mga weekends ko, matutulog pa ako, maglalakwasta. So goodbye to you.
http://www.createtalentsandmodels.com/
Here ends this fun dream of being a supermodel. Even if its totally insane, nobody dies from trying. :)
p.s. Ganon na ba kalayo in person and from the pictures! Ok ok I concede. It's not me. Fine. :)
