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Modeling:
The Web: Use It.
By Actor, commercial print and fashion model Bryan
Kent
Oh yes
that's right uh-huh! It's the new millenium, Century 21,
year 2000, and if you aren't part of the net then you just
are not part of the modeling industry today.
Take
an hour, take a day. Use the key- word "modeling" for your
internet search. Though the crush of websites and links
dedicated to 14-34 year ladies, there is a cornucopia of
URL's dedicated to agencies, advertisers, fashion photographers,
design houses, commercial and print production companies,
all useful to the "classic" model.
There
is protocol to be learned in the use of the computer as
a marketing tool. I had to learn through trial and error,
bumps and bruises. Very few, if any, models had ever gone
where I ventured to go. I was surprised to find so many
responses to my emails from photographers saying this was
the first promotional email received from a model. Others
said things that can't be printed here. I probably hurt
my career as much as helped it. But I truly felt like a
cyber-pioneer. The website itself doesn't need to be fancy.
Being technically inept (but humanly divine) myself, I hired
one from a swarm of adept technocrats to construct my sight.
It was a nuts and bolt design, but I always feel there is
a certain beauty in simplicity: http://home1.gte.net/bkent1/index.htm.
Cost too was a consideration. For the price of a good coat,
I am immortalized in jpegs on the internet. My entire portfolio
has been transferred to my C-drive. Each of these pictures
can be captured and sent. I make it a rule however to only
send my marketing email to addresses harvested from directories
or websites in which people/companies have paid to be listed.
That way, if any one gets huffy with me in a reply, I simply
ask why they link their address in places for public consumption.
Of the
est. 25,000 emails I have sent over the last two years,
I have received about 100 negatives, 1000 acknowledgements
or positive comments, 2500 bad address, 7 new agencies in
the United states and half a dozen in major international
cities. At this time, 25% of my work comes from direct bookings
on the internet. The computer has taken me to shoots along
the French and Mexican Riviera's, Paris, Athens, Tahiti
and more mundane places around the U.S. It isn't financially
overwhelming over the long run. The rewards come from the
fun and experiences in life. I often ask myself if I should
be doing something else. It does prove however you re never
to old to doing "young things." I often tell people I do
something else for a living. It's easier than explaining
the "life". .
Home
Bryan
Kent bkent1@gte.net
Actor, commercial print and fashion model and performing
talent Bryan Kent has been cast in television episodic and
longform dramatic programming, starred in televison commercials
for national network tv and cast in motion pictures. His
commercial print and fashion magazine work has made its
way to covers of national and international magazines, newspapers
and billboards. Visit his website at: http://home1.gte.net/bkent1/index.htm.
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