What does it take to be a commercial model?

Not so much as being pretty, it’s really more of, well, guts.  A lot of guts!

I’m sure a lot of little girl’s dream of becoming models, myself included.  (Hey, I grew up with the “I can feel it” campaign of Alice Dixon).   But I wasn’t really cut out for it…( too short, hahahaha).  But aside from that very obvious fact, I was just painfully shy.

About a decade ago (or so), while still working in Makati, I would sometimes get approached by agents (I think) who would give me their cards just in case I would be interested in doing commercials or that sort of thing.  Well, instead of grabbing those chances I hastily would try to get away.

Before that, around eons ago, I did join an agency (it was owned by Paco Arespacochaga, yep, of the Introvoys) it was sort of exciting, one time he personally drove me and several girls to a vtr audition.  That was the high part, the rest was just way too much for me.

Doing vtr’s really put you on the spot, literally and figuratively.  The harsh lights, the camera pointed at you… smile… turn to your right… and smile… turn to your left… and smile… that’s the easy part, pa-smile smile lang.  The hard part was when the caster, probably a newbie herself, just asked me to sell the shampoo (ha? ano daw?) without any coaching or anything, just that.  Yikes!  I just went pfft… I mumbled some gibberish, dashed out of there and swore off trying to do “modelling” after that.

Well, fast-forward to about a few years ago.  A decade older, wiser and braver (and in need of a lucrative sideline, hehehe) with the help of a friend who is a veteran commercial model, tried it again, this time with my son.  We did get a project, yehey! It was because of my son really and our chemistry together that landed the spot.  But after that, it was so hard to get another project.

Still at it today, that is, still trying to get casted.  My friend told me that getting parts is really about just going to every audition and call back.   From experience, its also about being able to put yourself across, to act, to perform what is expected of you, what they are looking for.

I used to feel so bad when I still don’t get the part even when I get to the final casting or when I get “internally approved”.  Until I realized, its the same thing with the other 10 or so other girls with me.  Why do we put ourselves throught the ordeal of getting “disapproved” everytime, well its getting the chance of getting “approved” the next time.

Now, you can ask yourself… do you have what it takes?  As for me, I’m still finding out.