SL MSM stands for the SL Model's Survival Manual which this article was excerpted from.
These days I find myself frequently IM'd, and asked questions, about becoming a model in SL, how modeling in SL works and which schools are reputable and which agencies nurture their model's careers. I have my own personal prejudices, and some strongly held opinions, which I keep to myself. AgencyReport Zepp's site ( http://agencyreport.wordpress.com/ ) does a far better job then I could, of tracking agencies and various school's curriculum quality and value for $Linden's invested.
Interlude and unsolicited plug: Never heard of AgencyReport? You need to know about it. AgencyReport is a valuable and unbiased resource that every model and prospective model in SL should know about. I've taken the liberty of using AgencyReports' own description from their website because I couldn't have written it better myself:
WHAT: Agency Report is a website that is geared to help Second Life Models make informed decisions on modeling agencies, modeling schools, modeling contests and really any business pertaining to modeling. By reading comments and experiences of others, models will be able to see which ones to steer away from and which ones to pursue. It’s full disclosure!
HOW: It’s basically a feedback system, simply leave a comment on an agency’s or school’s or contest’s page so that others can get a feel for what it is about and how it’s like from an inside perspective. You may choose to be anonymous by leaving the name, email and web field empty when posting a comment. We will never ask your RL or SL name, if you are logged into WordPress and comment it will show your username, so make sure you logout before commenting if you wish to be anonymous. We encourage models, agency and school owners, and everyone involved in the industry to comment. Comments that will not be approved are derogatory comments that condemn the modeling world of SL in general and ones aren’t productive to the goal of this website.
WHY: We know professionals in this industry value their reputation and don’t want to be branded as someone that causes drama or is overly critical, therefore we offer anonymity. We feel this type of resource is necessary because there are agencies and schools popping up all over the place that prey on new models to exploit them to make money or for other reasons. Models need to know the good AND the bad, and what they are getting into before they lose lindens or get involved with a “bad” agency or school.
If we missed an agency or school you would like to comment on, comment here with the name and we will add it as soon as we can. Join together and share your experiences!
DISCLAIMER: Since this is an anonymous system, we have no way of confirming claims made on this website, if you feel a comment is unjustly added, then please post a comment stating why you believe it is incorrect or how you feel differently. Anonymity is a choice, if agency owners wish to make statements they can do so, if the statement is questionable it will be confirmed in-world to make sure they are in-fact coming from the agency owners. To expedite this process, you may send an in-world notecard to AgencyReport Zepp, please paste the content of your comment in the notecard and sign it with your avatar name (the sender of the notecard, creator of the notecard, and the signature must all match).
So much for a resource that can help a great deal if used judiciously. Let's move on............ I don't know all the answers by any stretch of the imagination. I do know what I' ve seen work for many successful models. I am not, in any way shape or form, the final "authority" on how to succeed as a model in SL. Success takes a combination of serendipity, tenacity, $Lindens, training, and strength of character.
Why do I need those particular things you ask?
ser⋅en⋅dip⋅i⋅ty /ˌsɛrənˈdɪpɪti/ Pronunciation [ser-uhn-dip-i-tee] –noun 1. an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. 2. good fortune; luck: the serendipity of getting the first job she applied for. Origin: 1754; Serendip + -ity; Horace Walpole so named a faculty possessed by the heroes of a fairy tale called The Three Princes of SerendipIt takes some luck and good timing, to get an SL modeling career going. Friends who know the ropes can catalyze serendipity.
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te⋅nac⋅i⋅ty /təˈnæsɪti/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [tuh-nas-i-tee]
–noun
1. the quality or property of being tenacious. 2,. perseveranceOrigin: 1520–30; < L tenācitās equiv. to tenāc- (s. of tenāx) holding fast, deriv. of tenēre to hold + -itās -ity2 You can't give up when it gets tough. Giving up is easy. Those who succeed weather the rollercoaster ride of modeling in SL with smiles, elan and panache
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$Lindens [lin-duhn] –noun 1. SL's monetary unit which are valued at around L$270 +/- to the $1You will need to invest substanial amounts in yourself to become a model in SL. You'll need to improve your avatar, buy tools (AOs, Huddles, Poses and animations in additiopn to constantly improving your avatar's looks with new skins, hair, eyes, fingernails and outfits). Few models make their investment back.
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train⋅ing /ˈtreɪnɪŋ/ [trey-ning] –noun 1. the education, instruction, or discipline of a person or thing that is being trained: He's in training for the Olympics. 2. the status or condition of a person who has been trained: athletes in top training. –adjective 3. of, pertaining to, or used in or for training: a training manual. 4. intended for use during an introductory, learning, or transitional period: a training cup for weaning a baby.Modeling is a technical discipline in SL. It requires hours of classroom training and runway practice to become competent. Simple things like turning can be tricky at a laggy fashion show. People who tell you that you can become a model by watching others are mistaken. Origin: 1400–50; late ME (n.); see train, -ing 1 , -ing 2
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Strength of character: The word character comes from the Greek, meaning "to make a mark." Your character is your mark on the world.
To have strength of character, you:
1) Do the right thing. Do the right thing regardless of the consequences. Do the right thing regardless of temptation to do otherwise. Do the right thing even if you are ill, if it is inconvenient, if no one is looking, if it costs money, if it costs friendships, if no one understands.
2) Follow your passion. Follow your passion if people disapprove. Follow your passion if it doesn't make you wealthy. Follow your passion if you are ill, if it is inconvenient, if it costs money, if it costs friendships, if no one understands.
Those things mentioned above are my off the cuff thoughts on must haves to even enter the game. But I'm pleased to share a far more in depth discussion by one of my modeling mentors, Kay Fairey (an SL supermodel, if there ever was one), was kind enough to share her thoughts on becoming a model in SL with me...................
So Kay? What do you believe are the essential elements to becoming a successful SL model. Please share your advice for aspiring models. There are a number of elements, I think, that are crucial to becoming a successful model in SL. Anybody can be pretty in SL. Anybody who is willing to spend some time fiddling with their avatar can become gorgeous. That means having a pretty avatar is just a prerequisite and what comes AFTER that is more important.
Specifically these would be:
1. A unique look - you don't want 100 others looking like you.
2. Sense of style - this is something that can make you stand out in a room full of pretty avatars. Unfortunately you either have it or you don't, so although with training and close observation of what others are doing, you may improve this skill by learning different ways to style but to be really good, you need to have the "eye" and this is something you can't teach.
3. A high performance PC - unfortunately, the higher the specs of your computer, the better equipted you will be to handle modeling in lag. Being resistant to crash and lag will be an important element to gain the trust of others.
4. Spendable $Lindens - again, unfortunately, to style well, you will need sufficient $Lindens to be able to buy items you need in order to style without being held to what's available in your inventory. In a competitive environment, this will make a difference.
5. Time - you don't need to be in SL 24/7, but you do need enough time to style yourself without rushing, to practice, to participate in shows and photo shoots. Of course you need time to shop around for interesting items.
6. Commitment - modeling in SL is VERY competitive especially because we can all be pretty and so many people want to have a try in becoming a model. Those without a strong commitment will not last.
7. Resistance to rejection - being a model, whether it's RL or SL means you will be facing LOTS of refections. Contests, castings....and any other occasion that requires selecting models will be rejecting more models that those selected in most cases. If you allow yourself to keep getting devastated everytime this happens, you'll end up being SL depressed. Unlike RL, nobody is forced to stay in SL which means we come here to have fun and to realize a dream that we can't in RL. So why force yourself to be unhappy? You need the nerves to face rejections, swallow it, learn from it and move on.
8. Personality - you can't make it alone no matter how pretty and unique your look is. You need the support of fellow models, show organizers, designers, creators and whoever else might be involved. If all of these people dislike or discount you, how can you get that support? A good personality is a LOT more important in SL than in RL since in RL where you have no sliders to alter your looks, some popular models can get away with being a little less than ideal in personality. In SL, however, who wants to work with an unpleasant person? No one has to.........
9. Luck - in Japan, there is a saying. Good luck is part of a talent. Whether you agree or not, you certainly need an eye to see luck when it hits you and a long enough arm to grab it before it goes past you. Luck happens when skill meets opportunity
10. PR/publicity capability - you don't have to be in PR/publicity as a job. But becoming a successful model means building "your brand/brand image as a model". And to do that effectively, you need to have a good sense of how to execute PR effectively. Again, you can learn from others but this is something that can't be taught. You either have it or you don't.
11. English capability - again, unfortunately the primary language in SL fashion is English and although you don't have to be perfect, you need enough English language capability to understand what your client or photographer wants and be able to question it if you are not sure about it. Of course English will be necessary to enable basic communication for shows and shoots as well.
There may be other things that I missed. I can almost hear voices saying "jeez......". lol But remember, these are elements I believe you need to become a very successful model. You may not need all of the things mentioned above just to model, but to become one of the best of the best, well, that requires you to wend your way through many obstacles and survive very tough competition. In that environment, lack of any element listed above becomes a HUGE disadvantage when you are up against those who have them all in hand. I have heard so many starter models say "but I think my avatar is gorgeous. Why am I not getting anywhere?" I particularly recommend those to read the above and think hard about what you might be lacking.
'
Of course, the reason can be elements you can't see such as 6. Commitment or 9. Luck. Also remember that you can still be a model without all of the above. For example, even if you didn't speak a word of English, you can still model within your language groups.
So 2 of us have defined some, but not all, of the personal attributes that are required to be a top model in SL.
Here's how a conversation with Nave frequently goes these days:
The model wannabe has been greeted upon their arrival but they choose to look around before speaking up. When they do it often goes like this..................
Model Wannabe (MW): I wanna be a model ( said as if this is a revelation since they have wandered into a modeling agency and looked around for 20 minutes )
Nave Fall (NF): Ohhhhhh good. (Looks at the model wannabe’s profile and sees 25 model groups filling it up unless they are 2 hours old and don't know about groups yet)
NF: Tell me what you’re thinking about…………… Did this desire to be a model happen recently? Are you passionate about fashion in your RL? What is YOUR motivation?
MW: Well, the truth is that I REALLY REALLY need to make some $Lindens (SL's money) so I can pay for my SL. Models make good money in SL? Right? And I bet it's lots of fun............... NF: Actually you’ll invest a lot of $Lindens before you ever make any, if you EVER make any that is. Modeling in SL is not a profitable business, or hobby, for most models……… it's a fun pastime where you will meet some interesting people and, hopefully, make some good friends
MW interrupts, panting, and without taking a breath says: Huhhhhhh??? I don’t understand………. don’t models get paid in SL? My friend is a supermodel (at the Friends 123 Agency, go figure) and she loves doing it and she told me I’d have a ball. We’d do photoshoots and fashion shows and I’d get outfits and hair and meet all kinds of fun guys…….
NF interrupts back: ummmmmmmm some of that is correct - yes. Have you been to the Friends 123 Agency?
MW: I’m so confused now.
NF: Is your friend a working model in SL? What are you confused about?
MW: She is in a bunch of the same groups I’m in and we’ve become friendly. I see her posting all the time. She enters these contests every week at JCNY and Beningborough and seems to be very busy all the time.
NF: Is she actually in an agency on SL?
MW: She is in one, something like Friends 123 Agency (they hire new models she told me) and has applied at a bunch of others too……………. Should I do that too? Why do I need an agency anyway? What does an agency do for you anyway?
NF blinks…………….. (exasperated now) Wasn’t that what we were talking about?
MW:Sorrrrrrrrrrrry I'm in several chats here and it’s difficult for me to keep them all straight. Sorry! Chill......
NF: Maybe we should continue when you can devote your full attention to chatting with me. Your popularity must be a burden at times. Would another time work better for you?
MW: I just really wanna know how much money models on SL make okay?????
NF: Okay, I'll say this one more time .......... so please listen up…………most models don’t make any money modeling on SL. They have fun. They meet interesting people and make friends. They may be very busy but it is more of an expensive hobby then a paying job.
MW: I don’t understand…………my friend said that.........
NF interrupts………..
NF: I have to run but I will give you a notecard about modeling on SL. You can read that at your leisure and if you have questions feel free to IM me. K bai thx...............
Nave hands over the notecard below:
Modeling FAQ Notecard - Basic Facts about Modeling in SL
I know the normal form of a FAQ is Question Answer. I'm skipping the questions. You know what they are based on the response.
1) You don’t do it for the $Lindens. You become a model in SL for fun. If you get very lucky after a while you may make some. What’s a while? Months… or never.
2) If you aren’t willing to make a substantial investment of time and effort you CANNNOT succeed.
3) If you have YOUR avatar set up the way YOU think it should be to be a model that’s great. No one else cares. Really they don’t……….. Your avatar is a hangar for whatever designer’s creations you are there to help SELL. YOU are not selling YOU. YOU are selling THEM.
4) You have to learn to be a model in SL. There are things you will need to know to deal with issues models confront every day. Lag and ARC for example. Setting up your viewer for a fashion show is NOT intuitive.
5) You don’t do it for the $Lindens. You become a model in SL for fun. If you get very lucky after a while you may make some. What’s a while? Months… or never (Did I say that before?).
6) If you agree to be somewhere, to do something, ANYTHING……..be there. People are depending on you. $Lindens have been invested by designers. Sets may have been created. Scripts may have been written. Agency reputations are at risk when you let people down by being irresponsible………….
7) We don’t care about your RL problems. We ALL have our own RL issues to deal with.
8) You don’t become a model for the $Lindens. Did I say that before? You become a model in SL for fun. If you get very lucky after a while you may make some $Lindens. What’s a while? Months… or never.
I swear I'm not trying to be negative here. I'm being brutally honest. Modeling in SL is as tough as it is in RL. Everyone has this idea that creating a good looking avatar qualifies you to be a model. I wish it were so. You need to read up on modeling in SL.
There are many blogs written by models. I work on 2 of those myself: The one you're reading now is about the book I'm writing
http://theslmodelssurvivalmanualblog.blogspot.com/
and
This one is about a great modeling group I am part of
http://modelsworkshop.wordpress.com/
There are dozens of others............ do some research. Buy a ticket..................
Good luck
I'm just,
Nave Fall
Copyright © 2009 Nave Fall all rights reserved
Monday, October 19, 2009
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