How do I get my friend to model?

Posts: 62

My friend Shayne has all the potential in the world to model and just...won't take the damn plunge! She's been approached by Ford Chicago, Haymen (small, I know) and some guy representing a group called Unique in Denmark when we were on a trip last summer.

She gets all these offers to do print work locally and just turns it down! I dunno what her problem is. As a 5'1" girl and best friend, this drives me up the wall. She is honestly the strangest looking girl I've ever personally seen (she's no Gemma, but...) but it really works for her. Photographers love her look and she's offered work in our area, but she just...doesn't want to do it. She did one 'shoot' while a friend was waiting on the actual model to show up.

She's the perfect height, wears no make-up unless we're at a party (then its powder, lip gloss and funky eye make-up) and has this skin that is just so flawless. She has really short hair at the moment because her hair caught on fire (funny story, actually), but its usually a little past her chin.

I'd submit some shot for her but because she doesn't want to do it, she doesn't have any real shots I could sneak to an agency. She doesn't think she's ugly or anything, actually she's really a confident person but claims she's happy being a 'nobody'.

So...what can I do to make her see she's passing up a chance to do what so many would kill to do?

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Posts: 529

@eli
English please Wink

Posts: 14941

Ask her to try it out once with the promise that if she does you will stop pestering her. Then is she likes it you win and if she doesn't she can just stop.

Posts: 776

f she really doesn't want it why pester her? I'd really just think, if she's happy then so am I.

Posts: 62

I just want her to try, is all. I dunno, I guess I just wanted my friend to experience something that so many people want to do.

It feels like, to me, waste of good genes, a unique face and height.

Posts: 1 Location: Charleston/Atlanta

Yes, don't try to convince her it's for her if her hearts not in it. There are too many models out there now that actually take this industry for a joke and others would give anything just to switch places with them

I agree, don't bother her about it if she's not interested!

Posts: 776

Wonderlandless wrote:

I just want her to try, is all. I dunno, I guess I just wanted my friend to experience something that so many people want to do.

It feels like, to me, waste of good genes, a unique face and height.

It's not a waste if she's not going to be happy with modeling.

Posts: 62

I guess. She works three part time jobs to make ends meet (on top of school!), has been known to sell her things to make rent (she had to move out on her own, but her family still controls her money since she's under-age and messes with her money) and it just...doesn't make sense to me.

Why work a minimum wage job ($5.60 in my state) when she can walk for a designer and make more on that assignment than all three of her jobs in three months?

I dunno, its just so frustrating! Like I said, I'm 5'1" and still wish I could at least grow a few inches...being this short isn't fun since things are always out of reach ^_~

Buuttt I guess you're right. If she's happy, I'm happy. Despite her situation, she's pretty upbeat about her plight.

Thanks for the advice, guys!

Posts: 776

Wonderlandless wrote:

I guess. She works three part time jobs to make ends meet (on top of school!), has been known to sell her things to make rent (she had to move out on her own, but her family still controls her money since she's under-age and messes with her money) and it just...doesn't make sense to me.

Why work a minimum wage job ($5.60 in my state) when she can walk for a designer and make more on that assignment than all three of her jobs in three months?

I dunno, its just so frustrating! Like I said, I'm 5'1" and still wish I could at least grow a few inches...being this short isn't fun since things are always out of reach ^_~

Buuttt I guess you're right. If she's happy, I'm happy. Despite her situation, she's pretty upbeat about her plight.

Thanks for the advice, guys!

I was talking to a fellow model who was a child model as well, and her parents took advantage of her payments. She took action and somehow made her (parent's technically but with all her money) bank account inaccessible to her parents. I'm sure you can take this wage issues to court somehow.

Also, if her family controls her money it would be the case with modeling as well. What if she (crazy but may work) didn't keep a bank account and held her money in other places inaccessible to her family? Or only kept partial of her earnings in the account. Then after she's old enough use the account. I'm sure her parents wouldn't demand money to her face.

Posts: 832

It could be a mighty loss, but if she's happy with who she is and wants a casual, hectic-free life... then there's probably not much you can do about it.

But I guess you could still annoy her about it haha Smile