“You meet a new person, you go with him and suddenly you get a whole new city...you go down new streets, you see houses you never saw before, pass places you didn't even know were there. Everything changes.” ― Samuel R. Delany, Dhalgren
How have you used opportunities to make more than what the initial opportunity was? Do you believe Opportunities are everywhere? Or do they seldom happen to you? Are you in tune to seeing them? Or because they're only opportunities, you can't be bothered working at what they may turn into unless there's more guarantee for a great outcome in place? Well here’s something: the more you move outside your comfort zone, the more opportunities get presented to you. Simple.
And when an opportunity gets presented to you, you need to grab it. As a MODEL AGENT and SCOUT, you always remember the first time you discover someone you believe can do this modeling gig. I was running late taking a model on a ‘go see’ (when a model meets the client to make sure they're as strong as their portfolio), racing down Franklin Road when two tall, gorgeous young things dressed in super cool clothes meandered across the road. One of them burst out laughing. I thought my heart would burst with excitement.
Screeching tyres and a crazy u-turn later, I went in for a better look, my eyes as big as saucers and wow! These two boys were AMAZING! To get one is exciting. BUT THERE WERE TWO!
I thought twins, LOUIS AND ALBERT FLINT were charming and super-polite. They each had a healthy individual sense of self and to me, even their names were cool! Heart palpitation stuff.
I promised I could launch them off my digitals alone.
DIGITALS BY AMANDA BETTS POSTED ON THE FASHION SPOT
I picked up an amazing editorial in NO MAGAZINE by KAREN INDERBITZEN-WALLER within weeks. They were officially launched and it was a game-changer! Both went on to do really well from shooting mag editorials and campaigns to walking various fashion shows, including Fashion Week.
Then there’s the story ‘THE LITTLE ENGINE CALLED ZIPPORA WHO DID’ (on my blog) about the scouting and building of UNIQUE’S ZIPPORA SEVEN.
Not to mention BEN & WIREMU, two beautiful Maori brothers with smiles that light up a room, cut abs and personalities to boot. Oh, and they can sing (check out my blog for more on these two Honeys!). I signed BEN with UNIQUE & WIREMU's just signed with 62 MODELS. The agencies have both secured both boys television commercials already!
I was in Newmarket when I saw a long-legged, unique beauty striding along the street into Paper Plus. The girl was gorgeous with a cute smile. Her name was HELENA, I promised I could launch her off my photographic digitals alone and I signed her up with Red11.
And sure enough, HELENA picked up a GIRLFRIEND MAGAZINE shoot titled ALMOST FAMOUS and shot for BLACK MAGAZINE and is catwalking those long limbs for fashion shows so her career is well and truly underway!
HELENA CRAWFORD FOR BLACK MAGAZINE, GIRLFRIEND MAGAZINE
There's a tonne more evidence of my scouting successes mostly on Red11's website since I co-founded/built the agency until I left in December '13. And although I didn’t get scouted myself, persay, I was ‘discovered’ when I was over half my age and my hair was teased to terrified making it bigger than my hips (hey it was the mid ‘80’s!), the fact that My grandmother sent in some pics of me to someone who was in the industry then bought me a modeling course for my 17th birthday, CHANGED MY WHOLE LIFE! So that’s why I love scouting, discovering and building people. It dramatically changes lives.
If you think you or someone you know may have what it takes to give modeling or television work a go, take an opportunity and get in touch with me. As a SCOUT, I work as an independent with a unique hands-on approach working alongside an agency which doesn't cost you a thing!
And having been in the industry for over 29 years, starting out as a model and working with CLYNE, 62 MODELS and the agency I co-founded in Red11, I seriously know my MODEL and MODEL AGENT stuff! With my extensive proven track record of model success stories, I can be trusted for a straight up appraisal.
You just don’t know until you try!
Thanks for joining me! If you see something here that could be useful to someone, share it.
Until next time,
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