IMJ-Online member snags modeling contract in New York City
Released on: October 4, 2007, 8:12 am
Press Release Author: Nancy Robinson
Industry: Apparel & Fashion
Press Release Summary: Hopes and dreams of runways, magazine shoots and television roles finally came true when a small town girl was signed to Verdi Model Management, a private agency in New York City, last month after being discovered in a media art installation charity exhibition; a gig she landed from International Models Journal Online (http://www.IMJ-Online.com).
Press Release Body: Laverne Ames, 22 of Loudeac, France and an avid actress of Loudeac theatre and face of the Loudeac tourist brochures, turned to the internet in hopes to receive one last chance as a future model.
"It was my last hope as we do not have an active modeling industry in Loudeac; we don't even have so much as an agency here," said Ames.
Ames registered with IMJ in October 2006 and began uploading photos of herself taken by a friend studying photography. She worked on organizing a perfect IMJ-Online biography and portfolio, checked casting calls regularly and spent hours sending bookers inquiries.
"The first few months were hopeless," she said, "I was working my job at the gift shop during the day and coming home in the evening logging in IMJ-Online to check casting calls and contact scouts and bookers."
Ames spotted a casting call one evening calling models for a fashion show in Paris. Without hesitation she quickly submitted her composite card accompanied by a short message.
Just two weeks later, she received a very anticipated phone call from organizers of the fashion show expressing interest in Ames tall sculpted figure and apple cheeks.
"The gig was unpaid yet highly publicized, however, not wanting to miss a chance in the big city, I ended up paying for my own travel and accommodation expenses," she said.
Although Ames was featured in newspapers around Paris and had reputable sources for her portfolio, she was still back in Loudeac searching casting calls and contacting bookers once again.
With the money she had earned from her job, Ames booked a two week trip out to New York City and planned to stay in a hostel while she arranged a few modeling and acting gigs during her stay.
"I began applying for gigs a few weeks before my trip and wrote to all bookers that I would be available on those specific dates. Several bookers contacted me with interest and I had already three gigs lined-up before I even flew-out," she said.
A scout from Verdi Model Management expressed deep interest in Ames and offered her a modeling contract after seeing her performance in a New York media art installation charity exhibition.
She now resides in Manhattan were she is living and working as a model. This past summer Ames has been in several fashion magazine shoots, commercials, art installations and she is currently working in on a runway project with several New York City fashion designers.
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