YOU KNOW IT, WHEN YOU LOOK LIKE SHIT.

Don’t worry~ It’s not a post to dress ugly people down.
It’s a post to help boys and girls save money! =D

When i was 17, i look like shit. No pictures to show, if you’re not convinced becox i look quite decent now (SHUTUP I DONT CARE WHAT YOU THINK) and plus you’re free enough, go check out my archives. Haha. I LOOKED LIKE SHIT.

But I thought i was chio. And i head out very often. Eat Long John Silver also must eat in town area. It just seemed more cool. Lol. I know you know what i mean right.. Haha!

And please don’t say that i am also thinking that i am very chio now but will come to realise in five years time that i’m actually ugly. I am an adult now, i don’t make visual mistakes like this anymore. HAHAHA!

Anyway, to get to town area, young girls like me back then have to get pass this area of SELF-DOUBT and SELF-WORTHY area. This area is right there once you step out of Orchard MRT.

“Hi! I’m from XXX models”

“Would you be keen in modeling?”

“You are very tall! Are you a model?”

“We’re looking for models for an advertisement”

“We have a modeling assignment now that needs girls like you”

“Are you local? Becox you look like Eurasian/ Korean/ Japanese/ Taiwanese”

“Don’t worry, not all models need to be tall, you are not very tall but you got the look for print-ads”

And in your heart, you start asking yourself, “Oh wow.. I’m really that good? How can i be that good? Or maybe i am that good? Bleah, it’s not possible.. Well, maybe it is?”

GIRLS, C’MON, you know what you look like. If you’re pretty, good for you, don’t be flattered by random folk running after you on the street telling you you are pretty. If you’re pretty, be confident, you don’t need to buy this shit, just tell the bugger,

“YEAH I KNOW, i am as perfect as you say. Why do i need you then?”

AND WALK AWAY.

Trust me, the poor dude will not chase after you even if you have the talent and caliber of a TOPESTEST SUPEREST model.

Why? Simply becox these fuckers are not out for talent-hunting. They are out for the weak-minded girls and boys with MONEY. In short, they are out for whoever has the MONEY.

And if you’re not that good looking, YOU KNOW IT. Okay. Yeah all the stories about ugly-duckling to beautiful swan, chubby pig to pork ribs, whatever. It will happen if you work on it. Buying cosmetics and plastic surgeries will do the job but buying compliments won’t bring you there. It’d just make you more insecure than you could ever be.

I am going to bring you through what’s gonna happen if you believe the sweet-talkers at the train station.

They gonna take your number and might call you on the spot to make sure that that IS your number, make an appointment with you to meet at their office. And climax of praises that’s gonna be sang for you, is when you’re finally at their office.

There they will have plenty of fashion magazines and plenty of newspaper cutouts, they are going to tell you all the great thing you will be if you sign up the package to be part of them. Then they’d talk about money. And if you’re skeptical about paying, they’d pull out pictures of their models whom appeared on various media.

Assuming YOU ARE DUMB, becox you were already dumb enough to even go to their office, i can safely say you won’t know which agencies the top models in Singapore are attached to. You won’t know if they are even attached to any or if they are self-managed.

So the money-eater can tell you Rebecca Tan used to be managed by them, showing you pictures of Rebecca Tan on cover, print-ads, TVC screenshots etc. And you’d buy the story becox you know Rebecca Tan! Who doesn’t! Even if you don’t know her name, you must have seen her face somewhere.

And becox you’re so doped on praises, you’d think that the guy who’s been showering you with compliments for the past one hour, cannot be lying to you about such stuff. Somemore if he don’t know her, why keep so many pictures of her, right!

I am quoting Rebecca Tan as example for a specific reason, will share why later.

Then you’d be convinced.
“If he can bring her up there, and he sees so much in me, i can make it too!”

NO YOU CANNOT.

Not becox you can’t. It’s becox he cannot bring you there. Becox you’re in the wrong place. Becox you’re too naive.

What’s gonna happen next is, they gonna show you a list of packages. It will all differ by the number of images/ looks/ styles you gonna be photographed in, number of pictures, sizes of pictures, whether or not your ‘comp card’ and portfolio will appear in their office/ website respectively, whether or not you wanna sign up for their courses to modelling.

It can range from $288 – $2888 (the higher price range is usually what they call, ARTISTE price. Meaning if you pay the premium price, they gonna groom and market you as a model-artiste and pitch you for hosting/ singing/ acting gigs). These days the price might be a lot different, not sure.

Truth to be told, i used to buy these compliment. In fact, I BOUGHT it with $6 and $348 on two separate occasions.

I can mention names becox whatever i’m gonna write are just based on real-life account of what i encountered before. I have no idea if they have changed the way they work now, but this is what i went through when i was 17 turning 18. And the convo is obviously, to what i can remember best.

I was approached at the self-worthy area numerous times. And this one time, i started to believe that it could be true! Since so many times people have been approaching me, i must be really up to it, right?! So i agreed to go to the agency office for a talk.

My first encounter was with 我-models international. They are not “我-models” but i don’t wanna get into trouble so you go figure out. They might be a better agency now, since i just went to check their website, and under “Projects”, they do have some decent folio to show. So i am not saying anything about them NOW, i am talking about what happened about 6 years ago.

This is where i spoke with a guy, let’s just call him Mr A.

He seemed REALLY nice, composed and professional. So it goes.

First phase, lasted 15mins, throw compliments at me like mad, like it’s all free.

“Your features are very sharp and defined, photographers love to shoot this kind of faces the most.”

“Wow, you are very tall. That’s great we can put you in runway shows.”

“Many girls are pretty but they don’t have the X-factor. But you’re different, you have this charisma that people will take notice of.”

“Hang on, let me show you which model you remind me of”

HE TURNED BACK AND PULL OUT REBECCA TAN’S COVER on some wedding magazine.

“Do you know her?”

I said no but i’ve seen her on various ads.

“Yes, she’s my friend. I wanted to get her onboard but she ah, tsk, go and sign with another agency before that. But she’s keen, she wants to join us but you know, all the contract problem and all, very complicated. But we’re working it out.”

“Anyway your style and charisma is like hers, very quiet, very cool. You have this edge on your face when you don’t smile and just sits there. But when you smile, it gives you another image. Very healthy, clean and approachable. I call that commercial value. And you have that.”

OH REALLY?  WHY AM I BLOGGING NOW EARNING MY BUCKS INSTEAD? Lololol!!! Why am i not modelling?! Why am i blogging shit about you now??? MR A!!! Why??? ANSWER ME! WHY AM I NOT ON COVER PAGE?!?!?! Photographers like my face, no?!?! Lolol!

Anyway, A spent the next 30 mins trying to get me to pay a down payment of minimum $100 for a $288 (the lowest) package. He finally gave up when i say i only have $11 cash with me and my bank has no money becox my pay hasn’t come in yet.

So GUESS WHAT? He didn’t let me go! Of course he cao bin (show smelly-face) me after i make that confession but NO, he didn’t let me go. He ask me how much can i pay if that’s the case.

?!?!?!??!?!??! So hard up! So i had no choice but to do my calculation.

I figured out of $11, i need $2 to get home, $3 to have a meal if i don’t order iced-milo.
I’d still have $6.

And for $6, i got a slip of receipt that states a balance of $282 if i ever choose to go back for the $288 package.

And i never went back, not becox i didn’t want to be a top model, but i was just too paiseh to go back becox the last time i left, there was no smile on A’s face. It was just.. That LJ bin, no smile, no approachable feelings. NOCOMMERCIAL VALUE. Lol.

So couple of months down, there’s this day i feel hopeful, again.

I was ‘scouted’ at Ochard Road MRT by Create Talent and they got lucky. I bought their compliments and went to the office, signed a $288 package even after all the pushing for higher value packages.

Same thing here, they might be doing better now. But I DON’T CARE, i’m talking about back then.

And included in the $288 package i was supposed to have pictures for a glamour look and a casual look. I was told to prepare for my own outfit for casual look becox they want to showcase my REAL personality better. And turn out, the glamour look was a bridal gown -.-”

Before makeup, i was asked if i wanna use this ampoule-like thing, say it’s for my face to absorb the makeup better, if not i will look cakey and yellow on the pictures. So obviously, i said, yes. AND IT COST $35.

No choice right? I already spent $288, i don’t wanna look like a jaundice patient on the loose!!! Who would have knew they so fucked up, don’t know photoshop??? I know about photoshop when i was 19, use it when i was 20 going 21. But that’s becox i am a outsider! They are supposed to be professional in this line, CANNOT HELP ME PHOTOSHOP MEH?!

During makeup, i realise the lady who sold me the package was also the photographer -.-

Finally, i was asked if i wanna put on fake eye lash if not i’d look asleep and 沒有精神 (no energy) in the pictures.

So i said yes! Why would i want pictures of me looking lethargic?!

$25 for a pair, ONE PAIR, ONE okay, O, N, E, ONE.
ONE FUCKING PAIR of eyelashes for $25!!! Top quality, she said.

So all in all, i paid $348 for these lovely pictures. I DIDN’T PHOTOSHOP ANYTHING EXCEPT pulling back the colour to what it look like on the printouts.

This is the casual wear i was wearing that day.
Nb the $25 eyelashes didn’t make me look more awake leh?!?!?

Hi, i am 17, but i look like 37 and have pointy hip bones.

Okay this one nothing to complain about since.. I got megawatt smile like naturally lol.
But she could have at least liquify my face.

Hi! I am a overseas bride for sale! SHIP ME OVER!!! =DDD
Stupid photographer don’t even have the decency to tidy up my hair line.

Wish i weren’t there..

THE “BAM, CONFIDENT LADY” pose.
Look at my fingers! I had babyfats!

And Create Talent only called me once for casting, that’s after 9 months or so after the photoshoot, say it’s for a sports branding. I went. Obviously didn’t get the job.

One year plus touching two years after the call for the sports branding, they called again. I was actually a bit disturbed why they still have my number, does it mean they still have my pictures? OH NO. Lol. So i told them to please strike me out of their list. And don’t have to call me for casting like this even thou it’s only ONCE IN A FUCKING BLUE moon they call.

Actually i’m writing this becox i’ve got too many emails/ fb msg from random girls asking about whether i think they can be models cox a certain agency approached them. And when i ask them, which agency is that? It’s always “我” or “Create Talent”.

If that’s not bad enough, my own friends call / text me before to ask about both “我” and “create talent”. Just one month plus ago my guy friend say he was approached by Create Talent. He told me what they offer him seems very promising, but it’s $800 plus that he has to pay. And my sister’s friend, a 40 over year old lady, was approached too. And she was asked to pay $400 plus to join their database of talents and do up a basic portfolio for TV series, TVC and printads etc.

“HAHA”, I just summed it up.

I’d always tell random girls what i think of these agencies, since they asked. But i’d also tell them to think of it the logical way.

Do you see big players like Diva, Phantom, Looque, Mannequin, Avenue, Carries etc, DO YOU SEE THEM HUNTING YOU DOWN on the street?

No. They are managing their resources in air-conditioned rooms.
And their resources are models and jobs. NOT models’ own money.

But for the rest who pound on you like vultures at the MRT station, their resources is your money, and that’s about all.

Think about it. ARE YOU REALLY THAT GOOD?

I don’t mean anything else but a question.

ARE YOU REALLY THAT GOOD? If yes, go do up your folio with TFCD (please find decent ones) and approach reputable agencies to join them. From there you will get jobs if you are, like you think, good. Then you can update your portfolio with actual printads and editorial spreads in magazines! ^.^ JIAYOU!

If you’re not that confident/ good-looking, you can still try! I do think previous modeling experience helped me a great deal in being more confident today. I also believe in making things happen. If you want it enough, you might just have it =)) Like me! I never know what was in store for me when i started blogging, but it turned out good! ^.^

You can be anything, but who are you going to do it with, and how are you getting there?

Talking about believing that you can be anything if you put your heart to it, I just found something interesting. Create Talent also agrees that you can be anything! They even have a website to tell you not to believe in online rumours about them! It’s call createtalentsscam.

I quote from that site “99% of whom we scouted had successfully received jobs and gained so much more”

I must be the sway-lao-sai 1% ='(

BUT YES I DID GAIN A LOT FROM THEM;
I LEANRT NEVER TO BUY SUCH CRAP AGAIN! ^.^

No offense, just speaking from a consumer’s point of view. Since it’s as if they are positioning themselves as a product for sale more than being an agency that’s representing their talents/ models.

But anyway, if everyone can be top-models, who’s gonna be the receptionist? Who’s gonna serve us food? Who’s gonna attend to the passenger in-flight? WHO, IS GOING TO STAND BESIDE CARS WEARING SKIMPY CLOTHES and POSE FOR UNCLES WITH DSLRs? Huh? These people are ALL, NOT models, but they are still making a living, and it’s not by being a model, and it’s fine. Hahaha!

And you know it, when you look like shit. You also know it if you look great. You don’t need to be bought over by insincere compliments. Importantly, don’t pay for it.

You are the best person to compliment yourself =D
FREE SOME MORE!

CONFIDENCE is the best makeup, following by a great smile! And i just read Xiaxue’s blog about her invisalign. I WANT TO SAVE $$ TO DO!!!

Oh and and, people who keep accusing you of being OVER-confident, don’t give a shit to that. LOL. Becox i used to bitch about girls who’re OBVIOUSLY OVER-confident. I’d be like “EEeeee. SHE THINK SHE VERY PRETTY?!” BAM! Retribution.

NOTE: All comments here (except my own) do not reflect my own opinion on the agencies of which i shared my experiences about, and i neither confirm or deny the suggestions for the names of the agency people have commented.