Answering a Reader Question #502

Sierra Wrote:

 Hi! My name is Sierra, and I am 12 years old and 5,5 and sadly have a better body then my two 16 year old sisters!! I have all ways been told I would a VS model by my sisters and should by my friends because of how good a model I am and how my body is. I never wanted to be, but I looked into it and instantly fell inlove! I was wondering how much or how expensive Elite and Ford are because I am going to save up as much money as I can and would like a goal to reach. But my mom and sisters think its dumb that I want to be a model, they dont know its for VS. So Im finding this info out by my self because I am alone :PP

Hey, Sierra!

Agencies like Elite and Ford do not charge models to be represented by them so that is the good news. To send in your pictures or attend an open casting call is completely free. Once you are signed, the only time money comes into play would be the costs related to setting up your first test shoot and using those images to create your portfolio, headshots, comp cards, etc.

However, there is the possibility that the agency will cover those costs for you (like a type of loan) and will get their money back once they start booking you paid work. But if you have to pay for those expenses yourself, it could be anywhere between $200-$600, give or take.

The desire to become a model of any kind isn't always seen in a positive way by people, especially if they don't really understand the industry. While it's not fun that your mom and sisters don't really support your goals, you shouldn't let that get in the way.

Just FYI: if VS is your main goal, you'll have to reach at least 5'8" (for Ford) or 5'9" (Elite changed its minimum height requirement to 5'9") by the time you turn 18. If that doesn't happen, then unfortunately VS won't be a realistic possibility for you but there are other types of modeling that you could still pursue, such as commercial/print.

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