Firstly, we always respond to our models and would-be models, telling them that they WILL get paid.

This is in a marked difference to many of the so-called agencies who either expect you to work for nothing, claiming “this will give you valuable experience” or never actually getting around to paying you.

Yes, we hear about this happening time and time again…

Models Direct is a fully government-registered employment agency.

We operate within the law at all times – and we are experienced, professional and reliable.

This is why we are always happy to be inspected by the government; why our clients return to us time and time again and why our models stay with us.

If you join us as a model, we will be your agent.

We will negotiate your fee on your behalf, discuss it with you before you accept any job and then ensure you are paid swiftly after completing any assignment with us.

How does that sound?

Well, now to the exact amount you are likely to be paid…

Well, this depends on a variety of different factors from how experienced a model is to the amount of time they will be required in front of the camera.

You may be taking part in a day’s shoot where you are needed for one hour or a five-day shoot where you are required for every shot.

Your role may be a simple walk-on part or much more acting may be required and there may be lines to say.

You may have to travel to the shoot (all expenses paid) or it may be right on your doorstep in your home town.

All these factors will be taken into account when we negotiate the fee with the client – and then you can decide whether you are prepared to carry out the assignment for that sum.

Read reviews from our models to see if they feel happy with both the work we offer and the fee negotiated on their behalf.

Here are just a few of them…

Terry said:

“I have just finished a fun photo shoot for the Salisbury group. The views across London were amazing and the crew were even better.

“I always know when I get an assignment from Models Direct that it will run smoothly and we will get paid on time!

“I am a massive fan. Bring on the next job!”

And Beau said:

“My two children loved their first paid photoshoot yesterday.

“All staff were professional, friendly, approachable and thoughtful.

“The communication we received from Models Direct prior to the shoot was faultless.

“The studio and staff exceeded my expectations – toys, snacks and drinks were provided for the children, and the atmosphere was so relaxed.

“They really enjoyed themselves and earned money in the process!

“We are really hopeful for more bookings to follow.

“Thank you Models Direct.”

Tapuwa also felt the work was fairly rewarded:

“I had my first shoot with Models Direct yesterday and I had so much fun.

“It was an all-day shoot for a pretty exclusive client and I’m glad I was part of it.

“I even made a new friend and it’s well paid too!”

To find out more about modelling with us, including the kinds of assignments you might be offered and how we will pay you, fill in our form and we will call you for a chat.

Mature models have always been popular, although you can never have too much of a good thing. Many modelling assignments call for mature models to get their message across. We’ve seen countless examples of mature models being recognised for their talents, from working for residential care homes to holiday parks. Whenever a big brand needs a model in their prime of life, they invariably to us to provide them with the best talent on offer. We’ve always had a successful relationship with our clients because they can rely on us to recommend exactly what they’re craving for. Our mature models certainly know they’ve joined the right team when they register their interest.

Opportunities for mature models continue to increase. We consider any model over the age of 40 years a mature model, and they’re instrumental in appealing to audiences of similar ages, or in a wide range of family modelling jobs. One of the benefits of commercial modelling is that there are chances for just about anyone, so mature models don’t get left out. In fact, the rise in mature models is not that surprising. We can come to some conclusions why models with a lot of life experience are popular:

1. Some assignments only require mature models because of the target audience. Whilst other models have the same talent and ambition, some briefs specifically need older models to see the job through from start to completion. Need an example? Look no further than the Aviva retirement campaign video, which appeared on the company’s website. Seen by a potential 30 million customers, this one really hit the mark.
2. Mature models often have more spare time on their hands as they turn their thoughts to retirement. Modelling is a fantastically fun way to earn money and make friends; some of our models consider it a hobby, accepting jobs only when they have the time. Whatever works for our models is fine with us.
3. As we have the largest range of vetted clients on our books, the odds of mature models finding ideal roles soar. The NHS, famous banks and pension schemes all need older models, and this trend seems likely to remain.
4. In general, mature modelling is slightly less competitive than other genres.

Stigmas in modelling have largely disappeared due to an increase in awareness and inclusivity. Mature models have never been stigmatised, though modelling was perhaps seen as something only younger talent could be involved in.

We never thought that, and our judgment has been confirmed by the rise in mature models year-on-year.

We welcome applications from enthusiastic and dedicated mature models – it could be the best thing you’ll do this year. As dictated by the demand from clients, we always need mature models so you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Life is an interesting journey and you can make it what it is by having faith in your abilities and dreams. It’s not always plain sailing though because there might be points where you’ll get sidetracked or self-doubt starts to creep in.

Those procrastinating thoughts and remembering past attempts might start swirling around and they’re not so easy to shake off. 

Or you’ll experience peaks and troughs along the way, challenges and obstacles you’ll have to navigate your way around to get through to the other side.

In this blog, we’ll take a look at how the power of self-belief can help set you up for small and big successes in your life, and how you can be a model – not just a one-hit wonder but have a long-term fulfilling career.

Why is having self-belief important?

When we think of self-belief, it might be having confidence in yourself, and while this is true, it doesn’t just stop there. It’s a deep-rooted belief system that shapes who you are – your thoughts, your actions and their outcomes. The great thing is, that having goals and a vision of where you want to see yourself, in a week, a month or by the end of the year gives you a target to reach and having the magic of self-belief can accelerate this. You’ll also embark on a journey of self-discovery and learn who you are and how you handle change.

Having self-belief means you can be:

Motivated

Determined

Patient

Positive

Adaptable

Feel empowered

It doesn’t come naturally to everyone though, and the process can take a lot of conscientious effort to bring to fruition. If you’re looking to become a model, it might feel like you’re out of your depth and a big win won’t happen for you.

So how can you instil self-belief? 

Positive affirmations

Switch those negative or limiting thoughts and beliefs with positive ones. Write them down on post-it notes, log them into your phone, and maybe have a personalised positive quote you’ve composed as your screen saver so whenever you look at your phone, it’s there! Another great thing is to say it out loud. In the mirror or just to yourself in your personal space.

Our agency knows how important this point is for models. Set yourself time in the day to dedicate this to yourself.

Set realistic goals

Don’t overwhelm yourself with the thought of setting goals. They can start as manageable bite-sized chunks and work up to more challenging ones. Remember to reward yourself along the way and recognise your achievements.

Whether you’re a teen, adult or senior model, setting goals will help you keep focused and make successes tangible.

Be around supportive individuals

When you’ve got people rooting for you and encouraging you to succeed, a supportive system will help instil self-belief and increase your confidence in yourself. They’ll suggest, advise and support you along the way on how to voyage across time and achieve positive outcomes.

It doesn’t matter what your age is – if you’ve got a child model, teen model or if you’re a model in your later years – having words of encouragement and praise will always add to your self-belief system.

Read or watch documentaries about successful people

Is there anyone famous you’d like to know more about? Reading someone’s life story or watching about it might help expand your mindset and help you to understand their journey, challenges, setbacks and accomplishments leading you to question how you can action the same positivity and resilience in your life.

And there you have it! Prospective models and fully fledged models, we hope this blog has helped remind you to have self-belief in your abilities and skills. Good luck and we hope that you continue to enjoy working with our MD team who also have the self-belief that you’ll be matched to top-tier clients and create amazing campaigns.

When modelling, standing in front of cameras or filming gear is the done deal which means that posing is one of the top skills you’ll be giving a try and cementing into your profession. Some work a treat whilst others…. hmmm, not so much! So in this blog, Models Direct want to work through this and help our soon-to-be and current talent learn and master top-notch poses whilst unlearning some others that don’t get heads turning for the right reason. Whether you’ve got a child model, teen model, or you yourself are a female or male model, or perhaps you’re in your senior years, this blog will help with ideas you can try out at home. Let’s go!

Modelling poses that we swear by

Natural standing pose

Sometimes the most natural-looking poses are the most eye-catching. That can certainly be said for this simple and effective look. Stand tall, relax those shoulders and put a small bend in your knees as you look on in confidence. This pose is a sure-fire winner.

Handing over a good pose

You can illustrate another great pose with one or two of your hands. They could either rest on your hips, or you could fold them, or pop them into your pockets, or have them touching your face, neck or hair. It’s up to you!

Tilt your body

Positioning your body so that there is a slight angle is another great pose to master. You can have one leg in front of the other, tilt your hips forward or move your head to one side to draw attention to different angles.

Crossed legs

A winning pose is the standing and sitting crossed legs. Typically, if you start by standing and then placing one leg in front of the other, you can give the illusion of having a taller height.

Walking or movement

When you’re on the move, either walking or within your space to pose, you can capture the light to create wonderful poses. Swift movements or you can keep your pace steady and really concentrate on your facial expressions too.

Poses to avoid

Forced poses and smiles

It’s not great to be forced to pose or smile. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to mask so it can become quite an obvious task. You’ll want to avoid this one though if it can be helped. Naturally, you’ll be asked on cue to pose but appearing forced won’t be appealing or convincing.

Stiff poses

Rigid looks are a big no-no. Why? Because they’ll make you look uncomfortable. We don’t mean to sound harsh but chances are, the stiff look will make viewers feel uncomfy too so avoid it unless instructed by the filming director or photographer.

Double chin

Some of us have a double chin and there’s nothing wrong with that! It happens for many reasons. But if you’re posing, tilt your head slightly higher to lengthen your neck, and if you don’t have a double chin, still keep that neck long.

Avoid exaggerated looks

Again, unless otherwise instructed, steer clear of exaggerated looks because some poses don’t need to be dramatic and fake.

Round up

Modelling means creating poses. Some are flattering whilst others don’t create the desired look. If you’re on an assignment but are unsure of which poses to do, don’t be afraid to ask the director or photographer for guidance and support. Keep it real, keep it simple. Above all, enjoy your time.

Reels are short film clips. They are usually entertaining, but can be equally educational, depending on what tickle’s the creator’s fancy. Models should consider reels as a vital tool in self-marketing. They can be used in conjunction with our new ePortfolios, so the scope for promoting yourself to wider audiences really is limitless. As long as models know that reels are beneficial to their own careers (and can be a hoot to star in and create), then it’s all good!

They are often considered a clone or spin-off from TikTok. The company Meta hit the headlines in 2021, when it changed its name from Facebook and acquired Instagram. So, for the purpose of this blog, we’ll show you how to create reels using Instagram as outlined by Meta’s official guidance.

We’re sure most of you are familiar with Instagram. However, it’s worth noting that Instagram Reels can only be done on certain phones (they should be easy to create on most of the up-to-date models of iPhone and Androids, although it may be impossible to get started on older models of phone). Such is life!

To get started

First off – what exactly can you expect from Instagram Reels on the Instagram app?

In short, Reels is a new video feature available on Instagram (hence the capital “R”). It allows users to record and edit short videos up to 60 seconds in the Instagram Camera (though as Reels will be continuingly developing, the duration will probably increase, and some users benefit from 90 second clips). Users can either add effects and music to their  reels, or use their own original audio.

Below are the easiest steps to follow to record a reel from the app, although sometimes the best form of attack is to experiment. Everyone’s different!

Note: Reels can be created directly from the Instagram Stories menu – positioned either between the default “Normal” mode and “Create” mode, or on the bottom menu next to “Story”. It might depend on your phone or app, but we’re sure you’ll get there without any trouble.

To proceed

Step 1. Tap the “plus sign” icon at the top. Alternatively, swipe right anywhere in the feed.

Step 2. Scroll to “Reels” at the bottom.

Step 3. Tap and hold the “Play” button (it’s the one with a right arrow). This allows you to record a clip. You can also tap it once to start, and again to finish recording. Top tip: you can also tap your camera roll in the bottom left to add a video from your camera roll.

Step 4. Tap the “watch” button (this is a black and white icon with a left arrow). If you’re happy with your recording, click on “Done” in the bottom right.

Step 5. If you have an Android phone, tap the black and white icon with a right arrow to add stickers, drawings or text to your recorded reel. Use the slider at the bottom. If you have an iPhone, click on “Preview”. See, it really does depend on the make of your phone!

Step 6. Tap “Share to”. Then tap “Cover” to change your cover photo and caption.

Step 7. If you want to share your reel to your story, tap “Stories”.

Step 8. Tap “Next”. Then tap “Share”.

The progress bar at the top shows how long you’ve recorded for.

It’ll probably be a little bit of trial-and-error for some of you, but with a little patience, it’ll be a piece of cake for most!

Reels should be the way forward for a lot of models. In no time at all, you’ll be reeling off clip after clip, promoting yourself even more to a wider audience!

The team at Models Direct would like to say a huge ‘WELL DONE!!’ to our male model Andy!

Andy joined us  in 2014  without any experience in the modelling world, but his attitude and determination to succeed was clear! Andy has continually kept his portfolio update and contacted is coordinator occasionally for updates.

Since being on the books at Models Direct Andy has been successfully selected for several different assignments, photographic shoots and most recently filmed the latest commercials for Dulux and has made it to our screens – that’ s a big deal!!

A final image from  Andy’s  photoshoot with Ideal Carehomes.

Andy  also did some filming work with Wex Photographic, this is great experience and enabled us to put him forward for other filming work!

Most recently Andy has been filming the new Dulux commercials – you can see what Andy has to say about his experience in his feedback video at the beginning of this blog.

This is a huge achievement, we received  really positive feedback from the client about Andy’s  performance and attitude towards  the assignment –  This means the team at Models Direct can confidently put him forward to larger clients for work in the future!