Becoming a Model in L.A. Here's Roy by James Loy

Los Angeles is not just the holy grail for actors; there are plenty of male models who seek opportunities to become a professional model.

Becoming a Model in L.A. Here’s Roy by James Loy

Photographer James Loy shares this new work with Native L.A. newcomer Roy Williams.

As you can see, Roy is a young guy represented by Mverick Models, “21 years old, in college who enjoys sports and working out, and having fun in front of the camera.”

According to Loy, “he gives it his all when he steps in front of the camera.” Indeed we noticed that in the pictures we attached.

In the shadow of its appeal to actors, many often overlook Los Angeles’ as-bountiful modeling opportunities.

But make no mistake, this city is home to several of the top modeling agencies in the country, as well as many intended to nurture newer or undiscovered talent.

Modeling career isn’t something that comes overnight

Just like acting, a modeling career isn’t something that comes overnight, and you should be realistic about the expectations you set for your career and the different realities of what “success” as a model can look like.

You’d be surprised by how many career options there truly are for a model, there’s as many genres and subsets within those genres as you’re likely to find in Hollywood when finding your footing as an actor.

“If you have a quirky personality, we want to know that,” Francis Arden says. “You’re not just a pretty face. We want to know who this person that we’re sitting in front of is. Yes, she’s got the right measurements, but what’s in there? What’s his purpose? What drives him?”

And sometimes, it’s also about the waiting game. You need to be an early riser with patience and stamina to spare.

There will be long days of go-sees (aka modeling “auditions”) or of video or photo shoots.

There are many aspects of the profession that can be fine-tuned and trained in any modeling type, but your actual physical features and standards of contemporary beauty inevitably come into play.

“Passion is definitely one of the key deciding factors because that motivates the individual to want to do what it takes to pursue it,” says Jack Maiden, director of Mavrick Models at Mavrick Artists Agency. “If they want to pursue it, they’ve gotta get out there and find out if there’s an agency that suits them. They’ve gotta go for it.”

“Educate yourself. Try to speak to as many people who are in the field [as] you can to get advice. There’s a lot to learn,”

To help determine which path in modeling is right for you, aspiring tastemakers should turn to friends and family for their opinion on what track suits them best.

About MVERICK Agency

Mavrick Agency (affiliated with LA based Mavrick Artist Agency) is a full service entertainment agency that specializes in print, social media, TV, commercials, and film.

The Agency prides itself in custom management for each individual talent, which helps to both develop and sustain career longevity with an emphasis on fashion, creative, branding, quality, and strategy.

The Mavrick team’s passion, work ethic, and over 60 years of combined experience in the fashion and entertainment industries has already developed some of the most promising new talent in the business, both nationally and internationally.

Let us be clear: You can still make a living as a model even if you don’t fit the physical template above.

Commercial models, in particular, are meant to reflect the everyman. Booking gigs here is more about your megawatt smile than the size of your jeans.