What do they do?
The glamour may draw one to become a product model, but one must eventually find other aspects of the profession appealing to stick on. Sure there’s money in it, as the Indian economy expands and makes space for a slew of products in every segment. That of course means that the collective fortunes of product models, advertising agencies, photographers, stylists and a variety of other professionals is dependent on the advertising budgets of companies. Still, the fame and money continue to attract fresh young faces that yearn to represent products that we see advertised every day in newspapers, magazines, and on television.
So, what’s the best way to go about establishing oneself in the profession of a product model? “My advice would be to do (campaigns for) some recognised brands so that you build a good work profile. That helps in getting progressive work,” says Navina Bhatia, a product model who has been the face for 200 campaigns in less than three years.
And, how does one get started? “First and foremost is a great portfolio from some experienced portfolio photographers. One also has to make sure that physical traits such as a fit body, great skin, a fabulous smile and a very expressive face are constantly worked upon. Mentally, one has to be very strong, professional and hard working,” says Bhatia, who herself ventured into the profession when she was offered a photo shoot by a photographer friend. She later went on to get a portfolio done and hasn’t looked back since.
One of the reasons for taking up this career is the high one gets from being a recognised face. However, to keep going, one has to love the toil that goes with every campaign. In Bhatia’s case, being expressive in front of the camera and doing justice to the product has worked well. “Expressing various moods in front of the camera is what I absolutely love about being a product model,” she says. “There is something new in every shoot so there is never a dull moment. Then, the money and fame are also quite satisfying,” she adds.
The idea is to grow and diversify because as one handles more campaigns, one becomes more confident about handling varied challenges. Bhatia advises, “The money’s very lucrative and varies depending on the profile of the model as well the number of assignments he/she gets every month. Then, you can get into events, corporate films, etc.”
Bhatia works as a freelancer and is part of the portfolio of many modelling agencies. So, she either finds work through her own network, or when a client – the product company itself of an advertising agency – sees her photographs in an agency’s portfolio and finds her suitable for a shoot and asks the agency to call her.
This system – comprising a chain between modelling agencies, advertising agencies, and models – does have its shortcomings and Bhatia wishes that the industry would take a more professional turn. “I feel there should be some guidelines for work schedules and payment terms as I have had to follow up for payments for months and that is very disheartening,” she says. Bhatia also advises that to avoid unpleasant experiences, especially as an attractive woman, one should insist on clearly understanding what each campaign entails and say yes only if one is totally comfortable with that.
She adds another word of caution: “Have an alternate career plan as the competition is extremely tough.”
