We take no agent commission! 0%. You only pay for payment wires and foreign exchange to your bank, if any. No monthly, or sign up cost.
Fām is an online, streamlined model booking system with sophisticated back end technology designed for todays domestic and Intl’ models, producers, casting agents and brands that wish to quickly procure models locally, regional or internationally to cast what they need with our streamlined system. We are aspiring to change some ways models take on work, giving them the earning power for each shoot and not get taken advantage of through strong arm or last minute techniques of big agents or questionable bookers.
Furthermore fām allows models to:
1. Earn all their money, 0% agency commissions. FX & transfer fees apply.*
2. No monthly fees, sign up fee or maintenance fee.
3. Create, update your portfolio and schedule chart so you can be booked when you are free. Check your email for booking requests by Casting Directors.
4. Take on extra side gigs through fām even while you are signed with a full time agent or mother agency (contract allowing),
5. Build up a pubic profile with feedback, ratings and trust system of your past gigs to further your career and build trust within the fām community and elsewhere for those who wish to refer to it. Use your feedback profile to show to other agents your credibility, look-book and performances. Your profile will be public for all to see, just share your link. It is your online portfolio/look-book and someone can book you right there.
6. With fām, you can invite small gigs to book you through fām so there is no risk of non-payment. You have fām as your booking service and build your track record CV.
7. Be paid promptly, fām acts as pay agent and releases payment within 14 days after the job is completed.**
8. Safety, fām only books your gig after the client has paid in full upfront, assuring you will be paid and bear no brunt of risks such as non payment, or holding the bag for expenses which were not disclosed in advance. Everything is disclosed upfront and agreements signed.
9. Take offers in other countries for “one off” gigs even if you are based elsewhere. Expand your travel experiences while working.***
10. Did someone want to book you but you were not sure if you can trust them? Import external bookings to the fām platform to book you through fām ensuring full disclosure, full payment including any allowances, feedback and ratings and other benefits fām’s system offers models to hedge against any countries or booking agents which you are unfamiliar with, have no reputation or bad reputations. Leave the vetting to us.
11. Support your fellow models. Give valuable feedback about your past gig employer so models in the community are aware of your experience with them, before they accept bookings. Fām aims to bring full disclosure, history and transparency to bookers, agents, casting agents, photographers and others who offer model jobs so models can check their ratings and judge. Yes, enough of the BS in this industry—fām will set the new trend on how models take bookings.
· * See dashboard area for transfer fees. Foreign exchange rates vary based on pair, payment currency to your bank main currency.
· ** Backlog of admin payments determine turn around time. If models show up late, fail to do the job, no show, do not look as presented in their portfolio, bookers have the right to contest the payment and request full or partial refunds.
· ***fām enables models in select locations to take on jobs worldwide without an agency to sign them exclusively. Models can accept offers for jobs in any country with the terms laid out clearly in advance, with the pay agent-type safeguards put in place to ensure both parties live up to their promises on the gig.
fām is a streamlined online model booking platform which gives clients a model catalogue, in depth profile and photos of models to choose from. As a model with fām you are a partner with us to all 3 parties successes in the industry. Clients don’t just want the pretty face. They are looking for models that are “business professional” of which they can rely on. It’s a combination of experience, reliability, accountability, professionalism and business sense working in this industry. Clients need and want not just hard workers, but models with a proper attitude. We also get models jobs on top of models importing jobs into the platform to take advantage of the business features.
Yes. If you don’t like some aspects of the booking proposed, you can reject the offer and write a note to the booker and say why you won’t accept it. If the booker takes your comment into consideration, they could make a new offer.
fām makes payment via wire transfers strait to your bank account to select countries. If you do not have an account in acceptable countries we can discuss some of the other alternatives to you depending on where you are.
S. Korea: 19 years, 17 & 18 with parental signature.
Japan 20. [from 18 years on April 1st 2022.] 17+ with parental signature.
Taiwan 20. [from 18 years on January 1st 2023.] 17+ with parental signature.
Hong Kong 18, 17 with parental signature.
Singapore 18. 17 with parental signature.
No. fām is operating online as an international business across many countries. Tax laws for income and withholding only apply to the country where we are incorporated in. You need to determine your income tax with a tax adviser based on where you are a citizen or resident. If you are a citizen or resident of Japan for example, and you get a payment to a Japan bank account then you would be liable for income tax for example. Its very complicated to determine jurisdiction where multiple jurisdictions are at play. For example a Taiwanese model takes a job in Hong Kong on a short visit yet has her payment sent to his bank account in Australia because he happens to have one there and wishes to use that account. Your liability would require an international or local tax lawyer to determine where jurisdiction actually lay. Fām is not a tax adviser. We send the payment where you specify.
fām aims to pay after both parties have left feedback and within 14 days. If feedback is left and we are not busy, we will pay earlier. Unlike those “prestigious” agencies who pay 1,2,3 months afterward with that 15-20%+ rip from your earnings. You can expect to clear your whole earnings with us minus any minimal wire fee and FX exchange. Hence fām will be the hot booking go-to platform for models in Asia.
We will review your photos and profile. If you are a new model and do not have any professional grade photos, or not enough of them, we suggest you navigate to iFotor’s website to touch up your amateur pics with the allowable functions. Use the features in order to up the photos as needed. Do not attempt to use the websites features from a phone or tablet but from a desktop computer. See your dashboard for more info.
If your photos are industry subpar, but you have potential attributes as a model and we approve you, we will suggest you do the photo editing and perhaps with certain below said functions. These photo edits can be temporary improvements until you acquire a book of pro photographer photos, tears, test shoot and trade acquired photos to add to your profile and look book, and some photos edited with these tools if good enough can be kept into your book/fām profile. In the post approval process we can make some edit suggestions as quick guidance, but ultimately you will need to learn to use Fotor’s site to get good pictures for use here to get things started.
If we do not approve your application due to photos, then edit or have better photos of you done and then email us with the subject “reapplying with new photos – [your name here]”
We suggest you spend time practicing using these below features before submitting the final version. Aside from using the photo edit tools being a fresh face model with no book, you can try to approach photographers for test shoots and trades. See our directory page. Or simply pay them for the service. Good photos can cost money. Are you willing to invest in your career as a model is the question. If you do not have enough money to pay a professional, seek out trades and test shoots. Some photographers will agree to a trade test shoot as it can be used in their portfolio, hence benefits both of you. New photographers to the industry will be more likely to do test shoot trades as well. It is a start. Do not expect a top photographer nor do you need one.
Your photos which are to be used need to reach a certain standard. You can use a combination of good photos which you had done as is, with photo editing, past work photos and by pro photographers. As time goes on your book will hopefully evolve and get better using past works over time. If you have trouble using Fotor to get the pro looking feel of your photos, it would be suggested you pay a professional photo editor freelancer. They can be found on websites such as Freelancer, Upwork and Fivver. For which they may do photo touch ups on Fotor or their own software.
If you do not have enough photos for your profile which are standard acceptable, you will need to make efforts to get photos pro shot, or pro edited. Editing photos yourself or through a pro for the future will indeed be a very important tool for making your photo book even better! If you know how to edit your photos with Fotor, or have your pro photo freelancer, you can keep adding new content to your look book profile, which is recommended monthly or bimonthly
We accept photos only with the below features and not others.
Blemish removal
Wrinkle removal
Redeye removal
Teeth whitening
HDR clean up – Resolution increase
Fine tune
Blush
Body/face weight loss (minimal adjustments)
Add make up
Skin smoothing
1-tap enhance
Filters
Polaroid effect
Lense flare
Color splash
HSL
Color splash
Vignette
Spotlight/Tiltshift
Background cut out, changed to only black or white background.
Yes. Fresh and new faces are needed in the industry. If you have the right attitude to be serious in this line of work, apply and get on our platform. However your pictures will be essential to your approval. Do what it takes to have great pictures. Do them yourself or with someone who can shoot you. Or pay a pro and do it right the first time. If we have a photographer we know in your area to do free test shoots we can refer you. That’s where you trade with the photographer. He builds his book and you get pro photos, which you can print for your own look book and of course use on your fām profile. You can use your best pics on fām at first while you get better photos done to replace later.
The non-exclusive type. And another for terms of use for the website and profile, along with a Non Circumvention agreement.
March 2023.
Here are some categories but is not all:
I. Character. Its cool to be different, out there, quirky with extraordinary or striking features, or an unusual physique. Brands know what they want, so you never know if you are in demand because you are just unique all the way around.
II. Everyday people models. Movie/TV Extras. If you like the idea of modeling, but do not fit into other categories, then this could be for you. Everyday people models are used in advertising or corporate campaigns, when companies are looking to represent the everyday person. As a TV/Film Extra you will generally be non-featured (no speaking parts) and in the background of a scene. This can be fun and interesting to be part of, but it can also be long hours with lots of waiting around. The benefits are that if you are flexible with your days, it can be a good way to supplement your income.
III. TV Commercial. Modeling on TV does not have any overall criteria for height, size and age, as each commercial requires someone different and specific to that job. It is usually necessary to have some acting ability, but this can be natural ability or learned. There are many different types of TV commercials, ranging from the highly stylized photographic, to the performance led reality style.
IV. Glamour Model. Is modeling that emphasizes models’ sexuality. It can range from lingerie and swimwear shoots, to artistic and nude photography to men’s magazines. You will need to be beautiful, sexy and confident, with an extremely outgoing personality. Height restrictions tend not to apply, which is the great attraction to many models.
V. Hair. Salons will always need women with great hair for shows, publicity and events. Cut, colored and styled etc.
VI. Catalogue Model. Companies create catalogues (print or online) to sell their latest clothing lines or various others products, and it’s the catalogue model job to make them look good. Here you will find many great opportunities for different model types, as the model is chosen to represent the target audience of the different companies. With the increasing number of websites that require models to promote their goods online.
VII. Commercialized Print. A huge market that encompasses every kind of print advertising. This can range from advertising in magazines to products on supermarket shelves to billboards. The benefit of working in commercial print as a model is that the target audience of the advertisers varies considerably. Naturally the brands want to attract and represent the people that will buy their products, so there are many opportunities here if you are not the High Fashion type.
VIII. Print/Editorial Print This is modeling for magazine editorials and covers such as Vogue, Elle etc. The standard requirements for these models are similar to those in High Fashion and you must be very photogenic. Quite often the same models will work in both Editorial Print and High Fashion. These editorials provide great exposure for models even though the fees earned are sometimes relatively low. This is normal and it can take a few years to gain the experience needed to get the bigger paying jobs. Commercial models’ primary purpose is selling the products they model. Many types of companies hire commercial models, such as clothing brands, retailers and product manufacturers. Companies choose commercial models based on the aesthetic and tone they desire for their campaign. Commercial models may also wear a brand’s clothing or makeup, advertise a company, speak about a product or demonstrate how to use a product. Because product sales can take many innovative forms, commercial modeling offers many opportunities.
IX. High Fashion. When you see the tall and lean figures that grace the runways and editorials for the leading fashion houses and designers, these are high fashion models. They are generally required to be between 172cm to 180cm (5”8 to 5”11), with a dress size of 4-6 US , with a typical bust size of 34. The age range can be from 14 to 25. For guys the age range is more flexible and they can start from the age of 16 until their late 40’s. They need to be between 180cm to 188cm (5”11 to 6”2), with an excellent physique and a chest size of 94cm to 106cm (37” to 42”) and 76cm to 81cm (30” to 32”) waist. Guys tend to have longer careers if they look after themselves.
X. Tall. If you have the height, can reach the sky. Tall women are in demand and popular.
XI. Petite. Petite women are around 5-5’5” and sizes 6 to 10.
XII. Fit modeling. Fit models, also known as fitting models, work backstage at fashion shows and in designer work spaces. They wear garments so the designer can evaluate the clothing for flaws and make any necessary adjustments before the runway models wear them. While designers expect fit models to meet certain measurements and criteria, these models typically have less strict requirements to adhere to than runway models.
XIII. Runway. Runway modeling is one of the most prestigious careers in the industry, as it often involves working with luxury brands. It involves walking down a runway, to showcase a designer’s newest clothing and accessories. Like fashion modeling, runway modeling is highly competitive, but meeting certain standards may help improve your chances of getting a job. Some common characteristics of runway models include:
Specific aesthetics that match designers’ preferences, strong work ethic, ability to walk with confidence and poise.
XIV. Eye, Shoe, and Jewelry categories.
XV. Other categories. Trade fairs/shows/promotions, TV and Movie extras etc.
XVII. Fitness modeling. To be a fitness model having a love for working out and, ideally, specializing in some form of exercise is required. Fitness models book commercial jobs for sports brands where they sometimes need to showcase their skills for the shoot. There are agencies specializing in fitness modelling alongside more traditional modelling agencies with fitness divisions don’t have to meet any height requirements to be a fitness model but generally, agencies and bookers expect an athlete that reflects the sport you’re best at.
We suggest at least 1 of each: 1. Full body, 2. ¾ view, 3. Side shots and 4. a close up- all with no make up and plain clothed if a women, then a second set of the former with make up and more exotic shots and clothing.
Maybe. You must read your contract with them and see if it allows you to take bookings outside of them. We can negotiate a fee share deal with your mother agency on a case by case basis. However since we do not take fees from models, there is no money to share with your mother agency. Hence, we would have to give your MA a cut of our bookers fee, which would need to be negotiated and the volume significant to make it worth while.
If you violate your agreement knowingly or otherwise, you agree to indemnify fām. Typically if your MA is in another city (or country) you should be clear to sign with us non-exclusively. It is not our responsibility to read your contracts and police you to follow them. If you choose to sign up with us and take work from our cities, its on you to know your obligations elsewhere.
Maybe. Fām is more of a wide ranging boutique agency with wider ranges of models at the moment touching cities in Asia, and volume of bookings can vary from the cities we offer now and the ones we will launch later. Since we don’t lock you in to exclusivity with us, it’s quite a fluid arrangement. We can have this discussion on a strictly case-by-case basis if you wish to discuss that. If you are approved with fām you can build your book/profile and if you have an opportunity to sign exclusively with a big agency and feel that’s the way for you then you may transition and freeze your profile. If you are eligible to be exclusive with fām as an M2 or top model, the M3, and want us to be your mother agency we can discuss.
Yes. All models start at the bottom, we all start somewhere. But with diligence and hard work you can move up and learn the business. You will need grit, diligence, patience and thick skin. You will build experience and your fām rating will go from M1 to M2 and one day if you stay long enough, you will be M3. Reading our guide and this Q&A is required for new models! We provide that to you to jumpstart your knowledge.
M1
These are fresh faces with little to no experience. The rates will be the lowest for this status. We give this status to those with;
No experience
Little experience, such as 8 shoots or less, 6 months work experience or less,
No or minimal “look book” or photo portfolio
Has done less than 50 shoots, with us or elsewhere.
M1 command the lower rates.
M2
This rank has 1 year or more experience,
has done over 60 shoots,
has a reasonable look book/ photo portfolio,
has accumulated moderate to high feedback count with a good rating on fām,
Is considered experienced enough to know how to work on set,
Is possibly signed with 1 or more agencies covering several cities, domestic or international,
Commands experienced rates from fām or other agencies.
M3
Basically is almost or at a top of the line model in the industry,
This model has been around 3 years or more in experience,
has done over 130 shoots, both domestic and international, has done at least 2 fashion weeks in either NY, Paris, London, Milan or Berlin or other majors,
has an impressive look book/ photo portfolio,
has accumulated high feedback count with a great rating on fām, with a track record with another agencies as well,
Knows how to work on set with photographers, videographers and crews,
Is possibly signed with 2 or more agencies covering several cities, domestic or international,
Commands top model rates from fām or other agencies.
Has been on a cover of a such magazines like Harpers, ELLE, Vogue, GQ etc. Has acclaim.
Yes. We collect your fees upfront. Once you show up, do your gig, give back feedback etc, provided there are no complaints or disputes, we will release funds to you.
Absolutely. You see, fām is for our models on our platform AND models outside it that wish to use our systems to take bookings safer. In the process you too will have your public profile on fām. Since fām takes no agency fees (unheard of in this business), why not funnel your one-off gigs through fām? And build a feedback rating in the process! We host your look-book so its easy to share your profile with anyone using your unique URL. Using fām also makes bookers pay upfront so you don’t get caught in a risk of the dreaded “net 30 / net 60 / net 90/ or net-forever wait to get paid. Some models have claimed to get paid 6, 12 or more months afterwards and some have been “waiting” years for payments.
We accept from age of majority in your country and up. Its up to our clients that book models to decide what they want. Put yourself out there and you may get a booking. Whether you are older or even have a rough look, we never know what a brand, commercial or producers are looking for! We take a wide spectrum approach to the industry to give casting directors a wide enough range of choice so we can serve various types of shoot needs. Such as: Runway, high fashion, lingerie, fitness, catalogue, commercial and mature.
Typically within the week. If your pictures are not up to par, we will suggest what to do.
No. Unless you invest in paying for photos if you are new and wish to get going quickly.
In you’re fām dashboard select the chart tab and block dates you don’t want to accept bookings for. Keep this updated. If a book request comes in and you can not take it, you can simply reject it.
This is in the eyes of the beholder. Further, a brand could have any range of needs for a certain type of person to be in their photo shoot, catalogue, tv commercial etc. Eventually, your type or look will be needed by someone, somewhere!
We have set this business up to be automated, online, simple and bring overhead to the minimum. We don’t have “20/20 greed” like most other agencies. We put in place a different kind of business model. We are here to build a worldwide community of models who connect to each other while building a career and getting paid on time (for a change) and so much more. fām dreams big and in the future we have big ideas. The time has come for the modeling industry to say no to non-payments, net 90 days, low wages, sneaky deductions, hidden and coded fees and all the rest of the rip offs. Models should not be living like starving students and artists. fām can influence a “Union Standard” over time.
Yes. You need to state and/or show on your profile you do. One photo should show them. State you have and know how to use a tattoo cover up called Dermablend.
You can wait, but also use your profile link and put it out there on socials. You can have your photos on instagram with your fām profile link. You can earn money by the referral link. Find models online and invite them to fām. If you meet someone who wants to model, invite him or her to fām. You can scout models for fām by just giving your referral link by app or email to a new potential model and earn when they get their first job. Its win-win-win.
It depends. For now we take bookers and models which can use English to use our booking system. If a local person books a local model and the team speaks the local language that works on that side of things. We will add the local languages when we can which will open up things further. If you take gigs internationally your English must be good enough to take instructions and navigate etc. We are an international type of platform. In places like Hong Kong and Singapore, the fact that this platform is in English is not going to be an issue for most. For Japan it will. For Taiwan, not so much. But nevertheless more challenges come with opening up the platform to other local languages, which could strain our time. In the mean time we will be boutique and exclusive to those who do speak English, yet do business in certain countries laterally. It’s impossible to have this business totally localized to all the countries. We can only cover so many lanes.
Your booker will leave feedback about you after your job. You will get an overall rating, which reflects on your performance and profile accuracy. Accuracy will be emphasized greatly from them. Anyone, booker or model who lies or exaggerates on their feedback will be penalized and a note on their account will be given to show the public that they may lie on a future feedback.
Yes. You will be required after the gig to leave accurate and truthful info about them. No lies or exaggerations are allowed. No matter how much you loved or hate the booker, accurate feedback is essential for the sake of the next model that may take a booking from them! It’s not about you. It’s for your fellow models, think of them while you write your feedback.
If we reject your application we will reply with notes with what you need to improve or modify regarding your pictures or otherwise. Simply heed the instructions to make needed changes and submit and edit application again.
No. All models are not signing agreements to be exclusive to our agency as in the typical model management agency sense. You may take work from your mother agency or from whomever, however. We believe in the freedoms of choice and going where you are treated and paid the best.
Yes. It could be up to $20 depending on your bank country.
.6-1.6% depending on the currency pair when payments come from USD to your targeted pay currency. This is a temporary fee until we change payment gateways.
No.
Have a full and completed profile. Learn about this line of work and be knowledgeable about the etiquette, attitude etc. Share your fām link on your socials regularly so those scouting will know how to book you easily. Approach other agents as well and use your fām profile as your look book. And of course, when you get jobs do your best and build your feedback.
Today with online profiles these are needed less. However having at least a comp card to hand out would be suggested when meeting potential clients and casting directors. Getting the card in their hands can leave a lasting impact.
Yes. We allow you to take bookings internationally if the payment terms are worth your time. You judge if you want to take those gigs or not. We can advise on those when you get them. Reach us on our apps or call us to discuss. It’s your responsibility to check if what they offer is enough to travel with. Or if its satisfactory to even take a low ball offer just to get some pay, trades, free bonuses, travel, a tear sheet from a magazine etc, and valuable feedback and a rating on your fām profile etc. You have to make this call. You can ask us regarding gigs you are unsure of. We can give guides on how to travel, buy insurance, where to buy tickets cheaper online etc. But call us for this sort of advice.
How can fām be a questionable if we don’t ask you for any up front fees such as sign up fees, agent commission fees, photo/printing fees, website management costs and on and on? We ask for no money. You give us your photos, specs and contact info. We don’t even want your last name upfront. Save it for payday.
Let us put trust into perspective, some big agencies who charge you 20-50%, plus an array of fees, hidden and surprise fees, ridiculous model apartment rent rates, and all sorts of line item costs on coded and non-named line item statements, which you find out one day are cut from your pay, are the ones who are taking advantage through non-disclosure. By the time models get paid (net 60 or net 90+ days later by the way), they are working to just pay off the agency whom they are not only indebted to but get fleeced with huge so called ‘costs’. How are those agents trustworthy by hiding facts? By the time you get your payment and read the line items deductions you wont remember what they were.
Those agencies charge you for all sorts of fees, and you can´t verify that that was the actual cost of the item, service etc. They will not prove it with receipts to you. In Japan, it has been reported visiting models get punished and sent back to their country for even ASKING what the line item deductions were! They can easily lie and mark it up by 20-100%, line by line, that’s not labeled even, and you wont know. Point being, big agencies need to be made aware of and their contracts reviewed by lawyers with a very fine tooth comb! Now if you have a good mother agency that gets you lots of work and your paychecks keep rolling then you can make it and not be broke. The industry has a huge supply of models and competition is high. If you do not play along with their terms, you do not get a chance. Not everyone makes enough money, especially after agent cut fees, line items deductions, model apartments etc. The fraud in this industry is appalling. We really hope here that models can refer to honest business practices as the “fām standard” over time to the industry. Things are very skewed with just top models making most or all the money while the rest get crumbs.
We will help you by chat or call on a case by case basis as time permits. We intend to write blog posts. When there are company functions we also will plan coaching.
You can wait for bookers to choose you, but also use your profile link and put it out there on socials or send directly to photographers etc. You can have your photos on instagram with your fām profile link to import a booking. What bookers need and when is simply an ongoing fluctuation of ongoing productions.
No.
You will be required after the gig to leave accurate and truthful info about them. No lies or exaggerations are allowed. No matter how much you loved or hate the booker, accurate feedback is essential for the sake of the next model that may take a booking from them! It’s not about you. It’s for your fellow models, think of them while you write your feedback.
Decline the offer. If fām finds out you took gigs from our clients which came from the fām platform, during or after a gig, you will be in violation of our Terms of Service and can be a) penalized for breach of contract and/or b) your profile account deleted. Report the party who made the offer to us as they too are in violation of the Non Circumvention Agreement. Since fām doesn’t charge you agent fees and we ensure your payment, why would you want to book outside of fām? Do not put personal contact info or clues in your profile. Taking bookings outside fām runs risk of non payment along with not accruing lucrative public feedback. Fām collects payment upfront, ID and business cards from all bookers along with their contact details for your safety. We screen them for you free. Why not take bookings with fām?
fām at the moment does not have this system in place. We will be exploring this soon. Fām is for bookers who are happy to cast from portfolios they can view on our site. Castings does take some time and money. The casting trend is slowly on the decline however we will cooperate with casting directors on a case by case basis.
