Fancy strutting your stuff on the catwalk? Do you have a face for film or dream of seeing your name in lights? We’ve been scouting around the capital to bring you this guide to being seen and heard
Looking good
Georgia Willis, manager of HME Models gives us the lowdown on modelling in Abu Dhabi.
Do your models have to be a certain weight or height?
No, every brand has a different personality and therefore requires different types of brand ambassadors. This includes a variety of ages, nationalities, looks and sizes. We don’t discriminate on these variables, we simply categorise people, so that a brand and our models are always perfectly matched.
We are always on the lookout for new models including children, babies and teens, as well as young and mature adults.
How can people in Abu Dhabi get involved with modelling?
Firstly register online through our website www.hmemodels.com and upload your photo. Once our scouting crew receives the registration form and images, the expert team researches each submission for potential models.
Then potential models are invited in for a meeting to have professional photos taken and a quick interview to see where in the industry they are most suited.
We also deal with a number of promotional experts and hostesses for meet and greet events, as well as entertainers including dancers, actors, fire-breathers and stilt-walkers, not forgetting of course production people such as photographers, stylists, location experts, videographers and choreographers.
Are there a lot of modelling opportunities in Abu Dhabi?
We always have something fun and exciting going on. Often we need hostesses for big events, models for a photo shoot or catwalk show and promoters for product launches. So there really are a lot of opportunities for all different kinds of people in Abu Dhabi and we have some exciting events coming up next season.
What type of photos should people submit to register?
The majority of images that we receive aren’t taken by professional photographers. Our team is very skilled at scouting successful models. If we see potential in amateur photos we will recommend that the model has their professional portfolio made by our photographers or on special occasions we do sometimes organise this.
We need to see a person’s natural beauty so it’s best to email good quality photos, don’t wear too much make-up and choose simple fitted clothing such as skinny jeans and a T-shirt.
Extra! Extra!
George Saad a freelance filmmaker with Creative Lab, has the following advice for aspiring actors; “Being a film extra is a great way to get into the industry and to make contacts.
Creative Lab make a lot of short films and are always looking for extras. Start off small and work your way up. I’ve heard many success stories of people who started off as an extra and then pursued a career in acting or media.”
Creative Lab recently shot a film in Ras Al Khaimah that required 30 extras on set. “Sometimes we require one extra for a film and sometimes we need 20, it depends on the film. An extra could be doing anything in a scene, such as sitting on a bus or walking around a supermarket. A wide variety of people are needed and no prior acting experience is required,” George said.
To get involved register online at: twofour54.com/creativelab
Practice, practice, practice…
What better way to hone your acting skills than to practice?
We’re lucky to have New York Film Academy (NYFA) based here in the capital. NYFA Managing Director Imad DeirAtany says, “Our students always need extras. We require actors of all ages, male and female, of different nationalities. You don’t need to have a lot of acting experience.”
To take part, e-mail a photo and a short brief about yourself to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
NYFA students often use Facebook to find actors, log on to: www.facebook.com/groups/287504964815/ or www.facebook.com/ADNYFA
Catriona Doherty
Ambitious parent Farah Al Alami, tells us why she wants her 22-month-old son Rakan Ala’ Hamam
to be a model.
Has your child modelled in the past?
No not yet, I’ve been unable to find opportunities here in the UAE. Last year a kid’s clothing franchise ran a Cute Baby competition on Facebook. Out of 300 entries my son was one of 20 winners.
Why did you decide to involve your child with modelling?
I’m a marketing and communications manager for a healthcare organisation and I invite toddlers to model in the healthcare advertisements. I am always thrilled by the look of excitement on the toddler’s faces and wonder about the effects of this on character building.
I am keen for my son to have this experience at a young age to build his confidence, give him the opportunity to socialise and explore the world around him more.
My husband and I agreed to expose our son to a range of activities such as swimming, playing music or anything that allows him to find his hidden talents and help him to make better decisions in the future.
Do you think your child has what it takes to be a model?
Every mother believes that her child is the cutest but it would be nice to hear feedback from a professional, experienced person in the field of modelling. It would definitely put a smile on my face.
All children are beautiful, yet my son is definitely a cute, beautiful child with his big, dark eyes and long eyelashes. My son has the real Arabic charm, may Allah bless him!
He is also funny, sociable and has charisma that attracts people to him wherever we go. Should my son get a chance to model, it would definitely be an exciting experience for him and for his parents, especially because it’s a rare opportunity in our region.It would be a great part of his learning process.
