Hi there my beloved students.
Being involved in some contests, runways and other events I barely had time to stop and write some notes for you. But today I decided no matter what, to write some lines about what I am experiencing. This was supposed to be obvious to experienced models as it is for me. But seems like it's not.
Maybe it depends on the facts that we all have different careers and made some particular experiences that are not that similar.
At the time I am writing, there are two big things going on in my SL.
One is participating in
Metaverse Pageant with the title of Miss Austria 2013.
The other is managing
K.V. Dream Fashion Agency and in particular I am in charge of Miss Fashion 2013 contest.
These two contest are in my opinion not similar at all.
The Metaverse Pageantry does not requires for applicants to be SL certified models, it's open to any form of SL avatar and scores will be made in different fields, not only on stage.
Miss Fashion is a contest for graduated models only, and scores are made as if you participate in a casting. Theme of the styling, items used, quality or the items, perfection in your editing, poses choosen and quality of poses.
As I am a candidate, I can't really talk about Metaverse Pageantry that deep. But I want to say it is not easy and everyone keeps having questions and curiosity about many things. Especially the ones, like me, who has never been in a pageant before. And I experience the committee to be always there to answer all questions. From the very simple ones to the complicated one.
So I am not afraid and I ask.
later edit: please read about Metaverse Pageant in this post for a better view of how-to-handle-contests.
About Miss Fashion, I am managing it. That means I am in charge of collecting papers, writing notecards, IMing participants for infos that they need to know... but I have nothing to do with jury, the scores you make and what makes you go forward in the contest or have you to try next year again.
Most of the staff in K.V. Dream Fashion Agency does not speak English so well, nor the models who come to us to participate in events or castings are much better. When we understand there is a language problem, we try to explain it to them in an easier way in English, then turn the translator on and even ask friends who talk their language to help us with key-sentences in our speech.
But still, we had the rules of the contest written in many languages since the beginning. Models who entered the contest should be aware of everything already. And if they have question, I have been always answering them. I have to say, I had more designers contacting me for questions then models.
Well, my answer was that probably for the models was everything so easy and clear that they had no questions. They just have to do what they studied for and what (I suppose) is their passion and love. So, get dressed to their best and walk on stage during the show.
No questions about that, it's what models do.
We had a first pre-selection show. Some participants got their scores.
Yesterday we had the second pre-selection. A second round of participants got their scores.
Next week there will be the third and last round so all participants will be having their scores.
Yesterday after the show we experienced for the first time models IMing us with questions.
Well, many times it was kind of insults because they didn't agree with their scores.
I have nothing to do with the scores, but I am the only one who can handle conversations fluently in English so I tried to talk to each and any of the participants to try to understand what happened.
Some models left the group or give up their title in group. Some attacked me. Some didn't even answer my IM and kept attacking other people. Some made irony of me being so gentle and hepful.
It is NOT professional to act that way. No matter if you think that the jury made a mistake or you had troubles due to lag. You do not be unpolite or attack anyone. You may ask for explanation and get to talk about what didn't satisfy you.
But do not act like you are the queen of non-sense-world.
Because you are not. Yet. And you might become it if you act that non-sense.
Even worst is when you get your designer involved in all your drama. If you don't pass, the designer can still compete pairing with a new model choosing it in next step of the contest.
After getting all these misunderstandings and dramas, I contacted all participants to make them aware of the scores published on website and small infos. Some of them thanked me and we had a little nice chat. Some were sure to be out of the contest, even with high scores and I had to clear with them that they are not out, and that next week there will be the next round so we get all scores and we know who are the 22 selected models for semifinals.
And then I got some weird questions that I had to answer. And I was like "Why nobody just asked this and that before taking part in the contest, so that they could actually earn more points?".
The way contestants earn points is the same as K.V. Dream Fashion Agency does castings.
They give scores to the models and the ones who reach at least the minimum score accepted are taken into the agency.
Not all agencies work like that. And K.V. sends out some notecards explaining that. At least in Italian. I am the official translator but I never translated those informations in English, so I am not aware what kind of infos you get by casting calls.
But
if ANYTHING is not clear, just ask.
I remember myself asking so many questions when applying for castings (not in K.V., but it's the same story for any casting you do) that when I went there for it the person that answered my questions remember me and was like "Ok now let's see if you understood what I told you" and everything went smoothly.
It is very easy. You ask and they tell you some secrets. You learn them, you practice them and you succeed.
It is what Heth does all the time in the Metaverse Pageant. When contestants have questions he answers them. I can tell you. And I was the one asking twice the same topic when he even did a meeting about it. And I took part into this meeting. Still didn't understand and had to ask again.
I was not ashamed to ask again.
No one will turn you down if you have a question. You might receive a "Sorry I'll get back to you asap." if the person is busy at the moment, but be sure they will take care of your doubts.
So, instead of crying and make dramas, why don't you make a list of questions and ask? And if you know the person doesn't speak fluently English, why don't you write it down on a notecard and send the questions with a nice sentence like "Hey XXX, I know you are very busy so I decided to write you a NC and you can answer me whenever you have time. I was just wondering about YYY and had a couple of questions. *question question question* I thank you very much for the help and wish you a nice day. *Your sign (and username)*"
Short, polite, understandable. And by receiving this, the person you contact will answer you clear, maybe have someone translate the answers so that you understand them better. Smart enough?
In every school I attended, the teachers always told me "Better one more time asking before, then one more error later." Don't be ashamed. Do not be unprofessional
after the job.
Be polite
before it. If you are polite, anyone would not mind you asking questions, they will just answer them!
I hope all these experiences I shared were useful.
Questions or
discussions are welcomed in comments here, or directly inworld if I am
online. Also available to use chat in my IW group: ._:::- I ♡ Beccikie
-:::_.
For other online modeling classes, visit the online
Academy.
