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This week on For a Living, we meet NY model scout and model manager Jasmine Dwyer (@jasminedwyer). Jasmine started as a model in Australia and New York. When she helped someone else break into the modeling industry, she realized the talent she has for discovering new models. Since then she has created her own model management company, Bamby Model Management. She scouts for models in NYC and mentors new models as they start their careers.

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Transcript
00:00In terms of scouting a girl,
00:03you can be walking down the street.
00:04I found someone at Coney Island
00:06when I was just out with my friends.
00:08I found someone at CVS
00:10when I was just out shopping by myself.
00:12I've scouted someone at a Taylor Swift concert.
00:14The next step is just getting very basic pictures.
00:17So we'll get a few head shots, full body shots.
00:20I'll submit those to agencies in New York City
00:23or in LA, depending on their look.
00:26And we try to fly them out here pretty quickly.
00:29Hi, my name is Jasmine Dwyer
00:31and I scout models worldwide for a living.
00:37So tomorrow you guys have the beauty casting.
00:40I know it's a very specific posing,
00:42so I want to prep for that.
00:43Make sure you guys know how to pose.
00:44Plus it's the first time you guys are casting together.
00:48So that's like different.
00:49You're going to be able to have to pose as a couple.
00:51So I want to just practice a little bit, right?
00:54And if you feel your partner is doing this,
00:57you can't do that.
00:58So you need to be feeling what she's doing.
01:02Okay, good.
01:04Okay, now look at the camera cat.
01:06Good.
01:07Okay, this is very nice, isn't it?
01:09It is.
01:10Oh yeah, that's better.
01:11Look at us.
01:13I've been modeling since I was 14.
01:15I learned about the industry through that.
01:17My work as a model informs my work as a manager
01:20because I've actually lived it.
01:22I've been in like every situation.
01:24So for me, I come from like a lot more empathy
01:27and like I think that helps my girls.
01:30Your hands like have to always be...
01:31They're either like actually there or they have like intention.
01:34Okay.
01:35Right?
01:35So you can always like...
01:36You can grab that little skirt, you know, like holding it.
01:39Yeah, holding it.
01:40Okay.
01:40Okay, see here you went back to your Instagram face.
01:42I did.
01:42Right?
01:43So look at this.
01:43Yeah.
01:44And then the difference here where you're just like,
01:46you know that you're beautiful.
01:47I'm relaxed.
01:48I'm pretty.
01:49Like you don't need to be like showing us that.
01:51This is social media.
01:52This is...
01:52You're a beautiful model.
01:54Okay.
01:54Right?
01:54You see the difference?
01:55Yes, I do.
01:56All of that.
01:56Even that.
01:57Beautiful.
01:58After I scout someone, there's a lot of different things
02:00that I do to manage them.
02:02I'm CC'd on everything as the manager,
02:05who's making sure they're showing up on time,
02:07who's making sure they like know how to pose to the castings,
02:10doing their hair right.
02:11So when we're prepping for castings,
02:13a lot of these new faces don't realize like
02:16what specific brands want what.
02:18So just making sure they don't go in like completely unprepared.
02:23I'm going to stop here.
02:24Right?
02:24I'm going to make sure I see the cameras.
02:25I'm going to make sure I get my shot,
02:27which is going to go on Vogue runway.
02:29I'm going to see them.
02:30I'm going to turn.
02:33Okay. Clementine, you come out here as well.
02:36Beautiful.
02:37Remember, you're holding like heavy something.
02:39Stunning.
02:40Stop there.
02:41Nice.
02:42Okay.
02:42Now you turn around.
02:45Great.
02:46Do a little longer strides.
02:47A little longer.
02:48Yeah.
02:49There you go.
02:49Beautiful.
02:50And stop.
02:52Now look here.
02:52You're looking at the camera.
02:54And turn.
02:55Okay.
02:56Long stride.
02:56Long stride.
02:57So with scouting, I like to use social media.
03:01I initially started with social media.
03:03I use TikTok.
03:05I have my little hashtag,
03:06Scouter by Jasmine.
03:07And I ask people to post on it.
03:09Other than that, street scouting.
03:11I'll hit up the malls.
03:13I'll hit up the subway stations.
03:15And you kind of just have to wait it out.
03:18It's like a waiting game.
03:18So sometimes you'll just be walking down the street and usually go up to them.
03:22I'll be like, hey, I love your outfit.
03:26Just to like kind of braid the eyes.
03:28I'll compliment them.
03:28And then I'll say, my name's Jasmine.
03:31I'm a mother agency.
03:32Have you ever thought about modeling?
03:34And I'll give them my business card.
03:35If we have time, we'll chat.
03:37Otherwise, usually they go back.
03:39They research my agency.
03:41And then we set up meetings from that.
03:43So when I'm scouting people in public, there's a few categories that I'm scouting for.
03:48There's your general, like a fashion girl.
03:51And that I'm looking for height, a bone structure, something that's very charismatic.
03:56Then for like the more commercial beauty girls, things like strong eyes, an eyebrow that's
04:03maybe like really straight across, like freckles or gap tooth.
04:06Something that's like when you look at a girl, you're going to recognize her.
04:09And then that can then connect to a brand.
04:11And that's a girl who will make it very far as a model.
04:14For people interested in modeling, my suggestion to stand out or get noticed is first,
04:19you really got to take some good digitals.
04:21They can be simple.
04:22You don't need to pay anyone.
04:23You don't need to do anything.
04:24You just take a little selfie, full body headshot.
04:28And if you submit them to agencies, you can find like good ones on models.com.
04:32You will get noticed if you have potential.
04:34So the rates for a model manager, a mother agent, my models don't pay the manager, AKA me.
04:41It's once they get signed to a booking agency, then the booking agency takes a 20% commission
04:47from the girl in America.
04:48Like that's the standard.
04:49And from that, they pay me a commission.
04:52So they pay me 10%.
04:53If a girl books a $100,000 job, the booking agency will take $20,000 from the talent.
05:02Then they'll also take $15,000 or $20,000 from the client side.
05:07Out of that, they will give me $10,000 from their cut.
05:12I think model management is definitely, in terms of income, it would be secondary to modeling.
05:19Just for me because I have built like a nice career.
05:22But yeah, I do it because I love it.
05:24Because I see like this new generation of girls who don't really have someone looking out for them.
05:29You make money.
05:30It's been great.
05:31But it's not like, I don't think that's the reason to do it.
05:34So Genevieve, what's your dream job?
05:37I would say I want to do a really big beauty campaign.
05:39Oh yeah, I see that.
05:41I would love to do like Maybelline.
05:42Yeah, totally.
05:43Or like Milk makeup.
05:45Milk would be so cute.
05:47Yeah.
05:48If we're talking beauty jobs, Glossier.
05:50Oh yeah.
05:50It would be so cool.
05:51I could see you doing that.
05:52Overall, either like Miu Miu or Prada.
05:55No.
05:56That would definitely be a dream.
05:58Oh, Chanel is gorgeous.
05:59Chanel beauty.
05:59Yes.
05:59I think my agency, Bambi Management, is very unique because of the community we've created
06:06within the girls.
06:07It's never been a business.
06:08It became a business like accidentally.
06:10At the start, it was like, it was me just helping these girls out.
06:15It was October of 2021.
06:18Aww.
06:19I remember.
06:20And I know like my entire life, I've been like the, like I've always been tall, like
06:25like five feet in third grade, kind of tall.
06:27And it's always like the, oh, you should model.
06:29You should do this.
06:30But I'm from like a really, really small town in Michigan.
06:33And it was always like, like I never had any idea how to get into this industry.
06:37I didn't know where to go, how to apply.
06:39And I get Jasmine's TikTok on my For You page.
06:42And she's like, hey, I'm a scouting agent and you should submit to me and like literally
06:47just send me a, like this was before like Bambi was even there.
06:50And I was such a little baby back then.
06:53You were.
06:53And I submitted and I think within the day you got back to me.
06:59I was very excited.
06:59And you were like, hey, like New York wants to sign you.
07:03Like, let's get on a Zoom call tomorrow or like within the next two days.
07:07And then I like was like, do I tell my parents?
07:11And I was like, I was on the same page as Lee.
07:13I was like, are you real?
07:13I think the modeling industry has definitely changed.
07:16When I started 15 years ago, I was too short to model overseas.
07:21Like I was too short at 5'8".
07:23Now I have girls from size zero to size 22.
07:27Our shortest girl is five foot four.
07:29So we got it all.
07:31And they're all working.
07:32Well, I think with Curve, like, I don't know, I'd always heard so many horror stories
07:36about the modeling industry and how you're held to really extreme standards
07:40and how people will always be telling you what's wrong with you.
07:44And with Curve modeling, like, I just feel like it's a very actually genuinely healthy part of the industry.
07:51Like from my first meeting with my agents, they were like, we don't care what size you are.
07:56We don't care what your measurements are.
07:57Like, we need you to like come in and keep them updated.
08:00But like whatever is healthiest for you, that's like great for us.
08:03I thought my only option was to like lose weight in an unhealthy way.
08:08Like I just didn't think I would ever become a model.
08:10So yeah, I don't know. It's been like super positive for me.
08:14I would say Jasmine's really helped me with like staying level-headed and being sure of myself
08:23because I have some trouble with that, as you know.
08:26I do.
08:28I know we talk just about every day about knowing what's meant for me
08:32and allowing it to happen and not worrying about the when.
08:36Yeah.
08:37Um, when things are going to happen.
08:39Just knowing that it's going to come, I guess.
08:42For me, I love when I'll get like a text being like, oh my God, like I wore my mini
08:48skirt
08:48and they said I was ugly and like these little things where I'm like,
08:52there is no way I could have ever sent that to my agent.
08:54So I appreciate that you guys kind of like trust me so much.
08:57Yeah.
08:58You know that like you can come to me with anything.
09:00We went from thinking you were AI to being like the closest friend in New York.
09:06I know too much about you guys.
09:08Oh God.
09:09I don't know if I need to know all this, but I know it all.
09:18I hope that my agency can set a new standard in the industry.
09:23I hope that other agencies can look at my agency and say, hey,
09:27she has a girl who doesn't fit the traditional size, but she's working.
09:30I really want my models to feel empowered.
09:33I want them to know that everything they're doing, they are in control of.
09:38I want them to know I have their best interest at heart.
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