What I Know Now – Part 2

I introduced you to Nyree recently, my cross-cultural girl that is enabling me to put the best of what I’ve  learned in the last two years on Terelyn to use as I launch her into the SL fashion scene.  I’d like to share what I know now, that I didn’t know then, regarding picking a Modeling Academy, to aid new models starting out, and also to encourage seasoned models to share their comments in the post regarding their personal experiences, which may differ from my own.

I have graduated from 3 schools on Terelyn (including Intermediate and Advanced levels), and hope to soon be graduating from 2 more on Nyree.  Why did I put Nyree back through school when I’d already been modeling for so long?  Quite simply, she needed to pay her dues too, and there is always more to learn.  When selecting academies for Nyree, I considered 4 things that I hadn’t known to do when Terelyn went to school  1) Who is teaching, 2) what is being taught, 3)which models stand out in the industry, and 4) which models are working regularly (taking note of which schools they had attended, as well as which agencies they were a part of).

I will say this whole-heartedly….every academy I attended was wonderful and valuable in its own way, and I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for the instructors who contributed so much to my bank of knowledge.  One academy stands out for me though in thoroughness, value and on-going support, and that is Amici Modeling Agency and Academy

Amici, in Italian, means “Friends,” and that is what you will find at the Amici Modeling Agency and Academy, lead by Cara Vespucciano-Grantham and CJ Grantham.  Dedication, passion, drive and focus is evident in everything they do.

Even if you’ve been in the industry for a while, I was amazed at the wealth of information I gained just in conversation with CJ and Cara, even before class started.  I’ve had past instructors say “There are no secrets to getting ahead in the industry.”  But very early on with CJ and Cara, I found they did in-fact have insider tricks and tidbits to help you stand out and make your career  easier and less stressful.  Plus, they are very forth-coming about sharing information, because when you shine, they shine.  They hold their reputation, and their models to a very high standard.  As the production team behind the Miss Mohna Lisa Couture pageant, and some very impressive resumes themselves, they know what works and what doesn’t, what good is, and what excellent is.

And even after you graduate, presuming of course that you’ve put in the necessary effort (this is not an “everyone passes” academy by any means) Amici continues to support you in your career, making opportunities known to you, providing exclusive runway and practice grounds to keep your skills sharp, prim checking you, even creating custom poses if you need them.  This is an atmosphere of sharing and caring that starts with your pre-course interview and continues long past graduation.

The depth of their instruction goes beyond the basics.  Most academies offer on average 5 classes to get you up and running.  Amici offers 15 classes over a 5 week period for less than many of the 5 course agencies on the grid.  Plus, if you are a seasoned model, provided you pass some basic entry tests, you may take their full course as a refresher for 25% off the normal course fee to hone your skills and add to your toolkit of modeling expertise.

I truly wish I’d known about them as a brand new model starting out, because I believe the skills and techniques learned here would have propelled me that much further that much faster.   After completing Amici, if you have done your homework, there will be no runway you can’t walk.  You will have developed a keen eye for detail.  You will even expand your creativity and building skills to create your unique look.  And your confidence as a model will soar.

New sessions are starting June 4th, and application interviews are being conducted this week so you can have all your questions answered and see if Amici is a good fit for you.  Contact either Cara Vespucciano or CJ Grantham for more information and a tour of the academy so you can see for yourself the Amici difference.