Spotlight Interview: Kelly Elliot
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Kelly Elliot http://www.plusmodels.com/Kelly ElliotMode@aol.com Kelly Elliot is a plus size model with Ford 12+ in Los Angeles. She shares her road to "fame and fortune" and her experiences as a model with one of the top agencies in the world. |  |  |
Q: How and when did you get started in modeling?
Well, when I was about 13 years old I went to a modeling and acting studio (Zoom) for a couple of classes. I had always wanted to act so my mother got tired of me bugging her so she let me participate in some classes. After one etiquette class and one acting class my confidence was boosted and I quit taking them. Then about two years later I went back to the studio and I was put into a competition called IMTA (http://www.imta.com). This was one long grueling week of competitions in front of Agents from all over the world. Before the competition I spent months preparing by taking many modeling and acting classes. Among the competitions were things like runway, bathing suit, soap operas, monologues, anything you can think of that has to do with the industry was there. From here I got signed with Ford.
Q: IMTA -- is that one of those conventions where you pay something in the neighborhood of $600 to be presented to agents?
Yup that's the one. You stay in a big hotel in either NY or LA (I chose LA because it was cheaper) and compete for one grueling week. I was lucky to come out successful and I didn't even win any awards! The people who did didn't get agents so what does that say?
Q: What was your first agency visit/open call like?
I guess my first agency visit was at the (IMTA) competition. It was hard because I entered the competition as a regular model and all I got was a whole lot of people telling me to lose weight. It was very discouraging. Nobody really thought I was going to do anything. Several other girls in my group were very beautiful and very skinny and I felt so out of place. I was in the wrong division and I knew that. It wasn't until I tried plus size that things started looking up. I must say I sure did shock a lot of people. Many of the beautiful skinny girls didn't get anybody interested in them and here I was, the one that nobody thought was going to make it, walking away with a contract with one of the biggest agencies. Talk about a moment of triumph.
Q: From the time you started going to agencies, how long did it take you to find representation?
I was very lucky. When I went in for my first interview with Ford I walked out with a contract. You see, it's all about timing. They had two red head plus size models already but one was pregnant and the other was trying to get pregnant so they need another red head. Like I said, timing.
Q: How long have you been a Ford 12+ model?
I've been with Ford for almost two years now. I love them. I go to college and try to model at the same time but my agent knows this so I have direct booking. That means that I don't go out on go sees or auditions for jobs the clients just hire me. This is kind or a difficult thing to do with some agencies but my Agent works very hard for me.
Q: Is being a Ford model as glamourous/exciting as you thought it would be?
It is definitely not as glamorous as I thought. And even after having been modeling for two years I still get pretty excited when I get a job. Everybody thinks you get treated like a queen but I have had my times when it wasn't that way. I have shot for younger magazines with photographers that don't expect to shoot larger models and I have had to deal with photographers that didn't have any interest in shooting me simply because I was larger. But I must say that getting your hotel rooms and airfare paid for feels pretty glamorous even if having to show up for shoots without make-up isn't. :)
Q: How did you find pictures to take to your first open calls/mail-ins? Were they professional? Semi-professional? Just snapshots?
Actually, through my studio I had my first test shoot. Boy, when I look back at those pictures I laugh. They were definitely professional, at least I paid enough for them. Studio's always cost more than they should. (ie Barbizon, John Robert Powers....) But through the studio I did get some work and that helped me to get signed with Ford. Before I got signed I had already been in three or four magazines plus I had a complete portfolio.
Q: What was your very first paying job and how long did it take you to get it after you found an agency?
My very first paying job was with my studio. They had opened up a management and I had signed with them before I went to the competition. And through them I worked 'TEEN magazine and All About You magazine. Both paid very little but most national magazines do. Although I regret having been with a management they really did give my career a boost.
Q: How often do you work?
I work about once or twice a month. Right now I am "redoing" my look. I have decided to get out of the teen look and head into the more adult look. There is definitely more work for the older stuff. I have done both and although I like the teen clothes better the adult jobs definitely pay more.
Q: Have you worked overseas or abroad?
No, I haven't. I was supposed to go Germany for a week but that job unfortunately fell through. That's the breakes. Like I said I am in college and sometimes am forced to turn down jobs if I can't afford to miss some classes.
Q: What are your long term goals in the industry?
I actually take my modeling more as a hobby than anything else. I love to do it and it's been really good to me but in this industry it is very easy to be in one minute and out then next. I would love to be spokes model for Cover Girl or Revlon (but they already have Emme). But I take it day by day. I've learned that if you take this industry to seriously you can easily get your heart broken. I am thankful for what success I have already had and wish for it to continue but if I stopped tomorrow I wouldn't be devastated.
Q: What are you studying in college and what do you want to do as a career outside of modeling?
I go to a local JC for now and I am studying to be a High School English Teacher. So my major is English. After I get my GE's out of the way I'm planing on going to USD.
Q: Do you find people react unusually when they find out you are a Ford model? Do people intentionally try to get to know you better because of your occupation or do they think you might be a snob?
I either get one of two reactions, either people don't believe me because I am not a twig or they are in complete awe. I really don't bring it up much but it's hard when my mother has pictures of me all over the house and I have friends that brag about it for me. I actually had a girlfriend who used to try to get guys against me by saying "she's a model" expecting them to react the way she did by saying "keep dreaming" but guys seem to like it and girls seem to jealous of it. Go figure. Some people (in fact my fiance was one) automatically thought I was a snob. But once they get to know me they realize that I'm actually really easy to talk to and really nice.
Q: What advice would you give to the aspiring/beginning plus-size model?
Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it! When I first began my own Grandmother told me I was too fat. When I first told her I had gotten signed with Ford, her first response was "Well, they expect you to lose weight don't they?" Talk about heart breaker. Even to this day she comments on my size. All I tell her is that when she makes $1200 a day she can have something to say about it. Confidence is really what makes it in this business. Believe in yourself and people will want to believe in you too.
Q: Do you know Emme?
No, unfortunately I haven't had that pleasure.
Q: Have you been in MODE magazine?
No, because I am in LA and they do almost all of their shoots in NY. :)