1. Do I have to pay a fee to join Wilhelmina Philadelphia?
Absolutely NOT. The only thing a new model has to pay for is his/her photoshoots(testing), composite cards, and other related marketing fees. The Agency receives 20% commission on modeling or acting jobs booked.
2. Do you place models with Wilhelmina New York?
Yes. Scouts from our New York office frequently visit our Agency in Philadelphia and review the models portfolio books and give advice and guidance to all the talent represented by Wilhelmina Philadelphia. If the scout thinks a model is ready to move to the larger markets then a contract will be signed in the Wilhelmina NY office within a few weeks of confirmation. We are the best way for a new model to get into the larger markets like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.
3. If I already have a “Professional Portfolio Book” and I am a working model in another market, can Wilhelmina Philadelphia use those images to represent me?
Yes, we can. However it depends on the quality of your current book. If you have a book with 3 OR MORE tearsheets, and excellent test photos from a fashion or commercial photographer in a Major Market, then we may be able to use those images to promote you in our market. We encourage experienced and professional models and/or actors to attend our Open Calls – we will provide the opportunity to raise your career to the next level. If accepted into Wilhelmina Philadelphia, the quality of your images will be critiqued by the Agency Director, and an honest evaluation will be given during your personal meeting with her. Our responsibility is to promote you with the best possible portfolio to maximize your success with clients. If you have an outstanding book, we will be able to start marketing you immediately. If it can be improved to show you in the best light possible these options will be discussed during your meeting.
4. Do I have to use your photographer?
No. Wilhelmina Philadelphia provides a list of recommended photographers. These photographers are the industry’s top talent in their field, they have provided our models with excellent photographs that have gotten them booked for jobs, and they understand the correct specifications/protocol for testing a new model. We have negotiated discounted rates for contracted Wilhelmina models so that every new model gets great images to start off with. If you have another photographer you prefer to work with, that is fine; however we can not guarantee the results.
5. Do I have to pay for any services or marketing materials?
We invest a great deal in our models, and we expect them to invest in themselves as well. No model or actor has gone to the top of this industry without investments in time and money along the way. This is a fiercely competitive industry, and we need the most-talented, best-trained models with the most strategically developed portfolios and actors with amazing acting experience/resumes in order to compete and win. All modeling and acting careers are engineered and developed for success – they just don’t happen over-night.
6. Is that how it works at Wilhelmina NY & LA?
The difference between Wilhelmina NY/LA and Wilhelmina Philadelphia (an affiliate office) is that models need to pay for services rendered at the time of their test shoot or when other marketing fees are executed. Wilhelmina NY/LA will typically create an account for the models, and as they have services rendered (photos, make-up, comp cards, website fees, messenger fees, housing etc.), the agency charges those fees to the model’s account. That balance is then taken out of the model’s payments for bookings. Since the majority of our models are not yet pursuing modeling as a full-time career, we choose not to act as a creditor/bank but solely as a talent management agency.
Questions regarding the payment of Talent marketing fees should be directed to Tara Intoci of Wilhelmina Models Inc. @ or by phone .
7. Can I use these Marketing Fees as a Tax Deduction?
Yes. As an Independent Contractor you will receive a 1099 at the end of the year. As a model or actor, you are investing in yourself and starting your own career/business. It is very important that you keep track of all of your business expenses including: photoshoots, composite cards, website fees, Training/consulting fees, messenger fees, driving to and from Castings, Jobs, Auditions, etc. (a list of tax deductions are provided for you in this packet).
8. Do I need any training to get started?
As a Wilhelmina Model or Actor, you are expected by the Agency, and it is assumed by the clients that you are the best model or actor in the City of Philadelphia or else Wilhelmina would not have you under contract. Therefore, everyone is treated differently and uniquely depending on what we see is their potential. Some models may need runway training while others may need acting coaching. Models or Actors who are given the opportunity to be represented by Wilhelmina Philadelphia, are all unique or special in their own way, and therefore the developmental needs of each one is different. We do our best to try and evaluate every model’s potential and meet your expectations, while at the same time, we are trying to uphold Wilhelmina’s excellent standards of representation.
Wilhelmina is the MOST successful modeling agency in the World. Those given the opportunity for representation are also held to those same standards of excellence
Advice to New Talent: Wilhelmina is a family. For a family to work, there must be cooperation between members and shared goals. As important as a model’s look and measurements are, it is equally important to possess the motivation to succeed and ability to work with the agency’s staff to reach your maximum potential. If you have the talent and the desire, Wilhelmina Philadelphia looks forward to finding you a place in our family!