#ModelLife

Models have been revered. The phrase “ You look like a model!” is a compliment in today’s society. Although, what are we really saying when we say that? You look skinny, overworked and exploited? No, but that is the reality of an industry that preys on young women. #ModelLife is a comedic series about a modelling agent and her best friend who discover an young girl and make her dreams of becoming a model come true. The idea of the series is to shed a light on the darker side of the modelling industry, in an comedically entertaining spirit. It questions the ethics of agents and how they are exploiting young girls but also shows compassion for them, in that they are trying to make a living too. There have been plenty of documentaries and films, about the life of models but this is the very first scripted series.

Each episode touches on a different issue within the industry; scam modelling agencies, sexualization of young girls, body image, eating disorders, the pursuit of stardom etc. As an actress, I want to write stories that are entertaining for everyone to consume where women can be the lead. It is important to me that my script passed the Bechdel Test. Therefore the main premise of the series is two females in power exploiting a young hopeful girl.

As a young girl, you are already vulnerable. You are trying to fit in with other girls, getting boys to like you, studying to get good grades in school, and figuring out what you want to do with the rest of your life. Being a model is the equivalent of being a modern day slave to the fashion industry. At the end of the day, it is an industry that needs to make money off of young girls to make clothes look good so that they can be sold. The good news is that the industry is shifting and recently France has set a healthy BMI standard for girls 18 and under. If they don’t meet that health requirement, they are not allowed to be hired as models. I want to be apart of this shift by showcasing the stark realities of what happens in the modelling industry, helping people understand both sides. I want to make people question what it means to be called a model and beautiful. They are not synonymous terms, however in today’s society, they are. Being called a model should not be a compliment. Dove has made an extreme effort to cast real women in their campaigns and show people what photoshop truly means. How they take a young girl and make her look completely different from how she realistically looks. Which is exactly what happens. I believe that campaign was really powerful and I want to create more of that.

It is scary because, as we’ve seen with the #Metoo campaign, the exploitation of women is happening everywhere and young girls are looking to get into an industry that specifically targets them without knowing what it truly means to be called a model. The news that broke in Sweden in 2013 of modelling agents scouting outside one of Stockholm’s largest eating disorder clinics is just one example of the lengths the industry goes to recruit. In October of 2017, another young 14 year old model, Vlada Dzyuba died from exhaustion after being sent over to China on a 3 month modelling assignment. I wanted to create a piece that showcases all of the unrealistic expectations within the modelling industry and how that has infiltrated how we perceive young women today.

When someone wants to be successful at something how far will they go to achieve it? Being called a model should be examined and redefined. In this honest portrayal of the exploitation of power within the modelling industry, the series will shed a light on what it truly means to be a model while making people laugh at the ridiculous lengths people will go for power in this so called #ModelLife.