Back Story: A few weeks ago I called a model agency in London, I'd had their number for some time but it was the news that Peter Jackson was short of extra's for the upcoming Hobbit movie that spurred me on to call them. I did procrastinate for a bit but eventually gave them a call and was pleased with the reception I got. I had to email some photos of myself and they'd get back to me given I was suitable. Three weeks later I got a phone call and was invited down to see them, evidently they were impressed with my photos and wanted to find out more, so after hurriedly booking a train ticket I went down to see them last Friday (15th).
So here's the story.
It was a cloudy grey morning as I departed south on the train, I'd prepared everything the night before so I wasn't hurrying come the morning. I found a seat amongst some sophisto's all name dropping about places to eat or have your hair cut in London whilst periodically tapping on their laptops. I sat back, relaxed and within no time was pulling into Kings Cross station.
I was going to meet my old friend Pat later, he's a Londoner and when we get the chance we meet up for a coffee and a chat but my first port of call was my beloved Camden. I took the short journey on the northern tube line to Camden and ascending the escalator felt invigorated by the draft of cold air coursing downwards. Out into the hustle and bustle of Camden, a myriad of sights and sounds, a panoply of cultures and diversity, it's one of the few places I feel I can be 'me'. My plan is a little retail therapy and then go meet Pat but before I'm lost in the many market stalls and shops my mobile twitches in my pocket and it's shrill noise brings me momentarily back to reality. It's Pat and he wants to meet at the Dominion theatre on Tottenham Court road about 12:45. This gives me little time in Camden as it's already just gone midday. So with purpose I head towards the area where I suspect the things I want will be. I'm lucky, I drop onto the right market stalls and manage to bag some new socks (with compartments for toes!), a new hat which I enthusiastically haggle for and some gloves. I also spy a gift for my friend Danni and grab that too, knowing it's exactly the thing she likes. Then it's back to the tube and off southwards to meet Pat, I turn and look at Camden before I descend and make a silent oath to be back soon.
I arrive to meet Pat a few mins early at the Dominion as the statue of Freddie Mercury looms overhead. He arrives 15 mins late in his own inimitable style but I don't really complain too much as a gorgeous redhead in denim shorts has been parading about and keeping my eyes busy. Then it's off for a chat and a coffee. We put the world to rights and talk, time passes quickly, Pat does most of the talking but I'm more than happy to listen as he's an engaging character.
Then it's off to Edgware Road and the model agency called Ugly/Rage models. Pat accompanies me and I'm glad he does as there's several exit points for the tube at Edgware road and I probably would have taken an age to find the agency, Pat being a native sniffs it out in no time, it seems to be off the main Edgware road itself on a side street. We're a tad early so we walk around the block and it becomes apparent once you're away from main streets London has some lovely little enclaves with pubs, restaurants and shops. I agree with Pat when he says London is lots of little area's and communities that make up the bigger picture. We circle back to the agency and an African guy on the door directs me to the 2nd floor. It's an old jaded building of decadent tiles that feels very 70's, it reminds me of the interior of some buildings in Thailand.
Entering Ugly/Rage I'm greeted warmly and go about filling paper work out before being taken outside for some photos. Pat is waiting outside reading a book and grins sardonically as he sees me nearby. Then it's back inside, sign an 18 month contract and that's basically it. Nothing is really said in great detail. I ask a couple of questions and everything seems straight forward. The agency want £250 upfront to appear in their catalogue, I decide not to pay this and we come to a compromise of they'd take it out of any work I do for them. The fact is they have hundreds of models in their catalogue, so I could pay £250 and nothing may ever happen. I'm sensible when it comes to money and temptations of possible fame and fortune aren't going to get me to pay up front to people I've just met and hardly know. If work comes my way through it they'll easily get their £250 and the 20% cut that they take. I wait for my copy of the contract to be printed off and a very dusky girl, probably of Syrian/Middle east origin comes in to sign too, we chat briefly, she's very stunning indeed, the contract arrives and I'm off outside after shaking hands to seal the deal, all in all it's taken about half an hour and is a very low key affair really.
Pat asks what I want to do next, my original plan would have been to head back to Camden again but I would have succumbed to temptation and spent more money so I go with Pat's excellent suggestion and we head to Tower Hill.
In no time we arrive and on leaving the station are greeted with the sight of the tower of London which I've never seen before, very interesting it looks too. This is Pat's home territory I'm told as we head off to walk along the Thames. Pat's company is infectious, he knows the sights and history and I contentedly soak it all in. We pass HMS Belfast and head towards the Tate Modern. Pat is a member of the Tate modern so we use the members area for a coffee, the balcony there gives a stunning view of St Pauls back over the Thames.
As the evening draws in we head along the Thames towards tower bridge which looks amazing lit up, en route we pass more interesting sights such as a replica of the Golden Hind and lots of little bars and restaurant nestled under bridges etc. We pass city the modern looking city hall, over the bridge and its back to Kings Cross on the tube.
I'm pretty damn hungry at this point and buy some quick fix food whilst waiting for my train, a train I nearly miss as neither of us realise Kings Cross now has a platform zero! Hastily making for it I shake Pats hand and make a dash, just managing to get on the train before it departs. So then it was back to the quiet confines of Newark and a few celebratory beers whilst feeling quite bizarre at being a 'model'.
Sincere thanks go to Pat as I really thought we were going to part ways after our coffee at lunch but he stayed with me and I'm more than grateful he did. He sometimes makes out he's a loner and recluse but he can talk for England but that's no bad thing as everything he has to say is interesting and witty, he's more of a people person than he realises. Had it not been for Pat I may have not found the place in time and wouldn't have done that much after, apart from weave my way back to Camden. Over the years Pat has shown me loads of places in London and I'm ever in his debt for doing so. The line he quipped of 'New York is the city that never sleeps, is it heck, it shuts at midnight like any other city!' will make me smile for a long time to come.
So, what next? Well to be honest I don't know. During the initial phone call I asked if they would have any involvement with the hobbit movie should casting come to England to which they replied they may do, as they'd been involved in the past with such projects as Harry Potter et al. It's going to be a waiting game, I may be signed as a model but as I mentioned earlier they do have hundreds of people on their books. Whilst I hope something will happen I am not banking too much on it, I may be short and ideal for some roles but they have other short people (we hobbit's are more numerous than you think!)
So I'm going to view the whole thing as a great day out with excellent company. Becoming a 'model' is certainly a morale boost even if it does feel a little odd and surreal still.
The truth is I'd love for something to come up, being in the background in a film such as the Hobbit or any film come to that would be amazing, a real dream come true. I guess if anything comes of this I'll be happy though. There's a few photos below but the light wasn't great on the day so I didn't take many.
So here's the story.
It was a cloudy grey morning as I departed south on the train, I'd prepared everything the night before so I wasn't hurrying come the morning. I found a seat amongst some sophisto's all name dropping about places to eat or have your hair cut in London whilst periodically tapping on their laptops. I sat back, relaxed and within no time was pulling into Kings Cross station.
I was going to meet my old friend Pat later, he's a Londoner and when we get the chance we meet up for a coffee and a chat but my first port of call was my beloved Camden. I took the short journey on the northern tube line to Camden and ascending the escalator felt invigorated by the draft of cold air coursing downwards. Out into the hustle and bustle of Camden, a myriad of sights and sounds, a panoply of cultures and diversity, it's one of the few places I feel I can be 'me'. My plan is a little retail therapy and then go meet Pat but before I'm lost in the many market stalls and shops my mobile twitches in my pocket and it's shrill noise brings me momentarily back to reality. It's Pat and he wants to meet at the Dominion theatre on Tottenham Court road about 12:45. This gives me little time in Camden as it's already just gone midday. So with purpose I head towards the area where I suspect the things I want will be. I'm lucky, I drop onto the right market stalls and manage to bag some new socks (with compartments for toes!), a new hat which I enthusiastically haggle for and some gloves. I also spy a gift for my friend Danni and grab that too, knowing it's exactly the thing she likes. Then it's back to the tube and off southwards to meet Pat, I turn and look at Camden before I descend and make a silent oath to be back soon.
I arrive to meet Pat a few mins early at the Dominion as the statue of Freddie Mercury looms overhead. He arrives 15 mins late in his own inimitable style but I don't really complain too much as a gorgeous redhead in denim shorts has been parading about and keeping my eyes busy. Then it's off for a chat and a coffee. We put the world to rights and talk, time passes quickly, Pat does most of the talking but I'm more than happy to listen as he's an engaging character.
Then it's off to Edgware Road and the model agency called Ugly/Rage models. Pat accompanies me and I'm glad he does as there's several exit points for the tube at Edgware road and I probably would have taken an age to find the agency, Pat being a native sniffs it out in no time, it seems to be off the main Edgware road itself on a side street. We're a tad early so we walk around the block and it becomes apparent once you're away from main streets London has some lovely little enclaves with pubs, restaurants and shops. I agree with Pat when he says London is lots of little area's and communities that make up the bigger picture. We circle back to the agency and an African guy on the door directs me to the 2nd floor. It's an old jaded building of decadent tiles that feels very 70's, it reminds me of the interior of some buildings in Thailand.
Entering Ugly/Rage I'm greeted warmly and go about filling paper work out before being taken outside for some photos. Pat is waiting outside reading a book and grins sardonically as he sees me nearby. Then it's back inside, sign an 18 month contract and that's basically it. Nothing is really said in great detail. I ask a couple of questions and everything seems straight forward. The agency want £250 upfront to appear in their catalogue, I decide not to pay this and we come to a compromise of they'd take it out of any work I do for them. The fact is they have hundreds of models in their catalogue, so I could pay £250 and nothing may ever happen. I'm sensible when it comes to money and temptations of possible fame and fortune aren't going to get me to pay up front to people I've just met and hardly know. If work comes my way through it they'll easily get their £250 and the 20% cut that they take. I wait for my copy of the contract to be printed off and a very dusky girl, probably of Syrian/Middle east origin comes in to sign too, we chat briefly, she's very stunning indeed, the contract arrives and I'm off outside after shaking hands to seal the deal, all in all it's taken about half an hour and is a very low key affair really.
Pat asks what I want to do next, my original plan would have been to head back to Camden again but I would have succumbed to temptation and spent more money so I go with Pat's excellent suggestion and we head to Tower Hill.
In no time we arrive and on leaving the station are greeted with the sight of the tower of London which I've never seen before, very interesting it looks too. This is Pat's home territory I'm told as we head off to walk along the Thames. Pat's company is infectious, he knows the sights and history and I contentedly soak it all in. We pass HMS Belfast and head towards the Tate Modern. Pat is a member of the Tate modern so we use the members area for a coffee, the balcony there gives a stunning view of St Pauls back over the Thames.
As the evening draws in we head along the Thames towards tower bridge which looks amazing lit up, en route we pass more interesting sights such as a replica of the Golden Hind and lots of little bars and restaurant nestled under bridges etc. We pass city the modern looking city hall, over the bridge and its back to Kings Cross on the tube.
I'm pretty damn hungry at this point and buy some quick fix food whilst waiting for my train, a train I nearly miss as neither of us realise Kings Cross now has a platform zero! Hastily making for it I shake Pats hand and make a dash, just managing to get on the train before it departs. So then it was back to the quiet confines of Newark and a few celebratory beers whilst feeling quite bizarre at being a 'model'.
Sincere thanks go to Pat as I really thought we were going to part ways after our coffee at lunch but he stayed with me and I'm more than grateful he did. He sometimes makes out he's a loner and recluse but he can talk for England but that's no bad thing as everything he has to say is interesting and witty, he's more of a people person than he realises. Had it not been for Pat I may have not found the place in time and wouldn't have done that much after, apart from weave my way back to Camden. Over the years Pat has shown me loads of places in London and I'm ever in his debt for doing so. The line he quipped of 'New York is the city that never sleeps, is it heck, it shuts at midnight like any other city!' will make me smile for a long time to come.
So, what next? Well to be honest I don't know. During the initial phone call I asked if they would have any involvement with the hobbit movie should casting come to England to which they replied they may do, as they'd been involved in the past with such projects as Harry Potter et al. It's going to be a waiting game, I may be signed as a model but as I mentioned earlier they do have hundreds of people on their books. Whilst I hope something will happen I am not banking too much on it, I may be short and ideal for some roles but they have other short people (we hobbit's are more numerous than you think!)
So I'm going to view the whole thing as a great day out with excellent company. Becoming a 'model' is certainly a morale boost even if it does feel a little odd and surreal still.
The truth is I'd love for something to come up, being in the background in a film such as the Hobbit or any film come to that would be amazing, a real dream come true. I guess if anything comes of this I'll be happy though. There's a few photos below but the light wasn't great on the day so I didn't take many.
Tower of London
A lost London Spartan?
St Pauls
HMS Belfast with city hall just to the left of it.
Tower Bridge
1 comment:
smashing entry, what fun! Hope it pans out for you. Loved the pics x
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