When MM made the decision to ban legitimate parts of the industry (they banned agencies, yet welcomed Hustler Magazine - go figure motives), many of us in the business set forth a ban upon their site for use also. You probably can view images there without joining, but I'm not too sure many of us wish to even log in to see. I simply hoped there was a professional portfolio for the model listed somewhere. It's not important, sorry for the confusion.

austinmodelsandtalent

Actually you can't view the imags if you're not logged in.

All you get to see are the thumbnails which don't really do any good when trying to figure out what a model looks like.

And, yeah, they approved and welcome the editor's assistant...

...but they then banned him shortly after. They were getting too much heat from it from a number of members. Especially after starting a thread welcoming him...should've known that was going to cause attention.


To each his own, I say.

Angelus

[quote="Angelus"]
I agree and I would fight with them for their right to exist, as well as for Hustler to exist - this is a free country and they have every right to do business as much as the rest of us. At the same time, while I support in principle their rights, I don't believe their site is geared toward professional business. Definitely the name in itself, "mayhem," indicates something a bit wild and uncontrolled. Knowing even a little of the type of things popular there, I surely wouldn't want any of my clients to ever catch myself, or any of the people we represent, present there.

My only point has been that while it's probably a good spot for people to connect to argue and talk, and for models to hook up with photographers, I don't see it as very client or mainstream job focused or oriented. I haven't been there to see if you can view photos or not, I only know that the message they put forth by auto-banning agencies, regardless of their credentials, is not a very good one. I'd see much more benefit for models to list on professional industry sites where they might find a more mainstream audience (unless that is not the audience they seek, etc.).

:lol:

austinmodelsandtalent

It isn't. Not even close.

It's funny. I was speaking with Udo (moderator for site) a while back about the agency thing and he said that the owner was working on a way to get legitimate agencies listed on the site but that it was too much legal issues that kept him from doing so.

Because when they used to have agencies on there (he first few months of it's relaunch) 90% of the "agencies" were sluggos (unskilled model managers) and scam agencies..which led to the overall banning.

Right now, he's jsut too scared to really allow the agencies.

Plus the crowd is so mixed now, and most of the artists on there are NOT mainstream...I'm really not sure if it would benefit an agency by being listed on there. I definitely can't see how a client can be appealed to peruse at the moment.

But, when it comes to working on your craft, building personal network or connections, getting published locally..it's great for models to hook up with photographers since a lot of mid-level photographers do use the site. They will hire cheap or free talent to work with from time to time for smaller or personal projects.

But nothing for a major client assignment...hence the image that you can't trust hiring an "Internet" model for a major campaign and should go through an agency to secure reliability.


Model Mayhem is an interesting site. But, for mainstream purposes...no, not useful at all.

Angelus

I certainly understand about bogus agencies / model managers and know they give legit agencies a bad name... but no more so than GWC's give good photographers a bad name. I have seen THIS site (MyModelTalk) take responsible steps to try providing a filter for legit agencies, and I applaud that effort greatly. I would think a site with MM's resources, they could devise something as well, if that is their concern. I was told point blank that the reason for banning agencies is that "they are ruining the model industry." I realize that the owner of MM is not really in the industry (his dad owns an adult magazine, but other than that, I don't think he had any previous industry experience). To not understand that the actual higher end of the industry is run through the advertising, modeling, and talent agencies is just to misunderstand the real industry completely.

When MM first opened, they touted themselves to be replacement for OMP. Great idea, nice goal. OMP was simply a couple of taxi drivers with some programming skills. Then, MM started to turn a different direction and began to thrive on whatever controversy would draw the most forum message posts - and let's face it, you get more traffic over issues and disputes than you do with straight forward good information and smiling faces. It's a real shame because there needs to be a good site out there that caters to the professionals as well as the beginners, but with a no nonsense environment.

Too true that agencies, at this point, would find no value on MM. The majority of "models" listing are girls convinced that the only doorway into modeling is nudity (which it is not - and I'm not knocking nude models, but do observe that to be a major focus there - I did pop over to their forums today for a moment and there is an active post from a photographer who asked the simple question "why so much nudity on MM?" and he's pretty much being torn to shreads... one comment even going so far as to say, "you wouldn't happen to have a thing for God now would you?" and a female model commenting, "What, you don't want to see me naked? That hurts me in the heart..." (*my jaw is dropped*)

Wow... long discussion. At any rate, I'd have liked to see the model who posted the original message here. She's in Texas and we are actively signing additional talent at the moment and have a fair amount of paying print, commercial, and promotions work... not just TFP's. Texas isn't NY, Chicago, or L.A., so it's a lot less high fashion and more commercial, lifestyle, editorial, and of course with Austin being the film hub for the area, lots of acting and events as well.

austinmodelsandtalent