Interview for South China Morning Post

The FULL interview Exclusive for YOU ;-)

1. How did you get start as model? What's the first project about? and how old were you then? (13?)

I was 13 when I did my first modeling job. It was a soy sauce ad for the newspapers. haha. I was tense and nervous at the time and my smile was unnatural as I didn't really know what I was doing - and soy sauce wasn't exactly something most teenagers get excited about. It came out and all my schoolmates saw it. It became the talk of the town - not in a 'wow she's so cool' but a 'hey that's the soy sauce girl' kinda way. Unfortunately, because I was going to a very strict Chinese local school, my appearance in the newspapers was frowned upon by the school.

I later learned that smiling shouldn't be forced by changing your mouth shape, rather a real smile should emanate from the heart through the eyes. I haven't had a problem smiling naturally since.>2. Before that, had you ever thought of being a model? and was there any difference between your expectation and the "reality"?Actually no. I had no concept of my appearance/ looks when I was younger.. Since I was one of the only eurasian girls going to a local Chinese school, my looks stood out like a sore thumb. My nickname was 'ugly duckling' in primary school and I dreamt of looking the same as the other girls. I wanted jet black hair and beautiful dark eyes to fit in... I couldn't understand why my hair and eyes were brown and I was so pale.

By the time I got scouted at 13 years old... I wasn't really sure what to make of it. I figured whatever, I'll try it. I have nothing to lose and I was only doing it part-time anyway. Since I didn't really have much expectations, it wasn't too hard. Most girls that get into modeling find the rejection part the hardest. We go to castings and a lot of times clients will tell you to your face you're too fat, too short, not pretty enough, too white, too tanned, too this or too that... then to find you've lost the job to another girl. It's hard not to take it personally and think you're not good enough. The truth is, you can't let it get to you. Clients have a very specific image/ character in mind. If they are looking for a Meg Ryan, and you look like Megan Fox, it doesn't mean one's better than the other. For me, I was just in disbelief every time I scored a job, not getting one was a given, getting one was a bonus.>3. As a whole, what is the attractiveness/ satisfaction of modelling or being a model?The attractiveness of being a model in the beginning are probably the glamour, the clothes, the make up, the attention, the fast cash. 

After a while though you realize that there's a lot more to be gained. For one, models become extremely independent. I think models are some of the only people who are never afraid to travel alone, to explore news places, they are incredibly good at reading maps after hundreds of go-sees (i.e. castings). They have thick skin and are forced in many ways to figure out who they really are very early on in life. You see, if you base your sense of identity on your appearance alone as a model, you can easily be sucked into a big black hole. So it does help one to get to know themselves better. For some - it comes as an easy lesson, for others, they learn it the hard way. You get to know your body pretty well, you either become health conscious (the easy way) or you take the wrong path and you don't eat (which can be a painful experience for you and your loved ones in the long run). Either way, the satisfaction comes from self-discovery. Modeling also brings out ones' insecurities and issues very quickly as it is a very fast-moving, in some ways cut throat, industry. This has it's pros and cons but I firmly believe that the first step to change comes from awareness. So being a model is like being thrown into the deep end of the pool and learning how to swim and survive. Having said this, when you do survive, and most of us do... you've learned some very valuable lessons on the way...and you would've met some very diverse and interesting people and traveled to some very culturally different places. THAT's satisfying!>4. Do you regard modelling as a career and can be treated as a full time job? how do you find it? any hard time you experienced and how did you manage to overcome it?  Yes. I do regard modeling as a career and for many people it is a full time job. However, I think it is a career, as most girls can only work till they are 30 if they keep themselves well-maintained.

I think the hardest thing about modeling is the ambiguity and lack of stability. It's very seasonal and often you find yourself either working your butt off shooting 17 hour days or you're lounging around with nothing to do. It's also very difficult to manage your finances as money comes in in chunks of lump sums and it requires a lot of discipline not to splash it all out in one go. You have to manage your finances so that the amount in the bank can be spread across several months. That makes it hard to save and quite stressful. When I first started modeling full-time I'd spend my free time worrying about when the next job will come... which is a huge waste of time. I later learned that it was best to use that spare time to further my skills. Because I am interested in a long-term career in acting and music, I spend my spare time now taking classes, training in the gym/ in martial arts, song-writing, producing and recording.

 >5. To you, what makes a successful/ professional model? (skills, traits, network, etc)A successful model is one who takes every failure not as a failure but as a success in learning what not to do the next time. 

People think job interviews are hard and they stress about it all the time! When you're a model, every day you're interviewing for a job.

Other things that contribute to success include: discipline. discipline. discipline and networking skills. It's a job. See it as a job and not as play and think of how you can increase your value to be better at it. Having said this, if you pick modeling as a career, learn to love it. The happy and the hard bits. I truly believe that success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. So if you get the balance right, you should be able to be happy every time you succeed and every time you 'seemingly fail'.>6. Is it true that more and more people in HK, teenagers in particular, are gonna be models owing to the success of "lan mo"?I don't know...  >7. Do you think they (those who want to be models) have wrong perception of modelling in general?Yes. Generally speaking and I am generalizing - I think they do. I think there are a lot of people who do not question what is shown to them by the media and believe everything they are told. Unfortunately, the perception of modeling that is portrayed in the media tends to be a little superficial and I wish more of what really goes on is revealed. Modeling is a career, not some big fashion party full of boos and pretty people. Like any career it should be taken seriously and girls who want to start modeling should adopt the same professional attitude as they would if they were to get a job in the finance world. It's not an easy road... Who said life was easy, right?>8. As a professional and well-known model, could you give some advises to the new comers (DOs and DON'Ts)?DO finish school and preferably university before taking on modeling full-time. It's a short-lived career and if you think you can waltz through life as a model, think again. Be smart.

DO listen to your parents when they nag you about picking up your room, showing up on time, keeping a smile when someone criticizes your behaviour. The best models are those who can take directions, show up on time for work, and keep a smile no matter what is thrown at them. Discipline is key.

DONT spend all your money drinking and partying when you model as that's the best way to 1) get fat 2) be strapped for cash on a rainy day 3) end up with bad skin & wrinkles - your career will be even more short-lived - trust me.

DONT think you need to buy the latest trendy bag/ coat as seasons and trends change faster than your mood swings. Stay fit and you'll look good in anything.

DO maintain your self-esteem and confidence. What clients don't tell you is that looks count 60%. There are a million gorgeous looking girls out there. What will distinguish you from another ultimately comes down to the 40% which is confidence and personality.

DONT be arrogant. What goes up must come down.

DONT base your identity on your looks - it's a dark and windy road.

DO realize that as you become more successful, you will be in the eye of the public... and a great responsibility comes with that. If you end up having a few moment of fame, think of what you can do that will make the world a better place.

DONTbe fake - it's just annoying. If you think all models are fake, you're spending too much of your time watching TV and believing what's being fed to you.

DONT get all obsessed with how much you weigh on the scale - muscle is heavier than fat. Tone is much better than skin and bones.

Extra Tips:

DO Get a portfolio of photos together - diversity is key! Always keep your photos up to date

DO Learn how to act - look in the mirror and try to play different characters - challenge yourself. Learn not to overact but to feel the emotions and let it come from your eyes.

DO your research - read lots of magazines, learn some poses - copy at first and then create your own

Girls - DOShave your legs/ armpits please

DO Stay charming and on time.>9. Know that you are not only a model but an all-round artist. what's the line between model and celebrity to you? A model represents something, a product, a service, a company.A celebrity is represented... By the media to bring pleasure and celebration to the people.A model is not necessarily a celebrity. And sometimes a celebrity not necessarily a model - depending on the basis of the celebrity's fame.The best celebrities in my opinion are those who also represent some sort of value/ opinion that is beneficial to their audience, to society. They are essentially good role models too.>10. How could you keep on equipping yourself as professional model? (practising, mock casting?!)Learn from other models. Take advice from the people you work with - trust your agency and always listen to them... as they've been doing this much longer than you have. Reinvent yourself by reinventing your look constantly. Learn more languages - a lot of TV commercials require some sort of acting...>11. Do you work with agent at the moment? if yes, how could you manage the relationship? (or briefly describe how a job be taken and done normally)Yes, I'm exclusive to Calcarries models in HK.  They propose me to clients and send me to castings. And when the client books me for jobs... I trust them to negotiate for me and I make myself available whenever they need me. I always trust them to have my best interest at heart. And I see them as my family in many ways. Even if you are the hottest girl, you are nobody without the support of your agency. Again, don't be arrogant.>12. Is the demand for modelling booming in these years? If yes, what kind (hard photo, commercial, etc) and in what region (mainland as the rocketing luxury market?)Yes and no. The HK modeling industry has shrunk a bit after the recent economic crisis, it is only recently starting to pick up. The China market is huge and there are a lot of jobs there... so a lot of the agencies are getting work for the girls' across the borders... which is great for us as the RMB is high! More savings there. There also seems to have been an increased relocation of productions to Singapore and Thailand because of the lower production costs in those countries which means more girls are being being scouted locally from there. All in all, the industry is shifting...>13. Any other things you want to share regarding modelling as job (career).I feel like I've already written a book. haha>14. Your current plan (music, etc)On the acting side: I just did my first Hollywood Movie - Man with the Iron Fist and I just finished a series along with my co-star Peter Ho called Wish Upon A Star.

I'm working on a few music videos for some of my own original works and finished my English album which will hopefully be released soon. My Chinese album is in the works.

I'm continuing the modeling at the same time and am shooting more and more in Mainland China.