Modeling in Arizona market is more grit than glitter Seven months ago, Dan Kilpatrick was checking out customers and stocking inventory at Zia Record Exchange in Tempe, a store with a steady college-age clientele. These days, he's strutting down fashion runways in London and Paris with the expensive spring collections of Dior, Prada, Marc Jacobs and Jil Sander hanging off his slim frame. Last season, the Scottsdale native did nine of 15 men's shows in New York City. "When I first saw him, he looked like he had stepped right out of 'That '70s Show,' " said Stacey Eastman, owner of Pulse Management, a San Diegobased modeling agency. "He had that shag hairdo hanging in his face. He was wearing clothes they don't make anymore. It was fantastic." Kilpatrick, 20, signed with Eastman's company after a scout noticed him behind the counter at Zia. Three months later, he landed a fashion layout in the December 2003 issue of Details magazine. Though contacted numerous times through his agent and directly, Kilpatrick declined to participate in this story. Eastman attributed that reticence to Kilpatrick's humble, conservative nature, saying that during an early portfolio shoot, he was reluctant even to be photographed without a shirt, a cigarette hanging limply from his lips. Via e-mail, Kilpatrick confirmed that he didn't want to sound like he was bragging in his own hometown. His path from Mill Avenue anonymity to designer clothing rack has been quick, leaving him little time to adapt to sudden publicity. His path has also been atypical. EVERYDAY SUCCESS "The best people in this business don't have a certain look. They're the ones who are down-toearth, not high-maintenance or high-drama. Nobody wants to work with somebody like that," Eastman said. BACKUP PLAN Modeling's gotten a mixed rap. "So many people have this perception that it's jet-set glamour, clothes, rock stars, limos," Eastman said. "There is that side of it. But you look at it as a job with perks." As in any job, there's work to be done. "It's not standing around in the desert, looking pretty," said Brian Marcus, president of ProScout of Scottsdale, a national scouting network. "You will have to make an investment in yourself, the business of you. It's up to you to know the ins and outs of the industry." There is also a dark side to modeling: It can be a fast-lane life rife with drugs, alcohol and sleazy agents eager to swindle wannabes. Black and Eastman both said that successful models - who avoid those pitfalls - make smart decisions that reflect their personal standards. Much of what you get out of modeling is what you put into it, and you choose every day what kind of model you're going to be. "Even if this is your lifelong dream, have something to fall back on," Demski said. "It's a tough business. If it does work for you, then you haven't lost anything. You still have an education or a job you're good at. You're better off for it." Making the cut Modeling scams are nearly as numerous as model hopefuls. Follow advice from the experts to avoid getting ripped off: * If a scout or agent asks for money upfront, they're not legitimate. True agents only make money when you do, earning a percentage every time you work. They don't make money selling photos or charm school classes. * Legitimate agents don't require a portfolio, a "book" of photos showing you in a variety of looks, before signing you. Most prefer a snapshot of you in regular clothes or a swimsuit, wearing little or no makeup. They want to see you as a blank canvas, not how creative you are with a curling iron and a tub of rouge. * Always meet an agent at his office. Examine the place for pictures of ads the agency has booked for its models. Request to see the composite cards of models whose ads are displayed. If an agent is really working with a model, his or her card should be on hand. Pay attention to what people in the office are doing. Are they busy booking jobs and "go-sees"? Or are they discussing open calls, conventions and getting payment from new talent? * You will need photos before you can work, and you will pay for those. Your agent can recommend good photographers, but your agent shouldn't receive any kickbacks. Modeling is like being in business for yourself. You'll make an initial investment, usually $450 to $1,000, to build a collection of photos and print composite cards. AmandaoYoung Editor Philip M. Tortora Internet News Editor East Valley Tribune & Scottsdale Tribune (480)-898-6382 www.eastvalleytribune.com