Modeling in Second Life
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Let's face it. In the real world most of us do not have the looks or body to go into the modeling industry but in Second Life the problem of genetics doesn't exist and opens new doors for new and exciting experiences so why not take the bull by the horns and ride hard?! Being a model in Second Life is relatively easy although it does take a lot of work and commitment on your part if you want to reach fame and Second Life fortune.

What you need to get started:

Quality Hair
Quality Clothes
Quality Skin
Quality Shape
The right Accessories
Committed attitude
The willingness to work and put forth the effort
An outgoing and friendly personality
Professionalism
Punctuality
Fashion know-how

Looking at the list, you can tell that everything is something that can be acquired through hard work or with the right resources. Search around Second Life and take your time in finding the right look for your avatar. Don't be in such a hurry to rush through the process of glamming up your avatar because this will be who your clients and employers see and you want to make the best impression possible. You want them to see that you put time, money, and effort into your look and didn't throw the first few acceptable pieces together to start modeling. I list a few great quality stores later in this post. When shopping for clothes you want to make sure that you have plenty of every variety that you can find: Casual Dresses, Pant outfits, Jeans, Cocktail Dress, formal gowns, heels, boots, flats, jackets, hair of all styles and colors that suit your avatar, jewelery, bathing suits, lingerie, etc. But you also want to make sure that they express your personality and personal fashion style as well.

Here are a list of places in second life that are affordable and high quality. Be sure to check them out!

Clothing
Skins & Shapes
Hairstyles
After you have gotten a sufficient amount of clothing stocked up in your inventory it's time to organize it because I'm pretty sure that it's a mess by now since you forgot to organize in the midst of your shopping spree. You want to be able to access all your clothes easily and without very little fuss. So making a folder for Clothing, Jewelery, Shoes, Accessories and then making sub folders for the several varieties of those pieces is a good way to keep organized and make sure that every outfit is handy.

Now we've addressed the list and the look. Now that you have those things down it's time to get down to business. As a model, you have to be willing to invest money into your avatar as well as time and work. Being a model is not just having a nice looking avatar because there are so many out there that you have to compete with. One thing you should have is a portfolio of professionally made photos of your avatar. Whatever skin you apply for a job with make sure it is the skin that is displayed in the photographs. An adequate portfolio consists of about 5-10 photos and making them varied in styles helps your cause because it shows your avatar diversity for different products and clients. As you go along through the industry and gain more experience and work you'll continually add to your bulging portfolio. I will be sure to add a list of great and affordable photographers that you can use for your portraits and photos later so keep a look out. Also be sure that your photos are organized into a folder of their own and labeled with your name and maybe a short little description of the photo like "Bikini".

Here are some places you should check out that may be helpful. I've also listed some Photographers that I've found are talented and awesome in what they do.

Poses
Photographers


After getting those things it's time to go on a search for an agency. Now, having an agency is not a requirement to get the job with a client but they are savvy and have tremendous resources to help you look for clients. They also help to make sure that you are getting paid what you are worth and not a cent less. This is your business and Second Life livliehood so you have to be willing to be a go-getter and working your ass of to get the job.

Now there will be places that say that they offer training for new models for a "small" fee and I have to say that these are usually scams because it is not all that hard to become a model in second life. You dont really need to know how to walk on the runway as long as you have an attractive AO and know how to reduce lag during a runway show. Taking photos is not a huge daunting task that you need to have a full course on it worth 2000L. Most agencies are willing to give you tips for free to get you going and help you out because it takes about 30 minutes to impart their all important knowledge.

Another thing is you should be aware of Second Life fashion and it's designers. Just as in real life you would study up on your clients and possible employers you should be willing to do the same here. The designers work hard on their products and designs and put a lot of effort into their advertisements so the least one can do is make a note of their name and specialties. Also, something that may help your cause is putting your information in your profile such as your position, your agency, and things of that nature so that a designer would see you and then may decide to ask for your services on the spot. You have to be meticulous and ready to get out there. During a photo shoot, it is important to have positive energy and to follow directions of your photographer. Making them feel at ease makes the shoot go by a lot faster, smoother and with very little problems and that, in the end, is what you are looking for- a satisfied customer!

So there is your simple crash course in the world of modeling. The main thing you should always remember is to be yourself and it will shine through to your avatar!


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posted by Unknown at 11:56 PM | Permalink 0 comments
Exotic Dancers in Second Life
Saturday, April 25, 2009
One of the most popular career areas in second life is the life of an exotic dancers or stripper at various clubs. It's a simple job once you get the hang of things in second life and can earn you a pretty decent salary if you learn to do your job well. I will be giving a few tips to those that may need help, just joined, or looking for a refresher course!

Firstly, you have to make sure that you have the beginnings of becoming a great Dancer, for men and women of SL! The main requirements that will get you through the business are Good Quality Skin, Quality Hair, Quality Shape, Quality clothing, An Outgoing and Friendly personality, Emoting abilities (this can be learned), and a mind to seduce!

All of these requirements can be taught, bought, or perfected through experience so have no fear! Quality skin is not so hard to find if you look in the right areas but they can be expensive! Redgrave and Emporio are two good companies for skins. There are tons of shapes around SL if you shop around and find a modifiable one. You could even get a freebie shape or very cheap shape and modify it to your liking. It takes time and patience but if you have those two things then your avatar shape will come out looking great and unique! There are several Hair shops that sell very high quality hair for low prices such as Magicka and Goldie Locks! They have areas that display discounted hair and also goldie locks has a freebie area for new members to grab some nice selections to get started. Clothing, again is not so hard to find if you are willing to do the work to search for it. A lot of freebie clothing are of low quality but sometimes if you go to high end stores and look around you can find discounted clothes and freebies of good quality. A great store with low prices is "Hoodgirlz & Hoodboyz" (later on I will add a surl to get you to these stores) where you can find an entire outfit (clothes, accessories, shoes) in an entire package for under 300L!!!! If you're new I will tell you that THAT is a steal right there! So be sure to pop that into your search engine!

Now if you're a quiet and wilting butterfly that feels like they are about to pass out at the mere thought of trying to talk to other people first then you will have to get over that. As a dancer in second life, you have to be willing to go for it and greet others, get to know them and make them feel comfortable and at ease in the club. You want to build a rapport with them so that they will feel a friendly connection and want to come back for more. Also, friends are more likely to tip you than a complete stranger. Do you want to seduce them? Yes. But you also want to get to know them!

Emoting in second life is basically the writing of actions in the chat dialog box. If you have ever emoted in chat rooms then you know what I am referring to. I do not mean smilies or gestures that your avatar performs. I mean the describing of actions in detailed ways to show your readers and audience.

Here is an example:

/me smiles softly, her lips turning up slightly in the corners, causing a small dimple to appear in each cheek as she views the children running with abandon in the park.

When emoting in second life you want to type /me and then your action. There is no space between the slash and the me but there is between the me and your string of action. I would suggest that to get into the habit and practice of it, emote all your feelings or actions. Instead of saying "lol" emote a laugh; instead of a smiley face emote yourself smiling. (i.e. /me smiles, /me laughs)

I tail all the dancers that I train to look at it like this: Picture a blind man/woman and you want to describe a particular action. In second life you cannot "feel" an action being done to you so description is the next best thing. It brings the image of you to life in their minds eye. It invokes the senses to put them to work. Basically, you are becoming a writer of your own story. You want to affect your audience with your words and actions. And it is entirely possible! So do not dispair. Just remember to use as much description as possible. Say how you are doing it, where, when, to whom, etc. Be detailed in your posts. Not to say write an entire huge ass paragraph that everyone will have to scroll up and down to see in their chat box. A good rule of thumb is at least 2 full sentences, 3 is good as well.

Now that you have the tools needed to become a dancer it's time to look out in the world and find yourself a job...

The first thing you want to do is search in the classifieds section of the Search Engine under Employment for Dancers or Strippers. These are the best keywords to use when looking. Then just go down the list to see which place may suit you best. Teleport by the location and follow the directions they have in the descriptions box under their parcel image in the classified ad. Fill out the application and turn it in as they direct. Some clubs or areas do not allow you to work there if you're rez date (sl start date) is too young. Most believe that you do not have the knowledge or resources yet to become an adequate dancer in their club. Some, however, do not care and will interview and look at your skills and not your age. Also at most clubs now, you must be an age verified adult or have payment information used. This is pretty simple to set up in the second life website under your account information. At the left hand side you see a option to Update billing information. Click on that and go through that process of setting up your credit card information. Do not worry, This does not mean you are paying for anything whatsoever and there will be no charge made to your account by doing this. There are no hidden fees whatsoever to it. This is basically just another way to check your birthdate since very few minors are able to have credit cards. This is not a full proof system, true, since most teenagers have the ability to get their hands on their parents credit cards nowadays but it is the only ways they have at the moment to do this.

But if you ever decide to buy Lindens, your information will be set up and ready to go. You are able to buy lindens in world by clicking the small blue and white button at the top right hand corner next to the time display. A dialog box will appear and the default buying amount will be 1000 Lindens. The exchange rate is usually 4.16 USD for 1000 Lindens (L) just fyi. Again, you do NOT have to buy anything when setting up your credit card information so do not worry.

Later I will update this post with some stores that you may find good cheap quality clothing, skins, shapes, hair, etc. So stay tuned!

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posted by Unknown at 2:53 PM | Permalink 0 comments
Careers in second life introduction!
There are a variety of careers that you can choose from in second life- just as much variety as there is in second life. You can manage a business, become a dancer, escort, business owner, Host, Model, photographer, web specialist, and so much more! I will just be giving a few tips on the careers that I am familiar and comfortable with. The ones that I have gained extensive knowledge in that may help you in your journey through second life. I have trained Exotic Dancers and Escorts in second life for my clubs. I have also been a host and manage and run my own club in the second life world. So check out my posts to help you get started and learn new tricks of the trade for your budding career to start earning those Lindens!

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posted by Unknown at 2:49 PM | Permalink 0 comments