There's little I love more than documentaries about fashion and the modelling industry (even if they feature models complaining about how they never made it as it’s usually very entertaining to hear their excuses) and the recently released Australian documentary "Breaking The Model" is no exception. This one does not deal with body image or eating disorders but rather how unprotected models are in their workplace. The documentary seeks to highlight the fact that the industry is largely comprised of children and in Australia at least, operates largely unregulated.
The documentary features a former Australian model, Jenna Owen. She was signed to Chadwick models when she was 17 but quit after 2 years. She admits she was not a good model, and didn't make any money. Jenna, as well as three other models share their stories about their modelling experiences and the failure of their agencies to adequately look out for their interests. One model, Mercy was 14 when she did her first lingerie shoot. Another model, Izzy, was 15 when she had first sexual experience on a fashion shoot with a 30-year-old male model.
And then there's Jenna herself:
Subsequently, Jenna's former agency, Chadwick models, has released a statement responding to the allegations made by Jenna in the documentary:
You can watch the actual documentary here:
The documentary features a former Australian model, Jenna Owen. She was signed to Chadwick models when she was 17 but quit after 2 years. She admits she was not a good model, and didn't make any money. Jenna, as well as three other models share their stories about their modelling experiences and the failure of their agencies to adequately look out for their interests. One model, Mercy was 14 when she did her first lingerie shoot. Another model, Izzy, was 15 when she had first sexual experience on a fashion shoot with a 30-year-old male model.
And then there's Jenna herself:
When she was 17, her agency booked her for a shoot without telling her that it would involve being topless. At the time she saw it as an opportunity to start making money for her agency. But when she looks back on the resulting images now, she’s unsettled.
“It’s about the lifespan of that image, and it’s about the fact that we can’t control where those images go,” she said. “I don’t know who’s editing that image. I don’t know where that image has been sent, where they’ve decided to submit it. I don’t know if I ever find all the corners of the internet or the computers or the hard drives that that image is on in the world"
"And I think that’s a quite sinister thing when you’re speaking about someone that is under age. And I 100 per cent gave my consent in that moment [on set], but how much consent can you really have as 17-year-old girl who is so disempowered by their relationship with their agency, so disposable as a person?”
In the documentary, Jenna sits down with her mother to reflect on that photo shoot. Her mother is defensive at first — "You didn't know you were doing it until you went there. So it's not that I knew either. I wasn't comfortable being one of those hovering mothers". But according to Jenna, she's since been guilt-ridden. "That was really difficult for her, obviously, because she felt so responsible," she said. "But she was the opposite of a negligent mother. She was a really incredible supportive mother".
By the time Jenna left the industry she not only hadn't made money, she had a debt of $163. That's something Jenna wants parents to be particularly aware of. "The sting on top of it all, the majority of these girls and young women aren't even making profit. Their wages are sapped through commissions and a murky tally of expenses charged by the agent (from printing fees to accommodation and travel)".
For the documentary, she had modelling contracts examined by a top employment lawyer who concluded that "the power is all with the agency... these contracts allow for models to be financially exploited".
She also discovered that the major agencies were not meeting their legal obligation to register with the NSW Office of the Children's Guardian, as an authorised employer of children under 16.
These are just the reasons why Jenna would like to see the minimum age requirement for models to work in Australia raised to 18.
"I am yet to get one good reason why children are modelling," she said.
"This is not a good financial career path for the majority of young women — maybe the top three per cent [are financially successful]. So if it's not a good financial career path, and they're not protected by child safety laws, then what are the advantages?
Subsequently, Jenna's former agency, Chadwick models, has released a statement responding to the allegations made by Jenna in the documentary:
It is disappointing Jenna is indicating a negative experience with us as our team were committed to developing a professional modelling career for Jenna in an appropriate manner and at no time was any regret or dissatisfaction with any aspect of the association ever communicated to us.
Jenna signed with us on 20/06/12 and left us on 26/05/14 indicating she wanted to focus on an acting career leaving us with a debt of $163 which we absorbed without mention and released her from her contract.
In her time with us Jenna booked herself out extensively for personal reasons including for study and regular voice coaching in line with her acting aspirations which we supported.
I can only say that the entire team at Chadwick are fully focused on our responsibilities to our guys and girls that remain paramount in building on the highest reputation Chadwick's has earned over our 43 years in business.
We vigorously vet any and all photographers working with our girls and are constantly impressing upon our models the need for honest and open communication at all times especially when on any test or assignment arranged by Chadwick.
All models are informed of the industry standard commission we charge and that various expenses incurred in career development will be advanced by the agency and deducted from future work which is also a worldwide industry standard and covered specifically in the executed agreement.
Any charges deducted are included in a detailed statement when a payment is made or upon request and we aim at all times to keep such expenses to an absolute minimum.
With regard to responses on specific points please see below:
Every aspect of the relationship between Model and Chadwick's is communicated carefully and in person to the model [including their parents or Guardian if they are under 18 years]. Preparing and developing a professional model takes time, consideration and expertise and largely is a partnership between model and agent and something Chadwick Models has been very successful with and proud of.
- Modelling agencies across Australia, including Chadwick Models, are financially exploiting models by (on top of taking commission) charging expenses to models' accounts with little or no transparency.
The subject of commission and expenses is also covered in detail in the signed agreement on file [also signed by parent.] As per below.
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We vet any and all Photographers and would NEVER approve or give consent to such a request let alone raise the prospect with one of our models as it is simply not within acceptable behaviour. We advise all our models to contact us immediately any inappropriate request may be suggested in particular with regard to topless or nudity in any way. With that required notification we would be in in immediate contact with the Photographer in question to arrange immediate departure of the model and ensure we do not work with that photographer again.
- Allegations made by former model Jenna Owen that when she was 17 years old she was sent by Chadwick Models to a test shoot in Sydney with a photographer who – during the shoot – asked her to pose topless. Jenna alleges representatives from Chadwick Models did not discuss the possibility the shoot will require nudity prior to Jenna being sent there.
All our models follow those very specific instructions and we would be extremely disappointed and consult with in any model the importance of never ignoring those instructions in particular if such requests are agreed to.
As this scenario was never raised with her booker at any time and Jenna continued to work closely with the agency for the next 2 years doing numerous future tests we were unaware of the breach in our rules for photographers on that occasion and the trust we have in our models to keep us informed of such breaches. It should be noted that we do suggest a parent be in attendance at any shoot for our models under 18 years of age and most contact with models under 18 is through a parent.
Again I must reiterate how disappointed I am that Jenna has had that experience and disappointed further that we are only now learning of the transgression by a photographer 7 years on when we would have dealt with it immediately if notified at the time or at any time during representation.
We are not aware of the requirement.
- Why is Chadwick Models not registered with the NSW Office of Children's Guardian?
You can watch the actual documentary here:
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