By Chris Cruz @chriscruzism
KULT Models is specialized model agency focus on Men only. Founded in 2001, KULT always had the right feeling for the business and trends to find the best faces for national and international clients.
Male models are often neglected in the business – due to the fame of their female colleagues. the challenges in booking men is to bring out the unique of the models – with all the rough edges of their character that male them as interesting as their female counterparts.
Main offices operating in Hamburg, but they also have office in Australia, Vienna and Germany, collaboratively with talent to develop their personal brand, social media and profile for optimum success.
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–Hi Kirk Blake – Scouting and Development on KULT Australia. First of all, hope you’re ok, thanks so much for accepting this quick interview, we know you are so busy right now, thanks for your time, how do you involved with scouting new faces. How do you started ?
Kirk: How I got started ? I started working for John Casablanca’s in Canada when I was 21, I worked as an agent/scout there for 2 year.
I have scouted for a few agencies in Canada in the late 80’s and 90’s before I moved to Australia (Sydney) where I was scouting for Chadwick models (owner: Peter Chadwick) for 4 years before scouting for EMG models and “Vikki Barrack” for nearly 15 years.
During this time I was always head hunted by agencies in Asia and America to scout for them.
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–How have you seen the industry change since that time, (when you start) especially the ways models are booked?
Have I seen the industry change ?? It has changed in so many ways its incredible, booking systems, the internet, digitals not polaroids, instagram… the list goes on. But scouting never changes for me… I like to get out and put in the time at events and malls, this is the best way to see people, I have found now a few models on Instagram and some have found me this way…so I can’t Knock this social forum for helping me.
-How do you scout talent, (I know every cute Aussie on the corner), how do you know who will be successful? It is hard?
How do I scout?… I actually plan, I am always thinking where there will be masses of people, example… Central Station early mornings. Shopping Malls are good , but you can’t ignore living in Australia that the one great place is the beaches surrounding the city.
How do I know someone will be successful? Million dollar question ?? Well I can only say that when I spot someone I have an initial reaction of “yes” and then of course you have to chat to them, get a sense of their personality and a little bit about them…. but there is a thing that people call “X factor” there is an element of truth to this , however there are some fundamental qualities a boy has to have … “height, body condition .. ie .. hair teeth skin..
But usually I just go with my gut feeling.
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-Let’s talk about Fashion Week, we now know MB Australia Fashion Week is getting stronger and stronger every season, does your models participated on the event? What are your thoughts on this?
This is a super event showcasing Australian Designers … Models now come from all over the world to do these shows and to be seen by ‘Major’ clients… We always have models in these shows of course representing the best Male models in Australia.
-How do you prepare your models for fashion week?
The models are always prepared and have usually walked for shows around the world, because now having some of the biggest boys come to Australia to model, its great for designers to choose from the best.
-How do you ensure that your guys get booked for the shows?
You can’t ensure any model gets book… if the client likes them and they are professional.. they get booked.
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-What is the office environment like, is it crazy hours for everyone? (during MBFWA)
The office environment is always crazy… no such thing as a 8 hour day… and even when we are not at the office we sleep with our phones because of the time difference around the world and having to communicate on matters that need to be resolved ASAP.
-How do you keep up the confidence of the models during that time? (MBFWA)
How do you keep the confidence… at this stage the models are all confident.
-How do you decide which publications and jobs you allow your models to work with?
How do you decide on publications or jobs… this is very key in the direction of any model, it is about knowing your clients likes and dislikes , but also choosing the right magazines and photographers who can advance a models career .
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-Tell us about you’re new faces on board, we have seen some of them on magazines, lookbooks…
Newest is my model Oleg
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Who contacted me on Instagram from the Ukraine…. I thought at first… no he is joking, he has to be with an agency already or someone is playing a joke… well no it true he was unsigned and undiscovered but had found me. So at this point Kult Hamburg organised him to start in Hamburg modelling… teaching him about castings and learning to pose, and now he is on to his first market to learn with Daman http://www.damanmgmt.com/ which is the best for men in Istanbul….
-Oh don’t you forget telling us your experience about model sensation Jordan Barrett!!???
Jordan Barrett.. Jordan Barrett I found when he was 13 years old, I knew instantly when I tell him that he was going to be a future star… but funny when I first started showing people , there was a lot that went no or didn’t even reply back (over-seas agents) But the first magazine was Client Magazine which I had a photographer Thor Engelstad from the Gold Coast shoot him for a submission for the magazine but they used him for the back cover.. which was very cool for a young kid. Jordan is a great kid and he works very hard, his schedule is insane … one only has to look at his Instagram to see he is never in any spot for very long. He will do really well…. But keep watching I have so many new boys which have not yet been shown to anyone… as its key to launch them at the right time.
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-But you gotta tell us what is your most popular guy on your board?
All I can say is that for now I have some of the most amazing new faces.
-Where do you see the industry headed, what can we expect?
Where is the industry going?? to be honest it seems to be picking up pace and models will come and go really fast if they don’t keep themselves in incredible shape and professional.
-Advise for aspiring models?
But this is true with anything in life, those who put in the hard work reap the rewards.
Thanks so much Kirk for your time, keep up the good work. We have read wonderful words, and learn about how a model can be scouting, we hope to hearing agrain from you so soon.
Please you can follow and contact Kirk Blake at Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kirk_scout/
https://www.instagram.com/kultaustralia/
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