Expert: Kitty Kavey - 5/15/2008

Question
Hi. My daughter has a head shot and zed card and I would like to send it out to some of the local agancies here in the seattle area. I am not sure how to word the cover letter and was wondering if you had a sample. She is only 5ft so we are looking at fashion/commercial print. She is taking classes at John Robert Powers, has completed the TV1 and is taking image developement and fashion commercial print. She's a natural and loves to pose for pics.
Thank you so much!

Answer
The good news is that there is no one standard format for modeling cover letters - so you can put your own "spin" on a cover letter.

The basic recommendation is this: Keep it is brief as possible.  Agents are (hopefully) very busy, and tend to skim over or not read a cover letter in it's entirety, particularly if it's longer than a page.

Do include your daughter's stats (height, age, weight, hair color, eye color, measurements/sizes).  Make sure you put in contact information.

Here's a sample of a couple cover letters online:
http://www.jobbankusa.com/resumes/cover_letters_free_samples/examples_templates_...


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080224075341AAEgVuO

Another version that you may find helpful is below:
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Attention: New Faces

I was referred to your agency by photographer Adam Shutterbug.

My name is Anna Smith.  I'm a freshman in Seattle High School, and also attend drama classes at JRP.  I've enclosed my headshot and actor's resume, and modeling composite card for your consideration.

I'm 5' tall, 105 lbs, 34-25-33, brown hair and eyes, a jrs size 3, shoe size 6.  If you're interested, I am available to meet with you at your convenience.  I can be reached via telephone: 555-555-5555, or email: A.Smith@hotmail.com.

Thank you,
Anna Smith
100 Main Street
Seattle, WA 00000
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I hope that helps give you an idea.  If someone the agency knows of referred you (such as a model they represent, a photographer they've heard of, or even if you read in paper an article about them) it might be nice to include that, both because a compliment is nice, and because it shows you took the time to research who exactly you were sending it to.  

A blind mail-out to every local agency with the generic dear sir or madam, is done - and they do sell mailing lists with labels that you just stick on your submission letter - but I'm not personally a big fan of that.

Not every agency likes phone calls, nor does every agency have a website - but for those that do take calls and/or have websites, they generally do provide instructions for new talent.

So for the agencies you and your daughter are interested in, check with your favorite search engine to see if they have a website and if so what submission instructions are included on the website.  

Keep the cover letter short for your daughter; who she is, what she is interested in, and how to contact her, and it should be fine.

Good luck to you!
~Kitty