entertainment FOCUS
Getting
camera ready
Asia’s Next Top Model
dell judge and
resident photographer
pher Todd
Anthony Tyler may
ay seem intense
and serious on thee reality show,
but he was at ease in dark blue
T-shirt and blue jeans
eans for a
recent morning interview
nterview
during a stopover in
Jakarta.
T
he Canadian-born
n Tyler
ential
sees the great potential
for Asian models to break
national
through on international
catwalks.
“The industry here has so much
nd potenenergy, change, growth and
est time
tial. This is perhaps the best
he West is
to be an Asian model as the
interested in the market, one reason being purely
economic.”
He knows about being in front of the camera
from his own experience; a biology-anthropology
bachelor’s degree holder, he transitioned from
ography. A resident of
modeling to fashion photography.
Shanghai, he occasionally travels to New York
and other fashion centers on assignment.
Here are excerpts of thee interview about the
d ’ modeling
d li world
ld
show, getting ahead in today’s
and if English fluency is a must for success.
Question: What are the qualities needed to be
on the show?
Answer: First, you have to be Asian, Pan-Asian
or at least one parent is of Asian descent. Then
you need to be of a certain height, because the
international standard is 1.76 meters. The show
brings it down to 1.72 meters and tries to find different model types with diverse looking beauty,
such as classic beauty, runway or high fashion.
Which is more important? Beauty/brain/attitude?
Hard to pick one, but in the end it’s brains.
With brain, you can compensate your weakness
and if you don’t have the attitude, you can figure
out what attitude you need to have. Once you get
scouted, you have to use your brain to get the jobs.
We try to give feedback to the contestants on how
to be a well-rounded, successful model. Whether
they win the contest or not, they will go on to be a
model, so the contest can give them some points
on being successful in their career and life.
How important is English proficiency as an
international model?
For the show, we need to speak English because everything is shot in English. But the most
important is the development of the girls, how
they respond to criticism, how they improve.
From my own experience as a photographer,
English is not necessary because there are many
top models who don’t speak English at all. Being
a model is about being instinctive, being who you
are, letting yourself be open for new experiences.
What are the common mistakes contestants make?
A lot of people don’t realize that although they
feel something inside, it’s not coming through to
the camera. You need to put all of the face, hands
and body into the expression and to have that
14
JANUARY 27, 2013
Courtesy of Todd Anthony Tyler
coming out through your eyes.
Best thing about being a judge?
It’s a new fresh way for me to use all my experience. I was a model for 10 years. Then I applied
that knowledge as a photographer. But it just sits
there like a trophy. Now I get to share the experience with the girls and the audience.
And the worst?
When we have to send a girl home. There are
four judges, so it’s a democratic system. But it’s
still painful. Another bad part is when fans say
things in the social media, like, “You don’t know
what you’re doing.”
Rate your own judging style.
Once I saw the show, I realized that I looked so
serious. I take the work seriously, I want them to
do the best, and give them honest, straight-fromthe-heart input. Some people may see it as too
direct.
From someone who has been on both sides of the
camera, what are your tips for young people wanting to enter the industry?
You have to be ready for rejection. You should
know how to market yourself, what kind of photos
you need in the portfolio and which client that is
best for you. The best model is the one who is willing to try any kinds of poses, because the ultimate
goal of a photo shoot is to get a good photo. Sometimes I see the new models too relaxed in a way.
During my modeling time, we made sure we’re on
time, had fresh skin, no mark on our body because
we didn’t have Adobe Photoshop. Now everyone
looks like they’re coming from a party, smell like
smoke, have spots on their face, look messy. We
can Photoshop. But I think professional models
should always be professional.
— Tifa Asrianti