Interview with Breanna Baker

Breanna Baker is a model, actress, musician, and social media marketer. Recently, she moved from a small mountain town to the Bay Area for her modeling career. We have conducted an interview with her.

What are the uniqueness of your appearance or personality that makes you suitable to modeling? Which is the most stringent modeling criteria that you have ever overcome?

I have a unique face. Many times, people have stopped me, in the store, on the streets... And asked me if I was from some other country (i.e.: Sweden. Germany, France, basically anywhere in Europe). I've even had people mistaken me for being from their own country, and try speaking to me in another language!!

I have high cheek bones, which everyone loves, and a very defined jaw line. Makeup artists always tell me I have the perfect bone structure for makeup. My lips are a bit small, but have a great shape to them. My eyes are blue, and I can open them very wide. My figure is an hourglass: 32-24-36'' 

The most stringent modeling criteria that I have overcome is being under the ideal 5'9''+ runway height. Many people think I am that tall, until they meet me in person. I have even had an agent think I was that tall, until they saw me in person. Now, I am sure to make my height very BOLD and LARGE on my marketing materials. That way people wont pass over it, and waste my time for thinking I am "exactly" what they were looking for. I am 5'4''. Take it or leave it.

Which kinds of modeling challenges will you want to undertake in the near future?

To travel around the world, doing what I love! I have toured the US twice for music and studied one summer in Europe. This time, I want to model. I want to travel for work!! Most of my clients are in California. A current challenge is to expand. I am targeting my favorite clothing companies, ad agencies, magazines, designers, photography studios, production companies, etc.

Eventually, I will target modeling agencies. They are not my top concern, I know how to market without them, and I'm not a big fan of being tied down. I don't just want an agency that will find me work. I want a relationship. I want to be able to meet with them in person, discuss branding and marketing, make goals, target clients together, aim higher, etc. I want to be part of the process. Finding the perfect agency is like finding love. Rather than wasting time searching for the perfect person, become your perfect person, and they will find you.

My main goals take place in my personal marketing, which will help me to get future work. Recently, I ordered 1,500 cards for networking and mailing out around the world. I just ran out of envelopes yesterday and am waiting on a shipment of 500 envelopes that is over 3 days late. So, I bought a few hundred cheap envelopes from Office depot to use in the meantime.

Working as an assistant (in office and travelling to trade shows) for my father (a historical document dealer, one of the top dogs in the business) since age 5, I am a very fast and efficient mailer. Most of my marketing techniques were learnt from my parents and from growing up. Thanks Mom and Dad!!

In your opinion and based on your experience as a model, what is the greatest myth about the modeling career?

In my experience, most girls trying to become a model, are going after it because they seem to think it is an easy way out. To get paid "just for being in front of the camera". There is a lot more to modeling.

So many girls ask me what it takes, and I think you really just have to learn from experience. I have given private lessons to many people, coaching them on modeling, how to market, how to pose, what photos to use, etc. It shouldn't be a question of "what it takes" it should be an active input of making it happen. When people ask "what it takes" I feel like they are asking to make a one time purchase rather than a life-long commitment.

After hearing a fan tell me about how she tried going to modeling school, and "got nothing out of it". I decided to buy one of Barbizon's handbooks. I was quite amazed while reading it, most of the information was exactly on point with what I taught other models in private lessons. This fan got her first real modeling job, and loved it!! I had given her tons of advice before-hand, online and over the phone.... but honestly, most of the advice I gave her, it looks like she must have already learned at Barbizon. She just needed a little reminder.

Another myth I now believe in.... is that modeling schools are NOT a scam. They are just another way to learn. The reason they don't work for everyone, is that most people don't make an active effort to get everything they can out of it. It's like when people say, "This workout program doesn't work for me." It's not the workout programs fault, it's the amount of work that YOU put in that matters. I wish my parents had put me through modeling school as a kid. It would have helped sooooo much. Regardless, I found my way.

Do you think that every college graduate is going to have a career in what they studied, or get the exact job that they wanted? No. Does that make college a scam?? No. Do you think it is worth it to go to college? If so, then it is worth it to go to modeling school too. It is about making an investment in your career. If you don't go to a modeling school, then you'd better be home-model-schooling yourself at home!!!

Whether you learn from other people, or learn from experience yourself. You have to do the homework. You can't ace the test if you never opened the textbook. Do research, test yourself, learn, learn, and learn some more!! Get the equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in modeling. Think about it, most people go to school for 6-8 hours a day and then have homework and extracurricular activities on top of that..... for 4 years straight!!! That's a lot of work.

You must put that much work into becoming a model. And even more in working as a model for a career. Life isn't easy, and don't ever think it's getting any easier. That will only set you behind. As my mom always said whenever I complained as a child, "Tough". You only get out of life what you put in.

What are the most difficult and easiest aspects about being a model? Why do you think they are so?

I think one of the hardest aspects for me, is rarely being home or rarely having time at home. When I decided to fall in love, I told myself I would always put in 110% to be the best girlfriend I can be. It's very difficult to keep up with being my own perfect vision of me, and work!! Mastering the two bounces back and forth a bit as I learn to level out.

My boyfriend knows I do weird things, like lick thousands of stamps all day, keep up with extremely long beauty routines, do stretching and exercise videos, travel out of town every week, get hundreds of social media and email notifications, have to leave all of the sudden with not much explanation for meetings/castings etc.

Is there anyone in your profession you would love to work with?

I've never been one to idol people much. But the first names that come to mind are Devon Aoki, Kate Moss, Coco Rocha, and Tyra Banks. Devon and Kate are both fighting the same challenge as me, they are under 5'9''. Coco Rocha, the first time I saw her, was the first time I'd ever seen a model move and express as much as I do in front of the camera. Tyra is inspiring. I think it would be cool to be the host of America's Next Top Model someday.

The first time I'd seen the show, I felt like the judges read my mind. Years later, when I had the ability to watch a whole season, I felt so connected to the show. Like, most of what the girls were taught, I had learned through life experiences. Watching their shoots, I wish I were there, cause I knew exactly how to direct them. I've always been good with shapes, and it has helped me so much in modeling. I critique my own photos all the time.

Those are the only model names I can think of right now. Most people I'd like to work with are not models though. They are brands, companies, producers, managers, directors, editors, designers, photographers, makeup artists, stylists, journalists, etc. I write down their name and info on my lists, and research them extensively. I see who they know, get connected with who knows them, find out where they are from, what they do, their work history, etc.

Narrowing down my target, I work to get closer and closer each and every day. I get my face/name in front of them, so they will unconsciously recognize me when I contact/meet them. Once I feel ready, I mail my cards to them, call them, and/or email them.... and I don't give up.

If you are not modeling, what else do you do (what are your hobbies, how do you make good use of your free time)?

Free time? Not a fan. I do have relaxing time, but even my hobbies, I like to consider as valuable learning time. I love to drum, and drumming has gotten me a lot of work!! Just a week or so ago, I was drumming in a national commercial. I've played principal percussion in musical orchestras, taught at 4 different high schools, was featured in a drummer magazine, and was on the Paiste Wall of Fame at the 2013 NAMM show.

When I relax at home, I am usually doing something to better my health and body. Such as stretching, exercising, facial yoga, facials, putting on lotion, getting a massage, going for a walk, etc. Whenever I watch TV, I am always attentive, ready for inspiration, and taking notes. I am not very picky when watching shows with other people, but for shows I watch on my own, I want them to educate me, teach me a lesson, inspire me, and further my career; not just entertain me.

Currently, I visit my family once a week, due to the fact that my mom was in the hospital (sister was in and out too), my snake is there (couldn't take me with her when I moved to the Bay), and I do a lot of my work out of dad's office in Pollock Pines. Being from the mountains, I love to go on hikes, dig holes and mine rocks with my brothers, have snowball fights with our friends, and sip hot cocoa by the fire. Everything should be productive, at least for me. I don't like to waste time, I only invest it in those that I love, and that which I love to do.

You can find more about Breanna Baker at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/nxtBreannaBaker
http://www.linkedin.com/in/breannabaker
http://www.sfcasting.com/BreannaBaker
https://www.facebook.com/nxtBreannaBaker
https://twitter.com/nxtbreannabaker