Hiring models using the direct approach method

[The Last Laugh]

Hello everyone,

I'm curious to hear from producers who hire models by direct approach. By that I mean approaching strangers in everyday life and asking them if they'd be interested in doing a tickling video shoot. How successful have you been with this method? How nervous or confident do you feel when you do it? How do people react to this?

I must confess that I've tried it a number times in the past. Always in fairly public places like parks and the like so that the candidates wouldn't feel threatened in any way. It was never easy. I don't like bothering/imposing on people to begin with, and considering the nature of my little business... well, it can be a rather delicate topic to bring up with total strangers. Then again, there were times when I felt more courageous and it wasn't all that bad. But even then, I can't say I've ever been very comfortable with this method, and I haven't used it in many years. It's too bad, though, because I do like the idea of having a chance of working with ladies that catch my eye in everyday life.

It doesn't help that my success rate has been pretty bad. Oh, most people I approached were polite enough, and some were intrigued by the idea, some even suggesting they would get in touch with me. But for all my efforts I only managed to work with one team of models I approached this way. I'm happy I found those models, but I can't say that this one success makes up for my stressful experiences with all the other potential candidates. Not that I can't manage to keep my cool and act in a calm, professional manner, mind you, but it's still not something that comes naturally to me. I just don't like the idea of potentially embarrassing or offending someone, nor of having someone think I'm some kind of weirdo.

Anyway, I know there are producers out there who not only use this method, but also are more comfortable with it and enjoy a higher success rate than I have. I'd be very grateful if some of them were kind enough to share their experiences, good or bad. Thank you.

 

[mabus]

A suggestion Francois - you'll probably have to mail each producer directly.
I find that most producers don't bother reading/responding to threads, and even more so in helping a fellow producer or want to be producer.

I have gotten responses from Tommy, James Darke, Darth Sidious...

TickleTown did try this in a mall a while back - BUT, he used a pretty female model to ask the girls, he didn't do it himself.
And he did get several "No's" which honestly is to be expected.

If you do a normal movie, you're going to get far more no's than yes's. And of the "Yes's" you get, most of THOSE won't even bother showing up!"

 

[The Last Laugh]

Hi Mabus,

Thank you for the suggestion, but I don't think I'll go to the trouble of contacting producers. I'm not really looking for advice to help me with my hiring activities. I'm pretty much ok with the way I do things as it is. I was just curious to hear about other producers' experiences, to compare with my own. So it's not a big deal if my post doesn't get many or any replies. I don't think it's a very effective (or at least efficient) recruiting method anyway. Not sure it's a good idea to bring up this stuff with total strangers anyway.

Heheh, believe me, I've been doing this for the last 9 or 10 years, so I'm very familiar with having to go through a lot of potential candidates before getting a positive answer. As well as with dealing with candidates who say they're interested only to drop out before coming for a shoot, for whatever reason. Not to mention genuinely interested candidates who turn out not to be ticklish enough. It's a very tedious, frustrating process.

 

[mabus]

No, I mean you're going to have to specifically point the producers to this thread!🙂

Many people post "Question for producers, " etc. some variation of that......and may get one or two producer responses, if they're lucky. Most responses come from other users wondering the same thing, or giving their own advice.

Honestly, most producers only use this place to sell their clips...and that's it.
I chuckle at that thread posted about Zen tickling being frustrated with the video clips forum issues - Of the producers who use all caps, etc, only ONE bothered to respond - the others, who are just as guilty, don't even care. Hell, don't even COME to the discussion forum! They offer their clips, they bump their threads repeatedly...and then leave.

Hopefully regular members chime in, and I guess you can just listen to their advice.
(Hey, I added mine!)

 

[TMJ Productions]

Well I've tried this twice and both times it ended up not working out.

But the stories are hilarious:

first story-
my band had a gig and afterward one of the servers, 22 years old, sat in my lap for a picture. She started tickling me so I tickled her back. After the photo I asked if she'd like to do a tickle video shoot. She said, "No I couldn't do that i'm way too ticklish!" I told her that was the idea. We play that bar every few months and we laugh together as each time we talk about a video and she turns red, giggles, and I explain how fun it would be. She says, "yeah for you!" She's a very cool girl and who knows one day maybe she'll go for it.

Second story-
I was at a bar and this girl, looked about 30 years old, kept talking to her friends about how crazy she is. How she does modeling work and always freaks out the photographer by how insane she acts. She was loud and indeed crazy. I was a table right next to them and thought, why not? I was with some vanilla friends so I tried to catch her away from the tables. I approched her and we chatted while I explained the job and asked if she'd like to try it. She got all embarrassed and told me that she was lying to her friends to seem cool. That she has never really modeled. Then added that she might be able to try this as she's not one bit ticklish anywhere. Then asked to be paid $1000, lol It was hilarious. I thanked her for her time and told her it might not work out. She agreed and told me that if her church group ever found out it would horrible. I've never tried so hard in my life to not laugh! 🙂

 

[rhiannon]

To me, this method seems like it would get you more trouble than models! 🙂

 

[ZenTickling]

I've wanted to several times but don't have the guts to do it.

 

[The Last Laugh]

Most responses come from other users wondering the same thing, or giving their own advice.

That's ok, I'm still interested in hearing what they have to say.

Honestly, most producers only use this place to sell their clips...and that's it.

I don't know, a number of producers do seem to contribute to discussions in a significant way, and those are the people I'm most interested in hearing from.

I chuckle at that thread posted about Zen tickling being frustrated with the video clips forum issues - Of the producers who use all caps, etc, only ONE bothered to respond - the others, who are just as guilty, don't even care.

I have to admit, I'm among those who are annoyed by the practice of overhyping clips in post titles, with all-caps (never a good idea online), unnecessarily flashy characters and the like. It's so garish, like spam. Not very inviting. But I guess producers are free to present their products anyway they want.

Personally, I try to keep my own new clip announcements fairly simple, avoiding gimmickry and letting the customers judge for themselves if they like the previews and full-length clips. Then again, I'm not a very aggressive or prolific producer. The Last Laugh is just a minor sideline for me, not nearly as important to me as my actual job, so I don't feel the need to advertise like crazy and to make as much money as humanly possible.

One a side note, one aspect of the TMF that has begun to bother me a little is how much space the INTERNET section is taking, as opposed to the MEDIA section. This is mostly due to a few producers having their own forums in the INTERNET section on the main page. This isn't a problem in and of itself, but I don't understand why the MEDIA section, which gets a lot more hits and is used by a lot more producers, doesn't come first. I mean, isn't media (Images, Videos and Artwork) the main reason a lot of people hang around the TMF? As more forums dedicated to specific producers are added to the INTERNET section, one has to scroll down more and more to access the MEDIA forums, like the latter aren't as important. I don't mind them having personal forums, but in my opinion they should come after the more general MEDIA forums. But I digress...

 

[The Last Laugh]

Hey TMJ!

I hope the girl in your first story agrees to do it one day. She definitely offered you a good opportunity, a lot less awkward than approaching a total stranger out of the blue. Heheh, isn't it funny how some people say they're too ticklish to do a tickling video shoot, when that's the whole point? Better "too" ticklish than not ticklish at all. What I tell them is that if they're so ticklish we can always lower the intensity of the tickling so it's more tolerable for them, and still get pretty good reactions.

As for the second girl, wow, what a perfect tickling model she would have been... Seriously, everything she said was so wrong. It is hilarious, but she seems pretty clueless, and that whole lying-about-modeling-to-sound-cool thing is just pathetic.

Thank you for the stories!

 

[The Last Laugh]

To me, this method seems like it would get you more trouble than models! 🙂

Trouble? Not really. Not if it's done the right way and in the right places. But a lot of frustration, wasted time and potential embarrassment? You bet! That's why I stopped doing it many years ago.

I just wish it weren't so awkward and potentially upsetting for some people, mostly because of the fetish context. Thing is, simply approaching strangers isn't all that bad in and of itself. Before I started working on The Last Laugh I worked on a photography project with/for one of my friends from the USA. It was pretty much a stock photography thing, without a fetish component. Basically just ordinary portraits, with some more artistic and humorous elements added in.

My function was to advertise for models in preparation for my friend's visit during the summer. I'd post ads in various places, give information to interested candidates, often meeting them in person and eventually doing video auditions with them (allowing my friend to select candidates before coming here). I was also in charge of organizing the shoot schedule and serving as an agent of sorts for my friend. We actually got to work with about 40 models in a month. It was a lot of fun.

Now, while I got a lot of models through ads, I also managed to find the nerve to approach several people directly. Since the project didn't have a fetish/adult element to it, it wasn't all that hard. In fact, most people were quite flattered by the offer, including those who declined. I tried to do this in public places as much as possible, like parks, malls and the like, so that the people I approached would feel safe. Naturally, I made sure I looked respectable and acted in a professional, confident way. A fair number of the models we ended up working with where recruited this way. Not surprisingly, my success rate was a lot higher than for my tickling video project.

Unfortunately, the fact that the videos I'm making now are meant for sale to a fetish clientele makes it a lot harder to use this recruitment technique. I really wish it was as relatively easy as the stock photo project. I'd have a blast approaching intriguing potential candidates if I weren't worried of offending or creeping them out.

 

[the tickleshow]

I did it twice; one time resulted in Janet doing 2 videos after she waited on my table at a hotel restaurant.
The second time (which actually happened first), I asked a lady who was a Masseuse I used to see on a monthly basis. She was from Kyrgyzstan, 5'9" & had the most GORGEOUS feet and I knew they were VERY ticklish. She admitted she had thought about it, but, in the end, she passed on the idea.🙁

 

[turtleboy]

Honestly, most producers only use this place to sell their clips...and that's it.
I chuckle at that thread posted about Zen tickling being frustrated with the video clips forum issues - Of the producers who use all caps, etc, only ONE bothered to respond - the others, who are just as guilty, don't even care. Hell, don't even COME to the discussion forum! They offer their clips, they bump their threads repeatedly...and then leave.

Just because they don't post all that much in the other sections doesn't mean that producers don't ever visit or read them....some producers may just not want to comment or offer opinions in ongoing arguments involving others - particularly if they risk getting slammed themselves.

 

[the tickleshow]

Just because they don't post all that much in the other sections doesn't mean that producers don't ever visit or read them....some producers may just not want to comment or offer opinions in ongoing arguments involving others - particularly if they risk getting slammed themselves.

I do post here in the discussion forum every so often, but Turtleboy is in the ballpark with his comment; I rarely post in a thread that is likely to induce a flame war or something.
To address the earlier post, I have never been one to do the ALL CAPS thing, but I have been guilty of "loud posting" in the clips section. Now, I post when I respond to another person's post or when a clip is new or if it is in a new format (MP4, HD, etc). Some still have issues with that, but I do it with a new clip most of the time.

 

[The Last Laugh]

some producers may just not want to comment or offer opinions in ongoing arguments involving others - particularly if they risk getting slammed themselves.

Indeed. Some people seem to think that just because producers sell videos they can't offer unbiased opinions on some topics. So they may refrain from contributing in some cases, just to be safe. After all, if they say something that enough people disapprove of, it might affect their sales.

I try to be careful myself, worrying that a comment might backfire on me. In particular, there are a few fellow producers who have practices that I don't quite approve of, but while I wish I could jump in I know better than to do that, as getting into a public argument with another producer is never a wise move.

In any case, I guess it's true that some producers only hang around to sell their clips, but there are several others that participate in discussions on a regular basis. And, as turtleboy said, even those who don't post much may still keep informed of what's going on in the community by reading threads.

 

[Jagermeistered]

Sounds like a pain in the ass, so thank you producers.

 

[C4S_44000]

I've had great luck in doing this. Of course, we weren't dealing with Western women, so that's been a big advantage 🙂

Take care,

The Fastest Fingers in The East

 

[love feet]

I did it twice; one time resulted in Janet doing 2 videos after she waited on my table at a hotel restaurant.
The second time (which actually happened first), I asked a lady who was a Masseuse I used to see on a monthly basis. She was from Kyrgyzstan, 5'9" & had the most GORGEOUS feet and I knew they were VERY ticklish. She admitted she had thought about it, but, in the end, she passed on the idea.🙁

Janet is so cute!.
🙂

 

[The Last Laugh]

I've had great luck in doing this. Of course, we weren't dealing with Western women, so that's been a big advantage 🙂

Really? You mean Eastern women tend to be more open to this sort of thing? That's odd, I would have thought the opposite. Then again, I don't really know all that much about Eastern culture. In any case, I'm glad it works well for you.

 

[rhiannon]

Really? You mean Eastern women tend to be more open to this sort of thing? That's odd, I would have thought the opposite. Then again, I don't really know all that much about Eastern culture. In any case, I'm glad it works well for you.

He's probably talking about Thai women in poor surroundings.

 

[NY ler]

C4S... I would like to hear some off your stories

 

[C4S_44000]

Social networking has been a great method for us. In fact, Jeje and Choi have become two of our best friends after working with us. I came across some photos of Jeje and made contact with her, and the rest is history 🙂
We met and worked with Ann and Gina in this way as well.

In other instances, some of our models are friends of my wife. We approached them and explained what we wanted to do, and never received a "No" from any of them.

There seems to be a big curiosity factor involved. We don't do nudity or anything too extreme, so the basic concept of just being tickled in front of the camera was something that a lot of them could feel comfortable to deal with.

Surprisingly, the women we worked with have been very open minded, compared to what one would expect in the West. I was surprised at first. Everyone we worked with has had FUN doing this. That's what has made this work so enjoyable.


I won't dignify Rhiannon's remarks with a response.


Take care,

The Fastest Fingers in The East

 

[rhiannon]

In other instances, some of our models are friends of my wife.

Well, that's a totally different story then! That means they are not strangers to you, and that's what this thread was all about - you see someone on the street, walk up to them and make the model-proposal! If they are friends, of course it might work!

 

[C4S_44000]

Well, that's a totally different story then! That means they are not strangers to you, and that's what this thread was all about - you see someone on the street, walk up to them and make the model-proposal! If they are friends, of course it might work!

But none of our other models are "Thai women in poor surroundings".

Did you just draw that comment out of a troll hat ?

Take care,

The Fastest Fingers in The East

 

[rhiannon]

But none of our other models are "Thai women in poor surroundings".

There used to be a tickling-producer who used exactly those women for his clips, so the thought wasn't so far away from reality. 🙂

And since this thread is about approaching strangers and asking them to be a tickle model, I mixed that with the Asian-women-thing....and that's where the thought ended up. 🙂

Friends of your wife don't count as strangers. 😉

 

[Knox The Hatter]

To me, this method seems like it would get you more trouble than models! 🙂

As usual, my friend here sums things up in a very few words 😀

Call me a skeptic, but...if you approached young women, say, in one of the parks in my city, and asked them that question, they'd walk away. They might or might not call the police. If you did it in New York, you might or might not get a reaction at all. They'd ignore you, or look at each other with a wink.

Your success rate's much higher by advertising for it in the right places. But then, you know that already, right?